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Yep, here it comes....

 

In the meantime, life goes on... here's a copy of this week's fishing report.... but no fly fishing, I'm afraid...

 

 

 

With all that bad weather coming (what hurricane?) I thought there still might be a bit of time for a fishing report.... Of course, just after I got the email from the Park today - Everglades National Park is now closed until Irma passes by (and if they get torn up - who knows when they'll re-open...).
Our last day on the water was last Sunday and we made good use of it... My anglers caught and released snook, redfish, snapper, sharks, and a variety of other species - all mostly on the small side using lead heads with Gulp tails. The highlight of the day was a few tripletail - the biggest weighed in right at 10lbs - an outstanding catch using the lightest rod on the skiff... Here's a pic of Randy Abelman's fish...
PVwVNRb.jpg
His partner, Lenny, promptly tossed another small jig at the same spot and came up with one that weighed in at seven pounds... All of this was in less than six feet of water on light ten pound line... Both fish managed a jump or two during the fight -then promptly went into the cooler since they're outstanding table fare. We managed a third much smaller specimen which was carefully released. There will be tripletail this size and larger the next few months, much closer in shore now that all of the crab traps are out of the waters a bit farther out....
We ended the day with a shot or two at a few very aggressive goliath grouper up in a nearby river - that just took us to school. I'm guessing they were in the thirty to fifty pound range and were holding very close to a severely undercut river bank near the Little Shark river... You can guess what I'll have to say when FWC's workshops are held near my house in a little over a month... Sure would be nice to have them removed from some of the current protections. The jewfish (goliath grouper for all you politically correct types) have made an outstanding comeback after more than 20 years of complete protection.... They're one of my favorite fish in the 'Glades - absolutely fearless and willing to hit a variety of live and dead baits - as well as lures and flies... Tough as an old leather boot - they just never give up when you hook one...
Enough for now - the next two days I'll be armoring the house with heavy shutters and getting ready to bunker down for the weekend. Here's hoping that all stay safe and get a chance to fish a bit after all the cleanup that we'll surely be facing...
Be a hero... take a kid fishing

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Thanks.

 

It's a mess here. Gas stations are out of fuel. Grocery shelves are empty.

 

Shutters are going up soon. Gonna hunker down and hope for the best.

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Yep same here, everything is gone so hopefully you got what you need before. Also, make sure to check on your neighbors especially the elderly ones or the ones you know might need help. You could just save a life...

 

I'll post updates when I can

 

- So far is it sunny skies and good weather but that is about to change. I95 North is a mess, so good thing we planned on staying here. If it gets to a cat 4-cat 5, we will be going to a shelter to ride it out there. Hoping it slows to a 3, it'll still suck but not as much as 4 or 5

 

Good luck everybody. This is part of living in paradise

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As a Texan that just went through Harvey, I feel your pain Florida. Best of luck to you all. Stay strong and safe, you'll get through it.

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We came through in good shape (I'm physically located 14 miles inland - just west of Ft. Lauderdale) but very glad that Irma went along the west coast instead of the east coast.... From what little I've observed - we still got substantial damage - but no flooding if you're inland...

 

The cleanup will be a bit of work - and those with damage will still be working on repairs weeks from now.... As a guide my immediate concern will be how soon Everglades National Park will re-open since it certainly got trashed thoroughly... If past practices are any indication it might be a long time before the Park re-opens... Over on the western edge of the Park (Chokoloskee, Everglades City, Port of the Islands) will have sustained a lot of damage. Port of the Islands will probably be my first spot to launch from.... to see first hand what the situation is.... Folks from there over to Naples will be hurting after that direct strike....

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Capt Bob - glad you are okay. Hope Flats, Islander and others have similar reports as well. Keep us posted on status of Everglades NP. My wife and I are coming down to Singer Island the first week of October. My son and I had planned for a few days out of Flamingo. No idea how bad that marina was hit.

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Essentially, the Park simply locks its gates after a hurricane and won't re-open them until everything is squared away.... I'll post up what I hear from them, but I'm not holding my breath for any quick action. It was a good six months after Wilma (2005) and a year and a half after Andrew (1992) if I remember correctly.... Even if the Park is closed you'll still be able to fish out of Chokoloskee/Everglades City - but you'll have to fish north - not down into the Park if they're closed... Port of the Islands is about 7 or 8 miles west of Everglades City and entirely outside the Park so it can be fished immediately if their ramp is in good shape.... Since the Park and nearby areas are my primary focus during daylight hours that area is pretty important to my anglers....

 

When and if the Park sends us out a notification about their status I'll be posting it here and on the other sites I visit....

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Essentially, the Park simply locks its gates after a hurricane and won't re-open them until everything is squared away.... I'll post up what I hear from them, but I'm not holding my breath for any quick action. It was a good six months after Wilma (2005) and a year and a half after Andrew (1992) if I remember correctly.... Even if the Park is closed you'll still be able to fish out of Chokoloskee/Everglades City - but you'll have to fish north - not down into the Park if they're closed... Port of the Islands is about 7 or 8 miles west of Everglades City and entirely outside the Park so it can be fished immediately if their ramp is in good shape.... Since the Park and nearby areas are my primary focus during daylight hours that area is pretty important to my anglers....

 

When and if the Park sends us out a notification about their status I'll be posting it here and on the other sites I visit....

Thanks for the info - sounds like our plans may need adjustments. I'd like to look you up while I am down. Maybe my son and I can work out a booking with you for a day or two. Will give you a shout here in a few days.

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That's a good idea, Bob is a great guide an I have spent a day with him with my dad and granddad.

 

Good to hear all is well Capt

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Thanks for the well wishes everyone, and it's good to hear others faired pretty good considering. Many still got it pretty bad though. Naples and Marco look terrible. Could have been much worse for more though.

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Made brief contact with a guide that works out of the Choko - Port of the Islands area... He advised that the area took a heavy hit (church on Choko had water up to the roof...). I figure that the signature for a badly hit area is just... silence (since there's no power or phones). I'll post up whatever I learn as I hear about it. Plenty of coverage about Marco, Naples, and the Keys on TV - but so far not a hint about the 10K area....

 

And as a side note not a word from ENP.. I figure we'll hear from them before week's end but the info will be sparse at best....

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A quick update on the Everglades post Irma for anyone heading down this way (or making plans for the coming months). I haven't heard a thing from the Park since the storm hit us last weekend... Plenty of info on national media about the bad shape that the Keys are in - but nothing about the Ten Thousand Islands area...

 

I finally found some pics and info on the Naples News site about Chokoloskee and Everglades City... the entire area was hit by a ten foot storm surge and residents and area businesses are in bad shape (no phones, electric, most homes pretty much trashed...). Relief is slowly arriving there and so far I've not made contact with any of the businesses there...

 

The only bright spot is Port of the Islands (about 8 miles west of the entrance to Everglades City, right on US 41). I was able to speak to someone there this morning who advised that they're about 75% up and running (I forgot to ask about rooms or the restaurant) and the good news is that their boat ramp is open and usable. They had no info on the condition of the canal leaving the marina or anything about the areas towards the outside (where most would fish....). You can contact them at (239) 389-0367 for additional info.

 

It may seem a bit cold to be worried about the fishing when so many folks are in bad shape.... but all the monies coming into that area are from anglers and other visitors... for area businesses to get back on their feet - they're going to need our spending there....

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