Corporate event: Everglades Holiday Park

[hodgejr]

This Friday my boss is taking us on a fishing trip to Everglades Holiday Park (west of Fort Lauderdale, FL). We are renting 2-3 flat-bottomed fishing boats from their facility and plan to fish for 4 hrs (7:30 - 11:30).

Considerations:
- Group of 7 participants, all land-bound cubicle-dwellers.
- I don't believe anyone has fishing experience (maybe my boss)
- Me and boss are only participants experienced w/ boats.
- No guide coming along, it's just us and us.
- 1/2 of group is scared to death of prospect of gator encounters.

Anyone experienced with fishing in this area? Are there "safe" boating channels or is it all gator-infested? Are they typically aggressive or stay out of the way? Lastly, do you think our boss wants to kills us?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Corporate event: Everglades Holiday Park

I have never fished gator infested waters. I say use common sense and don't dangle any limbs out of the boat, that would be the only thing I would worry about. Especially bringing in a fish and reaching down to get it . Just be careful. Hopefully the boss has done this before or if not maybe he'll at least take you all threw a tutorial from one of the park reps.

If somebody falls in, try not to leave them for gator bait .

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Corporate event: Everglades Holiday Park

Me and a friend fished Seminole once and was trying to catch them.
But hey we are from Kentucky, the state of "Hey you all, watch this" syndrome.

 

[EMM]

Re: Corporate event: Everglades Holiday Park

I fish around gators all the time. Most of them don't bother you at all. The small ones will hang around your boat sometimes, but they are just curious. Whatever you do don't provoke them.

 

[JB]

Re: Corporate event: Everglades Holiday Park

Hmmmmm. You are probably a lot more likely to get lost than to get into a confrontation with a gator.

In all the years I fished out in the everglades the only problem I ever had with a gator was having them attack my bait or lure. If that happens let them have it.

Take a GPS on each boat and someone who knows how to use it. I didn't fish Seminole, so maybe getting lost is not a problem.

The first secret of catching fish is. . .keep your line wet.

Good luck.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Corporate event: Everglades Holiday Park

and don't feed the gators, they will get in the boat for more.