Miami Backcountry Fishing Charter
Private Trip
Backcountry Fishing
Sixhour backcountry charter targeting bonefish, peacock bass, and snakeheadClearwater sight fishing with spinning tackle or fly gearWeekend trips accommodate up to three anglers with equipment included
When you're looking for a fishing trip that combines the best of both worlds – freshwater sight fishing and inshore saltwater action – this Miami backcountry charter delivers exactly what serious anglers crave. Running every Saturday and Sunday with an 8:00 AM start, this 6-hour adventure takes you into some of South Florida's most productive waters where peacock bass, snakehead, bonefish, and tarpon are just waiting for the right presentation. Captain and crew from BF Guide Service know these waters like the back of their hand, and they'll put you on fish whether you're slinging flies or working spinning gear.
This trip is all about versatility and reading the conditions. Your captain picks launch sites based on wind, tide, and where the fish are actively feeding that day. One morning you might be sight fishing for cruising bonefish in crystal-clear shallows, and by afternoon you're targeting aggressive peacock bass around structure in freshwater canals. The boat carries light spinning tackle, fly rods, and baitcasters – whatever matches your style and the day's conditions. With only three anglers max, you get plenty of individual attention and coaching, whether you're learning to spot tailing fish or perfecting your hookset on a snakehead blow-up. All gear, bait, ice, and water come included, so you just need to bring yourself and maybe some snacks for the longer sessions.
Sight fishing dominates this charter, meaning you're actively looking for fish before making your cast. In the saltwater zones, you'll be watching for nervous water, tails, and shadows moving across the flats. Bonefish require a delicate approach – long, accurate casts with small jigs or flies stripped slowly through their feeding lanes. When targeting permit, live crabs or crab imitations fished near structure produce the best results. The freshwater side calls for more aggressive presentations. Peacock bass absolutely crush topwater plugs and spoons worked fast around cover, while snakehead fishing means throwing frogs, chatterbaits, or streamers into heavy vegetation and being ready for explosive strikes. Your guide switches up techniques throughout the day, reading fish behavior and water conditions to keep you connected to active feeders.
Bonefish are the ultimate flats quarry and Miami's backcountry holds some beautiful fish in the 3-8 pound range. These silver bullets feed heavily during moving tides, especially early morning and late afternoon when they push up onto shallow grass beds hunting crabs and shrimp. What makes bonefish so addictive is their incredible speed and the precision required to intercept them – you get one shot at a cruising fish before it spooks. The fight is legendary too, with screaming runs that'll test your drag and backing.
Great Snakehead have exploded in South Florida's canal systems, and they're absolute blast to catch on both conventional and fly gear. These aggressive predators average 5-15 pounds and attack with jaw-dropping violence, often launching completely out of the water when hooked. Peak action happens during warmer months when they're actively feeding near vegetation lines. Snakehead don't just fight hard – they're also excellent table fare, making them a favorite among anglers who like to take a few home for dinner.
Largemouth Bass in Miami's freshwater spots grow fat and healthy year-round thanks to the subtropical climate. You'll find quality fish in the 2-6 pound range holding around downed trees, docks, and weed edges. Spring and fall produce the most consistent action, but warm winter days can deliver some of the biggest fish as they feed up before cold fronts. These bass hit everything from Texas-rigged plastics to topwater frogs, and they know how to use cover to their advantage during the fight.
Sea Trout patrol grass flats and deeper holes throughout the backcountry, with the best fish showing up during cooler months when they school up for warmth. These spotted beauties average 1-3 pounds but can push 5+ pounds during peak season. They're perfect for light tackle fishing and respond well to soft plastics, live shrimp, and small topwater plugs worked over grass beds during moving water.
Permit represent the holy grail of flats fishing – they're notoriously difficult to fool but absolutely worth the effort. Miami's permit average 8-20 pounds and cruise both shallow flats and deeper channels hunting crabs. These fish test every aspect of your angling skills, from spotting and approach to presentation and fighting technique. When you finally connect with a permit, the celebratory photos are well-earned, and you'll understand why guides and anglers obsess over these incredible fish.
This Miami backcountry fishing charter offers the kind of diverse action that keeps anglers coming back season after season. Whether you're chasing your first bonefish or adding to your snakehead count, the combination of sight fishing opportunities and expert local knowledge makes every trip a learning experience. The weekend schedule works perfectly for visiting anglers, and the 6-hour timeframe gives you enough water time to really dial in different techniques and locations. With BF Guide Service handling all the logistics and equipment, you can focus on what matters most – making quality presentations and fighting fish. Book early for prime dates, especially during peak seasons when the fishing really turns on.
This 18-foot Floyd skiff cuts through Miami's backcountry waters with the stealth you need for serious sight fishing. The 2022 build features a 90HP Suzuki that gets you to the honey holes fast, then the wireless Minn Kota trolling motor takes over for silent stalking of spooky bonefish and peacock bass. The elevated casting platform gives you clear shots at tailing fish, while the Power Pole locks you in position when the action heats up. Garmin GPS keeps you on productive structure, and the push pole lets your guide work the skinny water where the big snakehead hide. The icebox keeps your drinks cold during those hot Miami flats sessions, and there's room for up to three anglers to work different angles. Built specifically for the shallow, clear waters where these backcountry species live, this skiff handles both the run-and-gun freshwater canals and the technical inshore flats with equal precision.
Albula VulpesThe "grey ghost" of the flats, bonefish are built for speed with their torpedo-shaped silver bodies that mirror the bottom perfectly. Most run 3-8 pounds and 16-30 inches, living in water so shallow you can barely float your boat. They follow tides onto the flats to root around for crabs and shrimp, often "tailing" with their tails slapping the surface. Year-round fishing here, but incoming tides are key. What gets people hooked is the challenge - they spook at shadows and make 100-yard runs at 30 mph when hooked. Look for nervous water or tails, cast small shrimp or crab patterns ahead of moving fish, and strip slowly. My secret: polarized glasses are worth more than expensive tackle.
Channa MaruliusThese prehistoric-looking predators are like freshwater sharks with their elongated bodies, red eyes, and massive mouths full of teeth. Most snakeheads we catch run 2-5 pounds and 18-24 inches, though they can hit 15+ pounds. They love canals, ponds, and slow-moving water with thick vegetation where they ambush prey. Best fishing is March through November when water temps warm up. What makes them fun is they're aggressive topwater strikers and fight like bass on steroids. They can even breathe air and survive out of water for hours. Hit them with big topwater frogs, poppers, or live shiners around heavy cover. Pro tip: use braided line and heavy gear - they'll wrap you up in weeds instantly if you give them slack.
Micropterus SalmoidesFlorida's famous strain of largemouth bass are chunky, aggressive fish that love our warm, weedy waters year-round. Most range 12-24 inches and 2-6 pounds, with that signature big mouth and dark horizontal stripes. They hang around structure like downed trees, weed beds, and canal edges in 3-15 feet of water. Spring and fall are peak times, but they bite all year in our climate. Anglers love them because they hit hard, jump, and fight like crazy once hooked. Plus they're great eating when caught from clean water. They'll eat almost anything - swimbaits, plastic worms, topwater plugs, or live shiners. My go-to move: throw a Texas-rigged worm into thick cover and work it slow - that's where the big ones hide.
Trachinotus FalcatusPermit are the holy grail of flats fishing - these disc-shaped silver ghosts with forked tails can reach 60 pounds, though most we see run 10-25 pounds. They cruise shallow sand and grass flats, often in just 2-3 feet of water, using those golf ball-sized eyes that rotate 360 degrees to spot danger. Spring through fall is prime time, especially April to October when they're spawning. What hooks anglers is the challenge - they're incredibly spooky and picky eaters. When you do connect, they make blistering runs that'll test your drag. Here's the key: use small crabs or crab flies, cast well ahead of cruising fish, and let the bait sit dead still. Movement spooks them instantly.
Salmo TruttaSpotted sea trout, or specks as locals call them, are some of the most reliable fish in Miami's shallow waters. These silver beauties with distinctive black spots typically run 14-24 inches and love grass flats in 2-8 feet of water. They're active year-round here, but spring and fall offer the best action when they school up heavily. What makes them special is their willingness to hit both live shrimp and artificial lures, plus they make excellent table fare with their flaky white meat. They fight harder than most people expect for their size. My tip: work the edges of grass beds during moving tides with a popping cork - the noise draws them in from surprising distances.
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