Flamingo, Everglades National Park

I'm fired up... heading back to my old stomping grounds in the next couple of weeks. Haven't decided on exactly when as I'm watching the weather, the moon and tides for once in my life. Last time down there I didn't care what the weather was like although I knew a tropical storm was coming. I'll be more selective this time around.

For anyone that's looking for excitement, this is place. If you are ever in Miami area or driving down to the keys, do yourself a favor and take a day to fish or just visit Flamingo. You will return.

https://floridanationalparksassociation.com/everglades-national-park

https://tides4fishing.com/us/florida-florida-keys/flamingo-florida-bay

more later

Oh man this sounds like the stuff dreams are made of. I've always wanted to see flimgos in real life. I'm prob gonna have to settle for the plastic ones in the yard.

I've seen them flying in the distance several times but in the last 20 years I've been fishing Flamingo, I've gotten a picture of only one. It seemed lost and was reluctant to even fly. Took me an hour to find a way to get close enough to take the picture as I couldn't get within a quarter mile of it with it being low tide coming from another direction. It was Jan 1st, on a blue moon, years ago, and was the first time I'd ever gotten skunked fishing there.


Arriving at the entrance to Everglades early that morning of Jan 1, 2010 as moon was setting. Couldn't believe it was right in line with the park entrance. I gotta believe they built it that way on purpose. Only 38 more miles from entrance gate of Everglades to Flamingo. In the fog it took forever. Go too fast and you'll go air born. Hit a huge gator three miles from the entrance one night. It was laying in the middle of the road staying warm. Didn't see it until just before it raised its head as it got up, mouth wide open.. and I hit it at around 50 mph. I never hit my brakes as it was being dragged underneath my car... its tail swinging and thumping the bottom of my car like a sledge hammer. It felt like I ran over a telephone pole with railroad spikes in it. Finally when it came loose I hit my brakes and could see it in my rear view mirror, thrashing around like a lizard that had just had its tail pulled off. I turned around as it slithered and rolled off the road. I limped back to the park entrance and told the ranger I'd hit it. He asked if I needed tow service. My car was making the worst noise as the whole bumper and fiberglass ground effects were scraping pavement.. It had taken me two hours to get there from Hollywood, I decided I'd keep on going and refused tow service. Six months later I'd hit another one while driving across Tamiani Trail on way to fishing the northern entrance into the park in Chokoloskee.


I believe this was the one I hit as I had taken its picture several times that season and it was within 50 yards of where that culvert runs under the road. Never saw it again.


This was the second one I hit... clean shot to the noggin at 65 mph. I dragged it off the road.


My next door neighbor was laughing every time I'd come limping home from Flamingo and gave me this to put on my car. I'd just paid 1800 to fix it from the first gator and wasn't planning to get it fixed again until winter when the gators weren't on the roads. Between hitting the two gators I'd hit the last raccoon in the Everglades that the python hadn't eaten that got up in my wheel well and busted a tie rod. I usually would travel to Flamingo between 2 and 4 in the morning when I could see more wildlife.


I did slow down for this guy to pass..

I was just down there. I did not get to fish too much and only caught a few mangrove snapper but I want to go back. First time down Florida way. Caught some nice peacocks up around Boynton Beach canals. Thanks for the pics. I have not even been back a week and got an itch to see if plane fare is still cheap. (Round trip when we bought our tickets was $98 each to Ft Lauderdale car rental for the 8 days was about $500 as we needed a SUV with a roof rack for the yaks)

As always, thanks for sharing.

What are the rules in the Everglades Park if I wanted to kill and skin one of those huge Pythons?
Do you need a hunting license?
If you see one on the road, can stop and chop it’s head off with a machete?

I'm not sure what the rules are... they've changed over the years. The past two years I've noticed a huge increase in the number of people out late at night spotlighing for them. Years ago whenever I would stop and talk to those who had pulled over and were out walking with lights, they were all biologists or college students doing a study. Now days it seems like a lot of folks are doing it just for fun.

Here's a way to do it and get paid!
https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/python-program

Last November when I was down there I counted over 20 snakes on the road one night. None were python.

You can see all kinds of snakes, and many during daylight hours.


Eastern Diamondback


Thirty eight miles of this... Usually no traffic coming or going after midnight... so if you break down or have a flat, not likely to get any help until daylight.


The last ten miles the swamp changes from sawgrass to mangrove trees, as you near Florida Bay and the salt water. Lots of stuff on the roads here.. saw a florida panther late one night, its where I took picture of the python, and just a lot more creepy looking at night.

With a name like Power Lizard, you'll feel right at home!


This is the Florida record, 18' 9"... caught last October.. they might pay you a bonus if you break it!

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...-python-bursts-after-eating-gator-update

I was fishing there almost every weekend when this story came out. Sure made folks nervous about being out after dark.

Leaving for Flamingo in the morning..

Everything I have read said humanely euthanize the pythons. I am not sure a sharpened hoe would qualify. With my luck, we would only run into rattlesnakes and I really don’t want to mess with them.

Keep us posted with lots of pictures.

Fly into Miami and go to Flamingo from there.. get a fishing guide! Stay in Homestead, drive to Flamingo one day, try Biscayne National Park (bone fish), or drive down the Keys.. or do all three.

https://goo.gl/maps/p8EJnam7FuZVFjDa9


No place like it.

Finally made it...1400 miles from Durant, 28 hours drive time with one half hour nap, and 5 stops for gas. I'm beat.. checked in to Super 8, unloaded, and drove the ten miles to park entrance and then 38 more miles to Flamingo to see what the wind and water looked like. They haven't received much rain this spring as the holes where alligators usually hang out were all but dried up.





Caught a couple of snook off the seawall just messing around before the rains came. Never unloaded kayak as it was late, windy, and I was beat. Will be at it early tomorrow.


Can't wait

I am trying to figure out the costs for a trip like this.
Do you buy a Flamingo Park Pass or something so you don't have to pay the daily gate fee of $30 per vehicle?
Why do you stay at the Super 8 motel instead of on-site at the park?
Would a Hobie Pro Angler 12 work pretty well down there or is too shallow for the flippers to work properly?

I bought the Lifetime National Parks, Sr. Pass, .. No pay nothing any more.

I stay at Super 8 because it so cheap.. around $70 with tax, nice place, lots of foreign tourists, fast internet, tv, swimming pool, lots of fast food places to eat, Sonny's Barbecue nearby, no mosquitoes, no noseeums, and when the weather is like today.. 15 to 17 winds, I may decide not to fish tomorrow, or fish the Keys, or Biscayne National Park instead. I'd hate to be at the campground at Flamingo and not be fishing... plus I enjoy looking for stuff on the road at the end of the day, on the way out.

A Hobie Pro Angler would work well on most days.... when the winds not blowing, when the grass hasn't blown in, when you know your way around, when you know how fast the water can get blown out, leaving you high and dry for hours. On the days it wouldn't work, you'll be looking for rescue helicopter. Today, I promise anyone that followed me in a pro angler would be shooting off flares when it got dark. Today I hooked one of my lures in the front grab handle and couldn't shake it loose.. I looked for an hour for hard bottom so I could get out of kayak and unhook it. Never found it and I know my way around. Tide was coming in.. water 3 feet deep along mangrove shoreline, you would sink another foot or two if you got out.. you might not be able to get your feet unstuck from that goo. I'm not kidding... plus it stinks really bad. Would you want to be stuck in mud and couldn't get back in kayak? There's a saying by fishermen in Flamingo... "never get out of your boat"... if you don't count the ramp at campground or the one at marina.. I've gotten out of mine two times in 18 years... hard bottom on one of the islands.. most of them have none. Unless you want to climb on top of mangrove roots, don't do it.



This is the best place I ever found to hide from an east wind, like it was today. I’ve used it for 18 years, but it no longer has hard bottom. It’s also the exact spot where I was trying to get out of wind and approaching thunder storm 15 years ago, when there was a crocodile sunning that I spooked when I cut off its escape route and it ran over the bow of my kayak. It doesn’t look anything like it did years before. Several hurricanes have come through since then and the spoil island seems to be getting washed away.

Caught a bunch of small snook and one redfish today. Got to the park early, wind was starting to pick up and I decided to go downwind starting out.. New it would be bad coming back in but I was tired and would deal with it later.

Only went a couple of miles from the marina.. caught first snook early and missed several more. Fish were knocking slack in my line ... Caught close to 10 and lost a bunch.. throwing hook, Caught on DOA Shrimp and DOA C.A.L., jig with Saltwater Assasin. Nothing on topwater or spinner baits.

Thanks for sharing all the info and keep the updates coming.

great

crocodiles too

Winds finally laying down. Only snook today, 7 more, 22 for the three days and two reds. Haven’t seen any tarpon but today was first day that I could get to where I usually fish for them. Haven’t been on the water before noon the last two days. Suppose to be nice this weekend.

I had a long post ready and somehow lost it.. I'm not doing it again.. slow day until the very end. Just like the tide tables and solunar tables predicted .. 7:00 p.m. Caught one snook around 1:00, started fishing around 11:00, nothing for hours except a jack.. lots of paddling, almost 4 miles to Palm Key. Caught a bunch from 6:00 to 7:30.. had a good one bust me off late, stopped fishing when the last one busted me off from leader not being changed. Back at it tomorrow.


Start of day... no wind, messed up water, low tide.


End of day.. back at it tomorrow.

Rough day.. officially exhausted. Got to the park around 11:00, the place is packed like I've never seen it before. Think I'm going to have a heat stroke before I even launch. Its the end of low tide and I'm not too excited about getting on the water. Paddle out marina and noticed a boat on the flat out front, a half mile away. It has to be stuck. It has to be stuck because thats the exact line I was taking when I got stuck in kayak... at night and had to wait hours for enough water to come back in.



As I get closer, I can see that someone is paddling, then I see another person on the other side of boat paddling, then I see two people in the water pushing the boat from behind. They are on a line straight for the marina... no way they'll make it without a backhoe.

Told them they would not make it, that there's a shallow hump that will show itself soon. Best to just rest for another hour or so and float on out.



They thanked me and continued pushing and paddling ...inches at a time. I paddled a couple hundred yards away and watched. They finally got back in the boat and waited.


Hats off to anyone that will put a shark in the boat with three ladies with them.

Caught a couple of snook and a catfish... nothing for several hours, moving around a lot.. heading back in and stop off at a spoil island. Put stake out pole near where wind and water are coming around island.. Two casts and get bit.. Nice redfish on a DOA Baitbuster, and get another around 24 inches.. miss a couple, hookup and lose one, get bit on same cast.. It was great... landed 5, missed more.. and get a couple more snook. Was taking pictures with phone camera, had it in my lap, Had last red flopping all over the place and was happy to get hook out of it before it jumped back in. In all the commotion my camera went overboard... didn't even realize it at the time.

Saw this one on the way out. Have no idea what it is.. ran over a 6 footer of some kind.. different kind but nasty squished.


Probably no fishing tomorrow as I'll be trying to get a phone.

thursday

First rain in a week, only a quick passing shower and bird acts like he is trying to dry out. Barely got the road wet.

Thanks for sharing. Awesome.

Another good video on tarpon..



May drive to Islamorada today.. only an hours drive, the same as to Flamingo. Spoke to someone who said the tarpon migration is on and they are close to shore in Islamorada as anywhere. Its windy again today.. These are big tarpon... I've hooked several over the years in the 80 to 150 lb range. Three and a half hour fight at night one time. Never got a picture of it, never touched my leader. I think I'm getting scared of them in my old age. Not sure I want to risk it.



The battle at the side of kayak with tarpon is really serious from a kayak. Will never forget my first one 2003 .. about 50 lbs, rapala X rap with treble hooks shaking next to you. They will jerk your hand out of their mouth nearly every time. Always afraid of a shark coming up to take a bite as well. Have had that happen twice with snook. Or I could go back to Flamingo and look for the baby tarpon in the backcounty... that's more my style these days.

Decided to drive to Islamorada today. Got in traffic jam quick, after if took half an hour to go ten miles, I changed my mind and made a U turn at the first possible opportunity. Wasn't in the mood for 3 hour drive at the rate I was going.

Been hearing on the local tv news about wildfire in the wetlands south of Homestead.. its been burning for a couple of days.. now up to 2000 acres and moving directly towards town. Decide to try and check it out since it so close and I can smell it ... not much to see, no way to get closer, back to Flamingo.


Planned to fish the last few hours of daylight as that's when the fish have been turning on each day. On the way to Flamingo, I decide to take a detour to the Miami Brewry to pick up something for my sister, who's been taking care of my cat. I don't know squat about wine, wineries, or tastings... all sounds kinda gay to me. Wasn't in any hurry to fish, get sunburned, or mosquito bit.. this could be interesting.


There were 50 cars in the overflow parking... this place was packed... I'm parking up close as I see someone coming out... hope its not valet parking. See some hot chicks walking in, nicely dressed, much like myself. Wished I'd shaved in the last 2 weeks. First impression of the place is old drug money.






It was a very nice place... and the lady that greeted you was nice as well, even with the mask. I told her upfront, I knew nothing about wine and just wanted to look at the pictures on the bottles and I would be happy. She tried to explain the tastes of each variety, I explained it would not be for me. She explained that the wines I chose were not made from grapes... that's even better in my mind. Bought three bottle after looking at them..

CAT 2 as explained on back of label says its best served after hurricane knocks out your electricity and cows are flying by.
CAT 3 has a taste that will blow you away
Florida Sweet Avocado... made from avocados... with a picture of alligator on it because back in the day avocados were called alligator pears because the skin of avocado resembled an alligator skin.

Anyway.. it was a short, nice experience and I'm glad I stopped by... didn't fish today though I did drive down to Flamingo eventually. Took this picture on the way back out.






Ash from the fire has been falling all night.. my sign that its time to go... all packed up.

And for those that plan to visit Flamingo and looking for things to do..

https://miamibrewing.com/

Totally AWEOME thread! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing!

bien

The best thing about that place is there are no mosquitos or no see ums!

Outstanding Post!!

Spent the day in Hollywood and Ft Lauderdale. Now headed to Chokoloskee, Everglades National Park for a day or two. Hitting the water in the morning.

Chokoloskee Island Park

I’ve had enough... lots of snook on top water this morning.. a few trout and plenty of wind. I’m done.. headed home in the morning.. pics later, when I have a better internet connection.

I haven’t been on TFF for years, till recently. This post makes me want to hang around awhile! Florida has been on my list for a long time. I was there doing claims after Irma, took a very small jaunt south from Naples just to look around and really wished for my fishing gear… Work was intense, the pay was intense, and next thing I knew it was done and I was back in Texas, never having wet a line!

Bring a bug suit and hat, just to be on the safe side.. and a jug of deet. Picture from 15 or so years ago when I got stranded for hours until tide came back in. Tried to take a short cut across a flat that would get me off the water before dark when I knew the mosquitoes would be swarming. Went through half a can of deet and still had at least 50 bites on each knee, elbow, shoulder, and anywhere else the fabric was tight against my skin. Mosquitoes aren't fazed by deet out there. Not too bad this trip as the wind had them grounded most of the time


This was what I was surrounded by at dead low tide that night. Each of those little lumps are baby crabs.. thousands of them in every direction. Kept thinking a python would soon be coming over the top of the grass since I was less that 50 yards from Joe Kemp Key. The drone of mosquitoes was driving me nuts.. Most miserable night I've ever experienced. When I made it back to ramp and loaded up, there were mosquitoes all in my car. I drove home with windows down and a/c blasting. Rolled windows up when I got home. Took car to car wash the next day to vacuum out ... counted over 200 of them dead from the car getting hot inside the next day.

A few pics from my last day fishing.. stayed at Chokolosskee Island Park Marina and Lodge.. what a great place! Most scenic part of the island, best facilities, and nicest folks running the place. They have everything you need to have a great time whether you're fishing or just relaxing.

https://www.chokoloskee.com/

All my fishing buddies prefer this to Flamingo.. its definitely more civilized. I usually spend a day or two here on way home as its on the way... kinda. Day in, day out, this would be my first choice if I absolutely had to catch a fish no matter what the weather. Lots of places close by to hide out from any wind direction and much less paddling to my favorite spots here. Have caught as many as 10 species of fish in one day here. For some reason, the top water bite here is much better here than Flamingo.. Caught a dozen snook on Saturday... and missed many more on bone colored Rapala Skitterwalk... had a good one bust me off when I couldn't turn it and it went over an oyster bar. Caught small trout as well. Was done by 1:00, paddled back in and took a nap, woke up around 5:00 and fished a couple more hours. Was too tired to paddle a half mile to my favorite spots so just stayed close to marina and caught a few more before dark. Woke up the next morning early and decided to head home instead of fishing.. I want to get home and get rest.

Saw this canoe drifting by early morning... didn't know if someone had died and was in it or what. Unloaded kayak, grabbed a rope and pulled it back to marina. It was fully loaded with rods/reels, yeti cooler, all kinds of stuff. Reported it to marina and they contacted someone... found out later it was a homeless man's that lived on the island and that this was the third time he had "lost" it.




Lots of small snook...all but this one caught on top water





All in all it was a great time... didn't see a single tarpon entire trip.. first time for everything. Didn't catch any snook the size I was hoping for but had a couple on that would have been pushing 32 inches.. I know they are there... its just tough when they can drag you wherever they want, and you're fishing right next to the mangrove roots. I've been going down the first week in May the last three years to avoid the heat and bugs... its been hit and miss. I'll wait until June or July next year when I'll have Flamingo to myself as most folks won't deal with it. It will be brutally hot, no wind, really buggy and plenty of tarpon around. Might be going back down there this fall, which is my favorite time of year, but you get tropical storms/hurricane that time of year.

Wow! ! ! Sure have enjoyed the report and pics. Thanks!

I found this article from 2014 on the first kayak tournament ever held at Flamingo. I'd just moved back to Texas in 2013 and was watching the write ups and stories. I knew this would kick some folk"s azz. There were other articles written I couldn't find.. there was one from one of the guys that was in a Hobie that left his kayak and hiked back ... it was incredible to read his account. Couldn't find it. Anyway this is one of the articles I did find.

https://yakonfish.wordpress.com/tag/michael-ethridge/

Thanks for sharing. Looks amazing!