# Swamp Jukin' in the 10K Islands November 4



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

It was all about variety yesterday in the ENP. We launched early at OR (with 25-30 others from the Naples area who were entered in a Red/Snook tournament). Low tide at 6:43 a.m. so we would have incoming water all morning followed by a falling tide in the afternoon. Weather was overcast, but nice. Winds were calm. Fished with my buddy, Mike, who was injured in a boating accident back in June. This was his first time on the water since then. We caught just about every species--reds, snook, trout, jacks, ladyfish--but the capstone was this large tarpon that we caught at the end of the day along a shore line on the incoming tide. Most of the catch was on hard plastic sinking twitch baits or soft plastics. The tarpon ate a soft plastic jerk bait. I lost one after one jump that took a purple DOA Baitbuster; that would have closed the inshore grand slam for me. But Mike brought it home for the boat grand slam! The day would not have been complete without spending some time with Ranger John Kalafarski to hear his stories about snook otoliths, the importance of no see ums (ceratopogonidae) to the chocolate industry, and this Burmese Python skin.


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## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Nothing like the glades I haven't been in about a month or two but will be heading back this weekend after this report.


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## bobber (Sep 29, 2015)

John is certainly one of the most interesting of many characters who hang out in the 10K, I like talking with him when pulling out the skiff. 
The noseeums that pollinate the cacao trees aren't the kind that bite so feel free to swat away at the biting bastids without endangering your snickers supply....
great report,thank you!


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Great report


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## grovesnatcher (Sep 25, 2007)

Sounds like a great day! Thanks for the report


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## Merc82 (Jun 5, 2018)

I was out there last weekend as well staying at the Choko Island Marina. It was a beautiful weekend. Caught are share of small reds and trout. Had a minor hiccup getting stuck on a mud flat for 3 hrs waiting on the tide, but took a kid fishing for his first time and he got his first red, so it was priceless.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Fished out of choko last week (Flamingo the last two days - look for the report -maybe later today...) and was lucky enough to spend the night in one of the private waterfront homes on the island... Sigh... now I know what to dream about if I ever hit it rich....


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