Key West Fishing

Updated Key West Fishing Reports

2007-04-03T08:28:00.000-04:00

This blog has been combined with others to form Keys Fishing Report ... click here to visit www.keysfishingreport.com.

Winter Flats Fishing in Key West

2006-12-26T21:02:00.000-05:00

Key West weather has not be spectacular the last few days. High winds have plagued the area and our temperatures have dropped a bit making some of the flats species head for deeper water with more stable temperatures.

Winter fishing does have its advantages. It is a fun time of year to fish in shallow water. Some of the target species are giant barracuda, many species of sharks (some that even jump out of the water when hooked), large jacks up to 20 pounds, cobia, ladyfish, snook, redfish and sea trout. The possibilities are still endless for sight casting with light tackle or a fly.

If you are wanting to try light tackle fishing on the reef or offshore, please contact us for an honest recommendation of some of the best light tackle and sport fishing guides Key West has to offer.

If you have never fished on the flats consider our winter time to be a fun time for fishing. A flats skiff can take up to 2 anglers in comfort and everything is provided for fishing. Anglers who wish to fly fish, a barracuda is a great target species for your first fish on fly, so is the Crevalle jack.

These species will give an angler several shots before spooking which helps with the hook up ratio. As always if you are coming to saltwater fly fish on the flats, practice your cast if possible. It only helps make your experience here in the Keys so much better.

We are now booking for 2007 Tarpon Season so if you are considering a trip for tarpon there are still dates available in March, April, June and July.

November Fishing in the Lower Keys

2006-11-26T09:26:00.000-05:00

November 10, 2006

Our weather has improved after this last front.
The temperature has dropped a bit, but certainly
not enough to scare the fish off the flats.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of guiding Jon Ain,
co-founder of the March Merkin Permit
Tournament, to his 250th permit on fly. The 19-
pound fish was caught west of Key West on a fly
tied by Ain.

This is one of the best times of the year to
find large permit on the flats of the Lower
Keys. They readily eat a live crab and the right
fly with some precision casting will most often
get eaten.

There are still some large bonefish lurking on
both the ocean side flats and the backcountry
near Sugarloaf Key. They have been slightly
finacky for the fly so pack your fly box full of
different patterns just in case.

We still have some available dates around
Thanksgiving and in December for permit,
barracuda, sharks and jacks on the flats. It is
a great time to be here.... the weather is warm
and the fish are biting!

Redbone S.L.A.M. Fishing - September 2006

2006-09-12T15:42:00.000-04:00

Cooler weather in the Key West area was short lived. Things heated right back up to steamy mid-September and made fishing more difficult in the afternoon hours.

I had a few good days of pre-fishing with my angler Nicolas Pierce from North Carolina. He's a fun guy to fish with and we had some great fishing throughout the entire week.

Fishing tournaments certainly has its highs and lows and I have experienced all of this, sometimes in the same day. We had some fabulous early morning tarpon fishing. Baby tarpon are the best target this time of year early, early in the morning. They tend to hang in their 'regular' spots during the lower tides. High tide is like recess for baby tarpon - it allows them to roam and possibly find a new place to call home for the next tide change.

Gurglers work well in these baby tarpon holes. If you can find them layed up or rolling the chances of them pouncing on a gurgler fly is good. They will also eat the classic black and purple combo during the early morning or evening hours (if you can find them feeding).

Bonefish have been in the spotlight for this week and will remain a strong contender for flats fishing throughout the rest of September and into October and November. Tailing fish are prominant on a calm morning. Their fins break the glassy water and create an amazing disturbance on the surface of the water. With the skiff we can get so close to them, it's amazing.

Permit fishing has been tough but there were plenty of nice permit caught in this weekends tournament. Pierce and I hooked a permit on a crab fly during one of our days of fishing before the tournament, unfortunately he got away from us and broke off.

Pierce and I fished the Super Fly, a one day fly fishing event that is part of the Redbone series. We placed second with a nice catch of 3 tarpon and 3 bonefish. We did land one other tarpon but he was not regulation size for the tournament, he was just fine for fun fishing.

The SLAM was a little more difficult. Some of the best guides in the Keys fish this tournament and do very well. We were mainly fishing with a fly, leaving ourselves in contention for the Fly Division with only two other boats. When it comes to numbers in this tournament it is about getting the fish, and most anglers choose to use artificials or bait to achieve the goal of catching a slam, tarpon - bonefish and permit.

We tied for the Fly Division prize but lost to a tie-breaker of time, the other team had caught their fish much earlier in the day. Congrats to them!

Late summer fishing - August 2006

2006-08-19T17:34:00.000-04:00

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.

Summer Fishing - August 2006

2006-08-01T20:48:00.000-04:00

The outlook for fishing this summer is so much better than last year. By this time last year we had boarded up, evacuated, batten down the hatches, bought supplies, and tested our generator numerous times. There is something to be thankful for, and part of it has to do with the fishing.

I'm grateful for a very good season. It's winding down a bit and although the fishing has been really great, the schedule allows me to get out fishing on my own and explore some new territory.

This week has been especially great for permit fishing. Fly fishing for permit is already difficult and with our southeast winds clipping along at a cool 15 knots, it's not easy for the average fly angler to make precise casts all the time to tailing permit.

Although wind is somewhat of an enemy to a fly fishing angler, especially when it's blowing hard on his right shoulder (for a right handed angler), with permit fishing we almost welcome the wind. It gives the opportunity to sneak up on tailing permit and even is more forgiving when making a strong cast that leaves the fly landing hard in the water.

I tie a fly these days that is deadly for permit but is definately not a flat calm water fly. One the wind is clipping along at 10 knots or so, we're golden.

I had the pleasure of fishing with an angler from New York, George Polsky. I have to give congrats to both him and his brother for their first permit on fly. It's a great accomplishment and no doubt has got them hooked on permit fishing altogether.

As for August, the tropical outlook has a few more players in the field we call the Atlantic Basin, but as for fishing... the slam is still a definate possibility.

Summer Fishing - The pressure is off...

2006-06-19T10:20:00.000-04:00

Key West has been fortunate this spring and had some of the best weather and fishing in a long time. Sure the fishing here is pretty consistant, but the weather is another story. This week the winds have been fairly calm and after what was Alberto rolled through (nothing much for us but some rain) we had some decent clearing weather and some good fishing.

I had one of the most memorable days of bonefishing this week with a regular client of mine. We managed to hook 17 bonefish and landed 13 of them at the boat. Not to mention a couple tarpon on the line that day as well and we had a pretty banner day. Unfortunatly it was a little to calm to get very close to a permit to try for the grand slam.

Now that is is mid-June, the pressure of so many guides diminishes as more than half of them head out West or up North for the summer months. I never thought fishing here year-round could be so much fun. The fish are less spooky and its easier to get into your "spot" without anyone else within eyes distance.

I can only hope that this tarpon season lasts well into August as it did last year. The first few weeks of August lended us a few nice tarpon in the 70- pound range. As the summer progresses tarpon will start to move out of the area while baby tarpon remain in their hiding places around the backcountry. Bonefishing is a must this time of year. It's so much fun to see schools of them glide across a sand flat.

Keep in mind that September and October are great for bonefish and permit here in the Lower Keys. It's a great time of year to be here (set aside the fact that it's hurricane season) and the fishing is very good.

Tarpon Fever

2006-05-29T09:20:00.000-04:00

My first experience with the Palolo Worm Hatch happened almost by accident a couple of years ago. I had some friends in town for a few days of fishing. We had fished the early morning rollers out in the Marquesas but mid-day it was time to go in and rest up for a night trip.

I had heard a prediction of this fabled worm hatch from Jeffrey Cardenas, who owned the Saltwater Angler in Key West at the time. He was one of the pioneers of saltwater fly fishing here in the Keys so his advice was certainly welcome in my book.

I knew what to look for, rolling fish feeding on the surface. But what we saw as we rounded the corner of Ft. Zachary Taylor was nothing short of amazing. Tarpon rolling as far as the eye could see. They were feeding on these Palolo worms.

The sun glistened on the backs of these fish for about two hours and as the sun went down the fish disappeared. Their show was over until the next night.

Palolo worms "hatch" from the hard coral rock bottom of the ocean side of the Keys. I don't know too much more about it except they travel at lightening speed on the surface and mainly all in one direction - towards the reef to spawn.

Tarpon eat these worms and appear almost lazy and drunk on the surface of the water. They become unafraid of motor activity or being lined by a flyline. They are fixated on the worms.

Last night we had another shot at the worm hatch at Bahia Honda bridge. It was also a spectacle of tarpon feeding and most memorable.

One we start getting into the fuller moon phases the worms will quit and tarpon fishing will get back to normal again.

Permit are coming back to the flats now too, there are more and more around while some are small fish - others tip the scales at 20- pounds.

Tarpon Fishing & Palolo Worms

2006-05-16T12:15:00.000-04:00

No doubt that this tarpon season has already been a blast. The weather has been perfect for a ether part of April and this first part of May. Of course as I sit here writing there is a terrific downpour of much needed rain outside. Something we don't like to see as fisherman but this area has only has one half inch of rain up until last night for the year 2006.

We've spent many pleasurable days chasing large schools of tarpon this past week. We've jumped many, broke a few off and landed a couple of nice sized fish. For many of my anglers this time of year, they've done this all before. May tends to be booked nearly a year in advance because it's prime time for tarpon here in the Lower Keys. These guys all fish with a fly and handle my careful instructions about where the fish are and what their reaction is to the fly.

among the fly patterns in our arsenal this time of year, the Toad has always worked well and since the article in a recent issue of Fly Fishing in Saltwater I think the fish are going to be 'schooled' about the tasty Toad in that fabulous chartreuse and we'll have to move on to another pattern of fly to get these fish to bite.

Night fishing becomes a popular event off Key West and around the Bahia Honda Bridge too. Black flies, black death and purple and black are winners in this situation. A black fly against a dark sky to a fish looking up shows up so much better than you may think. Tarpon do feed more freely at night slurping shrimp off the surface of the water.

Another popular event in the Lower Keys is the Palolo worm hatch. These worms hatch out of hard coral rock each year and head to the reef, about 7 miles offshore, to spawn. The phenomenon happens often during the full or new moon of May and June, and often when there is a falling tide towards the evening. Conditions need to be pretty calm for the hatch to come off as expected.

A few days before a worm hatch is about to happen the tarpon will seem to disappear. They know what's about to go on and they don't want to miss it. The Palolo worm is a tasty treat for a tarpon and serves as an aphrodisiac and makes the tarpon appear to be almost 'drunk'.

Tarpon will feed on the surface for these Palolo Worms generally on the ocean side of the Keys. It's not uncommon to see a thousand tarpon rolling, almost as far as the eye can see.

Fishing during the worm hatch certainly can increase your chances of hooking up but it's not as easy as you may think to stick one of these fish. Palolo Worms travel quickly, on the surface, and in a straight line. One technique that does work well is to use the "striper strip" method. This entails casting as far as you can and then putting the reel under your arm and trip with both hands, pulling the fly line consistantly. Another method may be to use long consistant strips and as the fly nears the boat, sweep the fly as far as you can.

The Palolo Worm can be identified by it's similarities to an earth worm. It has a white tip and a red body. A fly that replicates this worm should have a greenish head tied from olive green dubbing with a thin rabbit strip of red.

Tarpon Season

2006-04-19T21:30:00.000-04:00

Fishing conditions in the Key West area this week have been very favorable in both deep and shallow water. I've spent most of the past week on the flats fishing for tarpon.

This time of year I mainly have fly fisherman in my boat. I've had the pleasure of fishing with a father and son team the past couple of days and we've certainly had some fun. Tarpon fishing with live bait is probably easier in some respects but more difficult in that the presentation is so much different than with a fly.

At the end of their first day of fishing we had jumped a few tarpon and landed one for each of them. In addition there have been plenty of bonefish throughout the backcountry off Sugarloaf Key.

Key West Flats Fishing Report - April 5, 2006

2006-04-05T17:55:00.000-04:00

While the rest of the country is getting hammered by wicked weather, we've caught a nice break here in the Florida Keys. Sunny days and a slight breeze have made the flats come alive this week. Our weather gets warmer with each passing day, bringing it past the 80 degree mark today.

To a tarpon, that's a sign to move onto the flats and look for food. Tarpon feed on crabs, shrimp, pinfish and mullet and will strike at anything that immitates that. Another tarpon behavior this time of year is eating shrimp off the surface especially in the evening hours. It's a sight to see and for fly fisherman, a gurgler shrimp pattern works pretty good.

We've had just as much luck during the daylight hours with tarpon, jumping some nice fish in the 80- pound range.

Permit fishing has been pretty good but should be thinning out on the flats this month. Permit spawn on the shallow wrecks and reefs around the lower Keys from April through May. Although the majority of larger permit head offshore, there are still a few spotted on the flats along with many smaller fish in the 5- to 10- pound range.

My angler, Bryan Byerly of Littleton, CO, had a fabulous day of permit fishing last week just before the last cold front. He landed two permit on fly, one 21- pounds and the other 19- pounds. Congrats to Brian! Bryan fishes with me in the Del Brown Invitational Tournament and he'll be back in July to give those permit another go.

Bonefishing has continued to be good in the lower Keys. Bonefish enjoy live shrimp and for fly fishing - they love the foxy clouser. There are certainly many other bonefish patterns that work during different times of the year, but a foxy clouser is universal.

I expect our weather to stay consistantly warmer for a while now giving us a tremendous opportunity to enjoy some great Key West fishing.

Key West Fishing Report - March 31, 2006

2006-04-02T21:25:00.000-04:00

KEY WEST – Fishing in the Lower Keys this week has been a challenge compared to last week. Our mild weather pattern dramatically changed over the weekend dropping the temperature by ten degrees and leaving us with some tough fishing.

“It’s been pretty quiet,” explained Captain Rich Houde on the Southbound out of Charter Boat Row. Houde has been varying his fishing locations from just off the reef to a few hundred feet of water and even though the fishing has been a bit tough, he’s had not a lot of fish but some nice fish. His anglers have been privileged to have a captain with nearly 22 years experience fishing in the Keys. Houde reported having some luck with larger mahi-mahi earlier this week landing a few in the 20- to 30- pound class. “This time of year the dolphin aren't out real far.” Houde said. Next month and into May we’ll start seeing the larger dolphin move through in loose pods.
Houde described how this time of year really brings the sailfish within reach. According to the N.O.A.A. website, which Houde was looking at when I talked to him, the gulfstream is just a mere 7 miles off Key West. That’s surprising since we’ve just had some harsh north winds for a few days. There has been an east current but according to Houde it’s not enough to bring the large number of sails in close to the area. If the current picks up it could change the conditions enough to turn the bite on.

Houde has been doing what he can to get the sailfish to bite. Slow trolling with live threadfin herring or ballyhoo on the outriggers is generally the method used on both light tackle and large sport fishing boats.

Captain Damon Santelli on Outcast Charters also out of Charter Boat Row in Key West, has had some luck with sailfish this week. I caught up with him briefly this week and he was very happy to have released a sailfish that morning on his charter. Santelli had seen a couple more but it was tough to get the bite. Santelli had been fishing the color change just outside the bar off Key West. He explained that small blue runners had been working well for him.

Besides the hope of a better sailfish bite just around the corner as we head in to April, there has been some good action on patch reefs and wrecks on the Atlantic side of the lower Keys. Tuna and bonito have been showing up at the end of the bar and further to the south on the Sub, which is in around 240 ft. This wreck is not much structure on the bottom but tends to hold a plethora of fish in the winter months. It’s a hit or miss situation for tuna out there this time of year though. One day they are there, the next day they are not. Other species that share space on the deeper wrecks in the lower Keys are wahoo, kingfish, amberjack and mutton snapper.
Captain Tony Murphy on the Key Limey out of Murray Marina got a taste of the good wahoo bite a few days ago. Murphy boated a fat 38- pound wahoo and also brought in several blackfin tuna. Captain Chris Lembo on Incognito also had some luck with the speedy wahoo. Lembo was fishing further offshore near the wall in about 650 feet of water. He was trolling with a couple flat lines on the outriggers and one artificial down deep. Lembo’s catch included a nice 20- pound wahoo, a 38- pound dolphin, and some smaller schoolie dolphin.

Since the wind has picked up, Lembo says he’s been fishing just outside the reef in calmer waters. “The temperature goes from 70 degrees just inside the reef to 75 degrees on the reef,” Lembo explained. Fishing just off the reef in a north wind lends its advantages. The reef and the shallow water surrounding it offer protection and don’t allow the sea to build up as much. There is plenty of hard bottom just outside the reef edge in 40-60 feet of water and small structure that holds grouper, mutton snapper and yellowtail.

The flats have been the hardest hit by this last cold front. The fishing has been super tough with the temperature drop but this week the forecast looks good for warmer weather.

Permit fishing has remained good and several guides reported some fabulous days of permit fishing in the lower Keys. Enjoy fishing for these permit now because they’ll be heading offshore to many of the wrecks and patch reefs to spawn next month. There have already been reports of some schools off Western Dry Rocks.

Key West Fishing Report & March Merkin Tournament Results

2006-03-20T11:33:00.000-05:00

Nothing to complain about here in the Florida Keys this week. March weather has been cooperating nicely and the fishing has been exceptional. For those of you awaiting your turn for a cast at a tarpon, bonefish or permit, they are here and they'll be around for a while now.

This past week has been a quest of hookups and breakoffs for my angler. He's a good angler and has seen and hooked more fish this week. Redfish on the flats of the Lower Keys - you'd think "no way" but we've managed to hook a few on fly after they were so skiddish for days prior to that. To add to the list of fish, tarpon, bonefish, jacks, barracuda and permit. That's an active day and and active week for this guy. I'm happy to say that we finally landed him a couple of very large tarpon yesterday to round out the day.

We spent a large amount of our time avoiding the 23 boats entered in the first annual March Merkin tournament. The tournament was out of Hurricane Hole Marina and was hosted by Jon Ain and Dave Horn. The tournament was created because of the popular demand for a permit tournament in March, since the Del Brown was moved to July by popular angler vote. Historically the weather has been windy and therefore tough fly fishing for permit. Many of the anglers who normally fish the Del Brown were delighted to be able to fish this week.

Anglers competed for bragging rights and some great prizes in the March Merkin. At the end of three days of fishing, only a handful of boats actually managed to land a permit on fly. Largest Permit and First Place went to Jon Ain with guide Doug Kilpatrick. Ain caught 2 permit during the 3 day tournament, one weighing 28- pounds, the other 18- pounds. This tournament was unique in that permit were counted by inches. Each inch earned 4 points.

First place went to Jon Ain who was guided by Capt. Doug Kilpatrick. Second place went to Moe Slayton who was guided by Capt. Mike Guerin, and Third went to Tom Rowland who was fishing with Capt. Ernie Maynard.

March Madness - Good weather makes good fishing

2006-03-06T07:23:00.000-05:00

This week in Key West has been a productive one for me. I've had the pleasure of meeting many new anglers, some of which have never experienced the flats before. Since each trip is custom tailored to the client, we've had a lot of fun doing all types of fishing.

Fishing in the backcountry has been pretty productive for all types of fish. In fact, this past Friday I caught more sea trout, ladyfish and look downs than I'd ever even seen since I've been fishing here. It was a lot of fun for my anglers and for me too. We had some great luck just blind casting into mullet muds. There were a few large ones in the backcountry. The sea trout were on the larger size, ranging from 1- to 3- pounds. It provided lots of action to say the least.

Next day we got a little more serious with more traditional flats fishing. March is historically great for permit and there have been some large ones around lately. We ended up casting to quite a few permit with a live crab, and we landed one 17- pound fish on light tackle. Permit are probably my favorite fish. They fight hard and they are pretty sneaky on the flats. Always aware of any preditors in the shallows.

Tarpon have been rolling in the channels and deeper flats. I've mainly had permit anglers the past couple of days and I'm just holding out for some better tarpon fishing to come. The weather has been so cooperative that it is to be expected the tarpon will bite better than they have been. Today the winds are light and variable and the temperature should break 75. Tarpon really get active after the water temps break 71 but any degree above that makes them even more active.

The annual tarpon migration is usually in April, May and June. For those of you who are reading this, don't rule out July or early August if you are a serious fly rodder. July is a perfect time for a grand slam and the fish are certainly here. The mid-day might get a little steamy but it's all worth it when you return to the dock with a story to tell.

The Flats are Alive...

2006-02-21T07:46:00.000-05:00

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.

Warming up in Key West

2006-02-16T08:09:00.000-05:00

Our waters have experienced a pretty cool temperature drop over the past week. Fortunately for us the forecast calls for warming weather and it will most likely hold off the next cold front.

What does this mean for the fishing? It means that all the fish that ran for deeper waters to get away from the shock of changing water temperatures will finally start coming back.

Late February can be a turning point for our fishing here in the Lower Keys. The flats may even get warm enough with a few consecutive warmer days to bring the tarpon in. This is what we look forward to is a little taste of tarpon season before the migration that usually commences around April.

I managed to wrestle with a nice 140 pound tarpon a couple weeks ago. The weather had been warm and mild enough to push a few schools through the lower Keys and it made for a sensational day and a half of fishing until the cold weather moved through again.

Look for more permit on the flats now through the end of March. Permit are one of the most difficult species to catch on a fly. They can range from 5 pounds up to 40 pounds and their wide body makes them a great fighting fish on both light tackle and a flyrod.

Bonefishing in the lower Keys will remain kind of dormant until the temperatures warm up. There are a few bonefish around but they may be skiddish and in very shallow water trying to stay warm.

Barracuda!

2006-02-09T10:54:00.000-05:00

Watching the temperature drop in Key West is nothing we ever really want to see. I moved here for the year round fishing ability and lately the temperatures are dipping so low that I am getting flash backs to winter in New England. The good news is that skies are clear and it's perfect visability for flats fishing.

The past couple days we've gone through a dramatic change in our fishing and weather. Last Friday I was fighting the largest tarpon I've ever hooked and it was the first one of the season! It presented a great fight and barely jumped from the water because he was so large. I hooked him in pretty shallow water and notoriously the area we were fishing was very difficult to get close to tarpon because they get so skiddish in shallow water.

Saturday afternoon we got slammed with an impressive line of storms and then the cool weather settled in. The first couple days were calm and beautiful and yesterday the wind picked up quite a bit. Despite everything the barracuda fishing has been excellent. Folks that don't know this toothy creature intimately... they are a great gamefish and on the flats they put on almost as good a show as tarpon do when they jump. Barracuda are ravenous and during the winter months they are just itching to eat just about anything you put in front of them. My anglers the past 3 days have had some great luck with barracuda on fly. It's one of the largest fish on the flats this time of year and they were on every flat we poled. In the mix this time of year are plenty of jacks, sharks and even cobia. Cobia come onto the flats in January and February.

February and March also mark some great days for permit fishing. If you are a permit fool like I am, I've got a few days open in February and early March. The winds can be a little tough so if you need to practice your double haul, do so. March is one of the best times for permit because they are 'stocking up' by eating a lot before their yearly spawn on the deeper wrecks and reefs around the Lower Keys.

Fly Fishing

2006-02-04T19:29:00.000-05:00

We spent last weekend at the Fly Fishing Show in Somerset, NJ. Not doing a trade show ever in my life left me kind of wondering what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to see many familiar faces from our small close-knit fly fishing community. The last show I attended was in 2003 so we were due to show our faces and tell some great fish stories. I met a lot of very nice people from the tri-state area and some of the best guides on Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod. If you happen to be an avid fly fishing enthusiast, I suggest a visit to this show someplace in the country. You can learn more about the industry, places to go fly fishing and try out some of the newest in fly rod and reel technology.

I came back to Key West late on a Monday night and the next two days would be very challenging. I was priveledged to be part of a television production this week that will air in April as far as I've been told. It was a different kind of television show that put the "best of the best" fishing celebrities from Florida up against each other. One of them fished with me on the flats for two days. Day one we missed a couple nice fish, but that is to be expected. The second day we had a banner day and even landed a bonefish which put us in the money spot for advancing to the next day. Besides a bonefish we also had some very large sharks to the boat, great barracuda, jacks and some shots at permit. It was a new experience for me, TV land is much different than real life. We fished hard and if you tune in to the Outdoor Live Network sometime in April you can view the "Ultimate Playground" and maybe see some footage of me fishing.

Yesterday was a landmark day for me. My first tarpon of the season and he was a whopper! 140lbs. and fighting hard. I think I know why they have the term "Tarpon Belly," because my entire stomach is red from the butt of the rod lodged in it for the fight. For a guide who doesn't get to fish much, this put me in a very good mood for the entire season. The tarpon are around and I just hope after this next front blows through that they will still be making the rounds on the flats. It would be great to have an early run of them.

Key West weather keeps fish biting

2006-01-13T07:53:00.001-05:00

Freezing temperatures throughout the country have been driving more visitors to our area since the turn of 2006. We are thankful that our hurricane debris is gone and things are pretty much getting back to abnormal, as Key West goes.

I've had the opportunity to do a great variety of fishing in the past couple of weeks. Tuna and false albacore fishing has slowed down to almost a hault. This year was different than recent years because the large bait balls that had formed just off the reef were keeping the tunas active and moving around. Normally they hold over deeper wrecks and the end of the bar to the west of Sand Key.

Our mild wind and weather has brought the blue water in close, to around 200 feet. This has given the sailfish a 'highway' to cruise looking for something to eat. I had hooked one the other day on a pinfish but after a few aerobatic jumps, he was off. Unfortunately for me, when the real sailfish run is on during the month of April I am already pounding the flats in search of migrating tarpon. Although I wouldn't give up guiding for tarpon too easily, I'd love to get out there and get a sailfish on a flyrod one of these days. I can certainly suggest a couple great offshore guides who can get you out there for a shot at a sailfish.

We've had some great days fishing for cero mackerel, jacks and yellowtail this past weekend. A little bit of chum and live bait to get them up to the surface and we had every opportunity to hook these fish on a fly. It was non stop action all day. I have a few friends visiting who really got a kick out of it. It was one of my most memorable days on the water, and one of the most productive offshore fly fishing trips.

The weather has been very calm, a little cool (in the 70s)and perfect weather for barracuda and permit fishing. I've had a few great days west of Key West to the Marquesas and we've landed several large barracuda on fly and had a few great shots at permit yesterday with one hook up.

Blackfin Tunas busting off Key West

2005-12-28T08:02:00.000-05:00

Probably my favorite time of the year to be offshore fly fishing is December and January here in the Keys. We've had some great weather this Christmas week. It's been a bit brisk outside (68 degrees) but the fish are biting and the winds are calm.

I got wind of some good news from a few local captains that the tuna were biting real good and I headed offshore yesterday with a good friend of mine, Captain Edward Michaels. It didn't take long to find live pilchards and we headed offshore to join the rest of the fleet already chasing a large ball of bait. This sight was difficult to miss with a flock of birds overhead and the sea exploding just below them. We hit it on a day where it was a mix of tunas and false albacore. We both had many strikes and a lot of great hook ups on a fly rod.

One of the false albacore that Captain Edward landed tipped the scale at 17lbs. It was a great fighting fish to say the least. We ended the day with two nice blackfin tuna, one weighing in at 24 pounds!

I hope this trend of fishing continues offshore for at least a few more days until the next front blows through. It's been fabulous weather and great fishing.

Holiday Fishing in the Lower Florida Keys

2005-12-18T07:25:00.000-05:00

The holidays are in full swing here in the Keys. The recovery from Hurricane Wilma has been phenominal. Many businesses scurried after the storm to clean up and get back to business for the busy season to come.

We've had some cooler temperatures here lately. And for all you folks shivering in the north someplace, cooler to us means below 80 degrees. The temperatures have touched low 70s in the evening and kept the days mild with mostly clear skies. I don't mean to rub it in but the weather has been perfect for whatever activity.

Fishing started out slow a couple weeks into December but since then it's really heated up. A tough decision for me is whether to go offshore and try for tuna on a fly or fish the flats for the toothy barracuda and the elusive permit.

For fly rodders this area of the Keys gives so many opportunities to fish for so many different species. I feel fortunate to have these fishing grounds as my home.

For those looking to get away in the coming months here's an outlook for what to expect:

January: Tuna, bonito (false albacore), wahoo, sailfish, amberjack and cobia are the best targets for someone wishing to hook something offshore on a fly. Other bottom dwelling fish include snapper and grouper and are best taken on light tackle spin gear. The flats offer great chances for barracuda, sharks, jack crevalle and permit. There have been some snook around to but the lower Keys don't hold them in large numbers like the Everglades and Upper Keys do.

February: Kingfish, tuna, bonito, sailfish cobia offshore. Inshore and flats will be hot for barracuda, sharks, jacks, cobia, permit and possibly some tarpon. Fishing deeper flats and the edges of channels for Tarpon is a favorite of mine this time of year. The weather has to be right for the Tarpon to show up but when they do it's a welcome addition to the flats fishing menu.

March: Excellent permit fishing on the flats. This month is historically when permit feed the heaviest in preparation for their hiatus offshore to spawn in April and May. The Del Brown Invitational Tournament used to be held in March but it moved to July and a new tournament will have its debut this March in the Lower Keys: The March Merkin. Offshore fishing will continue to produce kingfish, cobia, sailfish, mahi mahi for fly rod interests. Some Tarpon may move into the harbor as well but this type of fishing is more likely to be a light tackle spin fishing experience.

Happy Holidays to All and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!

Holiday Fishing Conditions

2005-11-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

Flying into Key West on Friday evening was spectacular. The wind was calm and skies were clear and the view of the Marquesas from the air was as picture perfect as it gets. No doubt about it, I love where I live. Hurricanes and all. That sunset and the view of the islands nestled in the glass calm of the Gulf of Mexico makes you get goosebumps and you can only hope when you get on the ground and head out fishing that your expectations are met.

My trip to South Dakota was rewarding. I have not been hunting in years and it was not only some fabulous pheasant hunting but a great time with some close friends. The thrill of the hunt is still there and somehow you can walk away with a whole new experience under your belt. It includes sharing the simple pleasure of meeting some great folks from another part of the country and mulling over a few cocktails and a friendly game of cards. It was a welcome break from cleaning up the yard after Wilma roared through just a month ago.

Back to the fishing...
While we were away I guess bait was a little easier to find and the offshore fishing for tuna had turned on a bit. I decided to get out there and see what the deep sea had to offer. The bad news was the wind has shifted and bait was scarce. Fishing was not the problem, it was the high seas and the no live bait factor. After all, we had our eyes set on tuna on a fly rod. This time of year it's just heating up for tuna fishing but there is always a hope for a few early on to feed that sashimi hunger we get here in the Keys. There is nothing in the world like fresh seared tuna! For those of you coming to the Keys for the holidays, you are still in luck as the cold front will pass and tuna fishing will more than likely be on fire here in a few weeks and through the new year.

On the flats it's been a little tough with the cooler temperature waters. This time of year is really great for action on barracuda, sharks, jacks, grouper and snapper. There are permit around too and when we do find them they have been large in size and pretty hungry. The larger jacks are the best bet for beginner and intermediate fly fishing enthusiasts who want to feel the challenge of saltwater fishing.

The temps are supposed to drop the end of the week, just in time for Fantasy Fest. The week long celebration has been condensed to a few days with the parade happening on December 10th.

For those of you thinking of the promise of Spring and tarpon season... get your plans in order and book your trip early. Tarpon push in as early as late February and they are around and active until August and into September.

Giving thanks for good fishing

2005-11-15T16:54:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving just around the corner I don't even have to look at the calendar to tell that the fishing is heating up here in the Keys. I know that may sound like a "one liner" to some but fall is so productive here in the Keys both in the shallows and offshore.

This past week I've had the opportunity to do both types of fishing with great success. Inshore and flats have been active with permit being the main stay, followed closely by barracudas, jack crevalle and even the elusive bonefish still makes his way onto the flats in November. We've had the shots with the flyrod for permit but they eventually ate the live crab with no problem at all. Since the winds have made casting a bit more difficult, I always offer even my fly anglers the chance to hook a fish on bait if they want to. A few bonefish got our fly stuck in their mouth too. I was glad to see so many fish out on the flats after Wilma ripped through here. The fishing seems to bounce back quicker than anything.

Yesterday I took a good client of mine offshore. He's fished the flats many times and we've had some great experiences tangling with tarpon in recent years. We had a tough time finding bait. It cut our tuna fishing short of what could have been but we managed to muster up one tuna on a life bait and he caught a rainbow runner on a fly. This fish was pretty big for the species and fought real hard. I wish we could have stayed out there longer but it was pretty rough and bait was certainly an issue.

I'm heading out to California to see my family for Thanksgiving but when I get back it will be back to work and a promise of some great fishing.

Picking up the pieces

2005-11-04T13:51:00.000-05:00

My last entry makes things look very promising as if Hurricane Wilma was going to breeze by without really giving us a run for our money. For those of you who have seen previews for "The Weather Man" starring Nicolas Cage, I now understand why people were throwing shakes and softdrinks at him. I rely on the Weather Channel everyday and the storm report was far worse than what was predicted. What they did tell you on the national news was the wind speed recording at Summerland Key at 122 mph, but they didn't tell you that Key West was 60% under a few feet of water on October 24, 2005.

I had battled trying to fix a hole in my roof at 4am so just having a little bit of sleep before sunrise was a welcomed thing. The winds were starting to die down and the intervals between gusts were getting further and further apart. I stepped outside to get some fresh air and take a look around off the deck and I was shocked at the scenery. Flood waters covered everything, at least 2 ft and rising so fast that any bug, frog, and critter was scurrying for any piece of refuge from the flood. We were flooding fast and I had finally witnessed a storm surge.

At the peak of the flooding the waters reached the top of our chain linked fence. I estimate it to be close to 4ft. I can only be thankful I live in a stilt home and my boats and belongings were mostly up high on shelves.

My brother who lives in Upper Sugarloaf Key was not as fortunate. His ground level duplex home was flooded entirely with 2 ft. of contaminated saltwater.

The upside to all of this is we live in a wonderful place. The kindness of even the most distant stranger to lend a helping hand with things is unbelieveable. Many of our close friends have come to the rescue of many that were unfortunate in the flood. They should be blessed with sainthood for their actions.

The water is starting to clear up quite nicely here. Wilma rearranged the backcountry flats a bit in her passing. Channels are narrower, beaches have moved or been eliminated on some remote islands of the lower Keys backcountry. Bottom line is that the fish are hungry and we will survive and keep fishing and feeling glad we were spared the total devestation of a hurricane.

2005-10-18T12:50:00.000-04:00

With Hurricane Wilma possibly knocking on our door in a few days we'll try our best to get in a few more days of fishing in. Fish tend to eat better just before a storm. I've always made a point of going out the day before, after the house is secure of course, and honestly it has been some of the best fishing I've witnessed.

The past few days I have fished with fly fishing anglers who strictly want the shot at a permit. Permit on a fly is just as difficult as a hole in one in golf. It is the most challenging of all gamefish in saltwater on a fly. I've been fortunate enough to have a few under my belt and I really enjoy seeing my anglers cast at a permit and see him eat the fly. It's a rush for both of us.
Bonefishing has still continued to be good. Some of our waters are unclear due to higher unseasonable winds this past week. It has left the backcountry areas of the Lower Keys a bit muddy and it is difficult to see bonefish even on white sand when the water is dirty.I've done my best to seek out spots just at the beginning of the rising tide in order to get a few shots in before the murky water moves in to the area.

Bonefishing and Permit fishing will most likely remain good even after the storm blows by us until mid November. The rest of the flats fish are making themselves known now too including sharks, barracuda and jack crevalle. For those of you looking for tarpon, they are few and far between and you are best waiting for the next surge in late Feb. or March and hold out for a big one!

Fall Florida Keys Fishing

2005-09-22T13:22:00.000-04:00

In the aftermath of Hurricane Rita in the Florida Keys we will have a waiting period for the flats fishing to get back underway. We were spared some of the damage to our homes but the waters around the Florida Keys certainly took a beating getting churned up by high seas, strong tides and high winds from this hurricane.

Fish react with great instinct before and after a tropical cyclone effects their area. They have a tremendous sense of weather conditions and tend to gorge on whatever is in front of them. I have fished before and after hurricanes before and had great luck on the flats prior to a hurricane. The waters are still clear and the sky tends to be perfect giving us perfect light on our quarry.

Hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th. We don't usually get effected until August or September but this year was an exception with Hurricane Dennis skirting by in July. Despite these systems effecting our fishing, the waters do clear up pretty quickly and fishing gets back to normal in a week or so.

During the summer months we find tarpon, bonefish and permit to be excellent species to fish for on the flats with a fly rod. Reason? Winds are generally light and for the beginner and intermediate fly angler this gives them a greater chance to hook and land fish on a fly rod.

We are now well into our Fall season here in the Keys and big tides give us great wading possibilities in the backcountry off Sugarloaf Key. I particularly love this time of year for evening fishing for tailing permit and bonefish and will head out there when I can after a days charter to get some fishing in for myself.

Bonefish patterns that work great here in the Lower Florida Keys include the clouser minnow, Foxy Clouser and any smaller shrimp pattern. I can tell you to tie a few different sizes of each fly with different weight barbell eyes. Many of these fish are in very skinny water so the lighter fly and presentation is essential.

For permit, and also for bonefish, a merkin pattern is the best for presentation and realistic movement in the water of a crab fleeing. The summer months provide us with a unique opportunity to fish a 'crab hatch' that happens. These tiny blue crabs cling to floating sea grass and other debris and follow the tides inflow and outflow. Permit see this opportunity to feed on a bunch of crabs by waiting in the side channels and outflow areas similar to trout, and just pick the crabs from the surface. For these conditions we need a fly that floats or just suspends below the surface film of the water. If you hit it right, a crab hatch can be an amazing site and a tremendous opportunity to hook a permit on a fly.

As Fall turns to winter the winds will tend to increase here in the Florida Keys. Permit will hang around throughout the winter months and the barracudas, jack crevalle and sharks will move in to replace tarpon and bonefish on the flats. Both tarpon and bonefish are temperature sensative and will vacate the flats if the water temperature drops too much.

I fish a lot offshore for tuna, bonito (false albacore) and wahoo in the winter months on our larger boat. It's a great opportunity to hook a 20 - 30lb tuna on a fly rod as well as bonito and possibly wahoo. We carry both fly tackle and conventional tackle for those who just want to feel the burn of a screaming reel on a blackfin tuna.

Mercury Redbone S.L.A.M.

2005-09-12T12:48:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the Mercury Redbone S.L.A.M tournament in Key West. Last year the tournament was moved because of some ominous hurricane headed our way... I forget his or her name but I think we left town once again. Anyway, I didn't get the chance to fish the tournament because my angler couldn't make it on the rescheduled days. I made up for it this year and had some great guys in my boat who were great fishing partners and just plain fun to be around.

The first day I traveled far for a few shots at bonefish and after prefishing a few days before I knew it would be a tougher tournament due to some dirty water almost everywhere I traveled. We ended up with one bonefish the first day on fly and saw several other large bones. The second day was perfectly calm and clear and the water had cleared up a bit too. We hit the tarpon holes early and jumped quite a few and landed one on fly. The tarpon fishing was so good that it was almost difficult to leave the spot and move on to the other species and try to complete the slam.

We ended up landing a permit on a live crab and hooking another permit that got away. It was certainly a day for the record for me. We walked away as the Fly Division Champs!

The Redbone is a great organization that puts on these tournaments in hope to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. You can find out more about the organization and their tournament series at http://www.redbone.org.

Fall Fishing in the Lower Keys

2005-09-02T15:58:00.000-04:00

For those who can find the time to get away this fall, the fishing for bonefish and permit in September and October is excellent. Each year we get some perfect tides in early morning and early evening for tailing fish and often we can get out and wade fish for them.I have just returned from a trek to the Riverkeep Lodge in Labrador. It was certainly an experience of a lifetime and it was wonderful to spend time with my Dad on this trip. My fathers generosity not only extends to me but to the clergyman of his local church. Needless to say it was a very enjoyable week out in the wilderness. Riverkeep is set on and island in Labrador and offers untouched fishing for large brook trout, northern pike and landlock salmon. Throughout the week our guides not only make the camp comfortable for us but also cooked meals, told great stories and showed us some of the best fresh water fishing available.Now I'm back in the Florida Keys in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. This powerful storm spared us for the most part just leaving us with trees down and without power for a couple of days. For those in New Orleans, my heart and prayers go out to you.

Fishy Creatures

2005-08-14T09:46:00.000-04:00

I've had the pleasure of fishing with a long time friend of mine for the past two weeks. He is one of the fishiest people I know and he is a great fly fisherman. He's spent the better part of his fishing career in the west fishing for trout on mountain springs and some of the best known rivers in Montana. He started coming down here to fish with me a few years ago and has made it a tradition ever since.

We had the luck of getting another friend from south Lake Tahoe to come out donning his high tech filming gear complete with microphones and underwater camera. Mikey Weir is a guide and works in South Lake Tahoe. He also produces videos from all over the world for trout fishing. Most of the filmed experiences are his own and this will be his first saltwater fly fishing video when it gets produced. You can visit his website at http://www.fisheyevideos.com.

He has a knack for the video and an eye for making each angle and each strike count. I think over a weeks time we got some sick eats on tarpon, a great take from a tailing permit and some wading bonefish shots on some of the prettiest flats in the lower Florida Keys.

Yesterday we headed out for a morning run for some tarpon. Seeing fellow guide Simon Becker at the boat ramp and knowing he was up early to do the same thing we were. He mentioned as we were driving away, "Catch a big one.... or I guess I mean catch a little one...". This time of year the tarpon range from 60lbs. right down to 10lb. baby tarpon that hide in very coveted holes around the mangrove islands of the Florida Keys.

We headed to one of my favorite spots that I had not been to all season. It's really just a place you take friends to fish and I always explain to them how fragile the baby tarpon holes are and that we only come disrupt them once in a while so they don't leave.

We ended up jumping a few tarpon and just getting a good look at a great little tarpon hole. Mikey got some good footage and he even got in there and jumped a nice size tarpon a few times.

I'm headed to Labrador to fish with my Dad this next week. I'm looking forward to some mellow trout fishing and getting some time in with my Dad.

Summer Fishing in the Florida Keys

2005-07-26T06:46:00.000-04:00

It is summer now in the Florida Keys and from the looks of the Weather Channel, it's cooler here than in most parts of the country. The island breeze keeps us cool but so does a slushy Mango Daquiri at the Sugarloaf Lodge after a day of fishing.

Tomorrow is Lobster Mini Season here in the Keys. It's a time that most locals here love and dread because of the thousands of visitors who are just here to rape the waters of the spiny crawfish we call "bugs". I find that most visitors here for Lobster season not only bend the rules and laws about taking them, they flat out break them. Just the other day we saw an entire family pull in and ring a whole pile of lobster tails and it wasn't even season yet! They must have heard that old redneck saying, "Season... well season is just for cookin."

Back to the fishing...
Hurricane Dennis really messed things up here for us and the water got clear and the fishing was good, then it got worse. For the end of July this is not good since most of us guides finally have a few days off to go fishing and the fish are scarce. Sometimes I really have to think hard where they could have gone since I've already visited a lot of my regular fishing areas where the fish would just be marching across the flats this time of year. It has definately been tough but being out on the water and on the pointy end of the boat instead of poling it around makes a big difference after a long season of guiding for me.

This time of year the Keys have some great fishing. Summertime is a great time to be here fly fishing. The winds are light, the water is calm and the fish are generally pretty willing to eat. Permit fishing is a little tougher if the water is glass calm. Permit are very spooky and the only shot you'll have with a fly will be a very long accurate cast where you can lay the fly down well in front of them without scaring them with it. Migrating tarpon have moved out of the area by now and what's left is some happy baby tarpon that are tucked away in various holes and mangrove island coves. A baby tarpon spot is like gold to a guide and each year you find different ones and each year I find that my older spots the tarpon are now grown and moved out of their tucked away spot. These prehistoric looking creatures are in danger from what I understand. They are being killed in Mexico for a roe they produce. You can read more about it at the Saltwater Angler website where they have a notice posted.

I'll be participating in mini-lobster season this year. My brother has some friends here so we'll be out there with the other ten thousand snorkeling fools just trying to chase the "bugs" around the ocean. I am looking forward to the Keys quieting down after that and hopefully the fishing will improve!

Hurricane Dennis

2005-07-13T13:26:00.000-04:00

Last year in mid-August we had our first close call of the season with Hurricane Charlie. Charlie passed to the west of Key West and the eye of the storm went directly over the Dry Tortugas. It was a deadly storm for the national park at Fort Jefferson and it damaged the park to the extent that it was closed for nearly a month.

Fishing before a hurricane can be very productive. This is only provided your storm shutters are up, you have your provisions ready and still have time to spare. Somehow the fish just know it's going to be bad for the next couple of days so they eat like crazy. Prior to Charlie I had the opportunity to fish with a good friend who was eternally visiting for 20 days in August. We spent the late afternoon in the calm before the storm fishing for bonefish. The clarity of the water was pure and the sky was so blue with not a cloud to be seen for miles. If only every day could be just like that afternoon with bonefish and permit tailing and even a few passing tarpon.

Hurricane Dennis took us more by surprise and it seemed as though I got off the water after breaking down and being towed back to port and there was an endless line of cars and trailered vessels making a mass exodus of the Keys. We landed 3 out of 4 permit that afternoon while waiting for our tow in. Again, the theory in place that the fish just know, we took advantage of it and got a few monster 20lb permit to eat live crabs. I can only imagine if I had the chance to throw the fly what it would have been like.

Prior to Hurricane Dennis my wife and I spent the 4th of July holiday in Key Largo. We stayed at a wonderful place called Azul Del Mar. I suggest it for anyone looking for a secret spot in the Keys to go. Wonderful suites with living area, kitchenette with dishwasher and comfortable bed. Their website is www.azulkeylargo.com. We enjoyed fireworks from the private dock and were away from the crowds which is exactly what we both needed.

The highlight of the trip is my wife caught her first permit on fly. It was a healthy 6lb fish and was caught while fishing the oceanside of lower Biscayne Bay. It seems that in saltwater fly fishing there is no other greater single accomplishment than landing permit on fly. They are difficult and spooky but when they decide they are going to eat there is no stopping them.

Visit my website for more photos of this season at http://www.stingreacharters.com.

Summer fishing in the Keys

2005-06-26T15:49:00.000-04:00

No matter how much I try and remind myself that the Keys fishing is always really good, it doesn't compare to this time of the year where all the planets align and the fish are on the flats and feeding very well.

Since my last report the fishing has had it's ups and downs but certainly more in the up area when it comes to tarpon, bonefish and permit. I've even had a few great days to fish myself and personally landed a tarpon and two permit on fly. For a saltwater fly fisherman like me, that's just the best thing that can ever happen in a day of fishing. I have my friend Randey to thank for his superb guidance and skiff poling abilities. He's not a guide here in the Keys but really has it in him to find fish and do it with a little bit of relaxation and fun.

Over the course of a few great memorable weeks I've managed to guide some of my regular visiting anglers to permit, tarpon and a whole slew of bonefish. The bonefishing has been spectacular the past couple of days. Some points during our day of fishing yesterday were just scrambling to rig up another fly rod after one guy was already hooked up with a bonefish. We had a couple double headers and hooked 12 bonefish in all. The best part of all was it was my father and his good buddy who were here fishing for a couple of days. To show someone fish is one thing, to show your Dad fish and have him make the perfect cast was just very memorable.

I'm looking forward to summer as my guide calendar gets a bit lighter. That only means that I can get some time off to relax and get out there and fish for myself and learn some new water too.

Tarpon and the Worm Hatch

2005-06-10T09:48:00.000-04:00

The Palolo worm hatch here in the Keys is a semi-predictable event. If you are out there on the water every day like I am you will know when it is getting ready to happen. It takes a full or new moon, a late outgoing tide, and some daytime tarpon action that just doesn't make sense. The tarpon must have an alarm clock that goes off that sends them like zombies to the oceanside flats to wait for these worms. Most often they don't want anything else to do with your bait or your fly unless it possibly resembles a worm.

Classic worm patterns used to be easily accessible at many of the local fly shops around the area. Borski's Worm was the best pattern that was manufactured and unfortunately I have not been able to get any for a few years now. I've got a few different patterns with a sparse marabou tail and a greyish dubbed body and blue thread for the head of the fly. Tie a lot of them, they are quick and easy. Most worm hatches only last a short time so we have more fun jumping these fish, breaking them off and then tying on a new fly and leader.

We are coming off the new moon now by a few days and possibly tonight may be the last night of worm hatch fishing for this season. Many of the spots to find these worm hatches are on the South side of the Florida Keys. From Man Key to Fort Zachary all the way up to the 7 Mile Bridge in Marathon, it happens at one point or another. If you plan to try and fish a worm hatch check your tide and moon charts carefully and book your guide way in advance for next year.

Smitty & Al's Tarpon Bonanza

2005-06-03T09:31:00.000-04:00

For many years a certain group of good friends visit Key West during the first weekend in June to participate in their own private tournament, the Smitty & Al's Tarpon Bonanza. I have had the pleasure of fishing this tournament for two years now and it's probably the most fun you can have while fishing a tournament anywhere.

These guys come down here to get together and enjoy Key West and all it has to offer and fortunately they've come down during a great tarpon season.

The past two days have been overcast and yesterday it rained for the better part of the day. At some points the rain was dumping down and does not make for a very good fishing day. We gave it a good shot, heading off to a spot I wanted to check out and pre fish before the tournament anyway. Tomorrow is the start of the competition and I have a feeling the sight fishing will be minimal due to the clouds so we need to come up with another tactic to get a tarpon to the boat.

That is the only rule that is a must for this tournament, a tarpon must be landed or no other fish you have caught counts.

In the end there are awards and great cheers to these guys for coming up with a fun way to get all your buddies together in one spot for a few days.

Fly Fishing for Tarpon

2005-06-01T09:26:00.000-04:00

I have to say this is one of my favorite times of the year. Tarpon season is grueling and we are not only on the cusp of summer, it just dawned on a new day and whala! it was summer! Hot, hot, hot and sweaty. But with the summer heat comes the glory of flat calm days, rolling tarpon and the best action for fly fishing you can ever imagine.

This week I had the pleasure of fishing with a gentleman from New York. He and I had a lot of fun and I saw some very large fish gulp his fly. We had a couple super great days of fishing with one day racked up at 14 tarpon hookups and 5 fish landed. We had some other great days under our belt too but that was the best.

If you have ever heard anyone talk of a "guppy hatch" in the Keys, I believe that is what we witnessed. It seems as though thousands of small baitfish come off the flat and seem to have a lack of oxygen from the water that they are dying and foundering everywhere. The tarpon stay in deeper water just off the edge of the shallow flat and gulp these baitfish by the mouthfuls. We had the right color fly on to replicate a small baitfish and the tarpon just loved it.

Trying to reason with Tarpon Season

2005-05-26T11:00:00.000-04:00

Well I finally got a day off in the midst of all this tarpon hoorah. It's a good season to be here... winds are fairly light, and the clouds are not getting in the way too much of seening giant pods of tarpon.

These tarpon can be found anywhere from the Marquesas through the Florida Keys and all the way up the coast of Florida. They are migrating and they are eating. The name of the game now is tie the right fly to tantelize them and make them turn and eat it. I have personally ended up at the vise almost every night tying something new and slightly different to entice these prehistoric creatures to eat.

So many anglers visit the Keys during tarpon season with the quest to land one of these giant fish. Some are small, maybe 20 lbs. and they can get as large at 200lbs. Many anglers forget that we can't just catch these creatures, we have to hunt and get the fish to eat. Particularly in fly fishing, the best advice to any one coming to the Keys to fly fish for tarpon is to practice. When you think you have the double haul down and you can punch it out there fifty feet in front of a fish, practice some more. It all changes when you are casting at a moving target and the wind is not in your favor and the boat is moving and... well you get the idea. Believe it or not, your guide really, really wants to catch fish too! I am a fisherman because I love it and I love to see my anglers year after year come back striving to do better at fly fishing.

So my day off is filled with tying flies, fixing anything on the boat that needs fixing, and holding down the couch.

May Tarpon / Palolo Worm Hatch

2005-05-18T09:16:00.000-04:00

Key West Updated Fishing Report:
May 18, 2005
Tarpon Season 2005 Fishing this spring has been pretty great and compared to last season. Although tarpon have been not as strong as recent years for May, it's been good and fly fishing for them is a great way to get them to eat when they are not feeding like crazy.
Tarpon can be found migrating from the Marquesas Keys all the way up the Florida Keys island chain. Typically the migrating fish travel along the oceanside flats but there will be layed up tarpon just about everywhere in the backcountry. Tarpon will hang around and move through the Keys for another month or so and then the rest will hang around in the shallower flats and channels throughout the summer.
Bonefishing and Permit fishing are still great. Lately my anglers have wanted to concintrate on tarpon fishing while they are here. I've seen permit on deeper flats while tarpon fishing this season but the majority of them are still offshore spawning for a few more weeks. The population on the flats has been stronger than I've seen in recent years.
The Palolo Worm Hatch is something tarpon anglers and guides look forward to during the Full or New Moon phases in May and June. This Atlantic Palolo Worm Hatch is one of the unexplained rituals in saltwater fishing and until you see it with your own eyes, you will not understand.
The Palolo Worm hatches from hard coral rock that mainly covers the bottom of the Atlantic side of the Keys. These tiny worms look like a red and white earth worm. They hatch and head for the surface of the water. The neatest thing is that they all travel in the same direction, towards the reef located offshore. Meanwhile the tarpon gather together and eat these worms. It seems to have an intoxicating effect on the tarpon and the only time I really hit a hard worm hatch, I could see tarpon rolling as far as I could see.
I'm sure there are more scientific articles about this worm hatch. I kept one in a glass of saltwater for two days. It just kept swimming in circles and eventually it's red color faded. I have done some research on this ritual and the tarpon fishing that follows, but not many articles are written on it.
If you are fishing the flats this year in May or June and happen to stay out for the sunset, take a look off the beach and maybe you will see some tarpon shining in the water munching on worms.
September & October are spectacular for bonefish and permit. If you can't make it down here in the summer, try our fall fishing. The winds are light and despite our hurricane season the weather is pretty nice.
Warm Regards from the Florida Keys Capt Justin

Fly fishing for Tarpon - May 2005

2005-05-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

Tarpon fishing is the name of the game from now through June as the migration continues. It's a touchy time of year as there are so many guides competing for space on a flat with migrating tarpon. They mostly come across the ocean flats this time of year and the days of poling deeper flats in search of the silver king are far from over.

I got my anglers up early yesterday and headed out to the Marquesas. The wind and tide were with us on our 8 mile crossing of Boca Grande channel. It was still dark when we got there and it seemed as though I was the first boat out there at long last. We casted to rolling tarpon as the sun was coming up. Third cast and my angler was hooked up. Hooray! We fed a lot of fish early and then the wind was starting to howl. Tarpon fishing has been spotty this year. Great days and then okay days, the fish are here they are just being ultra picky. It brings be back to the vise every day to tie something new for them to look at.

We worked our way back from the Marquesas through the ocean side flats and into the backcountry before finding some giant tarpon that would eat. My angler casted out and had one giant fish follow the fly, eat it and spit it out all in one continuous motion. He just stood there in awe, not setting the hook. Ah well, tomorrow is another day...

Tarpon fishing in the Marquesas Keys

2005-05-02T14:04:00.000-04:00

Tarpon season is getting to be in full swing. The weather yesterday around Key West was a little bleak with a front bearing down on us and overcast skies. Still I decided our best shot at tarpon on fly was in the Marquesas. The Marquesas atoll is 22 miles from Key West harbor and can be the best place to fish for migrating and layed up tarpon during the season. It's a long ride and the 8 mile stretch of Boca Grande Channel is no party when the wind and the tide are not agreeing. Most guides have at least one horror story from the crossing but when you get there you will see it is all worth it.

Don't get me wrong though, the Marquesas is a great place to fish but so are the lakes, backcountry and oceanside flats of the Lower Keys. The Marquesas is very fragile and for it to be there to fish for years to come we need to be careful with the fishery now.

Lately there have been many articles written about the Keys and the Marquesas. Many can provide a mothership to spend a few days out there fishing in comfort. There is also great reef and wreck fishing a short trip away. It is no doubt a magical place and if you fish and if you fly fish, be sure to visit.

My angler ended up jumping 12 fish on fly yesterday and landed 3. It was a pretty good day of fly fishing if you ask me.

Key West Fishing Report

2005-04-30T15:11:00.000-04:00

April 30th

Key West fishing has been a bit tough due to some prevailing southeast winds this week. The tarpon are here (so don't fret) but they are not biting as good as expected. We had a couple good days of tarpon fishing in the harbor and jumped eight fish and landed two of them.

For the entire month of May I will be fly fishing for tarpon and I am very excited about it. We've been fishing them in the early morning and later evening for them with flies and getting them on darker patterns. For added action try a tarpon bunny with a rabbit strip tail. The movement seems to be something that the tarpon cannot resist.

Bonefishing has improved quite a bit as the water has warmed up. Air temps have been in the 80s all week and it has been great for bonefishing the flats. If you are wanting to try and get them on a fly, a Foxy Clouser or tan and white clouser minnow with light barbel eyes has been working well. Some of the bonefishing we do in the lower Florida Keys is real shallow and therefore not as much weight is needed.

There are still some nice permit on the flats. This time of year the permit take some time off and leave the flats to spawn offshore. They can be found in schools of a hundred or more on shallow reefs and wrecks.