Everglades Fishing Report

Our affiliated guides with Chokoloskee Charters, Captains Bruce Hitchcock and Jesse Karen report big catches between cold fronts. Earlier this week (1/16/-1/21), Jesse had a group of two dads with their three young boys out for the afternoon on our kayak mothership. Although they weren't kayaking, they boated 25 sea trout to 22" and 4 yearling reds in the 15-17" size. They were fishing the deeper holes off Chokoloskee Pass. Two of the youngsters had never fished from a boat and Jesse reports they were clamoring for dad to get a boat!! Captain Bruce had two parties out during the same time period and primarily fished the mouths of the rivers south of Chokoloskee. He, too, reports large catches of keeper trout and rat reds. This area has seen a bumper crop of yearling redfish. The biologists with the Everglades National Park speculate the freeze and fish kill off last year left a survivability factor for redfish fry that was much greater this year. In just a few more months, those "just under slot" reds will be fair game!!