My business travel this week found me with meetings on both the east and the west sides of southern Florida. This seemed the perfect opportunity for some micro-fishing, so I packed accordingly! ( this means my two Soyokaze rods and a small plastic box containing 7X tippet material, small “Tanago” hooks, small split shot and a small jar of Berkley Gulp “earthworms”.) After my meeting in Fort Myers on the west side, I drove east on US-41 along the Tamiami Canal. I was anxious to get in some long anticipated fishing.

My first stop was near the eastern border of Collier-Seminole State Park. I quickly caught a small bluegill, the smallest Dollar Sunfish I’ve ever caught and a Brook Silverside.

The rest of the trip consisted of numerous stops and a quick sampling of the resident population. By far, the most numerous species caught was the African Jewel Cichlid. They were very wide spread and caught at most stops. Many were very dark, almost black with light blue spots, while others were lighter colored with the same light blue spots and three dark blotches along the side, the first on the gill plate,sometimes encircled with orange, the second about mid body and the third at the base of the caudal fin. I don’t know if these differences are sexual, dominance or age related.

The surprise of the day was the one stop where all I caught were Crested Gobies – my first 2013 Lifelister! I didn’t think the Tamiami Canal is even a little brackish, although this location did have extensive Mangroves growing on the opposite shore and I did see an Atlantic Needlefish, which I almost hooked!

The Crested Gobies were thick in this spot. I thought they looked pretty handsome with the lighter green spots on their faces.

Along the way I caught a single small Spotted Sunfish and took one picture of the ever present Eastern Mosquitofish.

Here are pictures of a couple fish I did not attempt to tempt with the gear I had.

I was all re-charged and re-juvinated for my meetings in Coral Springs and Bocca Raton……