ON THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA. 221 



CHAPTER XVI. 



CESAR'S CREEK. 

 TWENTY-FOUR MILES FROM MIAMI. 

 This is the pass between Elliots Key, north, and old Rhodes Key, 

 south and is one of the most noted and important sport fishing places 

 on the coast. All the fishes of the Keys are at times taken here. It 

 is especially frequented by sportsmen after Tarpon, which are very 

 often running in the outside channel. 



Hogfish are more plentiful here than in any locality I have visited, 

 and are & caught in the outside channel just inside the line of the Keys 

 in about fifteen feet of water, 5* or 6* hook, 15, 18, or 21 line, rod 

 and reel, still fishing on the bottom. A little farther out in the 

 channel, in eight to twelve feet of water a great variety are caught. 

 Sharks plentiful, Rays not bad. Mangrove Snappers and Groupers 

 in the channel at each place designated, and along the shores where 

 there is deep water under the mangroves j but the good fishing does 

 not extend far into the cut to the west, and the western end and the 

 approaches to it are not good. 



The outer channel here is peculiar, in that it has the appearance 

 of a canal for two miles out from the line of Keys, with shallow banks 

 on each side, north and south. On the south side, near the shore, 

 there is a cut or deeper place through the bank carrying two and a 

 half feet of water. Boats drawing only that water can go over and 

 save the long run out to the end of the channel or canal. 



BROAD CREEK. 

 TWENTY-SIX MILES FROM MIAMI. 

 This creek is the pass between Old Rhodes Key, north, and Palo 

 Alto Key, south. There is no channel through from the bay to out- 

 side. One starts from the bay and runs about half way between the 

 Keys to half the distance through, when the water decreases to half 

 a foot, then, in a short distance, it again deepens and runs out to the 



