There are two guides in Miami that I would highly recommend. Cordell Baum in Coral Gables is a kayak/canoe guide who is very, very reasonable. He goes by Bonefish Whisperer and is a former Alaskan transplant to Miami.
He has basically quit guiding in Biscayne Bay for bones since the freeze and now is guiding inland for baby tarpon, jacks, peacocks and largemouth. He has the peacocks and lake tarpon dialed in - depending on weather. He will give you a long day at a very, very reasonable cost. He pretty much insists on starting before dawn. He poles a wide, stable stand-up canoe, and, as a former competitive weight lifter, can do so for many miles without a break.
He cannot tie his bonefish and permit flies fast enough to keep up with the demand. I have fished with him for permit prior to the freeze, and he had both the bones and permit in West Biscayne bay down pat as to their feeding habits. I would highly recommend contacting him, and will send him an email if you are truly interested.
Bob LeMay is another excellent guide who sight fishes baby tarpon at night under Miami bridge lights - starting times depending on the tides. If he says chances are good for tarpon, then they are very good. He also fishes out of Flamingo every week and knows both Whitewater Bay and the stretch between Flamingo and the Shark River probably better than any other guide around. He trailers his skiff to Flamingo. He also ties flies commercially. His expenses are higher than Cordell's so his rates will reflect that. For a back-country glades trip for snook, reds and tarpon, he would be my first recommendation.
Although I have not fished with Bob yet, we chat on an internet forum, and like Cordell, he knows what he's doing. I read an article he wrote for one of the magazines, and it was probably the best back-country tarpon fishing article I've ever read. It was clearly obvious that he is a very observant guy.
I don't think you can go wrong with either of them. This is one of the months noted for high winds, and both can get you out of it and into fish. And both are long time fly fishermen themselves.
PM me for their email addresses if you are interested.
Cheers,
Jim
