SaltySouth Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 Heading down in December with a buddy to fish for snook and tarpon. We are staying in Everglades City and bringing my Light Tackle 18. I’ve heard a lot about shark river for tarpon. What are the chances I could find them closer to the North? Should I just cruise around and fish the bushes? Any info is greatly appreciated! DM is good; I don’t want to publicize someone’s favorite area. Thanks! Kai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 Kai, Hook up with a guide for one day when you are on the trip who specializes in Tarpon....they are continuously on the move and a guide who is on the water daily will know where they are located.....hard to say where they will be on a fishing forum that far out..... Everglades Bait and Tackle has Chokoloskee region guides...that is where I would start.....ask for Alina (her husband is a guide) and owner of the business....tell her her buddy Dino recommended her team (I will maybe get me a few larger hand picks on my next trip) Brian Sanders is another top guide for the area.... Houston Brown in Chokoloskee Marina is a potential. Enjoy the time in EC.... dc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemaymiami Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 As noted your absolute best bet is to hook up with a local guide for your first day on the water if at all possible... That area is a minefield for first timers (understatement)... Depending on the water temps that time of year you might have some good prospects for tarpon fishing - or you might not see a single fish if water temps are cold... Lastly, whoever you hook up with pay much attention to whatever they suggest in the way of other opportunities since you might miss out on some great redfish, snook, or speckled trout options (not to mention local wrecks and reefs... as well as boundary markers ) if you concentrate on just one specie... PS... the Shark river area is pretty much 35 miles from Chokoloskee so it's long run across open waters -just to get there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltySouth Posted November 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 Thanks Dino, I sure will! I’ll at least stop in and tell them you sent me either way. Thank you for the recommendations. Thanks Lemay, I appreciate the advice. Good call on the other species, I’ll bring some little sticks as well. I suppose if I get a buttered-out day and the temps are right, I’ll make the run South. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE OUTLAW Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 Tarpon fishing , in the middle of Sheephead season . Oh my ! 🙄 🇺🇸🏴☠️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 11 hours ago, lemaymiami said: PS... the Shark river area is pretty much 35 miles from Chokoloskee so it's long run across open waters -just to get there... depending on what boat you are running....it can be a heck of a run to the shark....from Lostmans to Shark there are limited "bights" to hide from the wind and waves if the wind turns West.....you could be looking at 2 hours on the return if it turns nasty.... If you have a FMT chart you can run in the back and many of the large bays can be holding tarpon.....but, again, it's a shot week to week. Enjoy the time in Chokoloskee and Everglades City... DC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemaymiami Posted November 13, 2023 Report Share Posted November 13, 2023 I’ve been guiding that coast from Lostman’s to Cape Sable for many years (when we’re not up in the backcountry)… out of Flamingo. Winds out of the east -no problem… Strong winds out of the north, south, or west no fun (and no bights for shelter along that coast…). Yes you can fish river mouths but little shelter otherwise and when the wind blows the coast muddies up too quickly… Lots of bights between Chokoloskee and Lostman’s but most of them filled with oyster bars as well “local knowledge advised”… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flats Addict Posted November 22, 2023 Report Share Posted November 22, 2023 Listen to what you’re being told. Loosing a LUnit back there’s no fun. Detailed Maps on any GPS is not accurate. Just spent the last week, plenty of bait out front at the markers. Don’t wait to throw the LW over to recirculation B4 it gets too fresh. We found them stacked up in back at the mouth of the creeks, and deeper walls and cuts. Work the tides accordingly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltySouth Posted November 23, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2023 Thanks everyone! Sounds like I have some idling and some track saving to do early on. I really appreciate all the help. I’m so excited to get down there! I plan to look for pythons by night too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted November 23, 2023 Report Share Posted November 23, 2023 12 hours ago, SaltySouth said: I plan to look for pythons by night too! Now that's a first I haven't seen on the forum There is supposed to be some python tours out of Chokoloskee / Everglades City..... DC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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