Lostman’s River a Guidebook

The Guidebook

Places

Twenty-nine places from the story, the way they look in a guide’s memory. Tap any of them to find it on the chart.

Chokoloskee and Everglades City

  • Chokoloskee Island

    Chokoloskee Island

    Home base. Seminole for 'Old House.' Dan's cottage, the grocery store, the marina.

    Ch. 1Ch. 2Ch. 19Ch. 21

  • Chokoloskee marina

    Chokoloskee marina

    Where the Mako lives, where Matt caught his first snook, where Rose waves from the last dock.

    Ch. 3Ch. 7Ch. 9Ch. 10Ch. 23

  • Chokoloskee Bay

    Chokoloskee Bay

    The bay crossed at sunrise on every trip.

    Ch. 3Ch. 7

  • Chokoloskee causeway

    Chokoloskee causeway

    First view of Chokoloskee Bay, 'the glassy waters of Matt's youth.'

    Ch. 2

  • Dan's cottage and rookery

    Dan's cottage and rookery fictional

    Stilt house with banyans out front and pelicans out back. Fictional location — place near the island's east side.

    Ch. 2Ch. 5Ch. 7Ch. 10Ch. 22

  • South Point (abandoned post office)

    South Point (abandoned post office) fictional

    Matt's spot. The snook, the smugglers' meeting, the sleeping-bag night. (The real Smallwood Store sits at Chokoloskee's south tip.)

    Ch. 2Ch. 4Ch. 5Ch. 6

  • Anglers Motel dock

    Anglers Motel dock fictional

    Childhood catfish and lobster traps.

    Ch. 2

  • Doc's house

    Doc's house fictional

    Rundown house down a dirt road on Chokoloskee. Fictional.

    Ch. 21

  • Everglades City

    Everglades City

    The mainland town; Rose lives here with her dad; Marge waits tables here.

    Ch. 2Ch. 4

  • Everglades City marina (Barron River)

    Everglades City marina (Barron River)

    Gas, water, and Rawley on the dock, Ch. 11.

    Ch. 11

  • Barron River

    Barron River

    The Sea Belle's channel from Chokoloskee Bay to Everglades City.

    Ch. 11

The islands and passes

  • Lopez River

    Lopez River

    First client trip, Ch. 3 — the mangrove overhang between two oyster bars.

    Ch. 3

  • Rabbit Key Pass

    Rabbit Key Pass

    The way home from the storm in Ch. 3; the escape route in Ch. 10.

    Ch. 3Ch. 7Ch. 10

  • Sandfly Pass

    Sandfly Pass

    Out to the Gulf for Comer Key camping.

    Ch. 8

  • Comer Key

    Comer Key

    Beach camping, the moccasin, the shark. Matt's first keeper redfish years ago.

    Ch. 8

  • Indian Key

    Indian Key

    Where Captain Homer hooked his tournament tarpon.

  • Pavilion Key

    Pavilion Key

    The seaplane drop at dawn, Ch. 9; the mangrove hideout.

    Ch. 9Ch. 10

  • Little Pavilion Key

    Little Pavilion Key

    Old Scarface's territory. Hooked by Russ (Ch. 7) and caught by Matt (Ch. 19).

    Ch. 7Ch. 9Ch. 19

  • Gulf of Mexico

    Gulf of Mexico

    The 'blue abyss' from the plane window.

    Ch. 1

Lostman’s River and beyond

  • Lostman's River

    Lostman's River

    The destination. 'A river inside a bay inside a gulf.' The Sea Belle beached on an oyster bar near the mouth, Ch. 11–18.

    Ch. 1Ch. 11Ch. 12Ch. 13Ch. 14Ch. 15Ch. 16Ch. 17Ch. 18

  • Crooked Creek

    Crooked Creek

    The magazine-writer story, Ch. 15.

    Ch. 15

  • The backcountry bays

    The backcountry bays fictional

    'A navigational test for even the most experienced fishing guides.'

    Ch. 14Ch. 17

  • Shark River

    Shark River

    Matt asks Snapper and Doc if they've been out there.

  • Port of the Everglades Lodge (tournament)

    Port of the Everglades Lodge (tournament) fictional

    The tournament weigh-in. Appears fictionalized; the real Port of the Islands marina is nearby. Confirm with the author.

    Ch. 20Ch. 21

The way in and the way home

  • Naples, Florida (airport)

    Naples, Florida (airport)

    Where Matt lands in Ch. 1 and takes his driver's test in Ch. 22.

    Ch. 1Ch. 2Ch. 23

  • Naples DMV

    Naples DMV

    Driver's test on Matt's sixteenth birthday.

    Ch. 22

  • Alligator Alley (I-75)

    Alligator Alley (I-75)

    The drive to the airport in Ch. 23 — 'those crazy large reptiles cheered people on.'

    Ch. 23

  • Fort Lauderdale

    Fort Lauderdale

    Matt's home. Mom's restaurant. Mr. Farmer's garage with the airboat.

    Ch. 23

  • Key Largo flats

    Key Largo flats

    Snapper and President Bush's bonefish.

These are illustrations inspired by the book, not surveyed views. Real places are marked on the chart as closely as the author could place them; the ones marked fictional exist only in the story. Companion-site illustration (AI-generated from the author’s brief).