{"id":1355,"date":"2014-05-06T14:18:01","date_gmt":"2014-05-06T14:18:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/?p=1355"},"modified":"2016-07-18T03:07:36","modified_gmt":"2016-07-18T03:07:36","slug":"everglades-city-the-last-frontier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/everglades-city-the-last-frontier\/","title":{"rendered":"Everglades City: the last frontier"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A trip to the 10,000 Islands, where the tales are tall and the fish are hardy<\/p>\n<div\n\tclass=\"ngg-galleryoverview\"\n\tid=\"ngg-gallery-965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a-1\">\n\n    \t\t<!-- Thumbnails -->\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-0\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0115982-swop.jpg\"\n               title=\"A typical tourist attraction: hold a baby alligator for a buck.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0115982-swop.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0115982-swop.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"599\"\n               data-title=\"a0115982-swop\"\n               data-description=\"A typical tourist attraction: hold a baby alligator for a buck.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0115982-swop\"\n                    alt=\"a0115982-swop\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0115982-swop.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-1\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0115990.jpg\"\n               title=\"An airboat navigates through the waters leading out to the 10,000 Islands in Everglades City. The small town is known for its guided tours of the Everglades.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0115990.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0115990.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"600\"\n               data-title=\"a0115990\"\n               data-description=\"An airboat navigates through the waters leading out to the 10,000 Islands in Everglades City. The small town is known for its guided tours of the Everglades.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0115990\"\n                    alt=\"a0115990\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0115990.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-2\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116074.jpg\"\n               title=\"Boaters head out of Chokoloskee Bay to the 10,000 Islands.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116074.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116074.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"601\"\n               data-title=\"a0116074\"\n               data-description=\"Boaters head out of Chokoloskee Bay to the 10,000 Islands.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116074\"\n                    alt=\"a0116074\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116074.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-3\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116109.jpg\"\n               title=\"The local \u201chook it and cook it,\u201d the Seafood Depot is also known for its surf and turf specials on the water.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116109.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116109.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"602\"\n               data-title=\"a0116109\"\n               data-description=\"The local \u201chook it and cook it,\u201d the Seafood Depot is also known for its surf and turf specials on the water.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116109\"\n                    alt=\"a0116109\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116109.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-4\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116134-swop.jpg\"\n               title=\"Bill and Nick Potter, the owners of the Seafood Depot.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116134-swop.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116134-swop.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"603\"\n               data-title=\"a0116134-swop\"\n               data-description=\"Bill and Nick Potter, the owners of the Seafood Depot.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116134-swop\"\n                    alt=\"a0116134-swop\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116134-swop.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-5\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116146.jpg\"\n               title=\"A view outside the Rod &amp; Gun Club\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116146.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116146.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"604\"\n               data-title=\"a0116146\"\n               data-description=\"A view outside the Rod &amp; Gun Club\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116146\"\n                    alt=\"a0116146\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116146.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-6\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116245-swop.jpg\"\n               title=\"Inside the Rod &amp; Gun Club\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116245-swop.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116245-swop.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"605\"\n               data-title=\"a0116245-swop\"\n               data-description=\"Inside the Rod &amp; Gun Club\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116245-swop\"\n                    alt=\"a0116245-swop\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116245-swop.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-7\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116299.jpg\"\n               title=\"Tampa Bay native Tom Wisdo and his friends fish along the channel.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116299.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116299.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"606\"\n               data-title=\"a0116299\"\n               data-description=\"Tampa Bay native Tom Wisdo and his friends fish along the channel.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116299\"\n                    alt=\"a0116299\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116299.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-8\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116316-swop.jpg\"\n               title=\"\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116316-swop.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116316-swop.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"607\"\n               data-title=\"a0116316-swop\"\n               data-description=\"\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116316-swop\"\n                    alt=\"a0116316-swop\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116316-swop.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-9\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116400-swop.jpg\"\n               title=\"An alligator waits out the rain under a local airboat dock.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116400-swop.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116400-swop.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"608\"\n               data-title=\"a0116400-swop\"\n               data-description=\"An alligator waits out the rain under a local airboat dock.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116400-swop\"\n                    alt=\"a0116400-swop\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116400-swop.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-10\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116437-swop.jpg\"\n               title=\"Dirt roads reveal a family of deer outside Everglades City.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/a0116437-swop.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116437-swop.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"609\"\n               data-title=\"a0116437-swop\"\n               data-description=\"Dirt roads reveal a family of deer outside Everglades City.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"a0116437-swop\"\n                    alt=\"a0116437-swop\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_a0116437-swop.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-11\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/ec003-swop.jpg\"\n               title=\"The sun sets over the Bay near the docks outside the Seafood Depot.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/ec003-swop.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_ec003-swop.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"610\"\n               data-title=\"ec003-swop\"\n               data-description=\"The sun sets over the Bay near the docks outside the Seafood Depot.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"ec003-swop\"\n                    alt=\"ec003-swop\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_ec003-swop.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"ngg-image-12\" class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail-box\" >\n\t\t\t\t        <div class=\"ngg-gallery-thumbnail\">\n            <a href=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/gr004.jpg\"\n               title=\"The Rod and Gun Club (top and bottom) has housed some of Florida\u2019s most rich and famous for nearly a century.\"\n               data-src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/gr004.jpg\"\n               data-thumbnail=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_gr004.jpg\"\n               data-image-id=\"611\"\n               data-title=\"gr004\"\n               data-description=\"The Rod and Gun Club (top and bottom) has housed some of Florida\u2019s most rich and famous for nearly a century.\"\n               class=\"ngg-fancybox\" rel=\"965890b27faf9c3043b7018d95c0383a\">\n                <img\n                    title=\"gr004\"\n                    alt=\"gr004\"\n                    src=\"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-content\/gallery\/10000-islands\/thumbs\/thumbs_gr004.jpg\"\n                    width=\"120\"\n                    height=\"90\"\n                    style=\"max-width:100%;\"\n                \/>\n            <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t\t\n        \n\t\t\n\t\t<!-- Pagination -->\n\t<div class='ngg-clear'><\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n<p>The self-proclaimed fishing and stone crab capital of southwest Florida, Everglades City is a hidden enclave where a man can escape the hustle of city life and isolate himself on the Florida waters. The gateway to the 10,000 Islands hasn\u2019t grown much in its nearly 150-year existence, and the locals would just as well let it stay that way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a quiet fishing village with a ton of history,\u201d says local historian Timothy England.\u201d But they don\u2019t see it as history. They don\u2019t see it that way because that\u2019s their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some call it island mentality while others call it southern rebel pride and stubbornness. Stuck between Fort Myers and Miami, the town is overlooked yet literally right in the middle of it all. But even after years of isolation, it\u2019s these locals that keep Everglades City the true old Florida gem that it still is today.<\/p>\n<p><b>Old Florida Style<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Everglades City is located 200 miles south of Tampa and was founded in 1875 by white settlers who set up at the mouth of the 10,000 Islands to trade furs with Chokoloskee Indians. George T. Storter is considered the first homeowner in the city. The Storter family lived in the building that is now the Rod and Gun Club and owned much of Everglades City before Baron Collier came to town in 1923. That\u2019s when the town truly got its start.<\/p>\n<p>An advertising guru and entrepreneur, Collier declared Everglades City as the base for the ambitious statewide road: the Tamiami Trail. Much like Henry Flager, Collier was renowned buying and developing giant parcels of land throughout Florida. Everglades City, however, was one of his largest projects. In the 1920s, his goal was to make it into a \u201cmodel U.S. town,\u201d says England.<\/p>\n<p>Up until 1928, when the trail was officially opened, Collier brought a trolley, electricity, a library and hospital, movie theatres and a three-story department store to the city known for being merely a swamp. Thousands called Everglades City home by 1931. But the Great Depression soon hit and the town went into regression. The modern frills petered out and the population thinned.<\/p>\n<p>Not much has changed since then, and that\u2019s how the town likes it. During the 70s, a drug bust swept away several hundred locals to prison and netted nearly 500,000 pounds of marijuana. Two hurricanes nearly wiped the town clear. And the movie producers don\u2019t come knocking on doors as often.<\/p>\n<p>During peak season (Christmas to Easter), the population spikes at around 3,000, some locals say. Tourists come from all over the world to ride the airboats and see the parks. After the surge, the locals are the ones who hunker down and fight off the mosquitoes. That\u2019s when they truly rely on their biggest attraction these days: fishing.<\/p>\n<p>Tarpon, snook, mullet, stone crab, spiny lobster; Everglades City is synonymous with the greatest fishing in the state. And if you\u2019re going to come fishing in the \u2018Glades, you\u2019d better stay at the historic Rod and Gun Club.<\/p>\n<p><b>The Rod and Gun<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The Rod and Gun Club is undoubtedly the center of this small town known for big fishing. A genuine southern home on the Barron River turned premier fishing club, it was first built in 1864 by George Storter. The hotel has seen several owners and a few makeovers throughout the years\u2014including Collier, who took it over in 1922\u2014but has never changed its status as an upscale watering hole for the rich and famous.<\/p>\n<p><i>\u201cA few miles from where the emerald green water of the Gulf lap the wooded shores of the Everglades, there\u2019s a mighty fireplace where a man\u2019s man can join the symphony of red-blooded sport\u2014the bark of a rifle, the hum of a reel and the swish of a paddle.\u201d<\/i> \u2013 Collier County News advertisement, circa 1927.<\/p>\n<p>The pecky cypress wood, milled right from the Everglades, still lines the walls of the rustic hotel. Much of the furniture is original and displayed prominently with mounted grouper and tarpon trophies, as well as deer and alligator skins. Though the floors creak and there\u2019s no air conditioning, it hasn\u2019t stopped past presidents and some of the country\u2019s most famous actors from staying at the Rod and Gun.<\/p>\n<p>John Wayne, Ernest Hemingway, Burt Reynolds, Sally Fields, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Theodore Roosevelt are just a few of the names that have stayed here. Even though the resort has lost its luster over the years, it\u2019s still respected as a premier hotel of the south. The hospitality is unmatched and the historic preservation alone is reason to admire this establishment.<\/p>\n<p><b>Gone Fishin\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Odds are if you\u2019re staying at the Rod and Gun Club, you\u2019re in town for one reason: to fish. The main attraction in Everglades City has, and always will be, the fishing. Decades ago, men would venture into the swamp for adventure and today, they still come for the same reason: to hire a guide and roam the unknown.<\/p>\n<p>One of those men is Tom Wisdo, who lives in Tampa Bay but travels to Everglades City several times a year with his friends to fish the 10,000 Islands. The trout and reds are what attract Wisdo to the area, but it\u2019s also the history of the city and the local legends that keep him coming back.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe locals are friendly and the natural terrain around the community has not changed in hundreds of years,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s great to fish all day and catch all kinds of fish, come in late in the afternoon and sit on our porch overlooking the Everglades while enjoying a good bourbon and a fine cigar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After a long day of fishing, Wisdo likes to take his catch to the Seafood Depot, a local \u201chook it and cook it\u201d restaurant owned by lifelong Everglades City resident Bill Potter. It\u2019s common to hear airboats rumble by along the river as guests dine at the former train stop turned waterfront restaurant.<\/p>\n<p>Bill says his business was hit hard by the Gulf oil spill and even though he did have a good season in 2011, the area is far different than it was more than a decade ago. That\u2019s a sentiment that local fisherman Buddy Grimm echoes. Octopus, goliath grouper and federal regulations have made it much harder for him to fish in the 10,000 Islands.<\/p>\n<p>Despite all the hardships and despite living in a small town unknown to most people, Potter\u2019s son Nick says he can\u2019t imagine living somewhere other than Everglades City.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s such a small town and at times I hate it but I\u2019d never live anywhere else,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p><b>Where to Stay<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The Rod and Gun Club, 200 Riverside Dr., Everglades City, FL 34139<\/p>\n<p>239.695.2101<\/p>\n<p>evergladesrodandgun.com<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Everglades Isle Motorcoach Retreat, 803 N. Collier Ave., Everglades City, Florida 34139<\/p>\n<p>239.695.2600<\/p>\n<p>evergladesisle.com<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Where to Eat<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Seafood Depot, 102 Collier Ave., Everglades City, FL 34139<\/p>\n<p>239.695.0075<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The Rod and Gun Club, 200 Riverside Dr., Everglades City, FL 34139<\/p>\n<p>239.695.2101<\/p>\n<p>evergladesrodandgun.com<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Who to Hire<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Captain Brian Richardson<\/p>\n<p>239.340.0265<\/p>\n<p>everglades-fishing.com<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Captain Brandon Acosta<\/p>\n<p>239.253.9926<\/p>\n<p>evergladescityfishingcharters.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A trip to the 10,000 Islands, where the tales are tall and the fish are hardy The self-proclaimed fishing and stone crab capital of southwest Florida, Everglades City is a hidden enclave where a man can escape the hustle of city life and isolate himself on the Florida waters. The gateway to the 10,000 Islands [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1356,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1759,5,1764],"tags":[779,1702,1698,1703,1699,1700,1701],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1355"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1355\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southtampamagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}