As my Camry rolls along a narrow, muddy road intended for sturdier vehicles, I sense I'm finally on to something. A recent transplant from California, I have been struggling to find a sense of what "true" Florida was before the snowbird became the quasi-official state bird and the wetlands were covered with velvety country club fairways.

Leaving the car among approximately two dozen others parked under Spanish moss-draped oaks and pines, my ears immediately alert me to the fact that I'm a long way from the nearest country club. Twangy banjo music, courtesy of the Sarasota County Banjo Club, fills the air as I meander through the fish-camp-turned-rustic-fishing-resort.

An Old Florida, bayou-style restaurant and pleasantly primitive entertainment venue, Snook Haven Restaurant & Fish Camp has been a fixture in Venice for more than 50 years. Even before that, fishermen traversing the fish-filled waters of the Myakka River in the early 1900s camped in the area. Anglers were followed by movie producers who used the hauntingly beautiful backdrop to produce such films

Keep an eye out for alligators when you kayak.

as the 1947 horror flick Revenge of the Killer Turtles, starring resident turtles, and the 1993 French movie Seven Sundays.

Cabins, rich in location if lacking in luxuries, house anglers for a week of bass or snook fishing. Nearing the restaurant proper, I see the source of the banjo music. A dozen seniors, meticulously dressed in white suits and surrounded by a small audience of Snook Haven regulars, pluck away in unison, just as they do every Thursday.

Through a squeaky screen door and past a bulletin board advertising fishing tournaments and used marine equipment, I find the bar. A woman short on instructions but long on Southern drawl takes my money and points toward the river.

Beyond the restaurant's waterfront back deck I find my canoe tucked between a fleet of kayaks loosely tied to the aging dock. I could have elected to explore the slow-moving waters by powerboat, but something about Snook Haven's slogan - "You and a Canoe" - is irresistible. With the fading banjo music providing the soundtrack, I paddle slowly east. It's mostly subtropical jungle heading this way, with just a few wooden houses tucked into the trees.

Merely describing the river as "dark" and "glassy" fails to capture the spectacular reflective quality of the rich, coffee-hued water. As my oar dips into the murkiness below, this perfect mirror is broken by a trio of turtles sliding off a gnarled oak branch into the water. Alligators, wild boar and bobcats abound in this jungle oasis, a short 10-minute drive from the quaint shops and restaurants of downtown Venice.

It's easy to become lost on the Myakka - not lost in the way of early explorers, but rather in the quiet beauty of the jungle. River otters and softshell turtles poke their heads out of the water; osprey and herons fly above, landing on the twisted branches of dead trees planted in the sandy banks. Snook leap from the murky depths and alligator gar with long, eel-like bodies surface briefly before disappearing with a soft splash.

The river is mine today. Only one craft floats by, an old pontoon fishing boat carrying a family in the opposite direction. Lacking a watch, I judge my four-hour rental conservatively, returning to Snook Haven what I believe to be a good hour early. Scanning a menu rich in authentic Floridian fare - alligator bites, fried shrimp and barbecue - I elect to go with a blackened grouper sandwich. Sitting down with a cold mug of beer, I steal a glance at the bar clock. I've been gone more than five hours.

The Big Picture
Snook Haven is located off River Road at the intersection of East Venice Avenue in Venice. From Sarasota, exit I-75 at River Road (exit 191) and turn right. Take your first left and you'll find the dirt road leading to Snook Haven. In addition to canoe and kayak rentals, Snook Haven offers rustic lodging for the dedicated fishing enthusiast in riverfront cabins by the day, week and month, as well as pontoon and motorboat rentals.

If you go:
Snook Haven Restaurant & Fish Camp
5000 E. Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34292
Phone: (941) 485-7221

Originally posted 6/8/04