Thanks for posting, always enjoy your Flamingo reports.

I was in Jeff's shop the other day and the swimbaits he's made for you are dope.

He sent me some pictures! Should have them any day now..

Just wait until spring... I'm going to have a GoPro next time! Had so many battles that I have no record of. Had a big snook kick my butt... hooked one on edge of mangroves.. knew it was a monster when it took a little longer for it to get moving and it shot out into open water pulling me out with it..then it turned around on a dime and went under kayak as my kayak does a 180 trying to get rod around to other side of kayak.. rod bent around hull, foot jamming rudder pedal trying to help turn me around as fish never slowed down as if it weaved through roots as if it were wide open freeway. Knew I was in trouble with drag on new shimano stradic 5000 screaming. It pulled me under low hanging mangrove trees, snapping my visacarbon 360 light and flag pole at the base of flushmount, pulled my rod into roots, my hand holding spinning rod, arm pulled straight out and into roots with it, reel under water when it busted me off.. 30 lb braid to 50 leader. That's what i go to Flamingo for. Had a tarpon in the 60 to 80 lb range come up for my bait when I lifted it out of the water, banging kayak so hard I was glad I did't hook up. It would have been disaster.

Just saw this video taken on the road to Flamingo

https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/01/footage-giant-burmese-python-crossing-florida-road-stirs-emotions

No thanks

https://floridasportfishing.com/tip...FXIwLC2WkP2V1GFC7GsKxrcrk1eHbgM-XhTGRdlw

I'm getting the urge again... don't know if I can wait until middle of May.

Im ready for you to go too just for the recap and pics!! lol

40 more days and counting... found this article about supposedly the largest crocodile in the Everglades.. I've never seen it but drive by 9 Mile Pond every trip to Flamingo... Caught a few bass there fishing from the bank last year. My favorite place, West Lake is only two miles from it and seven miles from Flamingo.

https://www.newsweek.com/huge-crocodile-dubbed-croczilla-biggest-everglades-florida-1792433

Pythons can make good gas money.
https://www.sfwmd.gov/our-work/python-program

I don't mind kayaking with gators but I don't want to be anywhere close to crocs.

interesting... I saw three last trip down there... longest about 10 foot. Lots of folks hunting them from the highway leading to Flamingo once the sun goes down.

my old friend Flex.. saw him coming out of the Everglades a couple of years ago when I was there... have known him for probably 20 years. He is a kayak paddler, have never seen him with a fishing pole. He probably knows more about camping in the Everglades than anyone in the world... most of the time paddling alone but often joins some of the paddling groups that do trips to different areas. Always looking for new areas to explore and things to learn about the history of the area.

https://kayakfari.wordpress.com/trips-sea-stories-pics/camping-hell-in-the-ten-thousand-islands/

Oh and for anyone that thinks they can paddle, here is a race you might want to do.

https://www.watertribe.com/events/evergladeschallenge/

might want to put a bat wing on your kayak.. its allowed and could come in handy on a 300 mile race

http://www.baloghsaildesigns.com/batwing.html#

I know the original post was from last year, but I just saw it. Thanks for sharing that!! That was really cool, good luck on the next adventure!