Everglades City Fishing Charters
Private Trip
Lakes/Reservoirs/Ponds Fishing
Fullday Everglades fishing targeting Snook, Redfish, Tarpon, and SeatroutEighthour guided charter accommodates up to three guests maximumNative guide service operates July through December in National Park
There's something magical about dropping lines in the Everglades backcountry, where every cast could be the one that connects you with a trophy fish. Mike Merritt's Native Guide Service offers you the real deal – an authentic 8-hour fishing charter that puts you right in the heart of some of Florida's most productive waters. From July through December, we're targeting the big four that make anglers dream: Snook, Redfish, Tarpon, and Seatrout. This isn't your typical weekend fishing trip – it's a serious day on the water with guides who've been working these flats and mangrove creeks for years.
Your day starts at 8:00 AM sharp and runs until 4:00 PM, giving us plenty of time to work different spots as conditions change. We'll launch from Everglades City and head into the maze of creeks, oyster bars, and grass flats that make up this world-class fishery. The beauty of fishing here is the variety – one minute you're sight-casting to tailing redfish in skinny water, the next you're working a deep creek mouth where snook ambush baitfish. Our guides know how to read the tides, wind, and seasonal patterns that dictate where fish will be feeding. You'll fish with both live bait and artificials, switching techniques based on what's working best that day. The boat holds up to 3 anglers comfortably, so there's plenty of room to cast without getting tangled up. Don't worry about bringing lunch – you'll want to keep fishing through the prime bite times, and most folks are too pumped up to think about eating when the fish are cooperative.
We fish light to medium tackle here, which gives you the best balance of casting ability and fish-fighting power. You'll be throwing everything from topwater plugs at sunrise to soft plastics worked slowly along drop-offs. Live shrimp under popping corks is deadly for seatrout, while cut bait fished near structure produces some of the biggest snook. When we're sight-fishing for reds, it's all about accurate casts with weedless spoons or soft plastics rigged Texas-style. The guides will have you covered with quality rods, reels, and terminal tackle – everything spooled with fresh line and ready to go. Circle hooks are the standard here for live bait fishing, which helps with catch and release mortality. You'll learn to feel the difference between a redfish grinding toward oysters and a snook making that classic head-shaking run. The shallow water means you'll see a lot of the action, watching fish follow your lure or explode on topwater baits.
Snook are the crown jewel of Everglades fishing, and these ambush predators know how to use structure to their advantage. They'll hang tight to mangrove overhangs, dock pilings, and creek bends where the current brings food right to them. Summer and fall are prime time, with fish ranging from schoolie-sized "rats" up to thick-shouldered 30-inchers that'll test your drag. What makes snook so special is their attitude – they hit hard, jump high, and know every trick in the book when it comes to throwing hooks. The slot limit keeps the fishery healthy, so you'll likely catch several before finding one that's legal to keep.
Redfish are the workhorses of the flats, and they're here year-round in good numbers. These copper-colored bruisers love shallow oyster bars and grass beds where they root around for crabs and shrimp. Fall brings some of the best redfish action as they fatten up and start showing in bigger schools. A quality red will pull drag steadily and never give up until it's in the net. They're not jumpers like snook, but they'll use that broad tail and solid body to wear you down. Most of what we catch runs 18 to 28 inches – perfect eating size and a blast to catch on light tackle.
Tarpon are the reason many anglers make the trip to the Everglades, and the summer months can produce some spectacular fishing. These silver kings range from juvenile fish in the 10-30 pound class up to true giants pushing 100 pounds or more. Juvenile tarpon are more predictable, hanging in the deeper creeks and canals where they roll and gulp air. When you hook one, get ready for a rodeo – they'll jump repeatedly and make long runs that'll have your reel screaming. Even a small tarpon fights way above its weight class, and landing one is always a celebration.
Seatrout might not get the glory of the other species, but they're reliable biters that'll keep your rod bent when other fish are being finicky. The grass flats hold good numbers of "gator trout" – thick-bodied fish that push 20 inches or better. They're suckers for live shrimp under a popping cork, and you can often catch several from the same spot once you dial in the bite. Seatrout are excellent table fare, so don't overlook them when you're focused on the glamour species.
At $900 for up to three anglers, this charter delivers serious value for a full day of guided fishing in one of Florida's most renowned fisheries. The refundable deposit policy gives you flexibility – life happens, and weather doesn't always cooperate, so you can cancel up to 7 days out without losing your money. July through December is when everything comes together: water temperatures are right, bait is abundant, and fish are feeding aggressively before winter. These dates fill up fast, especially during the peak fall months when the fishing is at its absolute best. Don't wait until the last minute – the best fishing days of the year book up months in advance, and you don't want to
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the bread and butter of Everglades fishing - reliable, hard-fighting, and beautiful with that copper-bronze coloring and distinctive black spots near the tail. Most fish we catch run 20-28 inches and 4-8 pounds, perfect eating size. They cruise shallow flats, oyster bars, and mangrove shorelines in just 1-4 feet of water - sometimes so shallow their backs show above the surface. Fall months are outstanding when they school up for their spawning runs. What makes reds special is their dogged fighting style - they'll make long, steady runs and use their broad shoulders to stay deep. Plus, they're fantastic table fare with firm, mildly sweet meat. Here's my local secret: look for nervous water over shallow flats on calm days - that's redfish pushing baitfish around. A gold spoon cast just ahead of that disturbance usually gets hammered.
Salmo TruttaSpotted seatrout, or "specks" as we call them, are scrappy little fighters that make for consistent action and great eating. Most run 14-18 inches and 1-3 pounds, with occasional 4-5 pounders that really bend the rod. They school up over grass flats, sandy potholes, and around oyster bars in 3-10 feet of water. Dawn and dusk are prime times, especially during our cooler months from October through December. What guests love about trout is their willingness to bite and their delicate, sweet meat - perfect for the dinner table. They'll hit both live shrimp and soft plastics readily. My go-to technique is drifting grass flats with a popping cork and live shrimp about 18 inches below - the cork's noise calls them in from a distance and the natural presentation seals the deal.
Centropomus UndecimalisSnook are one of the most exciting fish you'll find in these Everglades waters. These sleek, golden-sided fighters typically run 18-24 inches, though we catch plenty that push 30+ inches and 10+ pounds. You'll spot them by that distinctive black lateral line and their habit of ambushing prey with lightning-fast bursts. They love hanging around mangrove edges, docks, and creek mouths in 2-8 feet of water where they can dart out from cover. July through December is prime time when they're actively feeding. What makes snook so popular is their explosive strikes and bulldogging fights - they'll jump, run for structure, and test your drag. Plus, they make fantastic table fare with sweet, flaky white meat. My tip: cast your bait slightly upcurrent from structure and let it drift naturally past where they're hiding.
Megalops AtlanticusThe silver king of the Everglades - tarpon are what fishing dreams are made of. Most fish we hook run 80-150 pounds and 4-6 feet long, though giants over 200 pounds cruise these waters. They patrol channels, basin edges, and deeper cuts around 10-25 feet, rolling on the surface when feeding. Our July-December season catches them during their feeding push before heading south for winter. What sets tarpon apart is their raw power and acrobatics - they'll leap 8-10 feet out of the water, shake their heads violently, and make long, screaming runs that can last 30 minutes. We practice catch-and-release since they're not great eating. Pro tip: when they jump, bow to the fish by dropping your rod tip toward them - it prevents them from throwing the hook on those spectacular leaps. Pure adrenaline fishing.
Everglades City, FL