Kayak fishing the everglades

[David McGraw]

How’s it going my names David I live south of the Everglades and Olán on kayak fishing. I’ve been to alligator alley a few times but don’t feel comfortable on fishing alone if anyone’s interested In joining.

[the reel ess]

On 7/3/2021 at 4:12 PM, David McGraw said:

How’s it going my names David I live south of the Everglades and Olán on kayak fishing. I’ve been to alligator alley a few times but don’t feel comfortable on fishing alone if anyone’s interested In joining.

If I lived near there I'd definitely go with you.

[David McGraw]

On 7/8/2021 at 7:06 PM, the reel ess said:

If I lived near there I'd definitely go with you.

Yeah that would be great. We should get in touch.

[geo g]

I have fished the glades for over 40 years in a bass boat.  I go at least several times a month, and have fished all the Alley locations, Loxahatchee, Sawgrass, Holey Lands, and the Miami River.  I have been charged by big gators on several occasions.  I have had the side of the boat tail slapped once, the trolling motor bumped once by a protective mother, and been followed closely by big gators, (less than five yards),  for hundreds of yards on countless occasions.  While drifting over a flat at Loxahatchee, I have looked down from the front of the boat and been directly over a 8 footer laying flat on the bottom in three feet of water.  Certain times of the year are worst then others.  Breeding season, and when females are guarding nests.  The number of gators can be over whelming on the Alley under low water conditions.  10 footers are not uncommon.  Good luck on your trip, I would not do it, but I know guys that have and had few problem!  The tail slap on the Alley, was a big guy, and it was intentional, shocked the crap out of me.

[Captain Phil]

Started fishing the Everglades with my grandfather when I was 12.  I'm 74 now.  Fished it at least once a week until moving to Central Florida in 1996.  Fished it at night by myself.   There is a good chance I have met "Geo G" because we fished all the same waters.  Anyone who thinks they should fish the Everglades in a Kayak has a death wish.  A Kayak is just big enough for a bull gator to consider you a rival.  A big mama gator may believe you are a threat to her young.  I have seen big gators challenge small boats.   I have more than one friend who has lost dogs when they were snatched out of a Jon boat by gators.  All I can say is make sure your life insurance is paid up.

 

Why would you want to do that?  South Florida is full of canals and rock pits.  All of them have great fishing.  My advice is stay on the East side of the levee and you will do fine.   

[geo g]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

Started fishing the Everglades with my grandfather when I was 12.  I'm 74 now.  Fished it at least once a week until moving to Central Florida in 1996.  Fished it at night by myself.   There is a good chance I have met "Geo G" because we fished all the same waters.  Anyone who thinks they should fish the Everglades in a Kayak has a death wish.  A Kayak is just big enough for a bull gator to consider you a rival.  A big mama gator may believe you are a threat to her young.  I have seen big gators challenge small boats.   I have more than one friend who has lost dogs when they were snatched out of a Jon boat by gators.  All I can say is make sure your life insurance is paid up.

 

Why would you want to do that?  South Florida is full of canals and rock pits.  All of them have great fishing.  My advice is stay on the East side of the levee and you will do fine.   

 

 

So true my friend.  Unlike lakes further north, they are like cockroaches in the glades!

[SC53]

Like Phil and Geo stated, they are everywhere and are very aggressive during mating season. You couldn’t pay me enough to fish out of a kayak down there. 

I’ll bet Phil, Geo and I all know each other. I grew up in Plantation (59-84) before moving up to central Florida. Fished all the same locations as Geo. 
 

[Captain Phil]

14 minutes ago, SC53 said:

I’ll bet Phil, Geo and I all know each other. I grew up in Plantation (59-84) before moving up to central Florida. Fished all the same locations as Geo. 
 

 

In the seventies, I was a member of the South Florida Tackle Testers Bass Club.  Fished a lot of team tournaments too.   Do you remember the Ellen's Rod Shop tournaments?  My buddy and I won the first Classic out of Loxahatchee.  Fished some American Bass Magazine tournaments and the B.A.S.S.  Federation all over the State.   I knew Charlie Infinger before he went into the worm business.  Back then, the Adams brothers were hard to beat.   Ray Scott told me Jack Adams turned down his invitation to fish his first Classic.   I'll bet he was sorry about that.  As a kid, I hung out at Slim's Fish Camp on Lake Okeechobee.   During the gas crisis, my bass boat was docked at Slims so I never missed a day of fishing.  A lot has changed since then.  Those were some fun days...

[SC53]

Phil, don’t remember Ellen’s tournaments sorry. I helped start a little club called Everglades Bass Anglers. We fished mainly Sawgrass, the Alley, Okeechobee and even SR 84 out of Melaleuca park. We mainly fished Okee out of Uncle Joe’s cut. 
I did a lot of light tackle saltwater back in those days fishing the MET tournament.

Once I moved up here I did more bass and fished the Redman, Bass-N-Buddy and the World Bass Association tournaments. 
We need to meet up and share stories and a ? or two. 

[Captain Phil]

14 hours ago, SC53 said:

Phil, don’t remember Ellen’s tournaments sorry. I helped start a little club called Everglades Bass Anglers. We fished mainly Sawgrass, the Alley, Okeechobee and even SR 84 out of Melaleuca park. We mainly fished Okee out of Uncle Joe’s cut. 
I did a lot of light tackle saltwater back in those days fishing the MET tournament.

Once I moved up here I did more bass and fished the Redman, Bass-N-Buddy and the World Bass Association tournaments. 
We need to meet up and share stories and a ? or two. 

 

Uncle Joe's cut was one of my favorite spots.  When the wind was blowing just right, you could catch fish all day. The South Florida bass club I remember from back then was the Play World Bass Masters.  I fished some offshore tournaments in the eighties.  Nearly won the Miami Sailfish Tournament in my 26' Contender fishing in 10' seas. That was an experience.