@JareD and I have been planning a trip for some time, so he and a young friend he is mentoring came down from North Florida to join me for a day exploring the ENP. I’ve been sidelined with a health issue for a couple of weeks, so I was happy to get back on the water. Other than the wind (strong NE 19 to 27! 
conditions were favorable for a good day. I had planned to run outside to fish the bights on the falling tide (low at 10:32 a.m.). After seeing the wind forecast, I thought better of that so we spent most of the day in the backcountry. Some engine problems prevented me from fishing some areas I really wanted to show them, but we made the most of it and had a good day. Jared enticed a few with the feathers and a few with soft plastics. His young friend, Corey was the sniper for most of the day, landing close to a dozen snook on a mix of baits with the spinning gear and the bait caster. So happy to host them for the day! Here are a couple of pics.
Nice. Glad your back on the water Dave!
This☝️
A little “aqua therapy “ quels many illnesses , glad you got out. Always good to get the young guns hooked on fishing.
Thank you for being such a great host/ guide on your rocket ship @DBStoots Your energy, passion, and knowledge were immense!
C and I had a blast. What a great playground you have down in the Everglades!
To the forum… David had offered to take me and C fishing in the glades when he learned I was working with a great young man with the gigantic fishing itch!
This young man had three wishes from the trip… to catch a snook, catch a tarpon, and catch a peacock.
We got down to the SW corner of FL and chased peacocks…. To no avail. We did find some tarpon… of which I caught a couple micros on fly (thought of you @rovster )
The next morning, David loaded us aboard his waterman and blasted us into the mangroves. C caught a nice snook right out the gates. I had several hits on fly but came up shy. C caught several good snook and some snookitos.
A lot of other line tuggers to boot.
Got to see so much of the park including some beautiful bights.
After the day on the water, C wanted to find a peacock… we checked all his “spots” he had marked but were coming up short.
This morning he begged me to get shiners so he could check that box. Wound up getting a nice peacock at the same time I got a nice snook.
Also caught a few more tarpon and then hit one more spot playing with exotics and a pea for me!
There really is no place like ENP. It is far beyond my expectations.
David is my hero! He is the nicest guy I may have ever met and went straight out all day despite his recent health bumps…. I can’t imagine what kind of motor he has when he is feeling rested.
I am also fully green w envy over his Waterman. We raced all over ENP cutting and weaving around mangroves and oysters at crazy fast speeds. He has those waters and that boat dialed in like nothing I have ever seen. The boat ride itself was one of the funnest experiences.
All C could say on the way back home was “Can you believe how fast David took us around that one corner in that narrow cut…” or “I thought I was going to get blown out of the boat when we got up to speed…”
ENP and @DBStoots did not disappoint!
Solid outing, glad you got out there!
Love the pic’s! So glad he had a good time and was able to catch the species he had targeted. He’s a nice, polite young man despite his past circumstances and you are showing him how to be a Godly man. Well done!
Looking good Dave…good for you getting out in the wind…as they say, "YOU DON’T KNOW…IF YOU DON’T GO !!! "
C
Great job, DB and nice bounty guys. You’re right, the Everglades is a national treasure. Glad DB was able to put you on some and so glad he’s feeling better!
Awesome!!
Well done gentlemen!