Everglades Fly Fishing Charters
Fly fishing tarpon, snook, and redfish for anglers of all abilities.
Fly Fish The Everglades
The Everglades is a vast area of South Florida where the freshwater from the interior of the state flows into the saltwater of the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay and is home to the Everglades National Park. The “Park” is only accessible by boat from 2 locations: Flamingo from the south and Everglades City / Chokoloskee from the north. Everglades City is a short drive from Naples and Marco Island and is the starting point for our Everglades fly fishing trips.
The Everglades National Park is over 100 miles long and is comprised of thousands of miles of mangrove islands, bays, rivers, and creeks that is home to a variety of wildlife and fish species - including our main 3 targets: tarpon, snook, and redfish.
Tarpon
Tarpon are the main attraction for those traveling to the Everglades specifically to fly fish, as well as one of the most exciting fish to catch on fly in the world. Their size, acrobatics, and willingness to eat flies validate all the hype surrounding them. Tarpon are both migratory and residents and can be found in good numbers anytime the water temperature is above 75 degrees and the wind is relatively calm.
Snook
Fly anglers in the know understand the appeal of an Everglades Snook. They can be both easy and difficult to catch. Snook are ambush predators that sneak around the Everglades while hiding in plain sight waiting to pounce on their next easy meal. Snook can be found and targeted in the Glades year-round in shallow water on mangrove shorelines, oyster bars, mud flats, and the beaches of the Gulf Coast.
Redfish
The Everglades is home to a healthy population of redfish from 5-10 pounds that spend the majority of their time on the mangrove shorelines, oyster bars, and mud flats chasing their next meal of baitfish, shrimp, and crabs. They swim shallow and are generally eager to eat a fly and can be very accommodating to anglers of all abilities making them a fan favorite to both anglers and guides.
The Everglades is a year-round fishery that offers a lot of protection from the wind. We primarily fly fish shorelines that are on the lee side of mangroves meaning that rarely are we casting into a stiff breeze as the wind is blocked by the vegetation and the water is glassy calm. The smooth water and the lack of glare from the reflection of the mangroves makes for excellent sight fishing where we might see laid-up tarpon, cruising snook, and tailing redfish.
All things said, the Everglades National Park is a fly fishing destination for adventurous anglers that want to experience the most unique ecosystem in North America. Everglades City and Chokoloskee are easily accessible from most of South Florida and are a great place to spend a day or a week making fly fishing memories with family, friends, or business colleagues.
When To Fly Fish Southwest Florida
There is no bad time to fly fish SW Florida, but the weather is the main factor for the fishing on a day to day basis. The weather in Southwest Florida is divided into two main seasons, the “summer” (April - October) and the “winter” (November - March). Southwest Florida is a year-round fishery, but each season has its own characteristics as well as its best fishing opportunities.
The Summer
The summer (April - October) is marked by its warm temperatures (85-95 degrees) and abundance of precipitation. The tides are generally the highest of the year and there is also a lot of freshwater flowing from the interior of the state as well as falling from the sky. April, May, and June are the peak of the tarpon migration, and the snook and redfish are usually found closer to the cooler deeper water of the Gulf of Mexico. Anglers visiting between April and June are usually treated to some of the best all around fishing of the year before the water temperatures get really hot. July through October are characteristically very hot and although the fishing can be really good in the mornings and evenings, these months are typically our slowest of the year in regards to both numbers of fish in the shallows as well as angling pressure.
The Winter
The winter months (November - March) are marked by cooler and dryer weather. Temperatures in the winter can vary dramatically, from mornings in the upper 30’s to afternoons in the 80’s. The tides in the winter months are some of the lowest which makes for some of the best sight fishing opportunities of the year. Snook can be found in abundance spending the majority of their time in shallow water warming in the sun while looking for their next easy meal. Redfish are plentiful on the mangrove shorelines, oyster bars, and mud flats ready to eat the baitfish, shrimp, and crabs that are plentiful in the Everglades. During the windows of light winds and water temperatures above 75 degrees, our resident tarpon will show up en masse to warm themselves and feed in preparation for their annual migration. Some of our best fishing of the year happens in the winter, but it is also very busy as many people flock to this area to escape the winter.