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When you are having a not so stellar day.......head to Gopher Creek :)


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every trip can't be epic...but, the laughs and friendship are always happening...

Mike and I decided to try again to our secret spot....same strong incoming after a negative negative low....

With a North East wind, I figured it would be low....but, we met MR. Wooooowwoooooowoooo several times yesterday....and, heck, I'm supposed to "know Chokoloskee" :)

Long story short.....we did not repeat.....ugggh....but, we did have a good time trying...

We were about 1 mile off shore and we are running South to the secret spot.....and suddenly, Mr. WooowoooWoooo showed up....I feel it bump, Mike hits the gps and zooms in,  I trim the engine and we skirted off........the sun was in my eyes and the water was super dirty....but, I had the GPS scrolled out to see the distance to our spot....

All aboard safe and sound.......well, until the next one :)   you can see the blue line shoot sharply to the right.....

 

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Stopped at our "trout" spot which is on the edge of bank and I miss.....again, the woowoowoooo #2, good news the tide was till going out and we float off with a bit of help from Mike doing the wooowoooowoooo Hula and the trolling motor at WOT with mud going everywhere :)

 

We made it down South and fishing was slow....no bait pods and a negative low...we hangout and wait for the tide to turn....Mike got a nice red and we decided to move...

going into spot # 3, I mis-judged again, and it was wowowowo again int he mud off the shore about 200 yards away...by this time, the tide was coming in and mike pushed on the poll, I ran the motor and the troller.....we finally got offf......uggggh....

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We decided to make our way back....stopped at 3 different spots and no love....we decided to head home on the inside and maybe hit a few oyster bars inside....but, I thought....he, let's go to gopher  creek.....Mike had never been there....so, off we went....

The track into gopher creek is not for the faint of heart or for anyone who doesn't want scratches on their skiff...you basically have to push your way through the underbrush for about 1 mile and then it opens up.....it's a creek only about 25 feet wide, full of massive gators, incredible wildlife, it's a magical place....lots of banging of the lower unit...google it and you find lots of guys in canoes and skiffs.....

But, as my buddy Conocean says.....your a Gladesman....no problem for you :)

We hit about 15 snooklets - 12" to 20"....all on Arties and found my first baby tarpon....worth the entire trip.

We ran over 70+ miles...the MA17 ran the route back into a 20 mph wind and white water chop....but, we arrived dry and comfortable...

Here are some pics of the me running the skiff, my reward for the day and some of the gopher creek....

 

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until the next time .....

 

dc

 

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Dino, I think we will try to duplicate that day for years to come.  It may be a long time if ever but I'm gonna love to keep trying.

At least 15 trout over 20 snook and a keeper red (24') is still a good day. 

Nature in all its glory never seems to disappoint and Friday in the National Park it certainly did not. If you spend any length of time in the park you've heard that motor bog down and got that sinking feeling in your stomach.  You know it's bad when you are right on the red line (FMT) and you have to pole off rocking the boat with everything you have.

Gopher Creek was spectacular except it's not for the faint of heart.  Once you bushwack your way through it opens up to a paradise but know that you will have everything in your boat when you get there including spiders, leaves, trees et cetera. My advice ask a friend and use his boat. Lol 

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9 hours ago, SeaSerpent123 said:

Even though I have not fished this area, it usually is the same as Flaminog for the most part.

Flamingo has 4 fisheries....

out front and including lake Ingram and cape sable

white water bay

Shark River

Hells Bay

Each are fished differently depending on the time of the year.

 

Chokoloskee has mostly oyster bars, mud and oyster bights, river entrances out front...in the back, it's black water and oyster bars....

 

Each fishery can take you a lifetime to learn...

 

dc

 

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