Fishing Southwest Florida from Naples to the Florida Everglades

What To Bring

  • Clothing

I recommend bringing both breathable shorts and long pants, the same is true for shirts as well.  The two main reasons for this are insects and sun protection.  Redington, Patagonia and Simms make great breathable clothing, these companies make non-restrictive clothing that is very comfortable in tropical applications with high SPF ratings.

  • Polarized Sunglasses

For years I have been dealing with eye fatigue and always thought that it was just the harsh conditions in which I guide.  Oakley Optics have completely changed my opinion when it comes to what I consider to be my most important peice of equipment.  Oakley carries a wide variety of frame styles and lenses built for sight fishing, I have been working with Oakley to find the best lens and frame for this area, here is what we have come up with.half-jacket.bmp Half Jacket Shallow Water Blue  straight-jacket.bmp Straight Jacket with the VR28 Lens  

  • Reels

I am partial to the Galvan family of reels.  They are priced competitively and keep proving themselves over and over against large fish.  Galvan also has a great return policy and are a great company to work with.  The Torque series of reels from the T-8 to the T-14 are awesome.  The T-14 balances great on an 11 or 12 weight rod and the extremely large arbor allows you too suck up line quickly, reducing angler fatigue during long Tarpon Battles.  The smaller T-8 and T-10 reels are great for everything from Snook to Permit.

  • Rods

Eight and Nine weight rods are preferred for Snook, Redfish and Baby Tarpon.  For larger game such as Tarpon, Jacks and Sharks I use ten, eleven and twelve weight rods. 

  • Fly Lines

Scientific Angler saltwater fly lines have preformed very well for me the past few years. The Red Fish Taper works very well for Snook and Reds and allows the angler great control when throwing tight loops under the mangroves.  The Bonefish taper also works very well for probing the mangroves and is especially good for Snooking on the beach.  The SA Tarpon Taper is one of my favorites for hunting big Tarpon, this line performs for laid up fish as well as moving fish.  It seems to have little memory and tangles less frequently than other Tarpon lines, it shoots well and is very accurate.mstarpon_190.jpg Tarpon Taper   msredfish_190.jpg  Redfish Taper  msbonefish_190.jpg  Bonefish Taper

  • Boat Shoes

You will need to Bring a pair of non skidding boat shoes.  Crocks work very well and are very comfortable.  New Balance also makes a lightweight walking shoe that is great as well.  Flip Flops of course do the job in most situations and are easy to take off if stepping on the line becomes and issue.

  • Boat Bag

A small boat bag with essentials for your day on the water is convenient.  Keep in mind that space on the skiff is very cramped so bring only what you will need for the day.  Also keep in mind that the more weight you bring on the boat the harder it is to get to ultra shallow redfish and snook.  Sunscreen, lip balm, rain jacket, rain pants, extra pair of polarized glasses, lens cleaner, fly line cleaner, sun gloves, camera.

  • Flies-Mono

I would recommend for your first time down that you let your captain take care of flies and monofilament.  It is included in the charter and until you get a good understanding of what you should tie or buy after your first time to our area.

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