Fly Fishing and Much More in the Everglades National Park
Covering the southern tip of the Florida peninsula and Florida Bay, the Everglades National Park is the only subtropical preserve in North America.
The Everglades contains both temperate and tropical plant communities, including sawgrass prairies, mangrove and cypress swamps, pinelands, and hardwood hammocks, as well as marine and estuarine environments providing some of the best fly and light tackle fishing opportunities found anywhere.
Aside from the Florida Everglades' outstanding and diverse fishing opportunities for species such as tarpon, bonefish, permit, snook and redfish, the park is known for its rich bird life, particularly large wading birds, such as the roseate spoonbill, wood stork, great blue heron and a variety of egrets. Bald eagles, Florida panthers, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, also reside in the Everglades. It is also the only place in the world where alligators and American crocodiles exist side by side.
Most of the sought after flats and backcountry species found in the waters close to the Florida Keys can also be found within the borders of the Everglades National Park. Redfish are uncommon in and around the Keys, it's not until you venture back into the shallow estuarine Everglades Park areas that they become plentiful. Snook are widespread around the Keys but not sought after here like they are in the park. Generally snook closer to the Florida Keys tend to gather in deeper water in and around the channels and bridges minimizing good sight fishing opportunities. Tarpon will frequent every nook and cranny from ponds in the sawgrass, tidal rivers, to the gulf beaches. With the exception of the fresh to brackish areas the same generally holds true for permit. Like permit, bonefish will venture well into the park until the salinity levels drop below their liking. Cobia, snapper, grouper, sharks, gar and Florida largemouth bass and loads of other fish too abundant to mention all live in the waters of the Everglades National Park.
The Everglades can be accessed easily from several different points; boat ramps ranging from Key Largo to Long Key, Flamingo, Chokoloskee and Everglades City. If you interested in strictly fishing from Whitewater Bay north, staying near Flamingo would be your best bet. All of Florida Bay can be easily accessed from the Keys. The best way to experience the Everglades however is by mothership; nothing can come close.... allowing you to fish at all times of the day and into the evening without the travel time to and from the boat ramps.