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Miami fly fishing guide for Snook, Permit, Bonefish Redfish and Tarpon.
Everglades, Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay Fishing with
Captain Jim Hale
Fishing for Snook, Permit, Bonefish, Redfish and Tarpon on the Fly
Florida Sportfishing Charters specializes in sight fishing the flats from spring through the fall; you can fish for Tarpon on fly or on plugs as they hang around in the back bays in December through March and even when they are on the move through June. Another option is fishing the backcountry of Flamingo and out on shallow water wrecks in the gulf in the cool months.
About Us...
Capt. Jim is a South Florida Native who credits his grandfather and his father for his expertise, both fishermen taught him his beginning and thereafter he has learned it on his own with many years of experience. He has been guiding for 15 years and full time for 7. Days off you will find him fun fishing or looking for new places and techniques to try, or tying his own flies which he loves to do.
He enjoys taking children on rod bending days where some will find the passion for fishing that he grew up on. He is also a big conservationist being a part of CCA. The Florida Guides Association and an I.G.F.A. certified captain and participating in Bonefish and Tarpon studies with the University of Miami.
“Safety” is the first priority with anyone on his boat, he licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard and fully insured.
We fish on an 18 foot Hell’s Bay Marquesa which in his opinion he feels is one of the best on the market. The boat is equipped wit a 90 hp Mercury Saltwater series.
The Fly rods he uses are G Loomis in all weights needed and his fly reels are Tibor, for spinning tackle he uses Hurricane Redbone rods and Quantum Cabo spinning reels.
South Florida Fishing
Spring and summer are normally good for hunting the flats and the cooler months normally good for fishing deep water with live bait. But both can be done year round.
If you like casting, using top water plugs May thru July is a great time for Snook and Tarpon. Watching both species gorge themselves with mullet on the flats is amazing enough, but “walking the dog” through that gauntlet of predators is a blast. Redfishing the flats is fun and action packed a lot of fish showing up in Spring. I like using Berkley’s Gulp soft plastics reeled slowly through the grass and potholes, both Redfish and Snook are caught this way. There are many different ways to Tarpon fish, casting large plugs in deeper water where you see them rolling, live bait around bridges, casting small shrimp to small Tarpon around mangroves, fly fishing the edges of flats where Tarpon migrate and casting large flies in deep water.
Different methods are jigging or live baiting with shrimp, pilchards or pinfish in deep moving water around structure like mangroves or shallow wrecks. This technique works for all inshore species including Cobia, Spanish Mackerel and Tripletail. But without a doubt, I most enjoy sight fishing the flats for Bonefish, Permit, Snook, Redfish, and Tarpon on light spinning tackle or fly rod.
Snook
Snook are caught from Miami’s Government Cut with live bait to Everglades National Park where they will roam the flats in the warmer months and the creeks and deeper water in the cooler months. Flats Snook are normally looking for mullet which make them aggressive. The best baits to use are top water plugs, soft plastics, spoons and live bait. Average size is 4-7 lbs and many are over 20 lbs.
Tarpon
In South Florida, Tarpon can be caught on plugs, live bait and flies year round in deeper water. Tarpon migrate on ocean side and Gulf flats in the spring and summer. These fish are on a mission, normally small live bait or flies are best. Juvenile Tarpon, normally under 40 lbs, fill Everglades National Park in the spring and summer months. They will eat a variety of live and artificial baits. Average Tarpon size is 80-140lbs and can get over 200lbs.
Bonefish
Best caught on fly or real light tackle. Bonefish range from Miami to Key West on the ocean side, and in the backcountry of the Florida Keys in shallow water grass flats to the deeper channel edges. The Bonefish’s first run is the best in the business. Average size is 7 lbs. but they are caught up to 15 lbs. The best time is early spring and fall months. Summer months can yield a lot of fish, but fishing in these hotter months must be done either early morning or late afternoon.
Permit
Tall and lean wide and strong, is a good way to describe Permit. Crab eaters for the most part they roam in small packs, and large schools on the flats and deeper areas with sea fans, structure and moving water. They are hunted all over South Florida. Average size is 20 lbs. but they are caught over 40 regularly.
Redfish
A great fish to catch mostly on the shallow grass flats in Everglades Natuional Park. They are here year round but thin out in low light months when they spawn. Redfish are great on fly rod or sight fishing with light tackle. In late spring and summer months when they appear in large schools on the flats, they will eat live and artificial baits aggressively.
Sharks
The Sharks of South Florida are Spinner, Hammerhead, Bull, Blacktip, Lemon, Tigers and Nurse - if I left one out, someone let me know... I have tackle for them with plenty of steel. If you'd like to catch a shark, they're not hard to find and very cooperative.
Other species
Other species include the Spotted Sea Trout which hang around grass flats. Fall, winter and spring are best. There's also the Black Drum. They are caught weighing up to 30 lbs in the cooler months, the average is 2-4 lbs. and the best bait here is live shrimp. Black Drum are a great rod bender and there's lots of them around.
PS: Capt. Jim likes to practice catch and release - especially for sharks... “They don’t fit in my cooler!” So bring a camera. If you don’t have one, he does.
Saltwater Fly Fishing
The sport saltwater fly fishing has taken off in the last decade. Whether you're an experienced fly fisher, or new to flats, stalking your prey, being able to present a fly perfectly, as well as catch a stalked fish, is really something of an addiction. Once you land your first fish on fly, it’s a memory that will last a lifetime.
Biscayne and Florida Bay
Biscayne Bayis home to miles of gin clear water and shallow grass flats. This is where we sight fish for tailing Bonefish and Permit. Schools of Tarpon also migrate adjacent waters along the ocean side flats from March through June. Tackle is a 7 or 8 weight fly rod of you choice for bonefish and a 10 weight fly rod for Permit. I like both with floating line and at least 200 yards of backing. For large Tarpon a 12 weight fly rod will be a necessity, along with a floating line, 20 lb. tippet and 60 lb. fluorocarbon bite leader.
Want to find seclusion? Well here is the place; Florida Bay has over 100 square miles of mud and grass flats with some the best fishing in the world. From large schools of Redfish in the warm months to huge Snook cruising the flats looking to ambush bait. Tarpon are here year round as well. In cool months, they will be in the backcountry’s darker water. Here we throw larger flies with a heavier grain line. In the bay, it is mostly 8 weight rods with floating line and 25 lb fluorocarbon bite tippet.
Capt. Jim uses G. Loomis fly rods and Tibor reels with Jim Teeny fly line.
When Jim is not on the water, a lot of his time is spent tying flies - not only for himself - but for clients who have success with his flies.
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