Going On An Everglades Camping-Fishin Trip All Alone ( Am I Insane)?

[jonnysmith]

Hello every 1,1st of all happy holidays and a very merry & blessed christmas to all in this awesome site...I need ur advice-opinion-help on this matter..Me and a few pals have been planing a 4 day fishing n camping trip for weeks now in the everglades and recently they all have backed out of this trip..its been my dream 4 a long time 2 spend a few days or a week in the wilderness fishing,camping,exploring .im really thinking n preparing 2 do this trip all on my own,im very experienced,well prepared,have great equipment..my wife thinks im insane!,,do u all think the same? would u do this trip alone if u were in my shoes?,,thank you so much 4 ur help i look 4 ward 2 reading all ur comments..god bless u all....( jonny )

[BassinLou]

Bummer your friends bailed on you. I would not recommend going to the glades by yourself. What helps is that you have experience, but you never know. Bad fall, snake bite, animal attack... the list is endless. Is it worth putting your wife through the stress? I would say wait and reschedule. Our weather is going to be great for while. 

[jonnysmith]

i will also be carrying 2 fire arms for my protection, a 357mag revolver and a 12 gauge shot gun both with plenty of ammo on my boat also 2 cell phone,2 gps,a vhf radio and 1 epirb satelite tracking system & a lap top with wireless internet.

[geo g]

I would be more worried about equipment failure or sudden bad weather then anything else. Make sure you take more water then you really need.

[0119]

Of course in todays world, no one is likely to say its an o.k. thing. Before all of todays electronics we were doing it without any person or authority thinking anything about it. And that was as kids. True Gladesmen spent weeks and months out alone making a living for their families. I'm north of the glades but still camp in state buffer preserve salt flats and do it alone. Nothing as remote of course but never do I feel as susceptible as I do in the city. People fear me much more than the occasional hog, wandering pitbull or snake.

[flyfisher]

Do it.  I haven't been there specifically bout you sound to be more than prepared.  I have done plenty of backcountry fishing trips solo in bear country with nary a concern.  there is something pretty surreal about not hearing another human's voice for few days.  Things start to slow down and becomes more enjoyable....at least for me it does.

[GLADES]

Just go and enjoy yourself. Make sure your family knows where you will be camping and make contact each day. You will be fine.

[jonnysmith]

hey guys thanks 4 the encouragement u guys r awesome..im still mapping out my camp sites and doing my final preps 4 this trip..i have another question i told my 13yr old nephew about this trip n he is facinated by it and keeps begging me 2 take him with me...what would u guy do take him or not?

[jonnysmith]

hey pal's just wondering,would any 1 here be interested in spending 5 day or so fishing n camping in the everglades with me?

[flyfisher]

if you feel good about having him along and he can handle the trip then absolutely take him.  Hell if i wasn't a 12+ hour drive away i would join you lol

[jonnysmith]

ur right ( flyfisher ),since no1 else wants 2 go with me, and my nephew has been bugging me about going camping,fishing,shooting,i think its a trip that he will remember 4ever and great bonding between me and him since his dad passed away.i also gave him a lil marlin 22cal.rifle 4 his birthday n he is dieing to go target shooting.hahaha...(flyfisher) 4 some reason even tho we have not met,i would feel very comfertable doing this trip with you,i think u r very experinced as well.

[basshead1]

Take him and keep him under your wing forever. He will not just remember it forever but it will change the course of his life in a good direction.

My fishing partner lately has been my 5 year old daughter and the bonding that happens can not be explained in words. If only I could get her to shut up half the time. That girl can talk and talk and talk........

[flyfisher]

Take him and keep him under your wing forever. He will not just remember it forever but it will change the course of his life in a good direction.

My fishing partner lately has been my 5 year old daughter and the bonding that happens can not be explained in words. If only I could get her to shut up half the time. That girl can talk and talk and talk........

My buddy told me his grandfather used to tell him that you can only catch fish if you hold your mouth right.......and by the right way he meant closed

[basshead1]

I told her that when she talks she scares the fish but it didn't work. She doesn't like catching fish too much but she loves taking pictures with my camera while we are in the boat. And if we are at the beach she will be digging in the sand. lol

 

[BassinLou]

I told her that when she talks she scares the fish but it didn't work. She doesn't like catching fish too much but she loves taking pictures with my camera while we are in the boat. And if we are at the beach she will be digging in the sand. lol

 

 

I have a 5 year old girl too. She can be talker also. I get what your saying about not being quiet while you're are fishing, and I come to realize, that my daughter and you're daughter love their Dad's and just want to share the time with us. There is a point coming really soon, where we are  going to wish/hope they spoke to us.  

[basshole8190]

My son has a motor mouth also i always tell people we taught him how to talk but he hasn't learned to stop talking yet lol he's my lil fishing buddy

[flyfisher]

My son has a motor mouth also i always tell people we taught him how to talk but he hasn't learned to stop talking yet lol he's my lil fishing buddy

I think the saying goes you spend the first year of a child's life wanting and teaching them to talk and the next 17 telling them to shut up

[SirSnookalot]

I've taken 3 wilderness canoe trips to the Algoma region in Ontario, each time with 2 other people.  As rough as that area is I don't think it compares to what lurks in the Everglades.  I wouldn't take a 3-4 day trip into the glades alone or with a 12 year old, just too far away from medical attention.

[SFL BassHunter]

Jonny you're brave if you're going out to the everglades alone. I probably wouldn't go without someone, but heck if you're comfortable and confident you should be ok. Just stay away from the gators when you catch those big bass! Good luck to you and hope you catch a ton of real big fish!

[jonnysmith]

yes kids can talk up a storm when fishing & boating i assume that they r just super excited about it all,when i was 9 in 1980,my dad took me to bimini for 4days on a 24ft. boat he had,omg i didnt eat,sleep or shut, all i did was fishhhhhhh...i think the bonding that a family does with there kids fishing is priceless and remembered for ever.you guys r awesome fathers,big high5 2 u all.

[GLADES]

Growing up in south florida, I camped out many times in the Glades and Fish Eating creek. Other than the sunburn and the mosquitoes, I had a blast.

Make sure you have sunscreen and bug repellant in your gear, and plenty of water along with your preferred beverages.

Also be careful with your campfire. Embers can set a tent on fire in seconds. Dig up the ground, build a ring, and clear plenty of space. You don't want to be on TV for the wrong reasons.

Make sure you know where you are camping and any laws or rules for that area. Follow them. Just use common sense.

[jonnysmith]

im honestly super excited about this trip,im just waiting for the holiday to move on n to have a week decent weather,i dont care about a few showers just not 5day of down pours..ive donw this type of trip b4 just not alone

[Oregon Native]

Now days socity has us living in fear of many things. Most of those people in the big citys have no clue how to light a match unless its for a joint or cigarette and if they were to camp for a few days in the big bad woods oh....my. I would take him and teach him about what our great Lord has created and enjoy the time. Every day is truely a gift from above. Yes, I'm sure there will be bumps and noise in the night but you sound prepared and are not the first one to do it. Enjoy and let us know bout your adventure.

[flyfisher]

I never understood why going with someone else makes a trip safer....the only advantage i guess is if you were to get hurt they could help you out but other than that, I see no advantage other than someone to talk to or share the experience with.

 

This trip isn't a survival let me drop you off aka Les Stroud or Bear Gryllis.  It is a camping trip in a remote area where preparation is important just like any solo trip.

[fstr385]

I go out alone quite a bit. I have phone service most of the glades and a gps on the boat. Apart from having some general knowledge of the area, common sense is all you need to know what to do/bring. Its actually hard to find a spot out there where someone isnt around or near by when on a boat. Everytime i TRY to find a place nobody is around, there they are, fishing in it lol.