Everglades Fishing Report - October 18th   We were transported to our campsite for 3day/2 night kayak fishing trip around 25 miles south of Chokoloskee. Of course, my biggest worry was about the bugs and it turned out they were tolerable and weren't any worse than camping later in the winter months. There were a couple of major storm cells around, but they went around our camp. The scene during one of these was spectacular will always be hard to fully explain. However, when the pressure dropped, a feeding frenzy of large tarpon and sharks lit into a large school of mullet.  I've never seen this many times before, but never on this scale before. In the middle of all this, one of our campers, Mike from Indiana, decides to make a cast with a "not so heavy setup".  Before I could warn him, he hooked up to a 100lb + shiner. The monster jumped 5 times before breakiung off. He was shaking for an hour after that.

It was non-stop fishing for most of the weekend with everyone caught his/her share of fish. I brought a setup to night fish for snook, tarpon and sharks.  Several large lemon sharks we all the we mustered. . Fish caught were a mixed bag of a large and small snook,  redfish, a ton of trout (18" to 22"), black drum, gag grouper, snappers, ladies, jacks and the ones using Gulps, catfish. Of course, we also had a couple of awesome sunsets and sunrises and great food as usual. The worst part of the trip was when we had to leave and come back to civilization.    

Everglades Fishing Report - October 17th.  It had been too long since I fished with Bill Uding (Naples), Bill and his grandson Will (Bowling Green, KY) ... too long.  It was nice to be with them again.  Unfortunately, the bite was pretty flat.  We did manage a few trout, snook and redfish on this 1/2 day afternoon trip. But, that was about it.  Will did get a nice redfish, however.  The catching was tough, the fishing and friends, great! 


Everglades Fishing Report - October 15th.  With a the Smith Family from Orlando, we ventured out for some action on the Blue Bird Daze. We certainly found it.  Fishing the nearshore structure, the twins were on fish not stop throwing Cotee Jigs on the bottom. The speckled trout, Spanish Mackerel and pompano were thick.  We are we tired after this 1/2 day of action.


Everglades Fishing/Camping Report October 10 -12 ... This was one of the first fishing/camping trips of the season.  It was excellent although we do get some serious thunder-boomers on everning.  The scene during one of these will always be hard to fully explain. When the pressure dropped a feeding frenzy of large tarpon and sharks attacked the large schools of mullet nearby. Mike, from Indiana, decided to make a cast with a not-so-heavy setup before I could warn him. Hehe hooked up to a 100lb + shiner. It jumped five times before breaking off. He was shaking for like an hour after that. It was non-stop fishing for most of the weekend and everyone caught his share of fish. We brought a setup to night fish and these guys had fun catching large lemon sharks. Fish caught were a mixed bag of a snook - large and small; sight-fished redfish, a ton of trout (18 to 22"); black drum, gag grouper, snappers, ladies, jacks and the ones using gulp, catfish. Of course we also had a couple of awesome sunsets and sunrises and great dinners and food as usual. The worst part of the trip, as usual, was when we had to leave and come back to civilization.      


Everglades Fishing Report - October 10 ... The bite really turned on this morning with lots of action.  Big Speckeled trout ... some to 5lbs. They were almost a nusance as we were after snook.  The redfish were the hit today with fish almost every cast at one point this morning. Two tarpon in the air, but lost.  Twitch-n-Raps, Spooks, Top Dogs and Cotee Jigs.  Rich is out on a three-day two night fishing/camping trip ... He will be able to report on his trip Monday.


Everglades Fishing Report - October 9 ... The bite today on of Chokoloskee was a bit flat although we were "pitched to" three times in the early morning.  Unfortunately, the hooks pulled on all three big snook ... these gals were in the 15-20 lb range.  We spent the morning surrounded by Tarpon busting thru schools of mullet ... not a even a "bump".  It was frustrating ... quite frustrating.  Small snook, trout and ladyfish thereafter.  We did catch the world-smallest Spanish mackerel ... about 5".  Super Spooks, Cotee Jigs and DOA Bait Busters.