Living in sunny Florida there are so many
activities to choose from. Florida is known for its miles of coastline
and of course, great fishing. One little fishing village that still
captures the mystery and spirit of Old Florida is Chokoloskee in the
southwest corner of Florida. This is the gateway to the fabled "Ten
Thousand Islands." You can still feel the pirate spirit in this place
that in the 70s and 80s was one of the main ports of marijuana
importation into the U.S., and used to be a great hide out from the law
for drug smugglers, rum-runner and assorted other criminals while on the
lam.
If you ever have the opportunity to visit
Chokoloskee, a must see is the Everglades City Rod and Gun Club located
on the banks of the Barron River just north of the causeway leading to
Chokoloskee. Adorning the walls of the Rod and Gun Club are the
numerous mounts of monster tarpon, snook, wild turkey, and gators that
look to have been bagged decades ago from the area, which is brimming
with wildlife.
The mystique of this place is increased when naming
those
who have stayed there. The list includes five past presidents, FDR,
Truman, Eisenhower, Hoover and Nixon. Rugged actors such as John Wayne,
Burt Reynolds, Sean Connery, Danny Glover and Joe Pesci have stayed
there as well. Burl Ives and Gypsy Rose Lee stayed there while filming
"Winds Across the Everglades." Mick Jagger has stayed there as well as
Ernest Hemingway.
Oh
and did I mention that the fishing is fantastic. However, it is
strongly recommended that for at least for the first few trips you hire a
knowledgeable guide. The Chokoloskee waters can leave even an advanced
boatsman high and dry on one of the numerous sand or oyster bars that
are nowhere to be seen on most navigational maps. Local knowledge is a
must.
