I’ve always wanted to explore the Ten Thousand Islands area, that section of the lower Florida Gulf Coast that starts at Everglades City and runs around to Cape Sable. I’d never been there but I knew enough about it that I knew we would want a guide. Now that I’ve been there, here’s a warning: You don’t just want a guide, you need a guide!

But could we book a trip during the Christmas holiday on short notice? Sure, said Capt. Bert Barkus, a veteran guide in the area. As long as we were back at his dock in time for him and his family to do a Christmas Eve sunset cruise to enjoy their leg of lamb and real Maine lobster bisque, he’d be happy to introduce us to the area. We wouldn’t have time on a half-day charter to get into the real Everglades back country, but we could hit some favorite spots close to Chokoloskee, the tiny fishing village that marks the southern end of civilization on Florida’s west coast. 

He did warn us, though, that Christmas Eve wasn’t the most auspicious day for a fishing trip: The moon was full and, coupled with a north wind, the water in many places would be ultra-skinny. Worse, a cold front the week before had put a chill on the water and probably would slow the snook action. But we didn’t care. If we caught some fish, fine. If not, I’d come away knowing a lot more about fishing the area than I had before.

We booked a cottage room for the night before at the Rod & Gun Club in Everglades City, an easy four miles north of Chokoloskee. The club was built in the 1920s and looks very Hemingway-esque, with dark wood paneling and floors and mounted animal and fish trophies. If you know your way around the waters of the Ten Thousand Islands, the club has a boat ramp on premises.  Accommodations were fine—we especially enjoyed the screened porch on our cottage—but beware that cash is king. No credit cards accepted. For anything.

Bert runs his clients through the Ten Thousand Islands in a slick little 16-foot Maverick Mirage powered by a 115-hp Yamaha. It’s sort of the ultimate flats boat and floats in less than 5 inches of water. I know, because Jane and I helped Bert push it across one extensive sand bar that was so shallow that even the lightweight Mirage, with the outboard trimmed up as high as it would go and still bite the water, couldn’t get through. Like Bert said, the water was pretty skinny that morning. I thought I was accustomed to shallow water in the Indian River, but with Bert we were frequently skimming through water less than a foot deep for long runs. At dead low tide, much of what we crossed would have been bare.

Once you get out of sight of Chokoloskee, which happens in a matter of minutes, the scenery is pure wilderness, one mangrove-covered island after another. There are no channel markers, so it’s purely a matter of local knowledge to keep from running aground. And while beautiful, the scenery is also confusing. With just a cursory glance around, everything looks the same. If you aren’t paying attention or your GPS goes out, it’s easy to see how you could get thoroughly lost very quickly. Couple that with a high-speed grounding on a flat you didn’t see coming and you could be in more trouble than you would like. Bert, of course, had a chart imprinted in his brain, the result of years of running these waters with clients. That’s why I say you don’t just want a guide, you need a guide.

We hit about 10 spots, some shallow enough for sight fishing, the others deep and murky enough that you just cast toward shore and hoped. Bert spotted several redfish and a few snook, some of which I also saw. Jane hooked a big double-digit size snook and managed to keep it on for one big jump, and I got an undersized red as well as our fair share of ladyfish and a few baby grouper. We used spinning tackle, but most of Bert’s repeat clientele are fly fishermen.

I’ll certainly go back to Chokoloskee for more fishing and I won’t hesitate to tap Bert’s services again. But I think the whole trip would have been more productive had we chartered for a full day. If it hadn’t been Christmas Eve, that’s what I would have done and that’s what I’ll do next time.