Me and the family spent 11 days in South West Florida over the Christmas holiday: Fishing for catfish, goliath grouper, sheepshead, snaper and even hunting Burmese pythons in the Everglades. This is our VLOG from the entire trip. We filmed all the fishing trips and python hunting and will be posting stand alone videos later of those trips: Including a python catch and cook video, a Sheepshead catch and cook video, a 100 catfish fishing challenge, a video about making a fishing pole out of palm leaves and goliath grouper fishing video.
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TravelTranscript
00:00Hey Luke here at the Outdoor Boys YouTube channel and today the Nichols family is going
00:24on a bit of an adventure, a road trip in fact.
00:28We're packing up everybody in the car and we're going to head down to Florida for the
00:31Christmas holiday.
00:33And I've got to get all of this in there.
00:39Thirty years of Tetris, seventeen years of marriage, and six years with kids.
00:44I've got mad dad skills.
00:47Boom!
00:48Well guys, we're traveling from Virginia all the way to southern Florida and we're going
00:52to do something kind of fun.
00:53I'm going to put together these little treasure boxes full of catfish and carp stickers.
00:57This is my other YouTube channel.
01:00And some gear, some swag, some throwing knives, hip flasks, fishing hooks, we've got a little
01:06bit of everything.
01:07I'm going to put together these treasure chests and I'm going to hide them in the various
01:11states and cities we pass through on our way to Florida.
01:14And I'm going to leave clues and GPS coordinates at the end of this video for you guys to be
01:19able to find it.
01:20So let me show you what we've got going on for the next sixteen hours here.
01:23We've got Tommy ready to go.
01:25Yeah, we're going to play Sneezy the Snowman.
01:28Sneezy the Snowman.
01:29Let's see what we've got with Jacob here.
01:31Yeah, Jacob's ready to go.
01:33Nathan, you packed up?
01:35You good?
01:36Yeah.
01:37Good.
01:38We took less stuff on our month-long world tour than we did on this trip to Florida.
01:42You ready to go?
01:43Yeah.
01:44Alright, let's do this.
01:45Jacob's not...
01:46I'm not...
01:47Alright, we're hiding treasure boxes now.
01:56Well, it's been an 18-hour drive, but we're finally here.
02:13It's now three in the morning.
02:14I'm a little tired, so I'm going to put this up, go to bed, and I'll give you a little
02:18bit of a tour in the morning.
02:21Oh, I'm tired.
02:26Alright, guys, I'm up.
02:27Let's do a little tour of the house here.
02:30Oh, look at this.
02:32Yeah, we've got a pool, and we've got a boat slip and a dock back there.
02:39A little canal access.
02:41We're going to do some fishing videos right here off the back of the house.
02:45We're going to be doing several fishing videos on this trip, and I'm going to be posting
02:51fishing videos in their entirety on my other channel, the Catfish and Carp YouTube channel.
02:56But, this video is going to be kind of more of an overview vlog about the whole trip.
03:02So, I'll show a little bit of footage from fishing, but if you want to see the whole
03:06thing, you've got to go to Catfish and Carp.
03:08Today is going to be a take-it-easy sort of day.
03:10I've got to go unpack the car, we've got to get some breakfast, brush my teeth.
03:17Yeah, we've got a lot to do today.
03:20What are you doing, Nathan?
03:21I'm relaxing.
03:22Oh, you're relaxing.
03:23Nice.
03:24Are you excited to go in the pool?
03:25Yeah.
03:26We've got to figure out how to turn on the heater.
03:28I really want to go in there!
03:32Look at this.
03:33Look at that, a papaya tree right in the front yard.
03:37That's pretty cool.
03:39Look at this.
03:40It's landscaped with seashells.
03:44Guys, what do you want to do today?
03:46I want to go in the pool.
03:48Pool?
03:50I am going to do a little fishing and find out what's in the water over there.
03:55Let's see.
03:57I can't believe this, kid.
03:58It's cold.
03:59That water is 65 degrees and he's just jumping right in.
04:02He's been looking forward to this for, like, weeks.
04:06While Tommy wrestles with hypothermia, I am going to go try some fishing here.
04:10I'm excited to get my gear out.
04:12You okay, bud?
04:14You having fun?
04:16Hi!
04:25Look at that.
04:26That didn't take long.
04:27Look at that.
04:35Look at that little catfish.
04:37A little hardhead catfish right there.
04:40The saltwater catfish are really common down here in Florida.
04:43They don't get a ton bigger than this, but you can eat them.
04:47I actually did a catch and cook video on how to eat these things a couple years ago.
04:51I'll put a link in the description.
04:53Look at that guy.
04:55There we go.
05:09You guys both want to catch catfish?
05:12Oldest to littlest.
05:13Oldest to littlest?
05:14Is that how we should do it, Nathan?
05:15Get it.
05:16Okay.
05:17Hold on.
05:18Reel him in.
05:19Reel him in, buddy.
05:20Oh, I'm on it.
05:21I'm on it.
05:22Is that crazy?
05:23Yeah, that was crazy.
05:26Get him.
05:27Get him, Nate.
05:28Get him.
05:29Okay, jerk it.
05:30Jerk it.
05:32Reel it.
05:33Reel it.
05:34Is he on there?
05:35Is that cool, Nathan?
05:36Yeah.
05:37Good job, buddy.
05:39That went really well on three hours of sleep, but I am profoundly tired.
05:43Finally got the kids to bed.
05:44I'm going to eat a big slice of key lime pie, and then I am going to bed, and I'll see you
05:50guys in the morning.
05:51Well, good morning, everybody, and welcome to another beautiful day.
05:55It is absolutely gorgeous outside, and I have forgotten how much I love actually getting
06:02sleep.
06:03So we're going to go ahead and just have a low-key day.
06:07Today is Sunday, so we're going to go to church, kind of take it easy, spend time with the
06:11family, and just see what happens.
06:14Look, we got baby doughnuts.
06:17Baby doughnuts.
06:19Yes.
06:20What does it say?
06:22I'm going to eat all of it.
06:24Don't eat all of it.
06:25Don't eat all of it.
06:27Yes, sir.
06:31Well, guys, we're heading off to church.
06:33We're going to enjoy ourselves a nice Sunday afternoon.
06:37But I want to point out something funny I've noticed about our rental property.
06:40See what that is?
06:42That's a sprinkler head.
06:44See what that is?
06:47Those are seashells.
06:49Yeah, they installed sprinklers on a yard made of seashells.
06:54I don't know.
06:55Maybe it's to keep the hermit crabs well hydrated.
06:57What do I know?
06:58You ready to go to church, buddy?
07:00Yeah, let's do it.
07:02Well, guys, we're back from church, and it is a relaxing day.
07:06We're going to get changed.
07:08The boys want to paint with their mom.
07:10We're going to drive around a little bit and just kind of take it easy.
07:13But this week, we've got some really awesome stuff planned.
07:16We're going fishing for Goliath grouper.
07:19We're also going to go hunt giant Burmese pythons at night in the swamps of the Everglades.
07:26So a lot of cool things going on.
07:29But today, all about relaxing.
07:32Oh, look at that.
07:33That looks nice, man.
07:34I'm drawing an alien.
07:36You're drawing an alien?
07:37Yeah.
07:38Nathan, are you going to be painting, too?
07:40I am.
07:41Oh, look at you go.
07:45So this is my idea of a vacation.
07:47I'm sitting here in a chair, looking out over the water, eating key lime pie.
07:52This is how you celebrate Christmas, right here.
07:55Everybody.
07:56There.
07:58Ta-da.
08:01Oh, here we go.
08:02Throw them in the pool.
08:03Whoa.
08:07Well, it's been a very lazy Sunday, but we are going to go drive and go see Christmas lights.
08:12You guys want to go do that?
08:13Yeah.
08:14All right.
08:15Let's go find some Christmas lights to go look at.
08:16Yeah.
08:17Oh, I think I can see some lights.
08:20Oh, this house is a tent.
08:28Oh, yeah.
08:34Woo.
08:36Beautiful sight.
08:38We're happy tonight.
08:40Walking in the light.
08:50I see Santa.
08:54A Nerf gun.
08:55Oh, that sounds right.
08:58Santa's got a lot of requests for those.
09:02I think that was the best Christmas light house I've ever seen.
09:05That guy was bringing his A-game.
09:07Let's get these boys to bed.
09:10Well, guys, I'm not 100% sure what we're doing today, and that is the best part of this vacation.
09:16But I know there's going to be fishing and beaches involved.
09:19And I like both of those things.
09:22Hey, Nathan, go put your toe in there.
09:24Whoa, that's finally warm.
09:27That's finally warm, isn't it?
09:29That's nice.
09:30Tommy, a fool's warm.
09:34Is it?
09:35Yeah, the fool's warm.
09:37A fool's warm, Tommy.
09:41Tommy, the fool's warm.
09:45Welcome to the gun show, people.
09:47Hope you've got a ticket.
09:50Yeah.
09:53Yeah.
09:54Ah.
09:55Ah.
10:00There we go.
10:06Oh, look at that.
10:07What?
10:08That is a pretty fish.
10:11It's pretty.
10:14Hey, Jacob, you ready?
10:16Yeah, you ready to go swimming?
10:20I was going to remind you.
10:22Why?
10:23I don't know.
10:26Jacob, it's me.
10:30I'm drifting out to sea.
10:32You're drifting out to sea?
10:34This is not a bad way to spend Christmas Eve at all.
10:37Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
10:41Oh, I'm going to play in a pool on Christmas Day.
10:47No.
10:50No.
11:04Well, guys, do you want to go get some pizza?
11:06No, I'm already full.
11:08You're already full?
11:09I'm already full.
11:10You're already full?
11:11I'm hungry.
11:13You want to go to the beach?
11:14Nope.
11:15Nope.
11:16You want to stay in the pool?
11:17I want to stay in the pool.
11:20Well, Tommy and Nathan have been in the pool for about 4 hours now and have no sign of slowing down or wanting to get out.
11:27So I'm going to just keep fishing and relaxing and we'll see what happens.
11:32This is the best Christmas Eve I've had in a long time.
11:44Look at that.
11:46Look at that.
11:49Another hardhead catfish.
11:50Man, these are some bigger ones.
12:05Ta-da!
12:06Well, look what I just caught.
12:08It's a Shimano Bait Runner reel and a rod.
12:11If you guys think I should do a rod and reel restoration video with this thing, leave a comment in the comment section.
12:18Click that like button.
12:19Now, if you guys want me to, I'll see if I can't restore this whole rod and reel setup.
12:24Well, guys, the fishing action is pretty good right now, but the boys want to go to the beach and it's Christmas Eve.
12:29So why shouldn't we?
12:31Let's go with the family to the beach and I'll pick this up when I get back.
12:34Look at all those seashells.
12:36Look at this, Tom.
12:41Look at that one and look at that one.
12:45This is a beautiful, beautiful way to spend Christmas Eve.
12:50I like this.
12:51Jacob ate another shell.
12:53Oh, again?
12:54Yeah, it's in his mouth.
12:56Come here, buddy.
12:57No.
12:58Well, my dear sweet wife wanted a picture of Jacob on the beach, the sunset.
13:03You know, something nice.
13:04Instead, we got 16 pictures of him eating seashells and being tackled by mom.
13:09Pick it up with your hands. It's soft.
13:12If you hold them flat on your hand, he wiggles a little bit.
13:14Really slowly, but he wiggles.
13:16You see all these clams, how they have the little hole?
13:19They have the little hole in them?
13:21That's from a starfish.
13:22A starfish climbs on top of them and then he uses his little suction cups to drill a hole inside the clam and kill it.
13:29Once the clam is killed, then the clam opens up and he eats him.
13:33Look at that.
13:34I think that's the spine of a catfish right there.
13:37Oh, look at that.
13:38He's trying to dig.
13:40Oh, yeah.
13:42No, no, it's the snail.
13:45This is pretty awesome.
13:46We're sitting here on a beach collecting shells with the family, watching the sunset.
13:51Just having a good time.
13:53This is a great way to spend a Christmas Eve.
13:55Isn't it, babe?
13:56It's great.
13:57Hi, baby.
13:58Oh, he's eating something.
13:59Darn.
14:00Oh, you're eating.
14:01Oh, you have a shell.
14:02We wish you a Merry Christmas.
14:04We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
14:09All right, you guys ready for some dinner?
14:11Let's do this.
14:16We trash restaurants.
14:18Look at this mess.
14:20Nathan, what are you doing under the table?
14:23Jacob, just eating pie like a maniac.
14:28Look at the amount of beach sand on this.
14:32I've become a more generous tipper since having children.
14:36Yeah.
14:37Merry Christmas, everybody.
14:46Guys, you ready for Christmas?
14:48Yeah.
14:49Oh, yeah?
14:50Come on in.
14:51Come on in.
14:52Jacob's first Christmas.
14:54Look at that.
14:57Christmas.
14:58Look at that.
14:59Christmas.
15:00What do we have first?
15:01Let's do it.
15:02This one's the easy part.
15:03What's this?
15:04Oh, it's the wonky donkey.
15:05You guys will have to read it to Jacob.
15:06Okay.
15:07Okay.
15:08Let's put that down.
15:09Santa bag.
15:10Oh.
15:11Oh, magic.
15:12Yes.
15:13I did it.
15:14Oh, it's a box.
15:15Big box.
15:16Yeah.
15:17Look at this.
15:33There's a bug in that package.
15:34And what?
15:35I want to charge it.
15:36This is a shark backpack.
15:37It's a shark backpack.
15:38What's in there?
15:39A snorkel mask.
15:40That's it.
15:41The snorkel mask.
15:42I'm so excited.
15:43I'm going to sleep now.
15:44snorkel mask let me show you this laser tag set the kids got for Christmas it
15:58comes with this little robotic bug okay
16:02all right boys get them please Navidad Jacob please Navidad well this is a very
16:14Merry Christmas we've got our bacon and our eggs and orange juice the kids are
16:20playing the pools warm the fish are ready to be caught it's a sunny day
16:24supposed to be high in the 80s not too shabby
16:30yo
16:36there you go the boys are interested in going to the
16:40beach and trying out their new metal detectors they got for Christmas so
16:43we're gonna we're gonna give that a try that's not fun Jacob
16:47Annabelle Island
17:03that water is chilly well my wife just pointed at my legs and said look we're
17:09getting a white Christmas oh yeah all right you got to turn it on and you've
17:22got to wave it wave it back and forth and when you wave over something metal
17:26you tell me and I'll come over and help you find find it okay
17:39I think this is the most work we've done in like four days we're gonna need an
18:04ice cream break all right guys we're leaving Sanibel Island and I just saw
18:09the most epic mullet I'd ever seen in my life on a woman okay this lady had
18:15like a fro okay white white lady fro and then she had about a four inch wide
18:21mullet all the way down to her waist it was amazing maybe three inches four
18:27inches on top party all the way down to her waist man it was insane oh I feel
18:35like I should write this in my journal all right guys we're back from the beach
18:38and me and Nate are gonna try to knock out some more catfish and maybe some
18:41mangrove snappers here you ready Nate fishing without pants on that's that's
18:48how you live life folks right there
18:52there you go all right we caught a lot of nice little catfish here Nathan did a
19:20good job helping me reel them in but it's Christmas Day so I'm gonna go in
19:25and make hamburgers for the family and my wife is out picking up her parents
19:30that are joining us and we're gonna have a nice little family get together
19:35tonight
19:42welcome welcome good to see you it's another beautiful morning and we got
19:57some adventures planned today after breakfast we're gonna head down to Marina
20:01I'm gonna be able to fishing guide and I'm gonna go fishing for Goliath
20:04grouper which is something I've wanted to do for a very very long time the
20:10water temperatures been really cold so that might make things a little bit
20:13tricky but we're gonna give it a go and see what happens and I'm excited
20:17Nathan what you got there
20:34hey Jacob Jacob who's your favorite Becca's taking me over to the marina for
20:53this Goliath grouper trip but we're not bringing the boys that was kind of sad
20:58but these trips are hard to bring the kids along because they can't really
21:01participate they can't reel in a 200 pound fish you know and I'm gonna be
21:06doing a lot of lure fishing where instead of putting the rods and rod
21:09holders I'm gonna be holding the rods I can't fuss with the boys it's not a good
21:14trip for for little guys plus they have all their Christmas presents and a
21:17swimming pool at home so they don't exactly want to go and watch dad fish
21:21anyways so Becca's dropping me off and I'm gonna meet John here all right guys
21:34I am super pumped about this I've been wanting to go for Goliath grouper for a
21:38long time this has been a bucket list item for a number of years and I'm going
21:43with John black here with crazy lures charters we're just getting some fuel
21:47get ready to head out and we're gonna see we can't catch some awesome fish
21:51today well guys you know me I like to fish in crappy weather and today we've
21:57got a good amount of wind it's in the 20 mile per hour well 20 to 25 knots Wow so
22:05we got white caps and all that good stuff it's pretty nice weather on the
22:10outside about 70 degrees but the water temperatures in the low 60s which makes
22:16things difficult but we're going to give it a go
22:21Oh look at that that is a big long lady fish
22:51all right we just caught a couple live lady fish we got him in the live well
22:55nice big fat light lady fish we're gonna go see about some Goliath grouper
23:02we had an absolute ball this is definitely something I gotta come back
23:22down here and try I had an absolute ball so definitely check out crazy lure
23:27fishing guide service here with John I'll put I'll put a link in the
23:32description contact information if you're down here in the Fort Myers Cape
23:36Coral area give it a go
23:43hey baby good to see you gotta tell you about these dolphins we saw that was way
23:50cool well guys we're having a good time back at the house here got little Jacob
24:00here who's gonna turn one year old very soon a little man look at him and we're
24:08making some burgers and hanging with my woman love you baby
24:15you want daddy to hold him Jacob is a daddy's boy right now well guys at the
24:23end of another wonderful day we're gonna eat some hamburgers here and get the
24:26kids to bed and I'll see you in the morning love you Jacob thanks for
24:34watching we hope you enjoyed this video if you want to see more great videos
24:37from the outdoor boys don't forget to click subscribe and check out part 2 of
24:40our Florida adventure also check out my other channel the catfish and carp
24:44YouTube channel where I'll be posting all my fishing adventures in their
24:47entirety thanks for watching guys and don't forget to click subscribe we put
24:50out new videos every Saturday morning