Everglades City and Chokoloskee Island is the Western Gateway to the Everglades National Park. I have had the opportunity to fish extensively on the Southeast Florida coast, the Florida Keys, the Tampa Bay area, as well as, the Homosassa/Chrystal River coasts. While these areas offer a lot, the Western Everglades National Park area is truly a very special part of Florida. The varied fishery habitat, the wildlife, the flora life and the relatively little fishing pressure all combine to make this area a wonderful place to be on the water.

I had an experience with some anglers this last week that once again re-enforced to me how special this place is and how important it is not to take it for granted. Two anglers, with whom I had never fished with prior to this trip, booked a two day charter. Both were avid anglers and quite good fisherman. They made it a point to book during the week because the area where they live receives “lots of fishing pressure on the weekend”.

Once on the boat, they made it very clear what they wanted out of their trip. Apparently, amongst their friends and, as it became obviously later, their wives, they measure themselves with the meat that they can bag up. Their reputation as anglers (and apparently as men) was made at the cleaning table. They were each intensely after a limit of redfish and snook for each day … too intensely. To add more pressure to themselves, they would only fish with live bait and with their own tackle which was really not appropriate for the size of the fish they were after.

The guys for the most part had a good trip, 14 snook, six redfish, one small tarpon and assorted other fish the first day. They finished off with 11 snook the second day but only one small redfish and a few trout. By most measures, this should have been two fine days of fishing. Right? Wrong!.

The baits that we could find were very small, so most of the snook were undersized. The first day, every slot-sized snook, that they hooked ran their ultra-light tackle into the trees and got away. They did manage to catch two nice fish off a beach, but these fish were over-sized and had to be released. That’s fishing. That is certainly fishing with live bait on ultra-light gear. The second day, with snook on the brain, every redfish escaped.

Each time they caught a fish that was not a “keeper” or lost a nice fish that would have made to their table, they would cuss and holler at themselves, the fish and each other. I could see their blood pressure rising so high I thought their eyes would pop out of their heads. Several times, a trout or snapper would take one of their small baits and in frustration they would slam the fish into the water and even once into the side of the boat (Notice how I said once!). These guys put so much pressure on themselves to catch their meat that they (or I) could not enjoy their trip. It was a real shame.

They missed the alligators, the ospreys, the porpoise, and the sea turtles, the raccoons on the beach, the bald eagle, the kites, and the rosette spoonbills (I was bluntly told … you can’t eat spoonbills”). Guys, it should not be about the fish!! It should be about the experience!!! This is a great place to be on the water, relaxing away from your everyday rat race. Catching fish is gratis.

In contrast, I had the pleasure of fishing with the Lipson brothers again this year. They usually show up right before one of the University of Miami football games to fish a couple days. These guys are a blast to be with. They are not trying to prove anything to anyone about their fishing skills other than that they know how to enjoy themselves and each other.

Older brother “Big Al” flies in from New York to meet his brother Steve in the Tampa. Both are ardent U of M fans. The fact that I am Gator and the fact that U of M was to play the Gators in the Orange Bowl as a 14 point favorite the following evening, made this trip challenging in its own right! But the guys caught some nice fish and had a great time … despite being rained on … hard. Not a single fish was slammed on the deck. Not a voice was raised.

The redfish bite has been real strong with natural baits still the reported bait of choice. The snook are around, but expect a better bite at night with full moon. Sea trout are plentiful, but small. The snappers are even more plentiful, and big!

Remember it is not about the fish. Catch fish for the table and not the freezer … you will have a much better day on the boat. Be safe and see you on the water. Tight lines!!