This was a scene to be repeated a number of times that day. We cranked the engine and idled back to where the fish had buried itself down in the grass. Pulling straight up with the twenty pound test line, we were able to free most of the fish and get them to the net along with five or ten pounds of weeds. Many times the weeds relieved the pressure on the hook and by the time we got back to the fish, he was gone.
Where We Fished
We were fishing Florida Bay out of Flamingo in the Everglades National Park, drifting the deep grass in water six to twelve feet deep. Marker 10X and 9X were close by if you have a chart to reference. The grass was thick, and on an outgoing tide, the fish were feeding on passing bait.
The Drift
The drift we used was one that went with the tide and with the slight breeze, one that was just enough to keep the boat moving faster than the tide. We freelined our weightless baits on the back side of the boat, watching the bottom as we drifted over the clear grass beds.
The Bait
The preferred baits that day, and still the current preferred bait, was a butterflied pinfish. Butterflying a pinfish involves partially filleting both sides of a small pinfish, cutting the tail and bones out, and hooking with a single hook on the narrow end. Essentially, the bait is two filets facing each other, joined at the tail. If the pinfish are too large, we used one filleted side single hooked. The action of the fluttering baits imitates a wounded baitfish, which turns the snapper on!
Other Fish
These snapper are accompanied by the ever present saltwater catfish, a number of seatrout, a few lady fish, and an occasional cero mackerel. Even a small shark or two joins the action. It's a mixed bag with plenty of action.
Bottom Line
This fishing can be had on most any of the deeper grass beds in Florida Bay, as long as there is a good tidal flow. The drifting method works well if the wind and tide cooperate and move the same direction, something that is pretty regular in this area. On the rare occasions that the wind blows against the tide, we simply anchor and put out a chum bag. Fifteen minutes of chumming has enough baitfish in the slick to draw a large number of fish to the area. The fishing method is the same here, except we use a small rubber core sinker to get the bait down off the surface and into the chum flow. We also use heavier tackle to drag those snapper out of the grass, keeping their head up and headed toward the boat.
Getting There
If you make a trip to the Florida Keys, you can rent a boat to make the run north to the area we fished. It's a good run, but on those days that winds make it impossible to fish the Atlantic, these grass beds offer lots of action, and some great eating to boot!
