The Flats are Alive...

Recent warming weather has left us with nothing but beautiful sunny days and clear skies. This is why I live and work in the Florida Keys and I really do love it. Following our previous cold front the waters have warmed over 10 degrees on the flats making the fishing come alive.

In the past week I have fished solid each day with many opportunities at permit fishing, some that we think even tipped the fly but the angler stripped to fast and the fish spooked. All in all, it's still a wonderful sight to see. Permit are probably my favorite fish. I've got quite a few in the past 5 years fishing here and I constantly tie new crab pattern flies to try and mimic the food of the day for these elusive permit. They are spooky creatures but if you can get a cast to one and put it right in front of his nose, most days he will eat the fly or live crab and your on!

Barracuda were a great catch this week on fly. There were so many of them out sunning themselves on the shallow flats. We landed quite a few barracuda each day of my last 3-day charter.

The buzz around town is certainly how many and where the tarpon are at. I've heard reports of a couple sightings out west of Key West, and a few caught at night while night tarpon fishing. I think they are going to push in today or tomorrow and hopefully our next cool front will not scare them away.