Apalachicola Florida, USA

Overview

Covering all of the upper Gulf Coast including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, North Florida & the Florida keys, this is a guide service that can accommodate your passion. Whether it is sight fishing to monster Tarpon, casting to aermit, or hunting giant Louisiana redfish, these guys can position you in the right environment for your quest.

Gjuro Bruer runs a legendary guiding operation and have the experience and the passion to make your trip a truly memorable angling experience. Whether it is Atlantic Permit in the spring, fall Redfishing or summer time Tarpon, this team of skilled professionals will show you the best of what these fisheries have to offer.

Accommodation can be arranged to suite your needs and group size, please enquire for more information

The Fishing

“Here they come 120ft at 11 o’clock, three fish. Got em? Alright, good. Now just wait, wait, wait. O.K go ahead and cast, let it sit, alright strip-strip-strip-STRIP! He ate it. Keep stripping! NOW HIT HIM, HIT HIM. Clear that line, Bow, Bow!”

There are three different fishing areas and scenarios depending on the season and species you are after.

Florida panhandle (May – August). Apalachicola Bay is an estuary and lagoon located on Florida's northwest coast renowned for its oysters. The lagoon has been designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Apalachicola River is the largest source of freshwater to the estuary. Apalachicola Bay is part of the The National Estuarine Research Reserve System. Anglers fishing the area will sight fish to monster size tarpon on the flats.

Florida Everglades and the Keys. The choice is simple, do you like clear water or is a darker environment more suiting. The Everglades provides fantastic snook and laid up tarpon fishing as to where the Key West area provides great tarpon fishing at times and also offer the option of permit fishing.

Louisiana & Mississippi marshes (September – January). The primary area you will be fishing is Maurepas, Pontchartrain, and Borgne lakes. Anglers fishing this area will target monster size redfish.

Details

Cost
USD$7000 per person sharing ex Tallahasse, Florida

Location
Florida, United States of America. Anglers need to travel either to the Florida Keys via Miami, or Apalachicola via Tallahassee.

Max Pax
Up to 8 pax (sharing 2 per boat and guide)

Included
•    10 days guided fishing
•    All transfers and ground transport for duration of the trip
•    Complete fly selection
•    Complimentary shirt and cap
•    11 nights accomdation

Excluded
•    International Flights
•    All meals (there is a selection of restaurants in the area where guests can dine)
•    Gratuities

Getting there
The easiest way to reach the fishing area is either via Tallahassee, Florida or Key West, Florida, depending on which area you are going to be fishing.

Target Species
Trophy Tarpon, Redfish and various other

Fishing season & Weather
September – January best for Redifsh
May – July best for Tarpon

Pre Trip

Time difference
GMT -05:00 (7 hours behind South Africa, 6 hours behind the United Kingdom)

Flight time
•    Jhb – Atlanta 16h25
•    Atlanta – Tallahassee 01h10
•    London – Miami 10h30
•    Miami – Tallahassee 04h30 (via Atlanta)

Passports & Visa requirements
•    All South African citizens entering the United States of America need a passport for at least 6 months and a Visa. Visas can be obtained from the United States consulate.
•    Citizens from the United Kingdom may be eligible to travel to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, please contact your local travel agent for more information & terms and conditions.

Medical & Health Requirements
•    None

Currency
•    United States Dollar ($USD)

Language
•    English

Satellite Phone & Communications
•    Cell phone reception and internet aces readily available

Tackle & Gear - Gjuro Bruer
Flies
I like to use a 3" to 3.5" fly. We will fish three color schemes. Chartreuse, Black, and Tan. The flies can be barred or plain it doesn't seem to matter. They need to be tied on light hooks no larger than a 2/0. The hook I prefer is a Gamagatsu SL12S Size 1/0.
This will keep the fly riding high in the water column and give us the best chance of getting bites. There should be no flash tied into the flies. I believe that the more subtle and natural looking the better.

Leaders
I fish one of two leaders. One is a 6 foot section of 50 lb tied into a 2 foot section of 20lb hard mason or RIO hard mono tied with a double barrel knot or slim beauty connected to a 14" piece of 60 lb Fluorocarbon bite tippet using the same knot, then a homer Rhodes knot to the fly.

The second option which is my Favorite is strait 50 lb from the fly line to the fly, Just watch your fingers!

Fly Lines
We will use mostly floating fly lines with moderate tapers. A more subtle color works better, they can see it coming in the air when the water is "too" clear. The camo tips are not good because you will loose the fly on a long cast. I typically use a sand yellow color line. It stands out best against the water but disappears well in the sky. There will be times when we will fish in water that is gin clear and will need to be a bit sneaky, in this scenario I like to use a Scientific anglers, Courtland, or RIO floating line with a clear tip. I will buy the one with a 8 ' tip and cut it back to 6'. This will allow us to keep the fly among the fish without spooking then but still have an idea of where the fly is. Some of my clients prefer to use a monic clear floater or the new Cortland crystal line, which works well, but the angler must be able to read where his fly is at all times especially on long casts.

Floating lines only one colored and one Cortland clear "floater" - no sink tips, or intermediate.

Rods & Reels
All twelve weight rods! They all work well just bring what you are most comfortable with.
Tarpon fishing is very demanding on fly reels, therefor a cork drag reel is best. Tibor, Abel & Nautilus have worked well for us in the past. Basically, if you have used it for GT'S it will work for Tarpon.

Download

PDF, Venue brochure in PDF, email images .zip file