Everglades Fly Fishing Charters

Everglades Fly Fishing Charters

Top Everglades Fly Fishing Destinations

Best Fly Fishing Charters in Everglades

Fly Fishing in Everglades

An Everglades fly fishing experience is unlike any other. Anglers venture deep into the backcountry of Everglades National Park and lose themselves in a labyrinth of channels and mangrove islands. With every extra mile, cell phone reception grows weaker and the waters grow richer. Out here, it’s just you and the fish, and many will tell you that it feels like casting lines in water that no one has fished before.

Everything in these waters is fair game for the fly fisher, from Redfish and Speckled Trout to Snapper, Grouper, and Sharks. The backcountry stretching from Everglades City and Chokoloskee down to the Keys offers 1.5 million acres of shallow water fly fishing opportunity. Add to that a series of freshwater lakes and canals on the mainland, and it’s easy to keep casting flies around here all year.

What to Catch and Where to Target it

The Backcountry

Readily abundant in the ‘Glades, Speckled Trout keep many fly anglers preoccupied on the flats all year. If you can resist the temptation, however, it’s worth heading deeper into the backcountry for a steady supply of Tarpon, Redfish, and Snook.

You’ll find these prizes throughout the entire park, deep in the channels, feeding on the flats, and cruising along mangrove shorelines. Some of the best fly fishing around here happens in winter, when you have a fair chance of catching all these species.

You’re likely to hook into Snook and Redfish on any given day. Sight fishing for Snook is best in winter and spring, whereas Redfish tend to steal the spotlight in autumn. Schools of tailing Reds on the flats give fly fishermen plenty of reason to get out on the water when it’s mostly deserted in fall.

Tarpon reach their peak season in the Everglades from March through June, but you can enjoy fantastic fly fishing for the Silver King between December and February when the weather is warm enough. In fact, you might spot as many as 100 of this fish during winter and early spring, many of them in the 60-150 lb range.

Freshwater Canals

Yet another reason to cast a few flies in the Everglades is the stellar Bass fishing. Largemouth Bass in the canals will keep you busy through winter and well into spring, when anglers catch hundreds of this fish in a day.

You’ll find Largemouth Bass in the canals as far north as Chokoloskee all the way down to the tip of Florida’s mainland. Holiday Park is a popular launching point, where fly fishermen have access to multiple canals running north, west, and south. One of the best canals to fish is the L67A, which runs from Holiday Park to the Tamiami Trail (highway 41).

Lake Okeechobee

Freshwater fly fishing in the ‘Glades doesn’t end there. After all, this expanse of marshes and wetlands used to stretch all the way to Lake Okeechobee before modern development, and many Everglades fly fishing guides still head there for Largemouth Bass, Peacock Bass, and Bluegill.

One of the best times for sight fishing on “the Big O” runs from November through March, when resident Bass are spawning. Keep an eye on the water level, as it can unexpectedly change from year to year and may impact fishing conditions.

Everglades Fly Fishing Tips

If you plan on fishing the shallow waters of the backcountry, an 8-weight fly rod will stand you in good stead no matter what species you’re after. If it’s a Tarpon or Snook you have your eye on, try a 9 to 12-weight rod. Flies imitating natural baits like Shrimp, Crab, and small baitfish work well. Clouser Minnow prove effective for Snook and Redfish.

For freshwater Bass fishing, locals recommend a 5 or 6-weight fly rod. You’ll want to bring your highest quality gear. Fast action fly rods are essential.

You can catch Largemouth Bass using a wide variety of lures, from bugs, poppers, and gurglers to bucktails and streamers. Other good fly patterns for this species include the Wooly Worm and the Muddler Minnow. You can catch Peacock Bass on a popper or streamer.

Everglades
Excellent
4.6 / 5
Based on 28,443 reviews by FishingBooker anglers

What anglers said about Fly Fishing in Everglades

Seasoned anglers or first timers, this is a great opportunity to build lasting memories with family or friends on a boat with a crew that is top notch. Friendly, helpful, kind, I just canโ€™t say enough nice things about these guys. I highly recommend anyone trying this, it was an absolute blast, my kids have been talking about since we got off the boat!
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Seasoned anglers or first timers, this is a great opportunity to build lasting memories with family or friends on a boat with a crew that is top notch. Friendly, helpful, kind, I just canโ€™t say enough nice things about these guys. I highly recommend anyone trying this, it was an absolute blast, my kids have been talking about since we got off the boat!
Drop Back Charters
Drop Back Charters
Just be patient! A bad day on the water is better than a great day at work as they say!! Just enjoy everything about being in such a beautiful place! March weather is beautiful!
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Just be patient! A bad day on the water is better than a great day at work as they say!! Just enjoy everything about being in such a beautiful place! March weather is beautiful!
Aloha Boat Charters
Aloha Boat Charters
Key Largo has an awesome fishery, but due to the weather the day we went we werenโ€™t able to take full advantage of it, but did the best we could and got a good meal of fish.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Key Largo has an awesome fishery, but due to the weather the day we went we werenโ€™t able to take full advantage of it, but did the best we could and got a good meal of fish.
Eye Catcher Charters โ€“ Key Largo
Eye Catcher Charters โ€“ Key Largo
Trust the captain on what kind of fish to target. If you try to pick one species you might spend a whole day and not catch much. Be flexible
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Trust the captain on what kind of fish to target. If you try to pick one species you might spend a whole day and not catch much. Be flexible
Snap Em Up Fishing
Snap Em Up Fishing
Weather that day seemed to be perfect but didnโ€™t catch allot of fish going through the mangroves. The captain even did recommend booking a 4 instead of a 2 hour trip to go further out to better chances of catching more fish.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Weather that day seemed to be perfect but didnโ€™t catch allot of fish going through the mangroves. The captain even did recommend booking a 4 instead of a 2 hour trip to go further out to better chances of catching more fish.
Aloha Boat Charters
Aloha Boat Charters
Ron is very professional and an expert fishermen for this area. He worked very hard to get us a nice catch.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Ron is very professional and an expert fishermen for this area. He worked very hard to get us a nice catch.
Green Eyed Girl Charters
Green Eyed Girl Charters
Skip the bigger charters who aren't concerned with catching fish. Find the locals that have smaller more personalized trips and can get you on fish.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Skip the bigger charters who aren't concerned with catching fish. Find the locals that have smaller more personalized trips and can get you on fish.
Lock It Up Charters
Lock It Up Charters
Our trip was much closer to the harbor than we thought. We had expected to go out a ways, but stayed within a few minutes of the harbor. Not that itโ€™s bad to fish there, and we were successful, just not what we had pictured. Still great!
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Our trip was much closer to the harbor than we thought. We had expected to go out a ways, but stayed within a few minutes of the harbor. Not that itโ€™s bad to fish there, and we were successful, just not what we had pictured. Still great!
Singing Reel Charters
Singing Reel Charters
Fishing in the Atlantic is a lot of fun, when you catch a fish you never know what it might be.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Fishing in the Atlantic is a lot of fun, when you catch a fish you never know what it might be.
Underwater Cowboy
Underwater Cowboy
Weather was beautiful & water gorgeous. We enjoyed the smooth boat ride out to our spot in the Everglades National Park. Fished in several spots & got fish at them all.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Weather was beautiful & water gorgeous. We enjoyed the smooth boat ride out to our spot in the Everglades National Park. Fished in several spots & got fish at them all.
Pirate For Hire Charters
Pirate For Hire Charters
Captain Randy knows how to catch fish and where to find them! He has amazing experience and knowledge to pull from! Totally recommend fishing with him!!!
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Captain Randy knows how to catch fish and where to find them! He has amazing experience and knowledge to pull from! Totally recommend fishing with him!!!
Randy Stallings Charters Flats Fishing
Randy Stallings Charters Flats Fishing
This was our first time and we were surprised by the large number of fish biting
Excellent
5.0 / 5
This was our first time and we were surprised by the large number of fish biting
JP's Backwater Adventures
JP's Backwater Adventures
Book a charter with Trent. Take your catch to a local restaurant after. Awesome time
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Book a charter with Trent. Take your catch to a local restaurant after. Awesome time
Capt. Trentin Leary
Capt. Trentin Leary
Be sure to know what species are biting at particular times of the year if you have a specific target fish
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Be sure to know what species are biting at particular times of the year if you have a specific target fish
Miller Time Sportfishing
Miller Time Sportfishing
Water was cool because of lower temps and it was windy, but we still had a great time and caught plenty of fish!
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Water was cool because of lower temps and it was windy, but we still had a great time and caught plenty of fish!
4thStoryCharters
4thStoryCharters
Very easy and accessible fishing and diving at all price ranges and skill levels.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Very easy and accessible fishing and diving at all price ranges and skill levels.
Anglers Choice Sport Fishing
Anglers Choice Sport Fishing
Yes, lots of fish so long as the captain knows where to go and is mindful of what the customers need/want.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Yes, lots of fish so long as the captain knows where to go and is mindful of what the customers need/want.
Eric Scoble Blackwater Charters
Eric Scoble Blackwater Charters
Plenty of hungry fish off the patch reefs. Not so much on the bottom but pull them up and it is nonstop with plenty of keepers.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Plenty of hungry fish off the patch reefs. Not so much on the bottom but pull them up and it is nonstop with plenty of keepers.
Sun King Charters
Sun King Charters
Winds can turn certain bites on or off day to day. However, itโ€™s not the sport fishing capital of the world for no reason. I doubt youโ€™ll find a bad boat and crew in any marina fleet.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Winds can turn certain bites on or off day to day. However, itโ€™s not the sport fishing capital of the world for no reason. I doubt youโ€™ll find a bad boat and crew in any marina fleet.
Drop Back Charters
Drop Back Charters
Be flexible with locations and species of fish you expect. We had a great time in the more shallow waters since the weather made deeper waters too choppy for those of us with less experience on the water. We had a great time and took our catches to a nearby restaurant for dinner, which was delicious.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Be flexible with locations and species of fish you expect. We had a great time in the more shallow waters since the weather made deeper waters too choppy for those of us with less experience on the water. We had a great time and took our catches to a nearby restaurant for dinner, which was delicious.
Captain Pete Jacobsen
Captain Pete Jacobsen

Top Targeted Fly Fishing Species in Everglades