What else are you going to do? | Waterline

All doctors seem to agree that outdoor activities are relatively safe, if you keep your distance and wear masks if need be. Well, I have an 18-foot skiff, and with me on the poling platform and you on my bow, our faces are 16.5 feet apart (I measured). With buffs on and a breeze continuously blowing, I think it’s about safe as you can get.

The only thing that has changed is the celebration after landing that good fish. No more hugs, slaps on the back or secret handshakes. Instead, a distant thumbs up, or at most a full-length, stretched-out, light-touch fist bump (with or without the finger explosion) will have to do.

Maybe this will turn out like Thanksgiving where I got a last-minute call for a charter. Why not a Christmas Eve charter? That would be great. I could do that. I would do that! What else is there to do? Well, you all know as well as my beautiful wife that there is nothing I’d rather do than to go fish. If I don’t get that charter call and the weather is good, I’ll be on the water for a few hours anyway.

But how about you? Maybe you could take a drive to Everglades City. We just did that for our anniversary a few days ago. Of course, we stopped and I fished the bridges and canals going and coming. I’ve never seen so much water moving down there. It made the fishing a little more difficult than usual because the fish aren’t as concentrated, but the snook, cichlids, gar, bream and bass were still bending my 5 weight.

It’s an easy trip — about two hours from our home in Englewood — and there were very few people hanging around in town. We went hiking on trails and boardwalks while bird and gator watching. We saw thousands of birds come in to roost for the evening at the 10,000 Island Marsh Trail observation tower, and went again before sunrise (dark thirty) to watch them wake up and go to work. It’s amazing to watch and listen to all the activity and chatter of that everyday event.

If you are intent on a little more walk-around fishing, take a drive on the Turner River Road loop (gravel) north off of U.S. 41. You can fish the canal almost all the way around that 16-mile loop. There are lots of gators and sights to see and the fishing was good. We were wearing our flops of course, but we saw a few snakes sunning along roads and paths — so as always, watch your step.

You could also take a drive on Loop Road, which is a little farther east and heads south off of 41. It is 17 miles of gravel with creeks and waterways for gators and fishing also.

Don’t expect to finish the loop though. Maybe by Christmas Eve it will be dry, but where the Loop turns into the paved Shark Alley road (paved) by the Loop Road Education Center it was 3 to 4 inches under water. They had not closed the road, but I think it would have been a tough drive to the closed Ed Center and the closed Shark Valley Visitor Center and Bobcat Boardwalk.

As you drive back to Everglades City veer right just before you cross the bridge into town and pull into Captain Jack’s. When was the last time you took an airboat ride? It had been years for me and never for Diane. We took a ride through the mangroves for almost an hour. I don’t want to say much, but I will tell you this: It’s not just a putt-along ride. They are also very careful with distancing and seating, so we felt safe on our ride.

If you want a bite to eat, head for Nely’s Corner inside of the Everglades Fishing Company. This little café has a surprisingly diverse menu for breakfast and lunch until they close at 4 o’clock. And I just checked — they are both open today as you read this.

If travel is out of the question, there’s always staying at home and going for a virtual visit with the Big Guy himself, or an online elf-guided tour of the North Pole. This is the first time in 160 years that Macy’s does not have a Santa to talk to and take pictures with, but I heard there are a couple of malls that have a “contactless” picture taking with Santa where you stay 6 feet away from Santa.

That sounds like fun! Maybe afterward we’ll do a binge watch of Hallmark Christmas movies. (Please, just poke needles in my eyes.)

Seriously though, make sure the kids or grandkids know that Santa is magically immune to Covid-19 and will be making his rounds as usual with no coronavirus worries. NORAD will be up and running tracking Santa’s travels around the globe like they have been doing for the last 65 years.

Whatever you do today and tomorrow, enjoy it, be safe, and have a very Merry Christmas. Oh, and …

Capt. Rex Gudgel is a fly fishing guide in the Boca Grande area and an International Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified casting instructor. If you’d like to take casting lessons, book a trip or just need more fly fishing info, contact him at 706-254-3504 or visit BocaGrandeSlamFlyFishing.com or CastWithRex.com.