# Advice for Everglades trip



## Jfack

Im trying to plan an everglades trip on my dental school break coming up. I was looking for some advice on maybe a cleared out island to camp on near some good fishing. I have a banshee extreme ill be taking down, and will mostly be fly fishing/some spin. Also what ramp to put in, etc. Trying to get the most out of this since I don't get many breaks to be able to do a fishing trip like this. Ill be getting FMT on a simrad beforehand to navigate the waters a little better than using my dated garmin.


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## Jfack

This kind of sounded bad like I'm trying to just steal someones spot or something. Im really just looking for advice on a place to stay. Its going to most likely be just my gf, and one buddy with me. Would love to be out there on an island or beach of some sort. Going to be bringing a few 5 gallon gas cans to do a lot of fishing. Have fires at night, and drink beers. If anyone else has off around the time we go and wanted to meet up id be down!

also want advice on flies to take. Im new to fly tying and below is what I've been tying up. The brown and white combo has been working good on redfish up here in bradenton. Id love to get into some juvi tarpon down there if i can too though (never caught one on fly yet).


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## zlenart

I do one on whitehorse key every year. It's not quite the everglades, but the 10,000 islands are still great and there's not tent fee or anything. You can put in at the public ramp in Goodland or the ramp at the port of the isles. There's a lot of beaches that you can camp on down there, not just whitehorse. Just make sure you leave your campsite clean.


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## DBStoots

Jfack said:


> Im trying to plan an everglades trip on my dental school break coming up. I was looking for some advice on maybe a cleared out island to camp on near some good fishing. I have a banshee extreme ill be taking down, and will mostly be fly fishing/some spin. Also what ramp to put in, etc. Trying to get the most out of this since I don't get many breaks to be able to do a fishing trip like this. Ill be getting FMT on a simrad beforehand to navigate the waters a little better than using my dated garmin.


I really like Picnic Key. There is a deep water cut between Picnic and Tiger Key with a high sand beach on the side of Picnic and an area on the backside of the Key where you can tie your skiff up safely out of the weather and wind. Make sure your camp fire is below the high water mark. You will need to check in at the ENP Headquarters as this campsite is within the park boundaries. It is a primitive site, but there is a port-a-john on the front side of the key. Take firewood with you as it is difficult to find in that area. Don't leave anything behind.


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## Backwater

Pavilion Key

Launch at Choko.

Go to the Fly Fishing Board on this website and look for info on fly fishing the everglades. Lots of good stuff there. There is a current thread titled "problems with a Gami SC15 Hook?

When are you going down?


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## Jfack

Thanks for all the info guys! Yeah i might actually put in at choko since it's a lot closer. Id like to run south. I want to get a good backwater running tight creek style fishing trip in. How far back in them creeks will juvi tarpon be around this time? 
Ill probably be trying to go down in maybe 3-4 weeks.


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## Backwater

Jfack said:


> Thanks for all the info guys! Yeah i might actually put in at choko since it's a lot closer. Id like to run south. I want to get a good backwater running tight creek style fishing trip in. How far back in them creeks will juvi tarpon be around this time?
> Ill probably be trying to go down in maybe 3-4 weeks.


Are you running south inside or outside.


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## Jfack

Backwater said:


> Are you running south inside or outside.


No idea. What would be better? Can i run back in through the small creek there to sunday bay, oyster bay, etc? Is it real skinny? my banshee will go pretty dang skinny. Also is there a lot of random oyster bars that'll get you back there? ill have FMT by then, so i think he has a lot marked or you can at least see it on the sat view


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## Backwater

Jfack said:


> No idea. What would be better? Can i run back in through the small creek there to sunday bay, oyster bay, etc? Is it real skinny? my banshee will go pretty dang skinny. Also is there a lot of random oyster bars that'll get you back there? ill have FMT by then, so i think he has a lot marked or you can at least see it on the sat view


FMT is the bomb! I don't have it yet but I'll get it. Yes I know your boat very well and know what it's capable of. Believe it or not, I know my way around down there by memory. But I'm starting to forget simple things, so I want to know if I made the right turn or not. It's easy to get turned around there, since trees grow, storms changes a few things and well, memory sometimes fades.

I guess if you don't have much time, Picnic Key is a good option. Just be careful of the rats! lol But easy to get to and is not to far out in the sticks in case you run into problems. You can also see the lighthouse becon from there in case you get turned around and get lost at night. But hopefully, your chart plotter with the FMT chip will stay working. Things like your battery going dead can be a real bummer down there. There is a little corner point that is a nice wide open beach to camp on that is inside between Tiger and Picnic (like DBStoots said above). I've caught some nice snook there while camping. You just need to be careful how you anchor up your banshee there. You want to anchor out in the water and then tie a lead line from the stern and pole or paddle in, jump off the boat onto shore and then push it back out. Then allow a lot of scope out on your stern lead line and tie it to a stake you pound in the sand. Otherwise, if you nose the boat in and throw the anchor on the beach, your boat will be high and dry on dry ground during the morning low tide.

Ted


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## Jfack

Backwater said:


> FMT is the bomb! I don't have it yet but I'll get it. Yes I know your boat very well and know what it's capable of. Believe it or not, I know my way around down there by memory. But I'm starting to forget simple things, so I want to know if I made the right turn or not. It's easy to get turned around there, since trees grow, storms changes a few things and well, memory sometimes fades.
> 
> I guess if you don't have much time, Picnic Key is a good option. Just be careful of the rats! lol But easy to get to and is not to far out in the sticks in care you run into problems. You can also see the lighthouse becon from there in case you get turned around and get lost at night. But hopefully, your chart plotter with the FMT chip will stay working. Things like your battery going dead can be a real bummer down there. There is a little corner point that is a nice wide open beach to camp on that is inside between Tiger and Picnic (like DBStoots said above). I've caught some nice snook there while camping. You just need to be careful how you anchor up your banshee there. You want to anchor out in the water and then tie a lead line from the stern and pole or paddle in, jump off the boat onto shore and then push it back out. Then allow a lot of scope out on your stern lead line and tie it to a stake you pound in the sand. Otherwise, if you nose the boat in and throw the anchor on the beach, your boat will be high and dry on dry ground during the morning low tide.
> 
> Ted



Awesome! I really appreciate you guys pointing me in the right direction. Will feel a lot better going down there with somewhat of a plan now. Great info! Thanks!


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## Jay Brimberry

OK, maybe I am old and not Tech savvy but what is FMT? It sounds like something I might want because I am doing an Everglades trip this spring.


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## zlenart

Jay Brimberry said:


> OK, maybe I am old and not Tech savvy but what is FMT? It sounds like something I might want because I am doing an Everglades trip this spring.


Florida marine tracks. Its a map card for GPS units but it only works with certain ones I think.


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## Grant

Check out Pavillion or New Turkey Key in the park. Pavillion has great places to camp. Pavillion will get you out more into the bay with great beaches and a few less bugs. New Turkey is a deep water anchorage with a biffy. Lots of bigger boats tie up there on thier way between Key West and Naples. Check out the Duck Rock, great on an incoming tide and the Houston River. Lostmans River is right there too. The outside of Hog Key is another good place..
Have Fun
fltsfshr

PS That Puglesi Minnow is a great producer but my favorite down there is either a pilcher or a chunk of ladyfish. Both are easy to catch on the NW outside flat off Pavillion.


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## Alex M

If you are going to do Tiger/Picnic, I think that is the start of where you need to have a permit to camp. If you go one key up to Camp Lulu I believe you can camp there without a permit. There is a nice beach there too, but you will have to anchor on the backside of the key where there is some deeper water.


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