It is sad seeing 'ol 2011 leave...such a phenomenal year of great charters, amazing weather, and so much good luck last year I wouldn't know were to start! The big snook, tarpon, and everything in between chewing like crazy is going to be dearly missed. Unless we roll into 2012 and it rocks even...

September and October are two great months to fish the Everglades National Park. In September, daytime air temperatures will average around 91 with water temps hovering around 86. In October, daytime air temperatures will average around 87 with water temperatures around 81. Typical to our summer months...

Tampa Bay and its surrounding areas offer miles of backcountry and shallow water flats that provide excellent light-tackle inshore fishing. Going into the months of September and October, weather starts to cool things down. With mild weather brings cooler water temperature, good water clarity and better...

Fall fishing in southwest Florida provides some of the best in-shore and near-shore opportunities available in the state, especially if you enjoy fishing with artificial bait. I particularly enjoy throwing big topwater plugs at schooling fish, and this edition of GAFF offers the best opportunities to...

This time of year is why we live and fish in Florida. Cool evenings and pleasantly warm days offer the perfect mix for angling adventures in our region. Our inbound flow of seasonal residents is in full swing, resulting in plenty of great new inventory and energy in our local bait and tackle shops. Without...

Yeehaw! The fall fishery is finally here in the Everglades National Park, as November and December roll in with cooler air and water temperatures that we haven’t seen since last spring. One of my favorite things about fall is we aren’t as focused on the eminent doom of afternoon thunderstorms...

With massive fish kills due to the oil spill and the freeze of 2010, which killed off more than half of our snook population, one would naturally think that with less than a year to recover from all this devastation the fishing in south Florida would be pretty rotten. Well, here at Rush Charters, we’re...

Well, it’s already the end of the year and what a year it has been. We as anglers have had a lot of obstacles to hurdle this year with the record cold temperatures, oil spills, and economy, among others. The good news is in the west central we have had a great year of fishing and I look for 2011...

Thank the tides for finally giving us tired, sun-burnt, worn out, crabby fishing guides a break in the weather. In late March I was cruising across Pine Island Sound huddled tightly behind the center console of my 2410 Ranger Bay boat. Trying my best to drive with two total strangers squished against...

Well, we've had a crazy start to our year with this record breaking cold weather. I have lived here my whole life and I can't remember days that were this cold. We did lose some fish from the extreme temps, especially snook, but everyone should remember this is nature's path and everything...

It's summer. Summer is actually an abbreviation for snook, tarpon and redfish. After the brutality of this last winter, this summer is going to be extra pleasing. Snook The freeze of 2010 forced closure of the spring harvest season and it will not open again until September 1st. The bigger fish moved...

A typical summer day for me normally begins by guiding guests to countless snook under dock lights and area bridges well before dawn. Many anglers enjoy fishing under the stars without the heat and hazard of the sun. Night fishing is what I call "easy fishing" for guests, typically producing...

January and February are the coldest months here, as is pretty much true everywhere. While the Everglades National Park has, arguably, the best winter fishery in North America, spring is still very much welcomed. The winter produces some excellent fishing, but in comparison to the warmer months, the...

Twenty-ten couldn’t have greeted us sportsman any better. As fisherman we’ve had some of the most fantastic fishing of our lives. This isn’t just coming from a young guide of only 11 years here in Sanibel, but also from some of the most notable and legendary fisherman in our area. The...

Well, spring is upon us and fishing in the west central is as good as it gets. Cold fronts really start to become less frequent and weak. Longer days help heat up the cold waters on the backcountry and flats, and the fish just seem to be sick of winter. This time of year they come out of their cold-weather...

Many angling opportunities arise as spring migration patterns are in full swing. I must declare, with so many species available, it’s hard to stay off of the water, even on my few days off. Techniques like topwater, subsurface and live bait will all produce exciting battles of epic stature this...

Men at Work Offshore Bonanza This harsh winter we've been having so far in southwest Florida has really turned on the fishing. Warm water temps have caused hoards of bait to start piling up on our nearshore ledges and wrecks. Blackening out a well with bait before cruising offshore will...

What better time to go fishing than after the holiday rush, with all of the new fishing goodies we just got for Christmas and that insatiable urge to put them to good use? We are in the heart of winter, so this means we have some of the coldest water temperatures of the year, but that won't...

Four years ago, I turned the page after an exciting twenty-year career in the United States Army as a Hovercraft Pilot. The service was an amazing experience allowing me to deploy my fishing habit to some of world's most remote locations. Now, I spend almost every day on the vast ecosystem known...

Everglades National Park - November & December Capt. Charles Wright November and December bring big changes to Everglades National Park. The cooler water temperatures transition the entire fishery. November is very much like October, except better. All the summer species are still here...

Capt. Chris Rush - N-D '09 Seems crazy to say fall is in the air with the temperatures still reaching nearly 100 degrees on some of the stillest days, but some of us fishing guides can see it already. Pine Island Sound is starting to get schools of redfish. Several hundred at a time will...

N-D '09 Tampa Bay Area West Central Report Capt. Jason Prieto As we approach the end of the year, you are probably finding yourself getting ready for the holidays. Fun things like shopping, hanging Christmas lights, eating turkey and trying to get all of your honey do's done! With all of...

Captain Chris O'Neill N-D '09 Boca Grande / Charlotte Harbor Fishing Report This time of year is why we live and fish in Florida. Cool evenings and pleasantly warm days offer the perfect mix for angling adventures in our region. Our inbound flow of seasonal residents is in full swing,...