I remember my first trip down to the end of Collier County; it wasn’t fishing related oddly enough, it was for a new year’s celebration held in Ochopee. The same fellow who “discovered” the Skunk Ape (Floridian cousin of Bigfoot…he likes baked beans) allows live music and overnight camping on his land for new years…this was back when I was a little more rambunctious and much younger. We went for breakfast the next morning at the Seafood Depot in Everglades City and I still remember watching schools of mullet being crashed from my seat in the Depot, I remember thinking I need to come back here with my fishing gear, I did not make it back there for a few years…my mistake.

Everglades City and the island of Chokoloskee lie at the end of State Road 29, frontier towns inhabited by fisherman, crabbers, and some who just want to lay low for awhile. During the 70’s and 80’s these towns became havens for smugglers bringing in cocaine and marijuana from South and Central America, it wasn’t uncommon to see fisherman living in trailers with $50,0000 boats parked next to the doublewide…things have changed: now the main source of income comes from airboat tours and ramp fees.

Chokoloskee Bay is fed by the Turner River to the Northeast, Lopez River to the Southeast, and the Barron River, which, runs right through Everglades City. With all of this freshwater pumping in you can be sure there is viable, tidal fishery within the bay itself and most fisherman blow right past it in their motor craft on the way “outside”. I must say that I am guilty of this as well, especially during the spring when snook and big trout congregate on outside points…but the Oyster bars found around these river mouths are always worth a shot.

Launching in Everglades City is simple enough as the FWC ranger station allows free parking and launching for canoes and kayaks. The Station is found in the Gulf Coast Visitor Center of Everglades National Park, easy enough to find as it is the first time you get a clear view of the bay while driving south on US29. You could always pay to launch at one of the several marinas found in Everglades City but you will have to paddle further to get into the bay.

The island of Chokoloskee has but one public launch, first thing you see on the island itself and it puts you within a half mile paddle of the Turner River. Directly South of Chokoloskee itself is a maze of oyster beds leading out into Rabbit Key Pass, which leads to…you guessed it: Rabbit Key (just a hop, skip, and jump away from Pavilion Key as well). Pavilion and Rabbit Key have sand beaches and shallow flats that make great habitats for redfish, trout, and snook…great camping spots too!

As with most areas in South Florida the fishing here is greatly affected by the tide, if you fish the back end of Chokoloskee Bay during slack low tide you will be hard pressed to find anything but catfish as the water will not have enough oxygen to support much besides mullet…and Tarpon. During the summer months there is a great reward, paid in silver, awaiting any anglers willing to brave the mosquitos in the tidal creeks around Everglades City: Juvenile Tarpon. The word juvenile is sometimes an understatement when concerning tarpon, as a small poon may weigh up to 50lbs, quite a rush on light tackle.

Just West of Everglades City you will find Lane Cove and various oyster beds near Indian Key Pass that will hold fish on the moving tide. I’ve pulled a few redfish and snook from those beds with small crabs still in their mouths, that’s always a good indicator of forage and answers the daunting question of what to throw. Taking Indian Key Pass out to the gulf requires a minimum 10 mile round trip, check the tides before attempting this as struggling against a 4 knot current, for 8 miles, after a long day of fishing, is not enjoyable in the slightest…trust me.

The “outside” or Gulf waters are an outstanding fishery, if you can manage the paddle it is well worth it and the scenery changes dramatically. There are various small keys that have beautiful sandy beaches, great for a break in the shade or a quick nap after lunch. Within a moderate distance from Everglades City you have Tiger, Indian, and Picnic Key; closer to Chokoloskee are Rabbit and Pavilion Key, my favorite keys in the 10,000 Islands. All of the aforementioned keys are campsites within the National Park, they require a backcountry permit, which, can be purchased at the ranger station or Gulf Coast visitor center. I highly recommend a paddle out to one of those keys during the cooler months, the fishing can be stellar right from shore and the scenery is unparalleled.

The water around Chokoloskee and Everglades City usually is dark and stained from freshwater runoff, this means choosing a lure color is simple: something bright or solid…or even better Glow! The Glow D.O.A. shrimp has long been my go-to lure of choice, and one place it always seems to shine is in the dark and often muddy waters around Chokoloskee Bay. All other manner of lures work here, I see a lot of jigs thrown with anything from gulp shrimp to soft plastic jerk baits, along with plugs, topwater, and the old constant: Popping cork and a live shrimp.

We are lucky enough in South Florida to have such a varied range of fishing opportunities within a short distance: Bonefish and Permit in Biscayne Bay, Kingfish and Snapper offshore anywhere on the East Coast, Snook, Reds, and Trout where ever there flats to support them, and the myriad of islands, points, creeks, and bays found in the 10,000 Islands. Everglades City and Chokoloskee are just straight shot across Alligator Alley and down US29, this is our backyard. Get out there and explore our state, the fishing is great, what more of a reason do you need? Tight lines.