# 3-5 day trip Everglades or somewhere else



## windblows

You should absolutely take the trip somewhere vs. staying local. There is nothing better, in my opinion, than going somewhere new and exploring. I have not fished the Everglades much, but I would also highly recommend the Big Bend area of Florida. You can be as remote as you want and camp (if that's your thing) or rent a VRBO in Cedar Key or Steinhatchee. Or even better, stay in Suwanee one night, Cedar Key one night and Steinhatchee one night


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## Boneheaded

i live and fish the everglades, +1 big bend


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## Zika

I was thinking Seth lived in Thomasville, GA (hence Big Bend), but I was mistaken.


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## jglidden

You are in Brunswick right?

The Econfina River Resort (Not a resort at all) is worth a visit. Not for the amenities, at all, but for the area, fishing, proximity to ramp. Fantastic time to fish that area and you might even run into me with my CF there if you go late enough in March. 
I can PM you some google earth intel if you are interested.


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## Boneheaded

Glades then!


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## Sethsawyer

Yep, Brunswick. Big Bend would definitely be a shorter drive.


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## Zika

The Cape Romain NWR north of Charleston is a cool area to fish. No exotics from what you're used to and I can't recommend specifics on camping. But shorter drive and gorgeous backdrop.


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## Big Fish

Glades and stay on chickees in whitewater bay if you want a camping feel or Delacroix/hopedale if you wanna do more of a rent a house type trip. Nice thing about everglades is there is always somewhere to fish no matter the wind. Louisiana is almost strictly sight fishing (unless using bait) and can really suck when too windy.

Honorable mention: Steinhatchee, FL. Awesome trout and redfish this time of year. Shallow, clear grass flats and easy catching. If you catch it on a bad wind it will absolutely ruin your trip though. Also need to be careful of rocks!


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## Lowtidelowlife

One of the best camping trips I ever did was in Mosquito Lagoon around this time of the year. Such a cool fishery.


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## jlindsley

I did Louisiana 4 days 3 nights in a VRBO for $425 a person, 3 ppl (lodging-vrbo, alcohol, food- steaks etc). VRBO had boat a boat lift, 3 stories, ice maker etc. 
Navigation was easy from the VRBO as we can a 15 mile oil barge canal that fed into barataria bay.
Incredible fishery and it is not just big reds. We caught tons of slots sight fishing.

ENP is next on my bucket list.


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## FlyBy

Water quality issues in Florida being what they are, this is the first time in years that I won't be fishing in Fla. in Jan. or Feb. My thinking is to fish the gulf coast north of the Caloosahatchie to avoid the shit being dumped from Lake O. I fished Chokoloskee last year for a week starting Mar. 30, and I'll go back there sometime. I have a trip planned for September to Homosassa.


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## firecat1981

FlyBy said:


> Water quality issues in Florida being what they are, this is the first time in years that I won't be fishing in Fla. in Jan. or Feb. My thinking is to fish the gulf coast north of the Caloosahatchie to avoid the shit being dumped from Lake O. I fished Chokoloskee last year for a week starting Mar. 30, and I'll go back there sometime. I have a trip planned for September to Homosassa.


What are you talking about? I though Gov Desantis pretty much ended the discharges last year after the blooms. Then added funding to help restore some of the flow to the south. 
Am I wrong? Most guys I've been talking to down in SW Florida say the fishing has been pretty hot the last few months.

On the OP's quest. I'd go glades, cause if you don't do it now you will continue finding excuses for years, like I have.


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## tailchaser16

I would drive to the Glades and fish my way back. 

For Example: 1 days in the Glades, 1 day in Jupiter/Stuart, 1 in Jacksonville and then somewhere in Georgia for the final day. Travel at night when there is less people and fish my ass off.


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## FlyBy

firecat1981 said:


> What are you talking about? I though Gov Desantis pretty much ended the discharges last year after the blooms. Then added funding to help restore some of the flow to the south.
> Am I wrong? Most guys I've been talking to down in SW Florida say the fishing has been pretty hot the last few months.
> 
> On the OP's quest. I'd go glades, cause if you don't do it now you will continue finding excuses for years, like I have.


Yeah, I think it's better now. I went to Choko because I read reports about grass dying at Flamingo. I'll go back to Choko later, and Flamingo too.


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## lemaymiami

Y’all need to know that there’s a lot of very different areas to fish in the area we call the ‘glades - and that while some areas aren’t what they should be, other areas (big, big areas ...) are just fine - with no water quality issues at all...
First off Florida Bay is the area that’s lost lots of grass - but recent reports are that it’s coming back... The interior areas out of Flamingo, Whitewater, Oyster, and Tarpon Bays don’t have any grass bottomed areas at all and the water quality is as good as I’ve ever seen it... That also goes for all the upper bays out of the Chokoloskee/Everglades City areas as well. The much publicized red tide problems end at Marco Island - and there’s been no sign of it in any of the Ten Thousand Islands or in the Everglades at all in the past three years...

Anyone that gets a chance to fish down here should jump at the opportunity.

As you can guess the ‘glades are my favorite places in this world...


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## Backcountry 16

Port of the isles between Naples and Everglades city has a ramp your truck and trailer are safe the downside is the 30 minute slow zone but after that follow the markers to the gulf head north and you can camp anywhere you want for as long as you want because your outside the park in the 10k islands hog keys my favorite because if you have a microskiff your protected from the gulf with the cove in the back. Plenty of firewood everywhere here are pics from last year





















pm me your email and I'll send you some spots to fish down here Seth.


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## Backwater

Ok, I'm seeing all this and thinking to myself, what would really make a better impact overall and motivate you into going fishing more often....

If you go to the Glades, that maybe it for the fishing for you for a good while. But if you really take your time during your vacation and really learn the waters in your own back yard and nearby waters, without taking some long-ass drive to get there, you'll find that it will have more to offer you. You'll finally learn that close-by areas and really start being more productive and therefore more motivated to get back out there and enjoy being back out on the water more often, especially being more convienent and close by, cause it would take that much time to do so. That will add up to more stress relief, than planning some once in a long while trip to some remote place that you may or may not ever go back to, while allowing life to get in the way cause you'll only think that the only good fishing trips are those big, once in a while things. And that's when you'll ignore that beautiful area you have right there in your own back yard. Trust me when I say, if you look hard enough and close enough around you, I promise you that you'll find your own piece of the Glades right there in your own back yard. 








OK, so I know this is corny, but just sayin.....

Once you get back into the swing of things and on top of your game on your home turf, then make the trip down and experience it with someone that knows what they are doing down there, instead of fumbling around not knowing, really, what to do or where to go. I believe, only then, you'll have a better time, learn more for the next time you come down, you'll appreciate it more and you'll be better off in the long run. 

Ted


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## Backwater

firecat1981 said:


> What are you talking about? I though Gov Desantis pretty much ended the discharges last year after the blooms. Then added funding to help restore some of the flow to the south.
> Am I wrong?


 That's not the case yet. We still have a long ways to go. There are still signs of blooms, even now. Only time will tell and with enough squeeky wheels banning together to cause those bozos to really do something about it instead of just making a showing. Not trying to throw the thread off. But that is the deal, still.


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## Padre

I Live in the panhandle and do a yearly trip to the glades. And every year, I get it a little more figured out. It is a trip we look forward to all year long. Last year we went during the government shut down and pretty much had everything to ourselves. There were hardly any people out there, we didn't have to permit and we could move to different camp sights with no worries. It was the best. It is an amazing place.


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## Sethsawyer

Lol, awesome responses guys. Thanks for all the great input. Destination trips are a lot of fun and planning and prepping are part of the fun, but like backwater said fishing local as long as I commit to trying new areas and really exploring could help out my day to day fishing which is probably more valuable, but then again I have caught tons of redfish and trout, but I have yet to fish for Or catch snook or baby tarpon. Lol, I guess living close to good fishing makes deciding if I should travel somewhere else a tougher decision than it is for those who live far from fish.


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## Backwater

Padre said:


> I Live in the panhandle and do a yearly trip to the glades. And every year, I get it a little more figured out. It is a trip we look forward to all year long. Last year we went during the government shut down and pretty much had everything to ourselves. There were hardly any people out there, we didn't have to permit and we could move to different camp sights with no worries. It was the best. It is an amazing place.


And this is my point. It IS an amazing place. But you know you have figured out your home waters and can easily get away for a quick fishing session locally when nobody needs you (I know you are a busy man). Then you use the Glades or the Bahamas as your big get away trips. 

With the OP, he hasn't even figured out his home waters yet and have not found those little sanctuary places where he can reliably get on the fish and spend some time talking to the ole Man upstairs, more often. To me, that is the best type of fishing therapy he can do and have access to it on the drop of a dime, whenever he needs to or has the itch. THEN, he can eventually start taking those long, deep therapeutic trips to those dreamed about destinations where he can dig out those urges to get completely immersed in it all and mentally and spiritually get more out of it.


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## Backwater

Sethsawyer said:


> Lol, awesome responses guys. Thanks for all the great input. Destination trips are a lot of fun and planning and prepping are part of the fun, but like backwater said fishing local as long as I commit to trying new areas and really exploring could help out my day to day fishing which is probably more valuable, but then again I have caught tons of redfish and trout, but I have yet to fish for Or catch snook or baby tarpon. Lol, I guess living close to good fishing makes deciding if I should travel somewhere else a tougher decision than it is for those who live far from fish.


Good call!!!


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## Renegade

I'll be hitting the backwaters of the glades this weekend. It's hard to beat.

Remember, you must check in to the ranger station to book camping. Chickees are one night only this time of year. Beach camping can be treacherous when cold fronts blow through. If you don't know the waters, you need FMT. If you do, go slow. Irma rearranged some stuff.


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## jonterr

Backwater said:


> And this is my point. It IS an amazing place. But you know you have figured out your home waters and can easily get away for a quick fishing session locally when nobody needs you (I know you are a busy man). Then you use the Glades or the Bahamas as your big get away trips.
> 
> With the OP, he hasn't even figured out his home waters yet and have not found those little sanctuary places where he can reliably get on the fish and spend some time talking to the ole Man upstairs, more often. To me, that is the best type of fishing therapy he can do and have access to it on the drop of a dime, whenever he needs to or has the itch. THEN, he can eventually start taking those long, deep therapeutic trips to those dreamed about destinations where he can dig out those urges to get completely immersed in it all and mentally and spiritually get more out of it.


In other words
FLA IS GETTING TOO CROWDED!
STAY HOME!


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## crboggs

I love destination trips...even though I can catch a wide variety of species here in Tampa.

Since I picked up the fly rod 5 years ago...

1) Ocean side bonefish wading pancake flats off Oahu
2) Arctic grayling in the remote rivers near Denali (Alaska)
3) Wild browns on the River Tweed (Scotland)
4) Wild brookies in Jasper National Park (British Columbia)

My goal for 2020 is either a low country redfish or a Bahamian bonefish. 

Absolutely plan a trip to fish new water and locales any chance you get...


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## K3anderson

Fishing the Glades is about more than fishing in my mind. I could go to the glades (or the 10k) and not make a single cast and still consider the trip an incredible success. It's one of the most incredible places on the planet. No matter how many times I go there it blows my mind. It's that insane.


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## Sublime

Apalachicola area is cool. Easy run to the St Joe peninsula. Fairly easy to find poons there beach-side in late summer. Getting them to take a fly, well that is another matter.


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