Water quality in back country

ziffle

Just curious if anybody who fishes in the Trout Cove, Flamingo, Shark River, Oyster Bay areas has seen any improvement in the water quality since the fresh water flow has been increased by the removal of the old route 41 road bed. I know its a little early to see results. I watched the whole fishery crash and hope its going to come back someday. Thanks and tight lines!

lemaymiami

What "whole fishery crash" are you talking about?   I've been guiding out of Flamingo for many years (and spent seven of the last ten days there with clients.... I have one more day to go this week, then the weekend off and back down to Flamingo on Monday...) and currently the waters in the backcountry are simply outstanding for this time of year.. They're crystal clear except in areas that the wind has stirred up...  I have no idea how or whether more water is in fact making its way down through the Park...  I do know that Florida Bay itself has seen a tremendous re-birth these past three years - and I've heard folks say it's because of more water coming through the Park - but I've yet to see it confirmed.  

ziffle

Thank you for chiming in as you were the person I was hoping would provide insight on this topic. I balance that with the fact you're a guide on the water every day and know where to go. Us weekend warriors not so much.  The last time i fished Shark River, Oyster Bay, Flamingo, Man of war key the water quality was horrible, almost zero bait and zero fish spotted, I hope you're observations are a sign of the return of great fishing again, I now live in Palm Bay area and the Indian River up here is a mess. 
You've talked me into dragging the boat south this weekend, thanks.

troutbom

Just an FYI , a guide friend of mine told me yesterday there was an apparent algae bloom in the Clive Key to Johnson Key area . He couldnt get on snook or reds out front and his fellow guides have reported similar bad fishing. I caught 16 reds and 3 snook yesterday but it was in an area inaccessible to almost all skiffs even skinny water ones. Guys I talked to at dock had poor fishing. Bob is right about last 3 years, the comeback has been great but last 90 days have been causing my friends who guide out of Islamorada to worry about another crash. I'm thinking 90 days too short a time period to panic . I'm hoping a prolonged period of calmer weather will restore the great fishing we've been having.
If you can find a bunch of mullet mudding in otherwise clear water with healthy grass you should get on some.

lemaymiami

Sorry to hear about the prospect of problems out front out of Flamingo.  The vast majority of my days down there are in the interior (Whitewater and Oyster Bays and the coast from Cape Sable north to Lostman's river...).  This is the first report I've heard of water problems out front - again... I've been around long enough to remember the "dead zone" between Key Largo and Flamingo, then the recovery, then another decline, then the current outstanding (from everything I've heard) recovery we're enjoying now... Hope we're not in for another bad spell...

Today we jumped 30 to 50lb tarpon in Oyster, and along the coast - as well as up in the rivers (yesterday a beast took my angler to school - and cost me 200 yds of brand new 30lb braid in the process...).  The sharks are thick as well.  We've lost speckled trout to sharks in Whitewater and a really nice slot sized snook on fly.... that got eaten by a shark... where else?  The Little Shark River... 

I'm finally off the water for the weekend and will spend it prepping for Monday -back down at Flamingo...

troutbom

Glad to hear of good tarpon along coast and rivers. I dont fish the adults anymore but tie some flies for a guide friend who says ocean side has not been great . He was looking for TT with a charter after blanking on reds and snook yesterday and saw none rolling or free jumping in little Conchie area. Last summer Little Sable was so bad for bull sharks I couldnt get a snook to the boat so gave up on it. Shark River too far for my 25 mph Smitty's boat. While I'm not an optimist,I'm thinking poor fishing out front last 90 days was too sudden for it to be another decline. I was getting fish out front in several spots as late as December. I hope any way. I'm too old to make it through another decline.