The Indian River is 121 miles long and it runs throughout the Indian River Lagoon system in East Florida. The river system runs right along the coast and it forms the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Its name came from the Rio de Ais Indian tribe and along the river, you’ll find dozens of incredibly historic Florida towns.
So, what draws people here? Why would it be worth it for you to leave your cozy little sleepy town to visit Florida for a river?
If you stick around long enough, you just might find out. Indian River fishing is some of the best in Florida. There’s a large variety of species, really healthy water, plenty of access points, and great opportunities to fish brackish inshore water.
Indian River Inlet Fishing
The Indian River Lagoon is minutes away from the Orlando International Airport and it stretches for 121 miles from New Smyrna Beach down to Vero Beach. On the way, it passes through other highly desirable areas such as Cocoa Beach and Sebastian. This river is one of the top destinations in the world for record spotted sea trout and redfish. Not to mention a majority of state records set in the state of Florida happened on the river.
The Northern stretch of the Indian River at Cape Canaveral houses the Kennedy Space Station so if that’s your cup of tea, millions have sat along the shorelines to watch NASA rocket launches over the years.
On the Eastern portion of the river is where you’ll find the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Here you can see acres upon acres of alligators, dolphins, birds, otters, and manatees.
Indian River fishing is so much more than fishing, it’s great fun and wonderful activities for the whole family even if you’re visiting with a crew that isn’t as into fishing as you are. There are plenty of things for everyone to see.
Indian River Inlet Fishing Report: Top Catches
Alright, enough about all of that; let’s talk fishing. If you’re visiting the Indian River to snag some picture-worthy catches then you’ll want to know what you can expect to find. The Indian River is well known for having a large number of fish and plenty of different species.
Redfish
Redfish are the number one catch throughout the Indian River Lagoon system and when you think of a true Florida fishing experience, this is where your mind goes. There are plenty of grassy shallow waters throughout the riverbanks so it’s the perfect habitat for redfish.
One thing that redfish are known for is having a heavy appetite and they’ll feast on everything that comes their way. They’re attracted to a lot of different lures and live baits so you really don’t have to think about it too much. Most locals recommend going with soft plastic and sight fishing along with the shallow parts of the river.
Spinning gear is the tackle of choice and it’s a great choice if you don’t have a lot of experience. Interestingly enough, most of the record size redfish caught in this river have actually been caught with flies. So, you have your choice.
I’d suggest bringing a large variety of lures with you and making your choice based on the situation that day. Pay attention to the weather, take a look at your surroundings, and talk with other anglers and anyone else you come in contact with when you reach the river.
Speckled Trout
This is a world-famous destination for speckled trout and it’s no surprise. The state record for speckled trout was caught here and weighed in at more than 17 pounds. The best part about fishing for specks here is the fact that there is a large quantity of fish in this size range. It’s not uncommon for someone to simply stumble upon one without even chasing it down.
The reason for this is the ecosystem. It’s prime territory for speckled trout because of the grassy beds and mangroves that attract tons of shrimp and mullet which is exactly what the speckled trout want to feed on. It makes it really easy to blend in and with the right presentation and lure you should have no problem being able to attract them to you too.
Locals suggest getting to the river early or right before dusk when you have an overcast sky. These are the ideal trout fishing conditions. They recommend light spinning tackle here as well and prepare for a fight when you hook one.
Tarpon
This wouldn’t be a Florida fishing guide without talking about Tarpon. This river is like a tarpon highway and they just fly up and down the river. The silver king is a hard-fighting, challenging, and acrobatic fish that inhabits the water year-round so you don’t have to time your trip that carefully if this is the species you’re after.
The locals recommend fishing Ponce Inlet during the summer months though if you’re really after some Tarpon. You might want to size up your tackle a little bit because tarpon put up quite a fight and they’re not the easiest fish to get into the boat unless you’ve got the right line and rod on your side.
Top Indian River Fishing Spots
Now that you have an idea of what kind of fish you’ll catch, you’ll need to get a little more specific on where you want to fish. Keep in mind that this river is huge so don’t expect to drop in on very many of these locations because the river stretches down a large portion of the east coast of Florida.
New Smyrna Beach
If you want to start at the top and attempt to work your way down, New Smyrna Beach is where you’ll start. It’s the northernmost section of the river and there are plenty of ways for you to access it. Here you’ll find some of the largest redfish and plenty of sea trout as well. If you’re looking for a New Smyrna Beach fishing charter, this is where you’ll want to look as well.
Titusville
Working our way down, the next stop on the river is Titusville. It’s the ideal shallow water location and it’s right across the way from the Kennedy Space Center. If you find the Causeway Bridge you know you’ve found the best place on the water for Tarpon and Snook. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to catch a rocket launch, plan accordingly!
Melbourne
Melbourne is home to great Indian River Lagoon fishing because it offers great shallow water opportunities for kayak anglers. There are plenty of locations to rent a kayak from if you didn’t bring your own as well. Not to mention the fact that the water is saturated with huge redfish and speckled trout. If you’re looking for the spot with the highest concentration of large fish, Melbourne is the stop you won’t want to miss.
Sebastian
If you’re planning a trip around the fall, Sebastian is the place you want to go. The mullet run happens between September and October and it’s a beautiful thing to see. Not to mention the fact that the snook and redfish will be chasing down the mullet so it brings upon some excellent fishing opportunities as well.
Vero Beach
Fly anglers, hold onto your hat because Vero Beach is the spot for you. There are hundreds of places for you to wade and find incredibly productive snook and redfish angling. There are not quite as many places to launch a boat if that’s your game but MacWilliam Park is one of them and there are many great activities for the whole family here.
Indian River Fishing: How to Do It
The last choice you have to make is how you plan to tackle these brackish waters. You’ve got a few choices but we always recommend one for certain.
Charter a Boat
We suggest chartering whenever you can, especially if you’re not familiar with the area. There are great Florida fishing charters dotted up and down the Indian River in places like New Smyrna Beach, Melbourne, Cocoa Beach, and more.
Fishing alongside a captain is always a great way to go because you don’t have to worry about bringing gear, you can piggyback off their knowledge, and they’ll make sure you catch something. In fact, many fishing charters have a “catch” guarantee otherwise you get a portion or all of your money back. If you’re really looking to create a unique experience, we highly suggest chartering a boat.
Wading
Few things in this world compare to the feeling of wade fishing on the Indian River. It allows you to get up close and personal with the ecosystem and target exactly where you want to fish. The big advantage is that you don’t need anything other than your rod and reel. If you’re traveling light or roughing it “nomad style” all you need to do is grab your waders and get in the river.
Most of the places that local anglers recommend are around bridges that run over the river. These are ideal locations but you’ll want to look out for overhanging trees, mangroves, and tall grassy areas as well. Just be careful and watch out for private property signs.
Kayaking
This is the epitome of Indian River Florida fishing. If you want to immerse yourself in the wildlife, kayaking is a great way to do so. It allows you to navigate the water gently so you don’t scare the fish away but you also get to target specific locations because a kayak will permit access to much shallower water than most boats.
If you’ve kayak fished before, this won’t be as challenging for you but you’ll want to make sure you have a plan before hitting the water. If you’re new to it, you might want to look for a kayak guided fishing trip because kayak fishing requires a lot more strength, conditioning, and experience than you think.
Final Thoughts
If the trophy-sized redfish and exceptional ecosystem didn’t sell you, you’ll want to try Indian River fishing simply for the beautiful and majestic scenery. They don’t call this area the Treasure Coast for nothing. The Indian River offers some of the greatest fishing on the East Coast and we think it should be on every serious angler’s bucket list.
The amenities aren’t much at Everglades Holiday Park: weathered boat ramps, chickee huts and wooden benches. The rustic souvenir shop sells bait, beer and toy alligators. There are no color schemes or elaborate park maps, only a welcome sign with a sketch of where to park: airboats to one side, guests to the other. It’s a slice of Old Florida, much the same scene that has greeted visitors for more than two decades. And that’s the way the regulars — hunters, fishermen and bikers — like it.
“The Everglades is one of the last places that’s untouched by man, and we should keep it that way,” said park manager Clint Bridges.
Broward County officials don’t share that sentiment. They want to take it over and make it over, including providing more parking, walking paths and a learning center in place of the campsite. “Our commission wants to make it be at the standard of our other parks,” said Bob Harbin, director of Parks and Recreation for the county, “rather than below standards, the way it looks right now.”
The park sits at the end of Griffin Road on Broward’s western edge, a gateway to the Everglades. A one-lane bridge leads inside. The park is always open and admission is free. Park employees have no uniforms, just whatever cotton clothing they like. After all, this is the Everglades, and it’s always hot. Humidity hangs in the air. Squawking peacocks preen around the parking lot until suddenly silenced by the roar of airboat engines, carrying gawking tourists.
Every day, visitors — a mix of overdressed South Beach trendsetters and casually-dressed families with children in tow — line up at the souvenir shop, browsing through Everglades history books and checking out T-shirts imprinted with a large alligator and the phrase “Bite Me.” Ice cream, beef jerky, boiled peanuts and fried alligator nuggets are for sale. Outside, fishermen try their luck in the waters, considered among the best in the country for bass. Trucks, vans and SUVs back up, with owners like Harry Whitmore gently lowering boats into shallow waters for launch. The North Miami man calls his 18-foot tracker grizzly “American Dream.”
“This is what I worked for,” Whitmore, 70, said as he and his wife Eleanor prepared to fire the engine. “Retire and fish.”
He has plenty of company. Clint Bridges estimates about 350,000 to 400,000 people visit annually, although those numbers are down about 6 percent this year. Broward County has owned the park land since the 1960s, when it leased the acres to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for a nominal fee.
In 1982, FWC leased the land to Mitchell Bridges, described by his son as a Georgia boy who spent most of his free time running airboats in the Everglades. Clint Bridges said his father, now retired, mortgaged the family home and gave running the place a shot. The land already had boat slips and a small store. Mitchell Bridges and wife Linda added chickee huts, the campground and, at one point, a zoo, which was shut down after a tussle with Broward officials.
These days, about 70 people regularly rent space on the campsite, a large swath of grass with 100 spaces for recreational vehicles and 36 spots for tents. Airboat tickets, boat rentals and souvenir sales also bring in money. This piece of the rustic South Florida wilderness is a consistent moneymaker.
In recent years, the Bridges have given FWC between $200,000 and $300,000 a year. The Bridges and their company keep the rest. As the lease is currently set up, the land owner — Broward County — gets nothing. All of that could end in three years when the Bridges’ lease runs out. Broward has asked FWC not to renew it.
“The county simply wants their property back, so we are giving it back to them,” said Chuck Collins, FWC’s regional director in South Florida. The county already has a vision for the park’s future and leaders have set aside $1.4 million for renovations. Those dollars are part of a long-term list of construction projects and won’t become available until 2011. But they are noted in this year’s proposed spending plan, which awaits County Commission approval. Broward’s plans show new boat ramps and buildings, all with easy access for the disabled. Paths wind along the property’s south end, near the swamp buggy launch.
County officials have said they will keep the park open 24-7, a critical feature for anglers who go out before daybreak and hunters looking for ducks and frogs. But they’ve also kept mum about if they will charge an entrance fee. The campground — where people live for months at a time in trailers so long as they can pay — will close. It does not match the county definition of camping, Harbin said. An education center will take its place. The county may have an ally in FWC Commissioner Ron Bergeron, a prominent Broward road builder and Everglades enthusiast, who has spent decades fishing and hunting in the swamp.
For years, Bergeron has been looking to build an Everglades museum. He has looked at several locations. Everglades Holiday Park “gives you the real experience,” he said. Would all these changes be for the best? That depends on who answers the question.
To county leaders, this is progress. To park regulars and employees, this is government meddling. “What standards?” asked Justin Hiteshew, 37, moments after he tossed out a line for a few bass before heading to work at the park, where he keeps the store stocked and checks the boats for maintenance.
“It’s the Everglades. It’s supposed to be wild.”
Others are less adamant but cautious. For example, the county’s plan to add parking was a great thing for fishing tournaments, said Rick Persson with South Florida Anglers for Everglades Restoration. But he fears the county’s design could create congestion for boaters.
“We’re happy with the way it is,” Persson said of the park. “You’re always a little skeptical about change. Change is sometimes not for the best.’ That depends on who answers the question.
To county leaders, this is progress. To park regulars and employees, this is government meddling. “What standards?” asked Justin Hiteshew, 37, moments after he tossed out a line for a few bass before heading to work at the park, where he keeps the store stocked and checks the boats for maintenance.
“It’s the Everglades. It’s supposed to be wild.”
Others are less adamant but cautious. For example, the county’s plan to add parking was a great thing for fishing tournaments, said Rick Persson with South Florida Anglers for Everglades Restoration. But he fears the county’s design could create congestion for boaters.
“We’re happy with the way it is,” Persson said of the park. “You’re always a little skeptical about change. Change is sometimes not for the best.”
Till next time tight lines and good fishing…. From Staff Writer BASSonline) fishing@bassonline.com BassOnline.com / 888-829-BASS
By Bob Wattendorf, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Saturday January 31st, 2009
If you are like me, you’ve probably heard, “You should have been here yesterday; the fishing was great,” more times than you can count. And if like me, you’re tired of that phrase, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has come to the rescue.
FWC biologists continue to give anglers the best advice on the location of some of the sweetest honey holes to cast a line in Florida. That means you might be the next one bragging about a whopper of a day spent fishing.
Fisheries biologists used a variety of clues, including the recent fishing history of various lakes and rivers based on creel surveys, Big Catch angler-recognition records and electrofishing results. They also evaluated habitat conditions, water flow and young-of-the-year survival from the previous year to suggest the top destinations for 2009. Lists of the best places to go for bass, crappie, bream, catfish and stripers are posted at MyFWC.com/Fishing/Forecast. In addition, regional biologists check with local fishing guides and bait-and-tackle shops quarterly (January, April, July, October) to get insights into how major fisheries are producing and what anglers are using successfully on a variety of lakes and rivers throughout the year. The same Web site will give you access to that information, along with local contact numbers for up-to-minute updates.
Here’s a brief overview of the sites FWC biologists are recommending to the angling public for 2009, but remember at any day the bite can be on in a different time and place – from a small community pond to 470,000-acre Lake Okeechobee. With over 7,700 named lakes in Florida and 12,000 miles of fishable rivers, streams and canals, you’re never far from an opportunity to relax and wet a line – time that is always well spent communing with nature.
Site
Size and Counties
Featured species Apalachicola River/Lake Seminole
106 miles, 37,500 acres; Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Liberty
striped bass, channel, flathead and blue catfish
Grab a friend or relative and try out one of these sites, or investigate a local water hole to create your own list of top fishing destinations. Then pass it on to whoever will listen and let them know the fishing was great – yesterday. Always remember: A bad day fishing beats a great day at work.
BassOnline.com is Florida Fishing largest Freshwater Guide Service, specializing in Florida bass fishing in the Florida lakes, canals and rivers for largemouth and peacock bass.
To learn more about Florida bass fishing, visit Bass Fishing Blog
Disney & Bass Fishing in Orlando, Florida
Ask any 10-year-old and they will assure you that Walt Disney World is the capital of Florida. For most families with kids or teens, this attraction is the No. 1 priority when visiting Florida. But it will take more than a weekend (or even a week) to cover Disney’s 47-square-mile kingdom. To make the most of your time, Disney has a free DVD vacation planner to help you map out the perfect trip.
“Most people don’t realize that Disney World is more than just the Magic Kingdom, says Dave Herbst, Walt Disney media spokesperson. “We actually have four theme parks the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom two water parks Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s Downtown West End, Marketplace and Pleasure Island.
If you do plan to spend the majority of your vacation at Disney World, you will save time and money by staying at one of the 25 onsite hotels, which range in price and style from affordable to luxurious. Staying onsite offers several advantages: customized ticket packages, meal plans, hassle-free transportation between hotels and parks, and extended hours at the parks.
For a unique vacation experience, try Disneys Animal Kingdom Lodge. This luxury accommodation is surrounded by a 33-acre savannah with more than 30 species of African wildlife that can be viewed from your private balcony.
Some of the fun educational activities offered at the Lodge include animal tracking and safaris, African crafts and games, and folktales told nightly around the outdoor Arusha Rock fire pit. At Bomo Flavors of Africa, a family-friendly buffet offering breakfast and dinner, happy vacationers can experience cuisine from 50 African countries. Adults will enjoy the AAA Four-Diamond Jiko, The Cooking Place, which boasts the worlds largest selection of South African wines, as well as excellent multicultural cuisine.
Although Orlando is known for its great theme parks Disney, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, Sea World and Cypress Gardens (Orlandos very first theme park) the area offers a wealth of other fun and educational opportunities. Downtown Orlando is home to the Orlando Science Center with multiple floors of hands-on exhibits for kids, giant-screen films and the largest refractor telescope in Florida. And if you happen to be in town during basketball season, get tickets to see the NBAs Orlando Magic.
Interested in Biblical history? Orlando has a very unique theme park that will take you back in time 2,000 years. The Holy Land Experience explores the ancient city of Jerusalem through biblical exhibits, models and performances.
While Orlando boasts 52 million square feet of retail shopping and nine world-class malls, for kid-friendly shopping that will earn you a parent-of-the-year award, visit the 4,400-square-foot, free-standing LEGO Imagination Center and the largest Disney character store on earth, both located at Downtown Disney. Grab lunch at Bahama Breeze Island Grill and enjoy a tropical setting with an outstanding menu of fresh Caribbean-inspired dishes for adults and kids. Since you are in Florida, be sure to order their famous Rebeccas Key Lime Pie.
Several of Floridas state parks (161 in total) are within easy driving distance of Orlando and offer a variety of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. Blue Spring State Park, with the largest spring on St. Johns River, is a designated Manatee Refuge and winter home (mid-November to March) for a growing number of West Indian Manatees. Bring a picnic lunch and cool off in the 72-degree spring where you can swim, snorkel or scuba dive. Cabins are also available for overnight stays.
You don’t have to go all the way to the Everglades to experience Floridas wetlands and wildlife. Several locations in and around Orlando offer airboat rides as well as full and half-day fishing trips. Orlando is one of the most popular places in the world to go bass fishing, the home of the BASS Masters Classic and just got to visit place for any fishermen in the family is fun for the whole family.
Heres a wave of grown-up-style fun redefining the Orlando experience,” says Amy Scott, relations representative for the Orlando Visitors Bureau. “From trendy restaurants and couture shopping to brand-name luxury hotels and spas and a growing cultural arts scene, adults have a variety of sophisticated new experiences to indulge in.”
The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is one of those luxury hotel resorts that aims to be for adults what Disney World is for children. This 1,500-acre resort includes an equestrian center, racquet club, fitness center, lake, pitch and putt golf course, and a one-half-acre pool with several waterfalls and a swim-through grotto and bar. With 45 acres of natural Florida terrain, including a nature area and Audubon Walk with elevated boardwalk, you will find it hard to believe you are almost next door to Disneys Downtown area. While at the resort, dont miss the superb seven-course wine-pairing dinner at La Coquina Chefs Table a perfect spot for a romantic celebration.
Want an adult vacation that will allow you to bring your extended family? The Ginn Reunion Resort, located just six miles south of Disney World, is the perfect spot to satisfy everyones vacation itineraries. Accommodations include a choice of condominiums, villas and multi-family homes. The resort is within easy reach of the theme parks, yet miles away from the hustle and bustle. Guests enjoy three signature golf courses, a fitness center, tennis courts, a rooftop pool and lounge, a full-service spa and excellent food at Forte, a contemporary chophouse. Relax or play at the resort or spend the day away.
If your’e still a kid at heart and would like to enjoy some of the theme parks at a more leisurely pace, visit Epcot in the evening and take the 1.3-mile walk around the 11 countries in World Showcase. Stop for dinner in Germany to enjoy folk dancing and an oompah band, belly dancers in Morocco, or singing waiters in Italy. Be sure to stay for the IllumiNations nightly outdoor show of fireworks, music and laser lights.
Another option is Disneys Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios, both of which offer sights and activities for those who would rather skip the zero-gravity thrill rides. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, stop in the Brown Derby Restaurant to view sketches of famous Hollywood stars and sample their famous Cobb Salad and Grapefruit Cake.
If you enjoy the nightclub scene, both Universal City Walk and Downtown Disneys Pleasure Island offer a variety of musical and comedy clubs. Two shows you wont want to miss are the famous Cirque du Soleil, La Nouba, with its mesmerizing acrobatics and stunning costumes (Disneys West End), and the Blue Man Group offering a unique evening of music, comedy and multimedia theatrics (Universal Studios).
Enjoy a traveling Broadway show or Orlandos own ballet, opera or Philharmonic orchestra at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre in downtown Orlando. The downtown area is also home to several museums, including the Orlando Museum of Art the Mennello Museum of American Art and the Orange County Regional History Center, a Smithsonian affiliate. Dont miss the Harry P. Leu Gardens, a 50-acre botanical park featuring the largest documented collection of camellias in the nation.
Take a day to get off the beaten path with a trip to the quaint, brick-lined town of Winter Park. Stroll down Park Avenue with its upscale boutiques and restaurants, and be sure to sample the famous chocolate popcorn at Peterbrook Chocolatier. Have lunch at Caf de France, a favorite with locals who appreciate its authentic French food and excellent service.
After lunch, visit The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, which is home to the worlds most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, including an elaborate chapel interior. End your relaxing day with a scenic one-hour boat tour on Lake Osceola.
Whether you plan to ride every theme park ride, explore the cultured side of the city or simply cocoon yourself at a luxury resort or enjoy a day of bass fishing on of the lakes, Orlando has it all!
Law enforcement officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) cited a Sawgrass Recreation Park airboat captain, Charles W. Riley, D.O.B 10-28-47, of Tamarac, Florida with failing to report a boating accident, a misdemeanor, and careless operation, an infraction.
The FWC filed the charges after the airboat Riley was driving, a 28-foot Diamondback, took on water and sank in an Everglades marsh Oct. 4. The incident was not reported to the FWC until Oct. 7.
FWC investigators determined the airboat’s capacity is 23 people. There were 37 people (cruise ship passengers) on board the vessel when water came over the bow. The boat sank in 6-8 feet of alligator-infested water 100 yards north of Sawgrass Recreation Parkin western Broward County.
Other airboat captains in the area rescued the tourists, among them young children. Some suffered minor injuries. Approximately $5,000 in personal items was destroyed, including cameras and cellular phones.
FWC investigators concluded the airboat was overloaded with people, which caused the boat to sink.
BY ED KILLER edward.killer@scripps.com
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
OKEECHOBEE — This small lakeside community and its even tighter-knit fishing community was shaken Sunday by news that one of its well-known anglers and business owners was suddenly gone.
Paul “Bubba” Helton, 57, of Okeechobee fell from his bass boat Saturday afternoon while returning to Okeechobee from across the lake. Helton’s boat was one of six that had spent the morning fishing and having lunch in Clewiston.
At about 3:30 p.m., Helton reportedly slipped from the deck of his 21-foot bass boat about 10 miles south of Indian Prairie Canal after stopping for a short break from the 30-mile boat ride.
“There was a little bit of a swell on the lake, and he stood up and slipped overboard,” reported Capt. Larry Wright who spoke to the three passengers on Helton’s boat. “They said he popped right back up, but showed no signs of struggling or distress.”
Helton was not wearing a life jacket. The depth of the water was about seven feet.
Wright said that he appeared to dive back beneath the waves, perhaps to retrieve his glasses from the lake bottom, thought the other boaters. But after a few minutes, Helton failed to return to the surface and the passengers took action.
One called authorities while the other two threw out anchors to stop the boat’s drift and then jumped into the water to physically try to help Helton. After hours of searching, they were unable to find him.
Law enforcement officials arrived about an hour later. Officials searched for Helton until darkness Saturday. His body was found Sunday afternoon at about 5 p.m. by an aerial search by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He was found about a half mile from where the incident occurred.
The cause of death is unknown. An autopsy will be performed in Fort Myers.
Helton will be missed.
“He was like a brother to me,” said Red Altman of Okeechobee, a former fishing guide and bass tournament angler who worked on the lake for years along with Helton. Altman was best man at Helton’s wedding to Margaret over 15 years ago. “He moved to Florida from Tennessee 22 years ago and was a big Volunteers fan. I’m a Gator fan. It was about the only thing we didn’t see eye to eye on.”
Wright will miss Helton’s straightforward approach.
“We had our moments where we would bump heads, but it was over as soon as it began,” said Wright who guided out of and often helped man Garrard’s Bait and Tackle owned by the Heltons. “He was the kind of friend that if you called him at 3 a.m., he wouldn’t ask questions, he would just be there.”
Helton was often an outspoken critic of water management policies when it came to Lake Okeechobee’s water level and quality. He told Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers in June 2007 that in his opinion, the mismanagement of Lake Okeechobee that spring sent small businesses into an economic tailspin.
Altman said there will be a remembrance for Helton from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Buxton Funeral Home, 110 Northeast 5th Street, Okeechobee. For directions visit www.buxtonfuneralhome.com or call (863) 763-1994.
From Staff and Wire Reports BassOnline.com
888-629-BASS (2277)
