Late summer fishing - August 2006

I'm not going to mention the "H" word, we've been so lucky to have mild weather. By this time last year we'd cleaned up our yard twice and were prepping for another named storm.

It just started getting really hot this week and it's made fishing a bit tough after about 9AM. The fishing in August is hot too, but tolorating the heat can be a challenge.

Permit have been on again and off again around the Lower Keys. One day they are easy to find, the next day very difficult. We look for them tailing during the morning light and in deeper water or floating in channels throughout the day.

Bonefish have been plentiful on the backcountry flats from Key West to Big Pine. Still an early morning ordeal for tailing fish, and not much action after 2PM when it really gets hot. They readily take a fly, foxy clouser or something like it works well. In skinny water it's important to have a cast that lands soft.

Fall fly fishing in the Florida Keys can be some of the best tailing bonefish and permit conditions all year. It's a fun time of year because I get the chance to fish myself during the off hours of the day.

There have been plenty of tarpon of all sizes still available in the waters around Key West. I'm sure with this hotter weather they won't stick around for long.

Looking to get away this fall? Come down for some fall bonefish and permit fishing.