# EVERGLADES Trip Coming Up Soon!! Advice



## richwalker71

PM sent.


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## mirrocraft

Swamp,

Just leaving there last week. We rented a couple of Cottages on Pleasure Island in Everglades City. It was about $1,100 a week between 3 of us. Great location on an Island in the middle of the Baron River.
10 minute idle to open water 15 minutes to the Gulf. Rod N Gun Club let me Park my truck and trailer for the entire week for $20. I could see my truck from my Cottage Deck. Between 10am and 10pm the Island has Pontoon Boats and they they will ferry you back and forth to the mainland quickly. The Cottages are first class and they have 500 of Dockage in the fee. Decent restaurants by boat at night. I cannot wait to go back. Had some extra people come along and we booked Capt. Bob Lemay a day. He is a gentlemen and highly recommend his services if he is available. Enjoy I am jealous. :'(


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## [email protected]

Pm sent about trip and fly rod you are selling. Will text you tomorrow


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## paint it black

If you decide Flamingo, PM me and I will help point you in the right direction.


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## swampfox

Thanks PIB. It looks like we are gonna be heading that way. We were just discussing camping at the Park as a Base camp. Then doing ultralight over nights at various chikees. To spend a couple days in different areas. And just coming back every 2 days or so for fuel and food. That also leaves a otion for the legendary bay side. Plus keeps us flexible for the weather changes.

Hey PIB didn't you used to have a bad ass all black Noe? I think I saw that about 8 months ago or so at the NSB ramp on the Goon.


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## paint it black

I did not, I believe that was probably Captain Shane's LT25. It was sick!

Cool, what kind of fishing are you trying to do? back country? or open crystal clear flats where you can spot tailing fish 400 yards away if the water is glassy? And it doesn't need to be windless for it to be glassy. It can be howling 15knots and some flats be glassy. lol


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## Dillusion

> It can be howling 15knots and some flats be glassy. lol


Sure can. It's a mindfuck.


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## swampfox

Yeah all that  We are gonna definitely put in some poon time in the back for sure. I will have 2 virgins with me. ;D They didn't get one last year in the Keys. But they saw plenty. Hey I cant do it all for em. So they are Jonse-n hard for one now. They also have never got a snook. Both have had thier share of reds with me over the years. But that never gets old. But we have access to reds all the time here in SC. And the poons are tough in the summer. But like I said we like it all. And its good to have options.


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## High + Dry Adventures

What are the dates??


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## swampfox

Leaving next Sat. And coming back the following Sun.


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## creekfreak

> Leaving next Sat. And coming back the following Sun.


What's up swampfox.Im gonna put in my last camp trip at mingo next weekend.What boat do u have?Maybe we can shoot da shiet a lil.Ill be staying at the park,I usually stay at the beach,but u have more options staying at park.Outside,inside and maybe even loop around and do both in one day.thats wat ill probably do Saturday.Are u coming to mingo or choko?


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## swampfox

Creek I will have a tan Lostmen. And it will be pulled by a F250 with a camper shell. WHat is your setup?


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## creekfreak

> Creek I will have a tan Lostmen. And it will be pulled by a F250 with a camper shell. WHat is your setup?


I drive a white 150 van and a lil ipb 14 black skiff with a merc sea pro,and my friend will have an old green hewes.Hope to see u there bud.Hope bugs won't be bad,usually don't go this late into April.


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## creekfreak

Didnt see you Swampfox,but hope your trip went great in south Florida.Let me know how it went.


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## swampfox

Been back a week now. I guess its time for a update. And to thank all you guys for the help and advice. We had horrible weather the entire time. Literally 20mph winds and heavy storms every single day! But we did catch fish every day. We got into a bunch of snook, reds, jacks, trout, lady fish, baby tarpon and a six foot plus saw fish. Oh and my bud got a reptilian slam- gator and croc.  But man did we have to work for it. We fished the entire park. I learned more about the ENP than I ever dreamed. We hit Shark river,Big Sable, Ponce De Leon,Oyster Bay, Watson river, Tarpon Bay, Lane Bay, Hells Bay, North River,Coot bay, Whitewater Bay,various canals and Snake Bight at night. And a bunch of no name creeks in a effort to dodge the weather. Yeah we got around. ;D


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## swampfox

early start leaving SC


yes it was windy



got dozens of these little guys. I know we were a bit late for the big backcountry snook. But on the first day we saw a 20 pounder. So we got excited hoping some were still hanging around. Then on our next to last day. While sight fishing some small snook. A monster came outta the woods. And inhailed my my lure. Went ape shiat. Ran out to the boat then turned on a dime. And soon as he turned back for the woods. My rod bent over and snap! He broke me off :'( I figured the line got around his gill plate and cut it. But we all three got a good look. And we all agreed he was in the upper teens.


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## swampfox

The natural beauty was awe inspiring.



I didn't know mangroves got this big. All my experience has been around black mangroves. Some of these red mangroves were HUGE!







Anybody know what these host air plants are? It was a nice splash of color in the swamp.


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## swampfox

Snake Bight was awesome at dusk and night. And yes it was glass despite the 20mph wind. A total mind fornication as one put it.  We sight fished tails and wakes in the moon light. A very cool experience. Several reds,trout and one shark were brought boat side. The only negative is landing a fish. I let the boat get around my staked out pole. And snap! See my upcoming how to repair a push pole thread 



Hooked up! Check his shorts to see how hard it was blowing.


A nice sight fished tailer. It was 31"s and chubby. That background is 6'4" and 260#s for perspective;D


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## swampfox

We slept in our last day. After a long night on Snake Bight. We didn't get in till after 12am. Plus we had a very nasty storm early that morning. Up this point we had no gat any tarpon. Which had me a bit bummed. Because earlier in the week. There was a bay loaded with huge poons. A spot that a fellow Microskiffer hooked me up with. And I will not divulge. Its not on any of those TopSpot maps.  The problem was a local guide beat us there everyday. So I was cool and stayed out. And gave him room. But we watched em land 4 or so big poons on fly. I kept saying to myself when we camp on the chikee it will be our turn. Well that time came. And the wind shifted and blew what had been a glassy bay into chop. :'( But we would see a roller every now and then. But not like the previous days. So I wore my arm blind casting my 9 into the wind. And no takers. Then you know who shows up. And invites himself on in.  He stayed a hour or so then called it and ran off somewhere else. So here we where on our last day. No push pole and heavy wind. So we used the troller all day bass style. Working the banks and hitting canals. Then after getting a bunch of 4-5 pound snook. We go into of bunch of baby poons. Not the hundred pounders on fly I was dreaming of. But a hell of alot of fun non the less. 

Our back country camp setup. The stars were amazing. Almost like the night I spent in the desert in Arizona.


We hooked about 6-8 of these guys. All about the same size.


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## swampfox

Had to get a pic of Patrick for the kids. If you have kids you know who I am talking about. He kinda looks like he is giving me the finger ;D



This sums up most of our trip
http://s1080.photobucket.com/user/swampfox72/media/IMG_1816.mp4.html

;D


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## swampfox

Again I cant thank you guys enough for all the tips and advice. And I promise not to let those "secret" spots out. Have a few cold ones on me tonight for my graditude
[smiley=1-beer.gif]


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## paint it black

AWESOME! glad you guys were able to catch fish!

Fishing snake bight at night for big tailers is fun isn't it? One of the funnest ways to fish. The only thing more fun than that was catching bones on a glassy full moon night.


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## swampfox

Yeah it was a blast. Wish we had a full moon. It was only three quarters. But still had enough light. That beacon light on the micro tower offered some good orientation in the dark. And thanks to you PIB for the tips. Actually one of your write ups on Biscane at night inspired me to try Snake at night. The only thing I regret is not getting a peacock. But we got next year. I think we will be back in the Glades again instead of the Keys. My one bud had to bail last minute for work. So he REALLY wants to go now. And my Bro is moving back from Portland. And he wants in next time. But next time will be late Jan or early Feb. Those damn mosquitoes were fierce ;D I literally had damn near a hundred bites on me. And we brought 5 or 6 different repellents. They just seemed to reduce. But not prevent bites. The ranger was F-ing with us one day. Saying when that other group leaves our rates were going up three fold. Since it was gonna be a private national park ;D We were the only ones dumb/brave enough to be there that late. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics. I will be bringing my good camera next time also. Missed some epic shots. Hopefully the weather will be more stable for us.

Total miles covered by car was 1508 . Including that late 4 hour beer run to Walmart in Everglades city ;D

Oh yeah the ranger gave me a parting gift at 5:30 in the morning. A $130 speeding ticket [smiley=thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif]


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## paint it black

I'm hoping you mean walmart in florida city! everglades city a long ways away!


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## jeffscoggin

That place is just amazing...I went for the first time last year, missed it this year due to my wife being pregnant with my second child...hopefully Ill be back next year!!!! Looks like y'all had a great time! Several great folks helped me out before I went and it was much appreciated (thanks again PIB)


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## swampfox

> I'm hoping you mean walmart in florida city! everglades city a long ways away!


Yeah my bad. Might try that other end next year.


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