| Deposit: A $100 deposit is required to book a date. The deposit is refundable with 30 days notice. Otherwise, it’s binding. If you must cancel on short notice, I will hold the deposit to reserve a future trip.
You can pay by cash, check or traveler’s check. No credit cards, please.
In case of inclement weather, we’ll rebook or I’ll refund your deposit. I consider inclement weather to be a situation that’s either dangerous — thunderstorms, for example — or so uncomfortable as to make the fishing no fun for anyone, like steady rain and a cold north wind. I don’t want to be out in the really bad stuff any more than you do, but sometimes, the best fishing is on days when under other circumstances you’d stay in bed. We’ll make a judgment call on the scheduled day to determine if we’re going to fish or stay home.
Fishing license: No license is required. You’re covered by my guide license.
Launch site: I usually launch from one of several sites in Everglades City or Chokoloskee depending on fishing conditions and where we want to go in the Everglades or Ten Thousand Islands. We’ll make final arrangements on the day before your trip or meet at a pre-arranged location and drive together to the launch site.
Start time: We can start at any time you like; however, fishing is best early in the morning, so I generally like to be on the water before the sun comes up. On tarpon trips, I want to be on the water and at the first spot we plan to fish before the sun comes up.
Remember: It’s better to be sleep-deprived than fish-deprived.
What to bring
• What you want for lunch, including any beverage other than water and GatorAde (I’ll supply those).
• Polarized sunglasses. Tan lenses are best.
• A long-billed or wide-brimmed hat, preferably with a dark under-brim.
• Sun screen. Put it on BEFORE you get on the water. Sun gloves are also a good idea.
• Rain-gear and outer wear appropriate to the season. This is South Florida, but in winter and early spring it can be chilly, especially in an moving boat first thing in the morning. A fleece vest is a good idea when the weather is cool. In all seasons, I recommend long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Boat shoes with non-marking soles. Tennis or running shoes or cross-trainers are fine. No black soles, please.
• Bug spray with Deet. I’ll have a supply of this, but you might want to douse yourself before we meet to launch the boat. Early in the morning, the Everglades “swamp angels” are abundant and, literally, out for blood.
• Tackle: Remember, you don’t need to bring anything. I can supply everything. However, if you want to use your own tackle, a fly angler will need a 7-, 8- or 9-weight rod for snook, redfish and small tarpon. A 9-weight would be considered an all-around size for those species. For large tarpon, you need an 11- or 12-weight rod. Fly reels should be suited for salt water, that is, corrosion resistant, with smooth drags and the capacity for at least 150 yards of backing in addition to the fly line. For the most part, a floating tropical core line is all you need. On a tarpon trip, it’s useful to have one rod rigged with a floater or sink-tip and another rigged with a full sinking clear intermediate. I will supply fly leaders. For snook, redfish and small tarpon, light tackle anglers need rods rated for 6-12-pound test and 1/4 to 1/2 ounce lures. For large tarpon, a 20-pound outfit is the norm. Reels need to be salt water resistant with smooth drags and the capacity for 150 yards of the rated line.
What NOT to bring
• Coolers. I’ve got one. There’s no room for another.
• Large gear bags. A couple of small bags are easier to stash in the boat than one large one.
• Black-soled shoes.
• A GPS. The spots I take you to are spots I’ve worked hard to find. They’re yours to share for the time we fish together, but not to mark for future use.
Weather & Tides
from www.naplesnews.com
Click here for the latest weather forecast for the Southwest Florida region. Tide charts for all NOAA tidal stations from Flamingo north to Boca Grande and including all sites in the Ten Thousand Islands and Western Everglades can be found here.
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