Lee Guide Co. is Southwest Florida’s premiere fishing guide service and is comprised of brothers Capt. Derill Lee and Capt. Casey Lee. Derill and Casey are native Floridians, 2nd generation guides, and have been fishing Southwest Florida and the Everglades their entire lives. These brothers live to fish and promise to make your fishing charter with them a memorable one.
Capt. Derill Lee
(239) 248-1154
- Who is the older brother?
That would be me.
- What is your most memorable catch?
My most memorable catch was a big spring tarpon I caught off the beach in 2018. Had to be close to 200 lbs. It was an absolute beast and kicked my butt!
- What is your most memorable client catch?
It happened winter of 2018 on a very cold day. 43” snook, sight fished and landed on 30lb tippet.
- Would you rather be on the front of the boat or the back?
While I love to be on the pointy end, I feel truly at home on the platform. There’s nothing better than calling out fish to clients that can make an accurate cast and watching it all go down!
- If you could pick one month to fish every day, which month would it be?
I would pick April in the 10000 islands and Everglades National Park. The tarpon migration has begun and fishing can be phenomenal.
- What is your favorite fish to fish for?
My favorite fish to target are Tarpon. There is not a better game fish swimming in our waters here in S.W. Florida. Early season provides for very technical “laid up” tarpon fishing, while later in the year we target more migratory fish swimming the beaches. Putting a big migrating fish in the air will change your life!
- Which fly rod and reel would you recommend for snook/redfishing?
My go to set up for snook and reds is a Scott Meridian 8wt paired with a Nautilus CCFX2 6/8. The Meridian has enough backbone to punch through the wind while still having the touch to be extremely accurate.
- Which fly rod and reel would you recommend for tarpon fishing?
For Tarpon fishing I prefer an extremely fast one piece rod and the NRX PRO 1 is the best in the game in my opinion. I fish these rods 10-12 matched with the Nautilus CCFX2 10/12 and the CCFX2 Silver King.
- What is your dream fly fishing location?
Isla Holbox, Mexico. Would love to go catch a Permit and chase around giant snook.
- Music or no music on the boat?
You got tunes?? Play em!
- What is your opinion of bananas?
Bring on the bananas! We make our own luck on these skiffs!
- What can everyone do to help keep the Everglades healthy?
Be informed, involved, and VOTE! Find guides and activists that are on the ground fighting to restore the natural flow of water from the north down south to Florida Bay and support them or get out there and join them. This is a massively complex problem that is going to take decades to get moving in the right direction.
Capt. Casey Lee
(239) 330-5205
- Who is the older brother?
Physically? Derill. Mentally? Derill. Emotionally? Derill. Cosmically? Me.
- What is your most memorable catch?
40” permit when I was 10 years old. My dad let me skip school to go fish that day. I wasn’t even strong enough or tall enough to pick the whole fish up by its tail. Made it even sweeter that it was the day before Derill’s birthday and he was stuck at school!
- What is your most memorable client catch?
My very first paying client slammed out and I’ll never forget the feeling I had heading back to the ramp.
- Would you rather be on the front of the boat or the back?
If I got an ace on the bow I’d rather push all day. Unless we’re tarpon fishing and he’s already gotten a few!
- If you could pick one month to fish every day, which month would it be?
May. Big poons swimming in clear water.
- What is your favorite fish to fish for?
Big tarpon without a doubt.
- Which fly rod and reel would you recommend for snook/redfishing?
NRX pro-1 8 wt and a Tibor Everglades.
- Which fly rod and reel would you recommend for tarpon fishing?
NRX Pro-1 12 wt and a Tibor gulfstream.
- What is your dream fly fishing location?
Keys Oceanside in May with the teeny tiniest bit of chatter on the water.
- Music or no music on the boat?
While heading to spots music. When stalking or waiting for fish no music. When hooked up to a big fish, Scarlet > Fire.
- What is your opinion of bananas?
They contain a lot of potassium and when they go bad they can make great bread. We make our own luck fill the whole yeti with em for all I care.
- What can everyone do to help keep the Everglades healthy?
Get involved with organizations that do good work like the Everglades foundation and the Everglades trust. Donate your time and your money. Let others know how important the Everglades eco system is to the greater health of our larger eco system. How important it is to our water supply. And lastly make sure others understand that the Everglades doesn’t end at the park boundaries. And don’t litter. And if you see a python kill it.