Everglades on fire!

[Zcoker]

Everglades has been of fire lately day or night, pulling in the big girls! All on topwater, which I just love to use. Seems the bigger fish have a thing for the topwater baits, especially late at night. Can't even begin to describe the night time fishing deep in the glades but I'm gettin used to it and likin it a lot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gim]

7 minutes ago, Zcoker said:

Seems the bigger fish have a thing for the topwater baits, especially late at night. Can't even begin to describe the night time fishing deep in the glades but I'm gettin used to it and likin it a lot!

I am not familiar with how many anglers are willing to fish in the Everglades at night time out of a kayak, but I have to imagine that its minimal.  What you've done here is ventured into off-the-beaten-path habitat, but also during the middle of the night when most people are asleep.  Props for going the extra mile, its paying off.

[Bird]

Actually sounds fun and the results are obvious.

[Zcoker]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

I am not familiar with how many anglers are willing to fish in the Everglades at night time out of a kayak, but I have to imagine that its minimal.  What you've done here is ventured into off-the-beaten-path habitat, but also during the middle of the night when most people are asleep.  Props for going the extra mile, its paying off.

 

I've never ever seen anyone else out there, and I go miles through the sawgrass islands and waterways and flats until the sun comes up. So it's defiantly a wide open fishery. Not for the faint of heart, either. Has taken me a while to "adjust" lol. 

[gim]

1 hour ago, Zcoker said:

I've never ever seen anyone else out there, and I go miles through the sawgrass islands and waterways and flats until the sun comes up.

Those kind of areas are usually the best.  The more work and time that is required to get there, the better the fishing (and hunting).  Not always, but quite often.

[Sphynx]

49 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Those kind of areas are usually the best.  The more work and time that is required to get there, the better the fishing (and hunting).  Not always, but quite often.

That's true, until you put in tons of effort to get to what you just KNOW will be a great spot and come up blank, worst feeling ever

[Zcoker]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

Those kind of areas are usually the best.  The more work and time that is required to get there, the better the fishing (and hunting).  Not always, but quite often.

 

Yes, like any other place, gotta put in the time and effort. I find the everglades quite rewarding. It’s basically a living organism in itself because each trip is totally different, meaning the landscape once familiar suddenly becomes alien. It’s constantly shifting and shaping. I also find the big bass quite aggressive…like totally INSANE! I mean, they’re totally ticked off when they destroy and annihilate the lures! 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                                        

[Zcoker]

 

Everglades continues to produce, especially with these lower water levels. Most all fish have been caught on topwater. Not uncommon to catch up to 100 a day and it's not uncommon to get back to back 7 pounders at that! The glades is truly a remarkable fishery! The hits are totally insane...BOOM!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                                                 

[A-Jay]

Some Full Grown Ones right there !

Looks like you've got it dialed in.

Nicely Done & Congrats

A-Jay

[Captain Phil]

I fished the Everglades for the majority of my life.   This is the time of the year when Everglades bass fishing gets crazy.   Most of the flats are dry and the fish are stacked up.  It's nothing to catch 100 bass a day when this happens.  Small bass become annoying.  The best way to target large bass at this time is to use bigger lures.   One of my favorites was a black musky Jitterbug. This will continue until afternoon thunderstorms raise the water level in June.  There will be a few days when the smaller bass leave the canals and all that's left are giants.  Back in the day, they would occasionally remove the limits.  I once fished a night tournament out of Everglades Holiday Park where the winner caught over 100 pounds of bass.  When the water gets high enough for the bass to leave the canals, you would think all the bass were poisoned.  Everglades summer high water bass fishing can be very tough. In my twenties, I fished alone in the Everglades many a night by myself.  I was young and hardly anything scared me.   I was fishing out of a bass boat.  Fishing the Everglades alone at night in a kayak is truly INSANE.  The slightest issue could become a real disaster.  

[Zcoker]

18 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

I fished the Everglades for the majority of my life.   This is the time of the year when Everglades bass fishing gets crazy.   Most of the flats are dry and the fish are stacked up.  It's nothing to catch 100 bass a day when this happens.  Small bass become annoying.  The best way to target large bass at this time is to use bigger lures.   One of my favorites was a black musky Jitterbug. This will continue until afternoon thunderstorms raise the water level in June.  There will be a few days when the smaller bass leave the canals and all that's left are giants.  Back in the day, they would occasionally remove the limits.  I once fished a night tournament out of Everglades Holiday Park where the winner caught over 100 pounds of bass.  When the water gets high enough for the bass to leave the canals, you would think all the bass were poisoned.  Everglades summer high water bass fishing can be very tough. In my twenties, I fished alone in the Everglades many a night by myself.  I was young and hardly anything scared me.   I was fishing out of a bass boat.  Fishing the Everglades alone at night in a kayak is truly INSANE.  The slightest issue could become a real disaster.  

 

You about summed it all up right here. Not too many fish the glades or understand just how productive they can be! Not to many fish the glades at night, either. Hard to explain that level of fishing to anyone. Thanks for sharing! 

[Zcoker]

And it's not all about boats or kayaks, either. Fishing off the banks in the Everglades along any levee road can be utterly amazing. There's miles and miles and miles of these levee roads with plenty of elbow room, no boats to speak of, no one around for miles...except maybe for the wildlife lol 

 

Just a few examples here caught a few feet off the bank. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[roadwarrior]

 

 

                            

[BrianMDTX]

[bigspirit]

Incredible!
 

I must have a big misconception of the Everglades, in my mind it’s basically all saltwater or tiny canals - not the more open areas like in your pictures. Especially with the talk of “flats”; when that word is associated with the Everglades it means snook and tarpon to me. 
 

Is Okochobee part of the glades? To further expound on my mindset of what they are it would be everything south of 75. 

[Zcoker]

13 hours ago, bigspirit said:

Incredible!
 

I must have a big misconception of the Everglades, in my mind it’s basically all saltwater or tiny canals - not the more open areas like in your pictures. Especially with the talk of “flats”; when that word is associated with the Everglades it means snook and tarpon to me. 
 

Is Okochobee part of the glades? To further expound on my mindset of what they are it would be everything south of 75. 

 

Everglades is about 8,000 square miles! That's a lotta swamp to cover. And all areas are unique and TOTALLY different, which makes fishing so darn exciting and adventurous and so vast! Vast like the ocean. But it's not salt water, either. The further south one goes, or the further east/west one goes, the water turns more brackish and that's were the snook and redfish and baby tarpon start heating up. Like on Tamiami Trail, for example, one would go west to get into the poons or go east to get into the peacocks and bass. The canal systems and the levee systems are the only means to get around, other than by airboat LOL. So it really depends on where one lives, how far they wanna travel, or what they want to fish for. For me, I like the waterways with the big open lakes and lagoons and sawgrass islands, or places like the Stick Marsh and Headwaters, which is more marsh lands. Anyhow, to answer your question about lake Okeechobee, it is considered the heart of the Everglades. 

[bigspirit]

1 hour ago, Zcoker said:

 

Everglades is about 8,000 square miles! That's a lotta swamp to cover. And all areas are unique and TOTALLY different, which makes fishing so darn exciting and adventurous and so vast! Vast like the ocean. But it's not salt water, either. The further south one goes, or the further east/west one goes, the water turns more brackish and that's were the snook and redfish and baby tarpon start heating up. Like on Tamiami Trail, for example, one would go west to get into the poons or go east to get into the peacocks and bass. The canal systems and the levee systems are the only means to get around, other than by airboat LOL. So it really depends on where one lives, how far they wanna travel, or what they want to fish for. For me, I like the waterways with the big open lakes and lagoons and sawgrass islands, or places like the Stick Marsh and Headwaters, which is more marsh lands. Anyhow, to answer your question about lake Okeechobee, it is considered the heart of the Everglades. 

Ah thanks for the insight. No idea why but for whatever reason the Everglades was all south of 75 in my mind. I haven’t spent much time in south Florida but hoping that changes with my new career path. Florida is now in my territory and I plan to make stops to fish while on business. I’ll actually be in Jacksonville next week and mapping out where to drop the kayak in in the evenings.

 

When I’m down there in S FL though I will likely fly - probably need to find a travel rod and bag of flukes to fly with!

[Zcoker]

32 minutes ago, bigspirit said:

Ah thanks for the insight. No idea why but for whatever reason the Everglades was all south of 75 in my mind. I haven’t spent much time in south Florida but hoping that changes with my new career path. Florida is now in my territory and I plan to make stops to fish while on business. I’ll actually be in Jacksonville next week and mapping out where to drop the kayak in in the evenings.

 

When I’m down there in S FL though I will likely fly - probably need to find a travel rod and bag of flukes to fly with!

 

Well, it's not just the Everglades in Florida, there's a ton of lakes and ponds to jump with most being pretty decent to launch from. Launching from the glades can be dicey in certain areas, especially at night! For the most, you'll have golden opportunities at every corner here, both salt and fresh!

[Zcoker]

Everglades continues to impress, day or night. Topwater bite has been my main bait of choice. The night explosions are quite viscous, like totally insane...Boom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Darth-Baiter]

Strong work!   If I show up from California will you take me?  Haha. 
 

I’ve been googling kayak rentals recently. 

[Zcoker]

15 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Strong work!   If I show up from California will you take me?  Haha. 
 

I’ve been googling kayak rentals recently. 

 

 

If you've never fished the Everglades, then it's always a good idea to go out with someone who has. I just don't know about doing it in one of those cheap roadside rental yaks unless it's a higher quality boat. I'd never take out some of the rentals that I have seen around here LoL. Regardless, I have no idea about the rental scene, so there may be other more viable options. 

[Darth-Baiter]

3 hours ago, Zcoker said:

 

 

If you've never fished the Everglades, then it's always a good idea to go out with someone who has. I just don't know about doing it in one of those cheap roadside rental yaks unless it's a higher quality boat. I'd never take out some of the rentals that I have seen around here LoL. Regardless, I have no idea about the rental scene, so there may be other more viable options. 

Thanks.  
 

I googled up an outfit that rents and guides off Hobie Outback’s.  Mostly peacock bass etc.  

 

Florida is on my list.  Big time. 

[Dogface]

WOW!!!  Impressive ?