Outfitted Camping Trips and Mothership Fishing Expeditions Aboard Fishabout
The Remarkable Journey of Geoff Colmes and Mike Burgreen: From their dream of outfitting camping tips in the Everglades to founding Outback Ventures and creating the Mothership “Fishabout” Geoff and Mike’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and innovation. What began as a simple quest to master the task of outfitted camping in the Everglades soon evolved into a venture that redefined fishing adventures in the Everglades. Combining their shared passion for the Glades and a knack for taking risks, the duo co-founded Outback Ventures. This outfitted guide service offered multi-day fishing and camping trips in some of Florida’s most remote and pristine water.
Their vision didn’t stop there. Recognizing the demand for a unique and immersive fishing experience, they launched the mothership “Fishabout.” This floating base camp served as a haven for anglers seeking unparalleled access to remote fishing spots and a symbol of their commitment to blending comfort with adventure. Through their efforts, Colmes and Burgreen transformed the idea of outfitted fishing trips, creating unforgettable experiences for those who share their love for out-of-the-way places and their passion for fishing.
1996 – The Everglades
In October 1996, Geoff Colmes set out to bring a long-held vision to life by offering a service allowing his customers to experience a unique fishing adventure. While winter weather in the Florida Keys backcountry can make fishing challenging, the sheltered estuarine areas of the Everglades provide a world-class alternative. This vast wilderness stretching from Whitewater Bay to Lostmans River within Everglades National Park offers some of the finest fishing opportunities in one of the nation’s most beautiful yet remote regions. Anglers can pursue species such as tarpon, snook, redfish, and largemouth bass, surrounded by a stunning diversity of wildlife, including American crocodiles, Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, river otters, and hundreds of bird species.
Rich in history and shrouded in mystery, the Everglades is a landscape where nature and legend intertwine. Iconic locations like Hells Bay, Graveyard Creek, The Nightmare, Snake Pit, and Shark River echo the stories of legendary figures such as Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Edgar Watson, Guy Bradley, Zane Grey, and Herman Lucerne, the fabled “Man of the Glades.” These storied waters offer incredible fishing and whisper tales of the Ghost Ship, the Skunk Ape, and the seldom-seen Water Devil – myths and phenomena that continue to captivate and intrigue all who venture into this awesome ecosystem.
The ‘Fishabout’ Partnership
Accessing this region has always been a challenge due to its remoteness. Many of the most productive fishing spots lie deep within the Glades, requiring long boat rides that make it nearly impossible to enjoy a full day of fishing and return before nightfall. Navigating back to Flamingo after dark was, and remains, risky. A better solution was needed, and the answer lay in the rich history of the Everglades: camping at primitive sites originally built by the Calusa Indians. These ancient sites, crafted from mounds of shells and soil, are now preserved and maintained by the National Park Service. Scattered along the Wilderness Waterway, they provide a perfect base for multi-day fishing adventures, allowing anglers to immerse themselves fully in the region’s beauty.
Recognizing this opportunity, Geoff teamed up with his long-time friend, former fishing client, and accomplished restaurateur Mike Burgreen to establish ‘Fishabout.’ This partnership combined Geoff’s knowledge and expertise in fishing with Mike’s outfitting and culinary skills. Together, they created a seamless experience for their clients, providing not just guided fishing but also the necessary gear and support for two and three-day extended stays in the wilderness.
The trips were marketed to Geoff’s clientele, a group of anglers who relished the opportunity to explore out-of-the-ordinary destinations. These anglers weren’t just looking for fishing, they were seeking adventure, solitude, and a connection with nature that only a place like the Everglades could offer. Fishabout delivered all that, becoming a unique and sought-after service for those looking to experience the magic of the Everglades unforgettably.
Camping, Fishing, Dreaming, and Nightmares
Pricing was carefully set to be competitive with the few comparable experiences available. The operation’s success hinged on offering an unparalleled fishing experience paired with camping that surpassed other destinations. To ensure this, practice trips were conducted to scout prime fishing areas and rigorously test tents and camping equipment. It was demanding research and development, but plenty of friends eagerly volunteered without the need for persuasion.
The plan prioritized comfort and convenience: each guest was provided with a fully provisioned personal tent for privacy. A screened kitchen and common area were set up for meals, socializing, and exceptional food, remarkable given the primitive settings. Once fully operational, Fishabout organized over fifty fully outfitted camping and fishing trips within three years. Each trip was a memorable adventure, despite challenges such as El Niño, cold fronts with thirty-knot winds, frost, relentless mosquitoes and no-see-ums, torrential rainstorms, flooded tents, and defective air mattresses. Wildlife added to the challenge, with alligators, raccoons, rattlesnakes, and countless unidentified critters – always nearby.
After long days, when customers were tucked away in their tents, Geoff and Mike, accompanied by adult beverages, would gather around the campfire for late-night discussions about a new vision: the “Mothership.” This concept envisioned a vessel combining fishing expeditions with the luxury of a four-star hotel. Anglers and guides would enjoy gourmet dining, private cabins with comfortable beds, hot showers, satellite TV, and freshwater, all within a ship boasting an estimated 1,400 square feet of space, equipped with central air conditioning and heat.
From Research to the Development of Outback Ventures
Geoff and Mike were captivated by the idea of creating a mothership vessel that could serve as the cornerstone of a unique business venture. Recognizing its potential, they committed to researching the idea and its feasibility. If the idea proved viable, they intended to proceed with designing and building the vessel. Their search for a suitable manufacturer led them to Trident, a company based in Tavares, Florida. Trident had gained a reputation for producing custom-built industrial vessels, such as riverboats, water taxis, fast ferries, and dinner boats. The company’s expertise and flexibility made it the perfect partner for this specialized project.
To formalize their efforts, Geoff and Mike established an LLC called Outback Ventures. They brought on two key investors, Pete DeLisser and Mark Davy, to help turn their vision into reality. Together, they developed a five-year business plan, outlining their goals and strategies for launching and sustaining the mothership venture. This plan included detailed projections, and marketing initiatives, ensuring the project had a strong foundation.
The next 18 months were a whirlwind of planning, coordination, and dedication. Geoff and Mike made weekly 650-mile round trips from the Florida Keys to Trident’s facility in Tavares. These trips were crucial, as they allowed the duo to directly oversee the construction process, ensuring every detail of the vessel met their standards. They worked closely with Trident’s team to design a vessel tailored to their specific needs, incorporating features that would set it apart.
Despite the long hours and grueling travel, Geoff and Mike remained committed. They collaborated extensively with Trident’s engineers making adjustments and improvements as needed to ensure the vessel would meet the demands of its intended use. Throughout the process, their excitement grew as the mothership began to take shape, transforming from a concept into a tangible creation.
Finally, after a year and a half of hard work, their dream came to fruition. Trident completed the custom-built vessel ‘Fishabout’ to Geoff and Mike’s specifications, marking a significant milestone in their journey. With ‘Fishabout’ ready to set sail, Geoff and Mike’s project entered its next phase, filled with promise and potential.
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‘Fishabout’ Specifications
- (2) 20-kW generators
- 1200-gallon-a-day RO water maker with (3) 30-gallon water heaters.
- (4) private staterooms with (2) private and (1) ensuite heads all with full-size showers.
- Main salon with full bar and ice maker.
- Full galley and dining area.
- (3) private guides cabins, (1) full-sized head and shower, lounge area with washer and dryer.
- (2) cabins behind the wheelhouse for Capt. and watch, with (1) ensuite head and shower.
- Auto Tracking satellite system, (4) Direct TV receivers for independent viewing, (9) TV’s throughout the vessel
Main Deck
Upper Deck
Interior
On the Road and Rivers with Fishabout
The 70′ Fishabout, a vessel known more for its utility than its aesthetics, was shipped in two separate sections on wide-load flatbed tractor-trailers from Trident’s factory to Holly Bluff Marina on the St. Johns River near DeLand, Florida. The journey spanned 30 miles but proved to be just the beginning of a much longer and more arduous adventure. Once at the marina, the crew faced an exhausting week of setbacks, including missed deadlines, unexpected malfunctions, and a host of logistical headaches. Tempers flared as they contended with ornery, often inebriated carpenters and mechanics, while the team subsisted on a steady diet of fried catfish, hush puppies, and coleslaw from the nearby Shady Oaks Restaurant – a small comfort amidst the chaos.
After days of troubleshooting and overcoming one obstacle after another, Fishabout was finally ready to launch. With Mike Burgreen at the helm and an inexperienced Trident crew onboard, Fishabout embarked on its maiden voyage. The trip began with a 120-mile trek north along the St. Johns River to Jacksonville, where the team encountered their first taste of adversity as a severe March cold front with high winds tested their resolve. Undeterred, they pressed onward, navigating 450 miles south along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway toward their final destination: Islamorada.
What should have been a straightforward five-day journey turned into a grueling test of endurance, as the crew battled relentless mechanical issues and deteriorating conditions at every turn. By the time the Fishabout arrived at its new home, it bore the marks of a voyage hard-earned, a testament to perseverance in the face of adversity, and perhaps, a tale that would one day add to the vessel’s charm despite its less-than-stellar appearance.
Mothership-based Fishing Trips – Living the Dream
In the years following Fishabout’s adventurous maiden voyage, the unflappable Capt. Mike Burgreen became the heart and soul of the operation, juggling his dual roles as captain and head chef. While many trips enjoyed postcard-perfect weather and flawless execution, Mike and crew often faced sleepless nights contending with challenges that tested his mettle. From mechanical hiccups and microbursts to waterspouts and tropical storms in the Marquesas, his resilience was unmatched. In the Everglades, he braved relentless wind, rain, lightning strikes, and cold fronts, all while meeting the high culinary expectations of guests, guides, and crew.
Meanwhile, Geoff Colmes managed the comparatively lighter responsibilities of marketing and fishing, ensuring every expedition stayed true to its adventurous spirit. Together, with a stellar crew, including Capt. Andy Putetti and the fabled Frank and Liz Steele, Fishabout offered groups of four to six anglers a rare combination of comfort, privacy, and competitive pricing. The experience rivaled other fishing, kayaking, photography, and eco-tourism offerings worldwide.
Over four remarkable years, Fishabout hosted close to fifteen expeditions per season, each lasting four to six days, in the Everglades and the Marquesas. Guests returned season after season for the camaraderie, exceptional fishing, and the unspoiled beauty of these magical destinations, offering an experience few others could replicate.
The Shakedown
Ah, bureaucracy… the true apex predator of the Everglades. In the final year of a five-year business plan, a few Everglades National Park administrators and one particularly ambitious Park Ranger decided to sink their teeth into what they perceived as a “rogue operation” within park boundaries.
One fateful evening, as the skiffs carrying guides and anglers including bestselling author James W Hall, returned to an out-of-the-way Bay ominously named “Cardiac,” the tranquility shattered. Two vessels brimming with Park Rangers stormed in like a SWAT team raiding a lemonade stand. Anglers, guides, and crew were separated and questioned under the stern gaze of khaki-clad enforcers holstering their trusty Glock 19’s.
After two hours of interrogation, which seriously interrupted cocktail hour, the Rangers departed without issuing a single citation. Why? They discovered that Fishabout wasn’t a renegade pirate crew, it was a well-oiled machine of compliance. Guide permits? Check. Coast Guard regulations? Check. Neatly folded laundry in the cabins? Yes.
But the reprieve was short-lived. A few weeks later, the bureaucratic beast struck again, this time from the shadows of paperwork. Although Fishabout’s fishing guides had all the required permits to operate and fish in Everglades National Park, the National Park Service insisted the vessel needed a proprietary Independent Business Permit. Here’s the kicker: when the team requested the application, they were told, brace yourself, it didn’t exist.
After four and a half years of smooth sailing, Fishabout found itself dead in the water. Without revenue from the Everglades trips and with no legal pathway to obtain the mythical permit, the business couldn’t stay afloat. Fighting the U.S. Department of the Interior in court would’ve drained more resources than a mosquito on a summer night, so Geoff, Mike, and their partners made the tough call: they sold the business and let the bureaucrats claim their “victory.”
Fishing, Friends, and the Novel Hells Bay
Fishabout found a new chapter as a floating office at The Lorelei Cabana Bar, Marina, and Restaurant in Islamorada, FL, ironically, the same spot where Capt. Geoff Colmes operates as a fishing guide. Few have run similar full-time operations in the area since the days of Mike and Geoff’s unforgettable camping and Fishabout trips. It’s no surprise why: running a mothership fishing business is a multifaceted endeavor. From marketing and crew scheduling to maintenance, provisioning, food service, and managing Mother Nature’s surprises, it’s as challenging as it is rewarding.
The stories of those adventures live on, with every trip being a unique chapter. Some tales have been shared, while others remain to be told. In 2007, Geoff’s friend and award-winning author James W. Hall joined a four-day trip aboard Fishabout, gathering inspiration for his novel Hell’s Bay. Hall dedicated the book to Geoff, crediting him with the idea of a mothership as a home base for fishing deep in the Everglades.
Post Fishabout, Mike Burgreen and his partner Barbara had a beloved restaurant in Islamorada called MA’s Fish Camp, from 2009 until 2017. Hurricane Irma caused them to close along with many other businesses in the Keys. While deciding on their next venture, customers began to call and ask for desserts that they served at MA’s, specifically Key Lime Pie. In 2018, they started making their classic Key Lime Pie. A thick homemade graham cracker crust, our just enough tart key lime pie filling, decadent, rich, creamy sweet whipped topping, and viola, The Key Lime Pie Lady was born. Capt. Geoff Colmes continues to live his passion as a full-time fishing guide in the Florida Keys. The National Park Ranger who once played a pivotal role in shutting down the mothership operation has since been promoted, a curious twist in the tale.
We thank our loyal customers who believed in us and joined us on these incredible journeys. And a heartfelt thanks to the exceptional team that made the adventure possible and endlessly fun: Eliza Colmes, Capt. Andy Putetti, Capt. John Turcott, Capt. Jeff Becker, Ivy Carpenter, Tom Maddi, Pete Delisser, Mark Davy, James W. Hall, Mark Waslick, and the incomparable Frank and Liz Steele. A special nod to the fantastic fishing guides: Capt. Tad Burke, Capt. Tom Reddon, Capt. Steve Friedman, Capt. Tim Klein, Capt. Matt Pribyl, Capt. Greg Poland, Capt. Steve Thomas, and Capt. Kris Bacen.