If you’re looking for a real Hemingway-esque adventure, you should look no further than deep sea fishing. Waves in all directions, flocking seagulls on the water, and that tantalizing sound as the reel’s drag starts to scream… There simply is nothing quite like it.
“Backcountry fishing” has a different meaning depending on where you fish. In south Florida and the Keys, this applies to inshore islands and flats like those found in Everglades National Park. In other parts of the world, fishing the backcountry means hiking mountains and casting a line in gin-clear streams. No matter where you’re fishing and what the local “backcountry” might be, you can look forward to exploring untouched wilderness and secret waterways.
You can catch a great deal of backcountry species on spinning, baitcasting, and fly fishing gear, in freshwater and saltwater alike. Light tackle is standard, but you may opt in for heavy tackle when pursuing larger fish (such as 60+ lb Tarpon in the Florida Keys). Depending on your target species and the area, jigging, bottom fishing, and even trolling can be effective methods in the backcountry. In short, there’s no limit to the techniques you’ll use–it all depends on the fish you’re after and what’s working best that day.
Many anglers fishing the Everglades rely on a 6.5-7’ rod, matched with a spinning reel that can hold at least 200 yards of 10 lb test line. Fly anglers can rely on an 8-weight fly rod. Braided line is recommended because it’s less like to break on snags, but monofilament is preferable when fishing in high-clarity water