# Bokeelia



## Seawoods

I would take the larger boat if you want to run across the sound to the beaches to look for shells.


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## JupiterSam

Probably want a little more then a gheenoe in case there is any wind. If you can get on the gulf side Cayo Costa is worth heading to. lots of shells and snook crusing that beach, tarpon on the gulf at first light was pretty good too.


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## Skeetershick_c4

If you’re looking to fish inshore, I’d think you would want to bring your gheenoe. There’s a lot of really good, shallow water here you’ll have a hard time getting to in a center console. I’m sure your wife would rather drive around in the center console though if you’re going to be shelling and going to the beaches.


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## Snookicide

What is the center console? Been blowing an awful lot.


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## SS06

Roll of the dice...gheenoe will be fine IF the wind lays down....but it's been blowing pretty good across most of the state for a few weeks now


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## John Stark

Nattybluedread said:


> Heading there with the Gheenoe in a few weeks. It’s one of the few places in the state that I haven’t explored. Mostly a trip to check it out, my wife wants to look for shells but I will pack a few rods. Should I be taking the center console or will the ‘noe be good? Made dinner reservation at Tarpon Lodge and plan on a lunch at Cabbage Key. Any other insights are appreciated. 👍🏻


Great place for sure. The Tarpon lodge!!


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## rovster

Peanut Butter Pie at Captain Con’s🔥


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## strat48

Nattybluedread said:


> Heading there with the Gheenoe in a few weeks. It’s one of the few places in the state that I haven’t explored. Mostly a trip to check it out, my wife wants to look for shells but I will pack a few rods. Should I be taking the center console or will the ‘noe be good? Made dinner reservation at Tarpon Lodge and plan on a lunch at Cabbage Key. Any other insights are appreciated. 👍🏻


Wind can howl there you will be way more comfortable in the big boat and safer.


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## Ben Sheppard

Mullet sampler at the Blue Dog followed by their TNT shrimp tacos. Bring the skiff, the wind can be risky. Plenty of water on the flood to fish without scraping the hull.


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## Nattybluedread

We got over there early Friday afternoon and had a good time checking out the area, the wind was kicking pretty good so we didn't make it out to the beach. Saturday it stormed all day and we didn't go out, bummer but we'll be back. The area is very cool and there is so much water there to explore. We ate at the Blue Dog for dinner and went back for lunch, good place. Dinner at the Tarpon Lodge was very good and it poured while we were there, kinda cool.


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## Ben Sheppard

Life is much more fun with that attitude.


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## rovster

My parents were there a few weeks ago caught a few small reds but overall slow. We’ll be heading there Memorial.


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## DBStoots

Sunset from the dock at The Tarpon Lodge. It's such a cool place.


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## rovster

Was there last weekend. Was BUSY!! Fishing was so so. Caught a few nice trout 18-22', some nice mangrove snappers a 3 reds 17-21" over the course of the weekend. Oh, and we picked up a flounder while pitching artificials over the flats for trout. All in all was a good weekend with the family. Water was a lot dirtier than I would have hoped for. Fished north of the bridge mainly on the Pine Island side of Matlacha pass.


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## FATBABY

rovster said:


> Was there last weekend. Was BUSY!! Fishing was so so. Caught a few nice trout 18-22', some nice mangrove snappers a 3 reds 17-21" over the course of the weekend. Oh, and we picked up a flounder while pitching artificials over the flats for trout. All in all was a good weekend with the family. Water was a lot dirtier than I would have hoped for. Fished north of the bridge mainly on the Pine Island side of Matlacha pass.



What were you using for Trout and Mangroves?


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## rovster

Mangroves shrimp. For trout I prefer to drift the flats with soft plastics. I caught trout on both pink and white paddle tails, as well as chartreuse and rootbeer colored jerkbaits. Couple of the redfish we picked up soaking shrimp and one on a gold spinner bait with a small paddletail. Saw a lot more fish than we caught. No snook which was surprising and saw and caught a couple sharks as well. Fishing not as great as its been in the past but its usually slower on holiday weekends anyway so we were happy to be out there and catch what we did.


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## FATBABY

rovster said:


> Mangroves shrimp. For trout I prefer to drift the flats with soft plastics. I caught trout on both pink and white paddle tails, as well as chartreuse and rootbeer colored jerkbaits. Couple of the redfish we picked up soaking shrimp and one on a gold spinner bait with a small paddletail. Saw a lot more fish than we caught. No snook which was surprising and saw and caught a couple sharks as well. Fishing not as great as its been in the past but its usually slower on holiday weekends anyway so we were happy to be out there and catch what we did.


Good to know. I was going to hit the Ft Myers Beach Pier since the waterways were supposed to be busy, but my baitshop didnt have shrimp first thing. I then thought about hooking up the trailer and gheenoe, but decided against it because I didnt want to deal with the boat traffic. How bad was the waterways?


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## rovster

It was busy lots of boats out there but we are tucked back in Blue Crab Key so we don't necessarily need to cross the main waterways so we stay tucked back into Indian Fields and Smokehouse bay. We did cross to Two Pine for a little but that's no problem with our Carolina Skiff. There was a lot of crap in the water and the sandbars were ugly with algae but the water was suprisingly clear in most areas.


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## FATBABY

Thats awesome! I'll have to get out in the next couple of weeks.


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## MatthewJ

The wife and I stayed in this area a couple weeks ago. We loved it! The week went by too fast.


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## FATBABY

That snook is right up by the bridge area, nice! I have heard the bridge harbors some nice size snook as well.


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## rovster

Never fished the bridge at night for snook but makes sense it would be productive. We used to catch cobia anchored around markers 72-74 using live bait on a cork but haven't tried that in a while. Used to be a decent afternoon bite. Catch trout casting towards the flat and cobia and jacks in the channel.


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## Floridangler

You'll be limited in the gheenoe. It's still doable but if running over to cabbage and beyond will need to be careful with the open water.


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## Backcountry 16

Floridangler said:


> You'll be limited in the gheenoe. It's still doable but if running over to cabbage and beyond will need to be careful with the open water.


Take my Gladesman to Cabbage Key all the time


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## rovster

I think those small boats are great for that area but it can get nasty at times but if your careful you can always run the shorelines and keep to shallower and more sheltered water. I've been to cabbage key a few times cool spot been days you could do it on a gheenoe and days you couldn't.


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## Floridangler

Backcountry 16 said:


> Take my Gladesman to Cabbage Key all the time
> View attachment 215180
> View attachment 215181


Yes easily doable on a lot of days, not a bad way to get “stuck” out there when evening storms come too and wait them out drinking creepers.


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## Backcountry 16

Floridangler said:


> Yes easily doable on a lot of days, not a bad way to get “stuck” out there when evening storms come too and wait them out drinking creepers.


Agreed just eeplace the creeper with a Myers and coke


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## rovster

Not a fan of their drinks but a fan of the place. Too sweet for my whiskey loving ass... Is the Creeper the Pina Colada tasting one? Had it once never again, LOL!


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## Floridangler

Backcountry 16 said:


> Agreed just eeplace the creeper with a Myers and coke





rovster said:


> Not a fan of their drinks but a fan of the place. Too sweet for my whiskey loving ass... Is the Creeper the Pina Colada tasting one? Had it once never again, LOL!


Yep that's it. They'll pour you a whiskey drink. The creeper is a good time but sweet and true to it's name.


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## rovster

Nothing like an ice cold hazy IPA and a Burger


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