Every once in a while all the elements that make an unforgettable trip align to create the perfect storm. This was a textbook example of one of those trips. Justin, from Virginia flew in to catch his first Bullseye Snakehead. Justin is no stranger to snakeheads. He catches MONSTER Northern Snakeheads in his home town. His flight landed at 9am and we had our lines in the water at 11am. We were experiencing pre frontal conditions with a storm about to blow in the very next day. The dropping barometric pressure and the consistent overcast skies made for the perfect fishing conditions and we crushed the snakeheads all day!
This was such a fun charter! My three anglers from Virginia were looking forward to a day of catching Peacock Bass. My usual spot in Miami was blown out due to some torrential rain we had a few days in advance, so I gambled on my Everglades spot. You'd think it's unusual to find Peacock Bass in the Florida Everglades, but this environment is very similar to the waters you'd find them in naturally in South America. I'm a little embarrassed to admit, but we ran out of live shiners half way through the day. I didn't expect the bite to be as red hot as it was. My anglers had no reservations whatsoever casting artificial lures at the fish and they continued to bust em up all day! Definitely a superb day of fishing that I don't take for granted.
One awesome aspect of becoming a fishing guide is meeting people from all over the world. When you're a fisherman or fisherwoman, fishing is a universal language. Its a commonality that brings people together and create wonderful memories. On this trip I hosted some familiar faces you may have seen on YouTube before, Julien and Severine. They traveled to the United States for a 4 month fishing trip and I was lucky enough to host them on my boat to chase after some Peacock Bass. They're used to catching giant Wels Catfish back in France, so I was confident they could handle our tough little peacocks here in the states.
I'm not just a South Florida angler. I love to fish everywhere and for any species! This is a series I shot to document an excursion I took up north specifically to chase after some river Smallmouth Bass. It was a surreal journey, both physically and spiritually. I think back on this trip quite often. I plan on making this an annual pilgrimage in years to come. That's how much of an impact the north had on me. I hauled my Hobie Kayak a total of 8000 miles, ranging up into the northern most parts of the United States. I fished a variety of different rivers and lakes and was fortunate to connect to hundreds of Smallmouth Bass, some Northern Pike, and the super aggressive northern strain of Largemouth Bass. Check out this 11 part series of this epic adventure.
This is a trip with Kris and Stephanie out in the Everglades. It amazes me where we are finding Peacock Bass today. This bite we experienced was non existent in 2018, and now in 2022 when this video was shot, we are seeing peacock bass every 10 yards in the everglades. With all the other invasive species such as oscars, mayan cichlids, and tilapia that have overrun the everglades for many years now, it's no wonder the peacocks took over so quickly. You can still catch plenty of largemouth bass in the glades, but you have to adjust your techniques and look for the right cover. Kris and Stephanie tore them up in this video. We caught them on live bait and artificial lures all day.
Fun Fact: This was my first fishing charter as a licensed guide! I just received my captains license in the mail, posted about it on my social media, and my good client, Ian messaged me about booking a trip! I was feeling so grateful after we scheduled the date! But boy was I a nervous wreck! Ian drove down from Ocala with his girlfriend, Lacey in the morning and met me in Miami. The super clear water, limestone cut canals are a unique fishery I love sharing with my clients. On the best of days you can see twenty feet down to the bottom. This day was no exception. It took a little bit to find the fish, but I'm proud to report I kept Ian and Lacey's lines tight and put some big smiles on their faces.
The Bullseye Snakehead is an insane fish to chase after! This video will give you a taste of what they're all about. This video was shot while I still owned my small duck boat. It was the perfect vessel to sneak into these super hard to reach areas. This is where snakeheads thrive and receive little to no fishing pressure. It's hard work, but certainly worth the effort. The explosive top water strikes you'll see are one thing to watch on video, and a completely visceral experience in person. You'll feel your stomach jump into your chest when you see the wake of a snakehead rushing to devour your frog lure. These are the gamefish of the future. Everyone needs to experience playing tug of war with these unique fish.
I love kayak fishing! It is a great way to fish out of reach areas where you won't be bothered by boats, or other anglers. This video is a prime example of what you can accomplish with a lot of paddling and persistence. I launched the kayak in an area that is off limits to boats. At the time, it had received little fishing pressure and these fish were not afraid to crush anything in sight. There were days where the average size fish caught was five pounds! I typically employ a one two punch fishing zones such as this. I'll find the fish with a moving bait like a swimbait or top water buzz frog, then slow down with a worm. As you'll see in this video, that was exactly what I did all day and it churned out some big bass!
For the past few years I've been doing a lot of night fishing in my local Ft. Lauderdale waterways. Targeting fish off the dock lights isn't as easy as it looks. There's an ebb and flow to how, where, and when these fish decide to feed. Finally, after 2 years I finally feel comfortable enough to offer this trip to my clients that have fished with me. This night was the epitome of hard work paying off. The tide, moon, and temperatures all lined up to make this a stellar night of fishing. I had Luke adjust to making the right presentation at the fish staged on the dock lights, and after a few casts he hooked up on the first light of the night. After that we ran the lights and it was rinse and repeat on the pattern we found. The most surprising part of the night were the two snook Luke managed to land. The waters are crystal clear in downtown Ft. Lauderdale which makes the snook extremely shy. They will even turn a blind eye to live bait. Watching Luke land the snook on artificials made that much sweeter. What an incredible night. I'm looking forward to running more trips out here on the FloCraft.