I have
always noticed that with the first cold front anglers immediately
divide themselves into two groups - the majority that fish
open water and search for deeper holes using their GPS and
fish finder, and those odd few who head deep into the mangroves
by whatever means available to find those hidden lakes and
backcountry flats that provide a secret winter retreat to
many of our Florida game fish.
If you
have been reluctant to even consider heading into the backcountry
in the wintertime due to the draft of your boat or because
you just didn't think there were any fish up those trickling
mangrove creeks, than you may be surprised at what you are
missing.
First
of all, you have to be willing to consider that there is
a vast world that is unreachable to the casual angler. It
is a world deep in the mangroves where root-lined grottos
and tiny lakes are hidden from the prying eyes of mapmakers
and satellites by dense tree cover and clouds of mosquitoes.
It is a world that, in the wintertime, is populated by many
of those snook, reds, and tarpon that are missing from your
fish finder screen. You may have even taken your boat up
some of these creeks one adventurous summer day when the
water was higher, but I'll bet the only bites you got were
from those mosquitoes. These backcountry areas are not as
hospitable to fish in the summertime due to extremely high
water temperatures and the lack of oxygen that accompanies
very warm water. That right there should clue you in to
their value to fish in the wintertime. In case you missed
it, I'll repeat it . . .warm water.
The
color of the bottom in the mangroves is usually a dark brown.
The light coming through the mangrove leaves is basically
hitting a giant solar cell, which is insulated by the dense
mangrove forest. During the heat of the day, fish come out
of deeper holes into the shallow, dark-bottomed backcountry
lakes to lie out in the sun and warm up. These are tough
fish to approach and feed and will challenge your skills
as an angler as much as any Keys permit or Henry's Fork
brown trout, but if you like this hardcore type of sight
fishing and the hunting aspects involved, you will be in
paradise. There is however one last major caveat you will
face in pursuing these fish: getting there!
Most
flats boats drafts too much water to even consider this
unique style of winter fishing, and in the past, I would
always leave the boat behind and continue on foot when things
got too shallow or too narrow. Fortunately, I live in an
area where the backcountry creeks and lakes are usually
wade-able, but hiking into a mangrove jungle leaving behind
the safety of your boat in calf-deep water armed only a
fly rod is not always the smartest move. Enter the kayak
. . .
Sit
on top sea kayaks have become quite the rage lately, and
for me it was the perfect solution to my wintertime fishing
frustrations. I could cover a lot of water, carry lots of
gear, and most importantly, get into the tiniest of creeks
and the shallowest of lakes. It has opened up a vast new
fishery to me and allowed me access to places that I may
be the first to explore and fish. At least until I see a
beer can or Calusa Indian relic, I will go on enjoying this
assumption. Of course a canoe will work well to, but when
that mangrove branch is hanging low or you have a lot of
water to cover simply to get to the creek, a kayak will
suit you much better.
Now
that you have the appropriate boat, lets find a creek for
you to explore. The best way to go about this is to travel
slowly down mangrove shorelines at a high outgoing tide.
You are looking for creeks that have a heavy flow of water
coming out indicating a large body of water up in the mangroves.
At this point, I usually check a chart, satellite, or aerial
photo to get some indication of where the creek leads. Some
lakes will be visible on these media, some will not. You
are also looking to see if there are any canals or larger
bodies of water on the other side of the mangroves. Some
of these creeks are passageways to other areas and are how
saltwater fish get into suburban canals and golf course
lakes. Needles to say, these are great fishing spots.
Another
thing that will clue you in to what is located deep in the
bushes is the temperature of the water. If I am in my boat
I will always watch the temp gauge on my fish finder as
a pass a small creek mouth, but in my kayak it is much easier
- I simply stick my foot in the water. Warm current can
only mean one of two things. A: you just found a hidden
backcountry lake, or B: you have stumbled on to the latrine
of the legendary Skunk ape. Now that you have the fear of
the sasquatch in you, you will be more quiet and cautious
as you begin your exploration of the creek and this is critical
if you plan to do any fishing in there.
While
paddling up the better fishing creeks, you should expect
to spook a lot of fish out from under the boat and the size
of some of these fish may completely shock you. A large
snook sitting in an eight-inch deep and three foot wide
creek has everything he needs - current, warmth, safety,
and a conveyor belt of food coming his way. Obviously it
is impossible to rationally target such a fish in tight
quarters, but seeing them tells you that you are in the
right place. Paddle on.
If the
creek does begin to widen or you are fortunate enough to
encounter a small lake, it is very important that you don't
go paddling on in like you own the place. Stop for a while
and observe. You may see snook popping, you may see the
fin of a laid up fish or even a small tarpon roll. You may
see only mullet, but keep watching and scrutinizing the
area until a game fish gives itself away. It will happen,
you just have to be patient. Many small mangrove lakes are
so shallow that you will see fish laying all around out
in the open. If this is the case, keep in mind that these
are some of the toughest fish you will ever encounter and
the lure or fly you are using will be critical to your success.
Think small and realistic and be very aware that any disturbance
in such a small body of water will be felt by anything residing
there. Anything that lands softly and resembles a crab,
shrimp, or small baitfish is worth a try. One more thing
- if you are fly fishing, watch your back cast.
What
makes this 4X4 type of fishing so enjoyable is the seclusion
and solitude, the challenges of both the environment and
the fish, and the intricate, seldom-seen beauty of the mangrove
backcountry. If you do decide to head up a creek with a
paddle, I implore you to be respectful of the delicacy of
the world that you are visiting. I've written this article
so that these sacred places will be appreciated, not debased.
So if you come across a beer can or some trash in a backcountry
creek please take it out with you. Let me continue to believe
that I am the only one who has ever been there.
