Florida Everglades

Bass Fishing In The Florida Everglades

By Wayne Gilbert

Most anglers agree that bass fishing in the Everglades is a unique and captivating experience. Many people visit this unique environment expecting the stereotypical swamplands of old black and white movies; what they find is one of the country’s most extraordinary natural formations. Thousands of kinds of fish, dozens of endangered species and land forms unlike anywhere else in the United States can all be found in the Everglades. These surroundings also provide some of the best largemouth bass waters in the country; however, anyone who spends time bass fishing in the Everglades will discover more than just an angling adventure.

In a park that boasts more than one million acres of natural terrain and two thousand miles of canals along with a whole lot of alligators, the visiting fisher might be wise to take along a professional guide. Enlisting an experienced local for bass fishing in the Everglades can make the trip more enjoyable and productive as well as less tiring. In addition, employing a guide means a visitor to Florida doesn’t have to personally purchase a state fishing license; he/she fishes under the auspices of the guide’s licenses. A licensed guide will soon have a bass fisher just where he/she wants to be: Navigating the channels in search of the lushly vegetated flats where literally hundreds of hungry bass are looking for dinner.

Once on the water, even the novice fisher will find that casting a line generally results in hits not just from trophy size largemouth but from feisty peacock bass as well. Largemouth bass over fifteen inches long and weighing in at more than five pounds are not uncommon in Everglade waters. Anglers who like a good fight will get it from the largemouth’s smaller but hard scrabble peacock cousin. Although the park strongly encourages catch and release an enthusiastic angler won’t go home without a memento of the visit. Remember all a taxidermist needs to provide a conversation piece wall hanging are the dimensions of the fish and a good picture. Do the Everglades a favor, handle that bass with care and don’t take more than a fair share.

Also beware of the extreme temperatures which can decrease the pleasure and lower the productivity of any bass fishing in the Everglades. Consider early morning and dusk fishing when the waters are cooler, more oxygenated and livelier. Be sure to dress for success: Light weight shorts, vented shirts, billed caps, polarized sunglasses and lots of sunscreen are appropriate.

All in all, for the fisher looking for a one of a kind trip, bass fishing in the Everglades may be just the ticket. So, get in touch with a guide, pack up the gear, don’t forget the sunglasses and head out today for one of the nation’s true natural wonderlands: The Florida Everglades.

Wayne Gilbert is a Florida native with over 30 years of fishing experience. His website about Flats Fishing, https://www.FishFloridaBay.com, has been providing its viewers with extensive coverage of the Florida backcountry fishing scene for a long time. Other topics include backcountry fishing, Florida Keys fishing, and individual gamefish habitats,statistics, and locations.