|
Fishing Reports - ARCHIVE
Chokoloskee Charter Fishing - (December 15, 2000)
RED-HOT Fishing in the Everglades.
Cool Weather; Hot Fishing for the Kids. As a charter guide, some of my
most memorable trips have been with families. A child experiencing the
outdoors with their parents is perhaps the most rewarding part of this job.
While I still get excited when I catch an angler's eyes as he first realizes
that he has been dumped deep into his backing, few things top the joy
of a child catching fish with their dad. I was the fortunate witness to
this over the weekend while fishing with John Driscoll and his son, Kyle.
We had hoped to start the day with a scouting
flight over Everglades National Park. However, the influx of relatively
moist air over the weekend combined with the cool morning temperatures
left a blanket of radiation fog over the island and near shore waters.
This made for a very cool morning ride. However, the day soon gave way
to a crisp, but breezy, bluebird day. With the stiff breeze and the trip
being geared to the youngster, we fished amongst the near shore islands.
The catch consisted of the typical "winter
mix" of trout, ladyfish, jacks, snapper, sheephead, redfish and small
grouper. With dad throwing deceivers with his fly rod and Kyle tossing
live shrimp under (in) the trees, the score early on as announced proudly
by Kyle was … Kyle - 14 and Dad - 2. The score keeping soon ended.
Sight fishing was tough in area we were fishing.
The morning fog lifted into low-lying stratus layer that delayed the warm-up
of the shallow waters so few fish moved before the water got too deep. However, the creek fishing
was very good (especially for Kyle) and made the day.
The trips with dad and son are some of the
best. So those of you who anguish at leaving the kids at home … Don't
… Bring them along. Please!
Chokoloskee Charter Fishing - (January 30, 2001)
RED-HOT Fishing in the Everglades.
As the winds lightened up the catching picked up. Venturing offshore to
the near-shore structure proved to be the right choice. Tossing both gold
flake and root beer colored Cotee jigs produced several large snook. All
three fish took the bait near the surface
and within 15 feet of the boat.
The relatively cold and windy weather had significantly reduced water
clarity the previous week. It also likely reduced the feeding opportunities
for these fish. The calmer wind and seas had allowed the surface temperatures
to rise and the near-surface water to begin clarifying quickly. These
hungry fish following baits into the warmer water just could not let it
go even after seeing the boat. One other snook was lost just after the
strike. It was interesting to note that not one snook strike occurred
near the bottom.
Two juvenile Jewfish, in the 30lb class,
were also pulled off the bottom testing the 12lb tackle. Two others freight-trained
into the structure. We also had a very "early release" of a suspected
"brown marlin", though we did not see the fish. This is encouraging as
the cobia fishing has been very slow recently. Oddly enough, we came across
but one lonely and now, sore-mouthed, tripletail.
Sunday, with the return of the winds, we
turned our focus to the creeks. All the redfish and the "sandwich" snook
were released. However, a limit of mangrove snapper caught on live shrimp
ended up as a shore lunch on one of the tidal beaches. Tough to beat!!
The Everglades National Park and the 10,000
Islands are some of the most pristine and richest fisheries in the entire
State. The opportunities to view the South Florida wildlife from your
own boat, canoe or kayak are unmatched anywhere else. The right to use
and access the Park should be vigorously defended so that our kids and
grandkids can experience this wonderful place. I would encourage all to
oppose any action that restricts your free boating access to these waters.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service is considering
closing the waters in and around the Everglades National Park to all types
of watercraft activity. The declared purpose is to provide the West Indian
Manatee with additional refuges and sanctuaries. However, recent population
studies show that the manatee population has been growing every year and
that record high numbers were counted this last year. The existing programs
are working!! Restricting the use of boats in and around the Park is unnecessary.
It will only deny us all our right to recreationally enjoy the park and
devastate the commercial enterprises serving the area.
Take action now to stop this regulatory process
and insure that the EVERGLADES ARE FOR EVERYONE!!!
Remember, "MORE FISH ...LESS POLITICS"
Please send your comments supporting your
continued boating access rights to:
Fish and Wildlife Service
fw4_es_jacksonville@fws.gov
Chokoloskee Charter Fishing - (April 9, 2001)
RED-HOT Fishing in the Everglades.
Fishing is back scorching hot!!! It must be springtime!!!. Schools of
snook are coming in from offshore. Tarpon are in the rivers and beaches.
Redfish are on the bars. Did I mention the Permit … they're thick and
most are in the 15 - 22 pound range!!
Terry Phillips of Smoketown,
P.A. flew in to Everglades City. Even though the weather did not cooperate,
they were able to bring back some snook, redfish and trout to their friends
up north.
Jack and Tammi Lee, of Cape Coral, Florida
had a good day this last week boat snook, trout and Permit. The action
was very hot with the permit. The fish were big. Both anglers requested
that we take break so they could rest. These permit are true tackle-testers.
However, Jack and Tammi were not out of the game for long!
James Card of Winter Haven, Florida fished
three days over last weekend. Focusing on permit for two of the days,
he boated over a dozen fish ... all over 15 lbs. A few snook were also
mixed into catch. We took a deep backcountry trip one day when a third angler
was on board. Unfortunately, nothing but small "sandwich" size snook were
found. It was, however, an eye-opening experience for both angles to see
and fish that terrain. Even though he was complaining about the rod bruise
in his stomach from the permit, James did jump a dinosaur about 125 lbs
later that the evening. I believe he now understands my passion for the
Silver King! Right James??!!
Since the last writing, Chokoloskee Charters
has hosted two different fishing/camping trips. Both were great successes.
Supported by the Mothership (a 30 foot screen enclosed pontoon boat) for
gear, food, drink and cooking, all twelve people had a blast!! The fishing
highlight had to be the four large tarpon jumped by Bruce Hitchcock and
Jim Webster of Broward County. HOWEVER, the food topped everything. As
an example, on the first adventure ... Friday night we served Capt. Chucky
burgers that are venison stuffed garlic and onions; Saturday's breakfast
consisted of banana pancakes, bacon and eggs with mimosas; Lunch was blackened
snook and shark on the grill; Saturday night we cooked a Low Country (Cajun)
Boil with shrimp, crabs, sausage, whole garlic, onions, and potatoes served
with cold beer, pull bread and a key-lime cake for desert! Sunday we had
to repeat the breakfast but finished the evening with steak and lobster
on the grill. I think you get the idea!!!! For those that have not tried
this trip yet, it can be a life-changing experience!!!
Fishing is only getting better!!! Come see us!!!
Chokoloskee Charter Fishing - (April 30, 2001)
Cobia Attack!!!
In the last several
weeks the weather has been dominated by high pressure off the northern
Florida coast. This has
resulted in a steady eastern breeze.
Our permit and cobia trips have been limited due to the weather, as
we have had to “pick our days”. However,
the inshore fishing has been steadily getting better.
Steve Nale, V.P. of Great Dane Petroleum
Contractors (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), entertained a few of his clients with a
two-day trip. Focusing on
permit, all caught and released big fish even though conditions were not
the best. This was the first
big permit for each angler. I
am always tickled by the respect an angler immediately gets for this fish
soon after the fight is over.
Jack Lee
and his wife Tammi had fished with me about three weeks before on a permit
trip. Both caught permit till they had to take a break.
Jack returned with his brother, Billy to tackle the permit again on
a half-day trip. Unfortunately,
the weather did not cooperate and we had to return early due to the seas.
However, Billy did get to land a nice fish about 14 lbs.
Several other permit did not make it over the side as the hook
pulled. A couple of sharks
and two cobia rounded out the offshore catch.
On the way back to Chokoloskee, we stopped at “Vickie’s Honey
Hole”. As was expected, a
nice snook in the 15 lb range attacked the bait.
Regrettably, this fish want to stay in the water more than Jack
wanted him out it. However,
we did manage to land snook for Jack’s table on the next stop.
I am beginning to think Jack is developing a problem … he is
turning into a “permit-holic” like me!!!
We did
manage sneak out to the “Watermelon Patch” for a bit of permit
fishing. On the way, we
jigged up a few dozen threadfins. I
had been catching cobia most every trip but not in good numbers.
As soon as we got to the Patch, the permit came to greet.
I tossed a crab directly to the lead fish that immediately turned
on the bait. Somehow he missed on the first try. He turned back to the bait but instead of eating he spooked.
A small cobia about 20 lbs gobbled the crab in his place.
That ended the permit fishing.
Both anglers were bowed up constantly from that point forward
either on “brown marlin” (cobia) or big jewfish.
The permit were there, we just did not have time to deal with them.
John
Driscoll and his wife Stephanie had a tough time getting snook to fit in
the slot size. However, for
his birthday he did land a nice snook in the 22-23 lb range.
Although this fish was not caught on fly, as he would have liked,
he did get a couple of shots at snook with his own hand-tied flies with
his 8 weight fly rod. Stephanie
brought a 28-inch specimen home to her fish-loving daughter, Kara.
My wife
Vickie, the head chef and first mate on Chokoloskee Charters Sunset
Champagne Cruises wanted snook for dinner last Sunday … her own snook!!!
In less than 30 minutes she had three snook, two trout, one redfish
and four large jacks over the side. We
were fishing in sight of other anglers, so every time she hooked up there
was a lot of noise and flailing arms on the other boat. They seemed to be
frustrated. Rather than
continuing to disturb these fellows, we went to a nearby beach and shared
a bottle of champagne and watched the sunset.
The fishing is only getting better at
the weather improves. It is
going to be a wonderful fishing spring and summer.
Call us to Plan Your Next Adventure!
For more information or to book a charter with Capt. Charles Wright:
| 
