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Everglades City, Chokoloskee and Everglades National Park

Capt. Charles Wright
October 4, 2002
Everglades City - Saltwater Fishing Report

Permit Release Hall of Fame

Chokoloskee Charters -- Permit Catch and Release Hall

of Fame

A couple of dead computers  and one dying digital camera later, we are finally back up with the Everglades National Park and Chokoloskee fishing reports.  From my recent experiences I have learned that I need to stick to finding fish and stay well away from trying to find problems with computers!!! Take my advice ....hire a professional.

(Left her first tarpon!!) While the reports may have been slow the fishing certainly has not.  The area is in the transition to the fall pattern which makes for some great fishing.  The months of October and November should produce some exciting times with all species in season and in abundance.  The arrival of

the cobia just add opportunities to turn a good trip into a great one.

(The Stouts with their first permit!) We are catching lots of redfish along the shorelines and the islands.  The beaches and oyster bars have been producing more fish on the earlier stages of the rising tide, while catching the fish coming out of the mangroves on a high fall seems to be the trick for the islands.  A white butterbean buck tail jig tipped with shrimp has worked well, but the old stand-by 3/8 oz. red Rip Tide Jig with a 3" 12 Fathom swimming gold shad tail is still the bait of choice.  If for no other reason, it eliminates the "incidental by-catch" associated with the shrimp!  With the recent winds, live bait has produced many more snook and redfish in the turbid water.  With Hurricane Lily still lurking, the winds may be up throughout the week, so live baiting is probably the answer for the next week.

Snook fishing has been fairly consistent with many 15+ snook days to talk about.  The bigger fish are getting farther apart and seem to be getting tighter and tighter to the structures both inshore and offshore. Live bait is by far producing the better catches though jig fishing is still very reliable.  It seems that in the last weeks it has taken large baits, in the deeper water to catch the "Peterbuilt" snook.

(A Goliath for Dave Butler-Jones from Ft. Lauderdale.)Tarpon fishing has been sporadic except for the small fish in the rivers.  However, there have been a couple of hot spots just offshore that have been holding nice fish in the 75 lb range early in the morning.

Everglades fly-fishing generally has been very good with the Everglades Deceiver and glass minnow patterns producing lots of fish.  However, if the water gets turbid, don't waste your time or shoulder, move into the back and find some clearer water.  There are lots of fly-eating snook in the back country, but they are generally smaller than those out front. 

Recently, many anglers have been coming in from Naples fly fishing, while most of the others have been coming from out of State.  The area makes an excellent fly fishing destination because of the pristine fishery and vast amounts of sheltered waters.  Rarely can you be weathered out. The fly rodders from the rest of the State keep missing out!!

The near shore structure has been excellent!!!  The cobia are just beginning to stray into view. The water is still a bit warm for the big pods to the come in, but they are out there.  We are getting a couple of good shots almost every trip.  I just love catching these brown marlins.  The Spanish mackerel are around, but certainly not in the numbers they will be later.  The permit action has been hot with live crabs.  However, catching these big trash can lids has been difficult on jigs and only a handful have made it over the sides on fly. 

(Master Anglers Tim and Marilyn Campbell of Fort. Lauderdale with dinner!) For those of you who are keeping track, Permit number 271 was caught last week.  One of my anglers suggested that we have a little counter on the website to keep a running total of the fish released.  Better yet, we are going to implement a Permit Catch and Release Hall of Fame to recognized the other permit junkies who share my addiction.  (However, I need your help.  I have not been keeping track of who has caught how many permit.  So please email me with your personal counts ... I will take it from there!).  In addition to the recognition on the website we will have "awards and prizes" for the different release levels.  (i.e. at your first release, the third, fifth, tenth, etc..)  Details to follow!!

(Al Lipson from NYC and his brother Steve from Tampa and their snook  lunch!) The 24' Morgan center console is nearing completion and will be christened the "The Blue Bird Daze".  If things go as planned, she will be in service by the 15th of the month, just in time for the cobia run!!

For those who are attending the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show, I will be speaking at noon on Saturday Nov. 2 about fishing this area.  See ya there.

If you would like to book a charter with Chokoloskee Charters, contact Capt. Charles Wright @ www.ChokoloskeeCharters.com or call him @ 239-695-9107.  Tight Lines!.

(John Driscoll of Toxic Shark, Inc. who ties all our flies!!)

More Fishing Reports:

 

Chokoloskee Charters.com and Everglades Kayak Fishing.com is your complete outfitter for fishing Everglades National Park. Fish the Everglades backcountry, the beaches, 10,000 islands, river and wrecks with the most experienced guides in the area. With flats boats, bays boats, offshore boats and even kayak transport boats for our fleet of outfitted fishing kayaks, we can offer a complete, multi-day, fishing experience. Capt. Charles Wright - Fishing the Park Since 1972 Catch the Experience

Contact Info:

Chokoloskee Charters
PO Box 670
Everglades City, FL 34139
Phone: 239-695-9107
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