Where to fish heading to Fort Lauderdale

[Gary]

Hello fellow Potomac Fly Rodders,

I'm heading to South Florida, Fort Lauderdale in November (9th-22nd) just for a girl-watching / beer beach vacation. However, I was planning on doing a few days of fly fishing from shore before I reach Fort Lauderdale. I'm driving down there from Arlington, so I plan to stop somewhere and fish in Florida (east coast) before I get to Fort Lauderdale. Does anyone have any good advice on WHERE I should go and WHAT species of fish I should target. For example, Sebastian Inlet, Fort Pierce, or Jupiter. I've never really done any ocean fishing, but I don't mind trying. I have a couple 8 weights and I bought some saltwater patterns, so I think all I need to do is go. Any advice, would be greatly appreciated. I'll either be shore fishing or wading, mostly. 

Tight lines,

Gary

FYI, Arlington County will be beginning work on creating a living shoreline along 4-mile Run by the water treatment facility very soon. They are setting up work for the bike trail detour now.

[Ernie]

Two guides: Capt. Craig Korczynski in Jupiter and Capt. Mark Hall in Miami. They are terrific and many of the guys here have used them.

Here is a website for shore fishing that can help you: http://boatlessfishing.com/forum/

[davidwi...@gmail.com]

In the Ft. Lauderdale area any bridges over the intracoastal waterway at night are prime snook (plus small tarpon, lady fish, mangrove snapper) spots. Drift streamers or shrimp patterns from the lighted side into the shadows.

[peter odell]

Try Dubois Park in Jupiter, lots of fishable area. 

[Trent Jones]

Gary,

I would double Ernie's recommendations. I have fished with Mark Hall for several years and like him a lot. If you stay farther north I would walk the beaches from Fort. Pierce to Stuart. You should be there just after the peak of the Mullet run and you could have some fast and furious action on the beach. Look at Beaches on South Hutchinson Island and bring nothing less then a 9 or 10wt rod....if you bring an 8wt have a leader with 12lbs in it so you can hit eject if you hook a tank. I would also recommend Captain Scott Crippen or Christian Yergens out of Fort Pierce, as well as Whites Tackle for flies and intel. Have fun!!! As far as your other goals on the trip....check the video...

-Trent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNxVRJjP3Lw

On Wednesday, October 12, 2016 at 9:06:14 PM UTC-4, Gary wrote:

[Brian Mackey]

If you end up near Hutchinson Island, another recommendation is Capt. Giles Murphy @ Stuart Angler (Stuart. FL about an hour and half north of Ft. Lauderdale).  I've been out with him a few times fishing the docks/bridges for snook and had a great time.  He's also got a good fly and bait shop that's definitely worth stopping by if you need supplies and/or info.

Sticking with the area north of Ft. Lauderdale, one other resource you may find helpful that Richie @ District Angling shared with me is a book called "A Fisherman's Guide to: Martin and St. Lucie Counties" by Robin Smillie.  It's a bit dated (1993), and geared more at the spin fisher, but contains an abundance of information on fishing the Treasure Coast including a bunch of maps which I have found extremely helpful.  I picked up a used copy on Amazon for about $15.