# February Everglades Report



## Mike tries to fish

Sounds like loads of fun. Launched many times from Everglades City, but have never fished out of Flamingo. Reading this post gets me motivated. Need to plan a future trip!


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## DBStoots

Thanks for your report--great times!


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## lemaymiami

Great report... Wish every day was like the ones you experienced in my favorite place in this world...

For what it's worth - every fly I tie for the 'Glades will have a weedguard if at all possible. I didn't start out that way (all those years ago....) but you learn what works over time...


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## Zika

Great report. Buddy and I camped on Tiger Key in January. Fun trip but we didn't find the snook or tarpon in the northern part of the park. It is a special place.


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## TR.

Great report, thanks! Same trip in about 5 weeks, hope we do as well you!


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## flynut

Thanks for the report. Everglades is definitely on my bucket list. Those chickees look cool.


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## Smackdaddy53

flynut said:


> Thanks for the report. Everglades is definitely on my bucket list. Those chickees look cool.


Let’s go!


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## flynut

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Let’s go!


when? My problem is my work schedule.


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## Smackdaddy53

flynut said:


> when? My problem is my work schedule.


Me too. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants all the time. Usually take off with a day or two notice.


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## Zika

While remote and cool, the drawback to the chickees is only single-night reservations. The system caters to the paddler crowd, so you have to pack up and move every day. The beach and ground camping sites can be reserved for multiple days in a row.


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## Don86

lemaymiami said:


> Great report... Wish every day was like the ones you experienced in my favorite place in this world...
> 
> For what it's worth - every fly I tie for the 'Glades will have a weedguard if at all possible. I didn't start out that way (all those years ago....) but you learn what works over time...


Thanks, Bob. Yes, those wire weedguards you tie in work really well--I still have a few tarpon flies that I bought from you years ago!


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## Don86

Zika said:


> While remote and cool, the drawback to the chickees is only single-night reservations. The system caters to the paddler crowd, so you have to pack up and move every day. The beach and ground camping sites can be reserved for multiple days in a row.


Yes, having to move for each night isn't ideal, though in the off-season you can stay several nights in a row on the same chickee (which I did last October). But the mosquitos are like 10x worse during the rainy season. I just love staying on the chickees--allows you to fish first and last light, with no one else around.


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## moZigOoNin4lYfe

Camping in Hell's Bay on the chickee is definitely a beautiful experience! Love love love the Everglades. Nothing like the seclusion, peace, and tranquility she has to offer! Oh, and the fish are pretty rad too. My wife and I are headed back down for a week in exactly one month for our 10 yr anniversary. Your post has me dreaming like a little child on the night before Christmas until then. Good stuff, thanks for sharing!


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## Renegade

Heading down Thursday for four days. Thanks for the report.


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## skinny_fishing

Looks like a lot of fun! Is there anywhere closer to launch a skiff other than Flamingo?


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## Don86

skinny_fishing said:


> Looks like a lot of fun! Is there anywhere closer to launch a skiff other than Flamingo?


Another option is the NorthWest part of Evergaldes National Park, which has launches in Chokoloskee. But I prefer Flamingo because I find it easier to navigate, since unlike Choko, it has no oyster beds and smaller tidal swings. And there is an AT&T cell tower in Flamingo, so if that's your phone service provider, you'll find service in Hell's Bay and more than halfway West into Whitewater Bay. (I have Verizon, so I get nothing...perfect peace and quiet!)


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## skinny_fishing

Ok, now that I've looked closer, I see there is a canal going north, I'm assuming you went that way? Because otherwise that's a long way going around to the west which I initially thought you did lol.

Through the canal it's looks pretty easy to get there, I read that there are markers too that show the way.


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## Don86

skinny_fishing said:


> Ok, now that I've looked closer, I see there is a canal going north, I'm assuming you went that way? Because otherwise that's a long way going around to the west which I initially thought you did lol.
> 
> Through the canal it's looks pretty easy to get there, I read that there are markers too that show the way.


Yes, I took the Buttonwood Canal North from Flamingo. It's a few miles long, and takes you into Coot Bay, which then can lead you West to Whitewater Bay. Boat GPS systems work well down there (Simrad, etc...), but if you don't have one, the Navionics app on phones works really well too. The blue ball on Google Maps will also work, since it's GPS satellite based and not reliant upon cell service--but I try to zoom in on the area I'm going to be in to get that map data downloaded before I lose cell data service.


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## LastCast

If there are more than two going down to ENP look into renting a houseboat. They sleep 6 and make it real convenient


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## lemaymiami

A few quick stats... Buttonwood canal is exactly three miles long. You then hit Coot Bay and run across it to Tarpon Creek, which takes you to Whitewater Bay. When you hit Whitewater you're exactly five miles from the ramp you started at. Whitewater, itself, is roughly ten miles long and six miles wide. When you hit marker 40 - you're exactly 15 miles from where you started. All of this measured on my trip log day after day, for some years - so pretty reliable.

For first timers, there's actually two ramps at Flamingo - one to go outside into Florida Bay - the other into Buttonwood Canal and the interior... The reason for the two ramps goes back a bit more than forty years ago when many observed that entirely too much saltwater was getting up into the interior on each tide change... At that time (late seventies) Buttonwood Canal was wide open from Florida Bay up into the interior... After lots of petitions and a big public meeting the Park agreed to close Buttonwood by installing the plug (a dam...) into the end at the marina. The moment they decided to go that route they had to cut a second boat ramp to provide access outside - and that's how it all happened...


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## skinny_fishing

I noticed that on Google maps.....Very interesting! This is the first time I have learned about Flamingo and the Hells Bay Chickee and I'm determined to go now. I've also yet to make it to the Dry Tortugas for an overnight stay....Gotta stop putting it off.


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## skinny_fishing

Don86 said:


> The blue ball on Google Maps will also work, since it's GPS satellite based and not reliant upon cell service--but I try to zoom in on the area I'm going to be in to get that map data downloaded before I lose cell data service.


Forgot to ask, but how do you go about doing this?....I mean if you lost cell service how would it know where you were even if you had the map loaded? Im confused lol


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## DBStoots

lemaymiami said:


> A few quick stats... Buttonwood canal is exactly three miles long. You then hit Coot Bay and run across it to Tarpon Creek, which takes you to Whitewater Bay. When you hit Whitewater you're exactly five miles from the ramp you started at. Whitewater, itself, is roughly ten miles long and six miles wide. When you hit marker 40 - you're exactly 15 miles from where you started. All of this measured on my trip log day after day, for some years - so pretty reliable.
> 
> For first timers, there's actually two ramps at Flamingo - one to go outside into Florida Bay - the other into Buttonwood Canal and the interior... The reason for the two ramps goes back a bit more than forty years ago when many observed that entirely too much saltwater was getting up into the interior on each tide change... At that time (late seventies) Buttonwood Canal was wide open from Florida Bay up into the interior... After lots of petitions and a big public meeting the Park agreed to close Buttonwood by installing the plug (a dam...) into the end at the marina. The moment they decided to go that route they had to cut a second boat ramp to provide access outside - and that's how it all happened...


Bob, how far from the ramp to the mouth of the Shark/Ponce Bay (running through the back)? And, how far is it running out front?


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## lemaymiami

Roughly 21 miles through the interior - if you run off the outside ramp then out and around Cape Sable you can add five miles... By the way... any way you run it you'll clock 25 miles to Big Sable creek if I remember correctly (through the interior or out and around) - but that's using the shortcut through Lake Ingraham...


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## Mako 181

lemaymiami said:


> A few quick stats... Buttonwood canal is exactly three miles long. You then hit Coot Bay and run across it to Tarpon Creek, which takes you to Whitewater Bay. When you hit Whitewater you're exactly five miles from the ramp you started at. Whitewater, itself, is roughly ten miles long and six miles wide. When you hit marker 40 - you're exactly 15 miles from where you started. All of this measured on my trip log day after day, for some years - so pretty reliable.
> 
> For first timers, there's actually two ramps at Flamingo - one to go outside into Florida Bay - the other into Buttonwood Canal and the interior... The reason for the two ramps goes back a bit more than forty years ago when many observed that entirely too much saltwater was getting up into the interior on each tide change... At that time (late seventies) Buttonwood Canal was wide open from Florida Bay up into the interior... After lots of petitions and a big public meeting the Park agreed to close Buttonwood by installing the plug (a dam...) into the end at the marina. The moment they decided to go that route they had to cut a second boat ramp to provide access outside - and that's how it all happened...



I must be old. 
I remember the one ramp day without the dam.


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## TR.

skinny_fishing said:


> Forgot to ask, but how do you go about doing this?....I mean if you lost cell service how would it know where you were even if you had the map loaded? Im confused lol


Download Avenza maps. I think it’s free, at least it was when I downloaded it a few years ago. Then download the NOAA map for the area you will be in. They used to have more NOAA maps but now they are harder to find. If you end up with a ton of maps look for “on the map” in the Home Screen to pull up the right one the first time. the gps chip in your phone or iPad will give you the same blue target as your location. It works without cell phone service, anywhere, and extremely accurate. I use it as a backup to my lowrance in case of failure in the backcountry, and sometimes for better definition of contours etc.


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## Montana Cutt

I can not wait to camp in the Glades! Everything about it tops my list of cool stuff to do...


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## lemaymiami

Here's the on-line addresses of the three charts I use the most (for planning purposes only...)..
Flamingo to the Shark River - Chart 11433
Marco to Lostman's - Chart 11430
Marathon to Cape Sable - Chart 11452

There are others but these are the ones I call up the most when trying to figure out this or that... 

"Be a hero.... take a kid fishing"


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## Wuggs

I'll be camping at Flamingo and day fishing Florida Bay or Coot Bay (depending on wind) in my kayak from Mar 1-6 then a four days at Watson River chickee and a couple days at South Joe River chickee. If you see a guy in a blue Hobie PA14, idle on over and say Hi. I'll share info on what is or isn't working for me. And there IS a way to spend more than one night at a time at a particular chickee but you do have to plan in advance. How-to tip was given to me by a ranger at the visitor center at Flamingo. Message me if you're interested in details.


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## rovster

I use the Navionics free app on my i-phone. The charts are crude and not super detailed but enough that you won't get lost. I've used it to navigate all the way to Shark River and beyond. Again, you won't get the detail like a satellite overlay but enough that you can get your bearings.


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## BigJoe

rovster said:


> I use the Navionics free app on my i-phone. The charts are crude and not super detailed but enough that you won't get lost. I've used it to navigate all the way to Shark River and beyond. Again, you won't get the detail like a satellite overlay but enough that you can get your bearings.


We use Navionics when kayaking the waterway. We had downloaded offline maps in Google Maps our first trip, but each day the saved data became less available for some reason. We were starting to worry sitting at Harney River Chickee the night before the Nightmare, but remembered Navionics and it was all on the map.


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## rovster

Yeah the Navionics works like a charm. Not super user friendly but gets it done👍


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## gestes11

Awesome report!


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## eeu

Great report and pictures


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## Janos More

Great report! Thanks!


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