November/December Everglades Fish Report
Greetings from Captain Buddy,
Having spent a lot of time in the whitetail woods of Kansas and Kentucky, I didn’t spend my usual number of days on the water this fall. Besides fly fishing, archery has always been my other great passion. Having spent 3-4 weeks sitting quietly in the trees, and even though I didn’t harvest a deer this season, I still came home totally fulfilled. I’ve come to realize it’s the connection one makes with nature that stimulates our soul. It certainly isn’t the harvesting of the animal that makes it a success. Success is gauged by how we feel inside about having such an experience. I’ve also come to realize that I love it all, the prairies of Kansas and Colorado, the rugged wilderness of Alaska, the sturdy hardwood trees lining the crop lands of Western Kentucky, and the mangroves of the Florida backcountry.
I have to say, it’s nice to be back home in The Everglades! The birds have all returned to their winter haunts. I don’t go around one bend in my skiff where I don’t see birds and or active wildlife. Just thinking that I’m fishing wilderness in December, without a jacket, is enough for me. The trout fishing has been strong. I don’t spend lots of time pursuing trout, but I did manage to find some fabulous spots on the inside, away from the wind, to continually bend a rod. I’ve tied some crazy looking Clousers on long shank hooks that just light it up. Redfish remain scarce. Hopefully, as some of the older Chokoloskee natives have said: it’s cyclical, and we’re presently on the downside with redfish, soon to bounce back. I don’t know, but I promise to keep close tabs on it. As of now (January), I’m experiencing some very good snook fishing. If this is a trailer for what is to come for the spring, we should all have some excellent fishing!
Signing off,
Captain Buddy