About Coot Bay, FL

Coot Bay is a shallow natural bay in Monroe County, Florida. It is named after the flocks of American Coots that reside here. Coot Bay belongs to the featured water bodies in the Everglades National Park, the most iconic 1.5-million-acre national park in Florida, which means it is also part of one of the best fishing destinations not only in the state but all over the world. The park itself is lined with mangroves, dense forests, subtropical habitats and animals, and brackish waterways so you may expect a lot of wondrous sites while you visit here. The bay offers access to mangrove tunnels and broad windy lakes. It is also within the 12.1-kilometer Flamingo to Coot Bay trail that is accessible all year round. The bay is located northeast of Hooker Point, and east of the Anglers Marina.

Venturing Coot Bay will also allow you to explore Buttonwood Canal which precedes it, up to the Tarpon Creek and Whitewater Bay after you pass by. The Buttonwood Canal was dug in the 1950s to make way for the connection of Flamingo to Coot Bay and Whitewater Bay, which explains the continuous passage between these water bodies when you visit the national park. The water bodies are still separated by barrier walls installed by the Park Service, due to the excess freshwater coming in the Florida Bay at low tide and too much saltwater seeping into Coot Bay at high tide. 

All About Fishing in Coot Bay, FL

Aside from being a habitat for coots and migrating waterfowls, Coot Bay is also a large breeding ground for schools of tarpon fish species. There are also a lot of largemouth bass, Florida gar, and blue catfish species using the bay as their habitat, and they are the most popular catches here. Fishing here also grants you plenty of opportunities to attract sea trout, red drum, snook, and mangrove snapper. You will usually encounter these species as you follow Coot Bay’s shoreline to the left, cornering to Mud Creek. There have also been sightings of dolphins here. The bay is also a habitat for alligators so be mindful while angling out here.

The bay is accessible through kayaking, motorboating, canoeing, and hard paddling through the Everglades National Park. Popular fishing techniques used here are baitcasting, fly fishing, and light fishing. The bay is quite isolated from all the other areas, so expect the rampant presence of mosquitoes here. Note that the fish here tend to be more active and aggressive in the thicker and muddy areas of the park, so it would be best to bring in heavier rods and stronger lines to fish here.

Fishing Seasonality

The best times to fish in Coot Bay would be from 9 AM to 2 PM, and then again at 4 PM. Fish are still active even at cooler temperatures, so you can still fish for decent catches here during December, January, and February. The water levels in the bay tend to drop during warmer months so the fish are forced to inhabit more concentrated areas, making access to them easier. There is no bad month to visit and fish in the Everglades, so may it be warm or cold, you’ll be sure to catch a couple of fish or more while angling here.

Fishing Seasonality

The best times to fish in Coot Bay would be from 9 AM to 2 PM, and then again at 4 PM. Fish are still active even at cooler temperatures, so you can still fish for decent catches here during December, January, and February. The water levels in the bay tend to drop during warmer months so the fish are forced to inhabit more concentrated areas, making access to them easier. There is no bad month to visit and fish in the Everglades, so may it be warm or cold, you’ll be sure to catch a couple of fish or more while angling here.

All About Fishing in Coot Bay, FL

Aside from being a habitat for coots and migrating waterfowls, Coot Bay is also a large breeding ground for schools of tarpon fish species. There are also a lot of largemouth bass, Florida gar, and blue catfish species using the bay as their habitat, and they are the most popular catches here. Fishing here also grants you plenty of opportunities to attract sea trout, red drum, snook, and mangrove snapper. You will usually encounter these species as you follow Coot Bay’s shoreline to the left, cornering to Mud Creek. There have also been sightings of dolphins here. The bay is also a habitat for alligators so be mindful while angling out here.

The bay is accessible through kayaking, motorboating, canoeing, and hard paddling through the Everglades National Park. Popular fishing techniques used here are baitcasting, fly fishing, and light fishing. The bay is quite isolated from all the other areas, so expect the rampant presence of mosquitoes here. Note that the fish here tend to be more active and aggressive in the thicker and muddy areas of the park, so it would be best to bring in heavier rods and stronger lines to fish here.