In the fall, things change in Everglades City and Chokoloskee Island. The leaves do not change in Everglades National Park, but the fishing certainly does.

The rainy season comes to an end. The air and the waters cool. The back country drains, the salinity rises and water clears up. The area inundates with bait and a variety of new species arrive to target.. It is a time for lots of action for most anglers.

The large population of big snook found here throughout the spring and summer are in their “post-spawn” phase. The cooling trend will eventually drive most offshore. However, before they leave the shallows, they become very aggressive “fattening up for the winter”. Some of the best snook fishing of the year is in the fall. Fall snook are hard-hitting and hard-fighting.

As the water cools, the amount of algae and plankton in the water decrease and the waters clarity improves dramatically. Redfish have been here in good numbers throughout the summer, but now they can actually see your fly or jig. The turbid, deep waters of the summer give way to shallower day-time tides, clearer water and sight-fishing.

As the rains stop, the back-country drains and the water levels drop significantly. The smaller, back-country snook and tarpon are gradually forced out of the protected areas and into the creeks and bays of the “back”. These fish have been all but un-reachable except by kayak or canoe until now. In the right circumstances, the water pours out of the deep back-country carrying with it the small baits trapped in the “flood”. You can count on the snook and tarpon to be there waiting for them. You can count on me to be there waiting on the snook and tarpon. The late fall can be some of the best (small) snook and tarpon fishing of the year!

The flood of bait from offshore also brings in schools of trout, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and bluefish to the flats. The near-shore structures begin to hold cobia, groupers, snappers, bluefish and the mackerels. The fall smorgasbord.

While poling the shallow flats sight-fishing in the Maverick Mirage II is a blast, the fall kicks in the “Yak Attack” season. She is a 27’ Carolina Skiff, powered by a 150 hp Yamaha four-stroke. With six Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120’s, completely rigged for fishing nestled up front, up to six kayak anglers, with all their gear, are delivered deep into the core of the National Park. She is fast, stable, shallow-drafted, and very comfortable. These trips are a wonderful way to experience this great South Florida fishery.