Fishing report for SW Fla Please?

[Take-a-Gander]

I will be down from snow country for the week next week and wondering how the fishing has been? Not that it matters, we just got 12" of snow and more on the way, just looking forward to being able to wet a line.
T-a-G

[Flats Dude]

What part of s/w Florida? 'Glades, Marco, Captiva?

[Take-a-Gander]

Sorry, I will be in the Everglades City area.
Thanks

[Flats Dude]

Take a Gander...fished there for years. Snook will be in the backcountry. Reds and lots of trout around the rivers and off the points of some of the keys like Rabbit, Pavilion and Turkey. You using a guide?
I'm on the "other" coast, five and a half hours from Chokoloskee. Last snook I got down there was just over 28 lbs. but it was the end of May. Have you ever been down there?

[Take-a-Gander]

Flats Dude,
Yes on the guide, and I have fished the area before, last year had several nice trout and a 38" Red. My son hooked a monster Snook that was "long released".
I didn't know if the storms of last year had a huge impact on the fishing or not.
I am in Mn and have fallen head over heels for the backcountry fishing down there. My in-laws have a place in Bonita Springs but they are selling so I will loose my free lodging. This may be my last hurrah for salt for a while.
Thanks
T-a-G

[BadSnook]

Flats Dude, was that a fly caught fish?

I've taken a lot of big snook down there. But I haven't taken any real big mommas on the fly. Still working on that.

Gander, the storms skirted the Glades, so there wasn't much change. Now Andrew??? ~Ha~ Looked like a giant lawn mower went through from Plover to the Shark.

What guide ya fish with the last time you were there? WHo are you booking this time?

Flats Dude, I've spend so much time in the Glades, my dad's ashes were spread out in one of our favorite tarpon spots. Spent many a year there w/ Dad, my brother and good friends. I recon I've seen 30 years of fishing there to date.

I think we are taking my nephew's ashes to Old Turkey Key. We lost a good one there. Died on duty in his 1st cruiser at age 19. Was an unbelievable fisherman. He made it in the Florida Sportsman sever times. OTK was one of our favorite camping spots.

A friend of mine, Capt. Pat Kelly has been forced to retire from guiding down there due to major health reasons. He was one of the best and was known for big snook. He was featured in several rags for his "Swamp Slam" (i.e. bass, snook, tarpon, redfish and trout). He still helps promote the Florida Guides Association. I asked him who he was referring his biz to and he said Capt Charles Wright. I've read some of his articles and reports and he seems like he's on the ball down there.

I'm doing several trips down there this April, including a 3 day canoe trip in the Big Cypress down some Miccasukee Indian canoe trails and ffing it, as well as my normal spring run to the deep southern part of the Glades for the big mommas.

Ted

[caibill]

I'm going to be flats fishing down in the Keys for a week at the end of April and then going up thru the everglades. Any recommendations for guides, areas to fly fish? Am totally unfamiliar with the Everglades, and am pretty much undecided where to go after I leave the keys. Will have the "Head-of-Household" with me so the area can't be too gawdawful remote or primative. Any suggestions on where to go or what kind of a guide to use. Thanks.

(Guess I need to start a new topic now??)

[This message has been edited by caibill (edited 26 March 2005).]

[BadSnook]

Call Capt. Rob Fordyce at 1-888-CAPTROB. He's one of the best Southern Everglades/ Upper Keys Guides. If he's booked (he fishes 280 days / yr) then he will hook you up with one of the best guides besides himself.

Most of the Glades are remote. Talk to Rob to see if he can accomidate the misses on a semi-remote trip if she will not do deep into the Glades w/ you.

Another option is you can take a nice scenic drive to Flamingo (look it up on the net) and stay the night in the hotel there. It's remote, but they have a motel, cabins, a shop and a restraunt there. Rob guides out of there as well.

You might want to mix up a concochion in advanced of greaseless SPF 45 cream (1/4), Avon Skin-So-Soft cream (1/4) and Off Horsefly/ Deerfly spray (1/ in a small spray bottle and fill the rest of the bottle (about 3/ with boiling hot water. The hot water will melt the creams together.

Wear very light weight and vented technical clothes. I recommend long pants and long sleeves. Hats with sun shield apron. Note, only spray concochion on exposed skin areas, except hands, forehead, eye area. Keep from touching the stuff either or wash good if you do. If you get any of it on your fly, you can forget about even a look.

Good luck and have fun.

Ted