Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Updated Fishing Reports
This Fishing blog has been combined with others to form Keys Fishing Report ... click here to visit www.keysfishingreport.com.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Key West Fishing Report - December 2006
KEY WEST – Blustery conditions may have made fishing conditions rough in our offshore waters this week but it certainly did not keep the fish from biting.
Reports of winds in excess of 30 knots made getting to the fishing grounds near the reef and offshore more difficult. Anglers and guides that braved these conditions were generously rewarded with some great fishing.
“The fishing has kind of been different,” explained Captain Mike Weinhofer. He was referring to the larger dolphin up on the reef chasing ballyhoo. This is so unusual because dolphin notoriously do not feed when there is a north wind.
Weinhofer was finding dolphin in 120 to 180 feet of water. These larger dolphin were of course mixed in with some smaller schoolies which provided some constant action for both Weinhofer on his light tackle boat Compass Rose and for many of the offshore trolling boats working the same area.
The sailfish bite has been more consistent this week and may be due to the rougher weather. Sailfish have been crashing bait on top of the reef off Key West and reports are they are in as little water as 25 feet out to 180 feet. Sailfish can be found between the reef and outer bar.
Another contender in the bite offshore is the wahoo. “The wahoo bite has been fairly consistent but not red hot,” said Weinhofer. He had spent a few days this week fishing for them with live speedos and slow trolling. Several wahoo were caught this week among the Key West fleet including a few in the 30- and 40- pound range.
Wahoo are one of the fastest pelagic species in our Florida Keys waters. They can travel at speeds up to 60 mph. This speed combined with their ability to dump line off a reel in a matter of seconds make the wahoo a very sought after game fish.
Although we have had a fair amount of black fin tuna in the area this fall they have finally started to school up on the Sub to the west of Key West. This area has a wreck we call the Sub and is in approximately 220 feet of water. Light tackle captains will anchor in a line just off the Sub and throw live bait to get the tuna up near the surface.
Both light tackle fisherman and fly fisherman enjoy this season of our Key West offshore fishing because of the tremendous possibilities. Fishing for black fin tuna can be very productive with a well full of live bait. Tossing out net fills of pilchards and in turn hooking one pilchard through the nostrils on a 1/0 to 2/0 hook with a 20 to 30 pound fluorocarbon leader will not only allow the bait to stay more alive but reducing the pound leader will increase the bite ratio. Tuna have big eyes and are sometimes hard to deceive even with a live bait. Reducing the leader to 20 pound test will get more bites but also more fish broken off if they are fought too long and wear through the lighter leader.
One drawback to the tuna bite right now is the numerous sharks present on the Sub and the End of the Bar.
Captain Tom Ault on the Time Out reported some steady action offshore with dolphin and king mackerel. “Kings were on the small side with a few decent ones mixed in,” Ault said. He’s been finding these fish in 120 to 200 feet.
King mackerel are notorious for short strikes on dead bait. Ault mentioned that even though they fish a single hook in their trolled baits, they may make the haywire twist longer so the hook is further back in the bait. Pre-rigged ballyhoo often have two hooks in each bait which is perfect when trolling for king mackerel.
Live bait fishing for kings is another story. A medium to large sized blue runner with a stinger hook in the tail section of the bait will help increase the hook up ratio with these razor toothed fish. A wire leader is always a must.
The 11th Annual Hog’s Breath King Mackerel Fishing Tournament is scheduled for January 26th through 28th. The tournament headquarters are at Murray Marina on Stock Island. For more information please visit Murray Marina’s website at www.murraymarine.com.
Reports of winds in excess of 30 knots made getting to the fishing grounds near the reef and offshore more difficult. Anglers and guides that braved these conditions were generously rewarded with some great fishing.
“The fishing has kind of been different,” explained Captain Mike Weinhofer. He was referring to the larger dolphin up on the reef chasing ballyhoo. This is so unusual because dolphin notoriously do not feed when there is a north wind.
Weinhofer was finding dolphin in 120 to 180 feet of water. These larger dolphin were of course mixed in with some smaller schoolies which provided some constant action for both Weinhofer on his light tackle boat Compass Rose and for many of the offshore trolling boats working the same area.
The sailfish bite has been more consistent this week and may be due to the rougher weather. Sailfish have been crashing bait on top of the reef off Key West and reports are they are in as little water as 25 feet out to 180 feet. Sailfish can be found between the reef and outer bar.
Another contender in the bite offshore is the wahoo. “The wahoo bite has been fairly consistent but not red hot,” said Weinhofer. He had spent a few days this week fishing for them with live speedos and slow trolling. Several wahoo were caught this week among the Key West fleet including a few in the 30- and 40- pound range.
Wahoo are one of the fastest pelagic species in our Florida Keys waters. They can travel at speeds up to 60 mph. This speed combined with their ability to dump line off a reel in a matter of seconds make the wahoo a very sought after game fish.
Although we have had a fair amount of black fin tuna in the area this fall they have finally started to school up on the Sub to the west of Key West. This area has a wreck we call the Sub and is in approximately 220 feet of water. Light tackle captains will anchor in a line just off the Sub and throw live bait to get the tuna up near the surface.
Both light tackle fisherman and fly fisherman enjoy this season of our Key West offshore fishing because of the tremendous possibilities. Fishing for black fin tuna can be very productive with a well full of live bait. Tossing out net fills of pilchards and in turn hooking one pilchard through the nostrils on a 1/0 to 2/0 hook with a 20 to 30 pound fluorocarbon leader will not only allow the bait to stay more alive but reducing the pound leader will increase the bite ratio. Tuna have big eyes and are sometimes hard to deceive even with a live bait. Reducing the leader to 20 pound test will get more bites but also more fish broken off if they are fought too long and wear through the lighter leader.
One drawback to the tuna bite right now is the numerous sharks present on the Sub and the End of the Bar.
Captain Tom Ault on the Time Out reported some steady action offshore with dolphin and king mackerel. “Kings were on the small side with a few decent ones mixed in,” Ault said. He’s been finding these fish in 120 to 200 feet.
King mackerel are notorious for short strikes on dead bait. Ault mentioned that even though they fish a single hook in their trolled baits, they may make the haywire twist longer so the hook is further back in the bait. Pre-rigged ballyhoo often have two hooks in each bait which is perfect when trolling for king mackerel.
Live bait fishing for kings is another story. A medium to large sized blue runner with a stinger hook in the tail section of the bait will help increase the hook up ratio with these razor toothed fish. A wire leader is always a must.
The 11th Annual Hog’s Breath King Mackerel Fishing Tournament is scheduled for January 26th through 28th. The tournament headquarters are at Murray Marina on Stock Island. For more information please visit Murray Marina’s website at www.murraymarine.com.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Keys winter fishing is a blast!
Key West fishing has had some trials this week with gusty winds from the North east making it difficult to get out on the water.
Fall and early winter fishing anglers should expect to still see larger permit on the flats through the month of November. Permit are not as touchy when it comes to fluctuation in the water temps, giving them more time up on the flats.
We've still been finding plenty of bonefish, and some nice large ones up to 10-pounds in the lower Keys. Bonefish will thin out on the flats as the water temps drop.
The greatest comeback is from the toothy barracuda. This fish spends plenty of time on the flats in the winter months. They can be found in many depths of water and along channel edges awaiting the next sign of a struggling fish to pounce on.
A green, pink or yellow tube lure works best when fishing with light tackle. It's an old reliable lure that can be retrieved slow or fast and is easy to cast long distances. Fly fisherman should not discount the barracuda, they are a tremendous fighting fish and even provide aerobatic jumps when hooked. A fly that looks like a long needlefish works good on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook. Some guides will also use flashy material only in chartreuse, yellow, blue or red. The head is made with epoxy and softex is used to bond the flash material near the hook shank to help avoid foul hooking.
Several other species join the flats community in the Lower Keys during the winter. They include the ever strong Crevalle jack, redfish and snook. Jacks often travel behind sting rays or larger sharks hoping for a morsel of food that gets stirred up from the bottom. Some jacks can be in the 12- to 15- pound range and provide a tremendous fight on a fly rod.
So if you need to get away this winter, think about coming to the Key West area and try your cast at some of our winter time fish.
Fall and early winter fishing anglers should expect to still see larger permit on the flats through the month of November. Permit are not as touchy when it comes to fluctuation in the water temps, giving them more time up on the flats.
We've still been finding plenty of bonefish, and some nice large ones up to 10-pounds in the lower Keys. Bonefish will thin out on the flats as the water temps drop.
The greatest comeback is from the toothy barracuda. This fish spends plenty of time on the flats in the winter months. They can be found in many depths of water and along channel edges awaiting the next sign of a struggling fish to pounce on.
A green, pink or yellow tube lure works best when fishing with light tackle. It's an old reliable lure that can be retrieved slow or fast and is easy to cast long distances. Fly fisherman should not discount the barracuda, they are a tremendous fighting fish and even provide aerobatic jumps when hooked. A fly that looks like a long needlefish works good on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook. Some guides will also use flashy material only in chartreuse, yellow, blue or red. The head is made with epoxy and softex is used to bond the flash material near the hook shank to help avoid foul hooking.
Several other species join the flats community in the Lower Keys during the winter. They include the ever strong Crevalle jack, redfish and snook. Jacks often travel behind sting rays or larger sharks hoping for a morsel of food that gets stirred up from the bottom. Some jacks can be in the 12- to 15- pound range and provide a tremendous fight on a fly rod.
So if you need to get away this winter, think about coming to the Key West area and try your cast at some of our winter time fish.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
October Fall Fishing - Lower Florida Keys
KEY WEST – The month of October serves as a turning point for our fishing. Cool fronts start to drop down near the Keys more frequently and the action offshore takes a turn for the better.
The offshore fishing has still been inconsistent for pelagic species but the good news is there have been reports of sailfish, dolphin and wahoo being caught off Key West.
Captain Jay Weed on the Lucky Charm out of the Historic Seaport in downtown Key West reported his anglers released two sailfish this week. The sailfish were estimated to be 25- and 35- pounds.
Generally the sailfish that are found in our waters during the fall and winter months are smaller than the fish we will encounter in the spring. Don’t under estimate these smaller sailfish though, they still provide plenty of entertainment when hooked.
Weed’s anglers also landed several small dolphin, a few tuna and bonito and a kingfish on the same morning trip.
“It’s been up and down,” Weed remarked about their luck with fishing this week. “You either find a few things floating or not, it’s hit or miss,” Weed added.
Weed has been fishing everywhere from the Wall, which is about 18 miles south of Key West, to the reef where he’s managed to pick up some bonito, bar jacks and kingfish. He had made the 18- mile trek but found that much of their better fishing was inside of Wall.
One of the other boats in the Lucky Fleet, the Lucky Strike which is owned and operated by Captain Keith Hebert has had similar luck. Hebert reportedly had a nice catch of smaller blackfin tuna, kingfish, bonito and dolphin.
You can reach Captain Jay Weed on the Lucky Charm at 305-304-0208 or visit him in Key West at the Historic Seaport behind Turtle Kraals restaurant.
Captain Tony Murphy on the Key Limey out of Murray Marina also had some luck with blackfin tuna this week. Murphy mentioned that he’d been fishing every day this week and was doing something different each day. Murphy had just returned from a fly fishing trip where his anglers were interested in catching sharks on fly. Earlier in the week he fished the reef for yellowtail snapper.
This time of the year can be tough for offshore fishing. Captains will try several methods of fishing and switch between them in order to show their anglers a good time and bend a rod.
For more information visit his website at www.keylimey.com.
The reef fishing has reportedly slacked off over the past few days. It had been a strong bet for yellowtail snapper and grouper. The warm water of the Gulfstream could be a contributor. The blue water off Western Dry Rocks is reportedly in very close.
Captain Chris Johnson of SeaSquared Charters out of Marathon has been spending some time in the Gulf this week trying to keep his anglers busy.
Angler Curt Kenney of Chicago, IL released several goliath groupers on light tackle gear while fishing with Johnson. Kenney and his cousin, Jack Weiler of Long Beach, CA also caught several nice mangrove snappers and gag grouper.
Although the offshore fishing has plenty of room for improvement, the flats are still providing good action at least during the early morning and evening hours.
The tides have been just right for wading during the early morning tide change in the backcountry off Sugarloaf Key. If you are not in search of rolling tarpon, a hard sand flat at the beginning of the incoming tide is the place to be.
October hopefully brings some cooler water to the flats. Any lower temperatures will inevitably bring more fish back on to the flats.
Some of the most exciting fishing can happen during this time of year. Large barracuda make their way back onto the flats in greater numbers. There are more sharks cruising the flats, stirring up the bottom in search of food. The crevalle jacks will often follow sharks and sting rays so be sure to take a cast or two near them with a floating plug or popper.
The offshore fishing has still been inconsistent for pelagic species but the good news is there have been reports of sailfish, dolphin and wahoo being caught off Key West.
Captain Jay Weed on the Lucky Charm out of the Historic Seaport in downtown Key West reported his anglers released two sailfish this week. The sailfish were estimated to be 25- and 35- pounds.
Generally the sailfish that are found in our waters during the fall and winter months are smaller than the fish we will encounter in the spring. Don’t under estimate these smaller sailfish though, they still provide plenty of entertainment when hooked.
Weed’s anglers also landed several small dolphin, a few tuna and bonito and a kingfish on the same morning trip.
“It’s been up and down,” Weed remarked about their luck with fishing this week. “You either find a few things floating or not, it’s hit or miss,” Weed added.
Weed has been fishing everywhere from the Wall, which is about 18 miles south of Key West, to the reef where he’s managed to pick up some bonito, bar jacks and kingfish. He had made the 18- mile trek but found that much of their better fishing was inside of Wall.
One of the other boats in the Lucky Fleet, the Lucky Strike which is owned and operated by Captain Keith Hebert has had similar luck. Hebert reportedly had a nice catch of smaller blackfin tuna, kingfish, bonito and dolphin.
You can reach Captain Jay Weed on the Lucky Charm at 305-304-0208 or visit him in Key West at the Historic Seaport behind Turtle Kraals restaurant.
Captain Tony Murphy on the Key Limey out of Murray Marina also had some luck with blackfin tuna this week. Murphy mentioned that he’d been fishing every day this week and was doing something different each day. Murphy had just returned from a fly fishing trip where his anglers were interested in catching sharks on fly. Earlier in the week he fished the reef for yellowtail snapper.
This time of the year can be tough for offshore fishing. Captains will try several methods of fishing and switch between them in order to show their anglers a good time and bend a rod.
For more information visit his website at www.keylimey.com.
The reef fishing has reportedly slacked off over the past few days. It had been a strong bet for yellowtail snapper and grouper. The warm water of the Gulfstream could be a contributor. The blue water off Western Dry Rocks is reportedly in very close.
Captain Chris Johnson of SeaSquared Charters out of Marathon has been spending some time in the Gulf this week trying to keep his anglers busy.
Angler Curt Kenney of Chicago, IL released several goliath groupers on light tackle gear while fishing with Johnson. Kenney and his cousin, Jack Weiler of Long Beach, CA also caught several nice mangrove snappers and gag grouper.
Although the offshore fishing has plenty of room for improvement, the flats are still providing good action at least during the early morning and evening hours.
The tides have been just right for wading during the early morning tide change in the backcountry off Sugarloaf Key. If you are not in search of rolling tarpon, a hard sand flat at the beginning of the incoming tide is the place to be.
October hopefully brings some cooler water to the flats. Any lower temperatures will inevitably bring more fish back on to the flats.
Some of the most exciting fishing can happen during this time of year. Large barracuda make their way back onto the flats in greater numbers. There are more sharks cruising the flats, stirring up the bottom in search of food. The crevalle jacks will often follow sharks and sting rays so be sure to take a cast or two near them with a floating plug or popper.
Late September 2006 - Key West Fishing Report
KEY WEST – As the latter part of September arrives there is always the possibility of more fishing options in the Lower Keys.
This time of the year can be a favorite for flats fishing, especially in the evening hours for tailing bonefish.
There are larger single fish that can easily be in the 8- pound range. A rising tide will bring these fish up shallow to feed on shrimp and crabs. For a soft presentation a flat head jig with a shrimp tail or just a live shrimp on a hook with a split shot works good.
For fly fishing it is best to have flies in a variety of weights and sizes. Have plenty of Clouser Minnow patterns with bead chain eyes for those super shallow water fish, as well as heavier flies for deeper water.
Permit have become more active on the flats. Fall is a great time for permit fishing but a little wind makes conditions better for sight fishing for them. Some guides like the wind to be upwards of 10 knots giving the advantage of getting the angler within casting range without spooking the fish.
Inshore fishing is also popular in fall for baby tarpon. For the best results plan on being in your baby tarpon spot by sun up. It is apparent that most of the larger tarpon have moved on up the coast leaving the 20- pound fish behind to set up residency under mangrove roots and tucked away corners of the backcountry.
The best time to look for these tarpon hideaways is during a lower stage of the tide. The fish tend to stay put until the tide is high. High tide is like recess for baby tarpon, free time to roam and seek out food.
Captain John Smouse on the Flat Out out of A&B Marina has had some luck with these smaller tarpon early in the morning and in the early evening hours just before sunset.
Smouse has his best luck with the bite using a red and white plug. “It gets the most bites,” Smouse said. This plug suspends just below the surface but others including Bagley’s finger mullet in black/silver or tan work well too.
Smouse also works the deck and spends time as captain of the Triple Time, also out of A&B Marina.
The Triple Time had a remarkable summertime catch this week consisting of wahoo up to 46- pounds and an 18- pound dolphin. Smouse was at the helm during this trip and said they went 2 for 3 on wahoo.
The fish were hooked just south of Sand Key in 400- feet of water on ballyhoo, the wahoo were taken on a downrigger.
Late September and into October we should start to see the beginning of our fall pattern of fish come through. This includes wahoo, sailfish, larger dolphin and blackfin tuna.
Captain Tom Ault on the Time Out reported that the wreck and reef fishing has been fair for amberjack and yellowtail. Ault explained that there was fair action for yellowtail this week. He has not only been anchoring to fish for them but deep trolling off the edge of the reef.
Ault is looking forward to some fall weather. “A little wind would help,” Ault said. We’ve had some calm and still days in the Lower Keys this week and it does not make for good surface fishing.
General advice is to get out early for the best fishing. The majority of the fishing is done around 10 A.M.
Dolphin fishing has still been spotty and varies from day to day. The color change is reportedly in close to the west of Key West and there is an eastbound current.
October should hold some better dolphin fishing with more fish in the 5- to 15- pound range. “The dolphin grow up a bit,” Ault remarked.
This time of the year can be a favorite for flats fishing, especially in the evening hours for tailing bonefish.
There are larger single fish that can easily be in the 8- pound range. A rising tide will bring these fish up shallow to feed on shrimp and crabs. For a soft presentation a flat head jig with a shrimp tail or just a live shrimp on a hook with a split shot works good.
For fly fishing it is best to have flies in a variety of weights and sizes. Have plenty of Clouser Minnow patterns with bead chain eyes for those super shallow water fish, as well as heavier flies for deeper water.
Permit have become more active on the flats. Fall is a great time for permit fishing but a little wind makes conditions better for sight fishing for them. Some guides like the wind to be upwards of 10 knots giving the advantage of getting the angler within casting range without spooking the fish.
Inshore fishing is also popular in fall for baby tarpon. For the best results plan on being in your baby tarpon spot by sun up. It is apparent that most of the larger tarpon have moved on up the coast leaving the 20- pound fish behind to set up residency under mangrove roots and tucked away corners of the backcountry.
The best time to look for these tarpon hideaways is during a lower stage of the tide. The fish tend to stay put until the tide is high. High tide is like recess for baby tarpon, free time to roam and seek out food.
Captain John Smouse on the Flat Out out of A&B Marina has had some luck with these smaller tarpon early in the morning and in the early evening hours just before sunset.
Smouse has his best luck with the bite using a red and white plug. “It gets the most bites,” Smouse said. This plug suspends just below the surface but others including Bagley’s finger mullet in black/silver or tan work well too.
Smouse also works the deck and spends time as captain of the Triple Time, also out of A&B Marina.
The Triple Time had a remarkable summertime catch this week consisting of wahoo up to 46- pounds and an 18- pound dolphin. Smouse was at the helm during this trip and said they went 2 for 3 on wahoo.
The fish were hooked just south of Sand Key in 400- feet of water on ballyhoo, the wahoo were taken on a downrigger.
Late September and into October we should start to see the beginning of our fall pattern of fish come through. This includes wahoo, sailfish, larger dolphin and blackfin tuna.
Captain Tom Ault on the Time Out reported that the wreck and reef fishing has been fair for amberjack and yellowtail. Ault explained that there was fair action for yellowtail this week. He has not only been anchoring to fish for them but deep trolling off the edge of the reef.
Ault is looking forward to some fall weather. “A little wind would help,” Ault said. We’ve had some calm and still days in the Lower Keys this week and it does not make for good surface fishing.
General advice is to get out early for the best fishing. The majority of the fishing is done around 10 A.M.
Dolphin fishing has still been spotty and varies from day to day. The color change is reportedly in close to the west of Key West and there is an eastbound current.
October should hold some better dolphin fishing with more fish in the 5- to 15- pound range. “The dolphin grow up a bit,” Ault remarked.
Redbone S.L.A.M. Results - Sept 2006
KEY WEST – The Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series kicked off this weekend in Key West. The weekend events consisted of a one day tournament for fly fishing only called the Super Fly held on Friday and the two day Mercury S.L.A.M. tournament.
September has been good to us so far. Good Key West weather and good fishing, particularly for the grand slam trio of tarpon, bonefish and permit. The goal for anglers this weekend was to catch a slam to rack up the most points.
Fourteen boats participated in the Super Fly event on Friday. Tournament Director Gary Ellis explained that this tournament was devised to give the fly fishing anglers another chance to fish one additional day that was for fly anglers only. “It gives the guides another paid day of fishing,” Ellis said as he read off the rules for the tournament.
The anglers and guides both do their part to help fight Cystic Fibrosis. The Redbone is dedicated to raising money for this disease. Each guide donates one day of fishing for the cause, and the majority of the angler entry fees also go to charity.
The tournament is unique because the flies used must all be the same pattern but can be tied in different sizes for each of the three species.
There were no grand slams caught in the Super Fly but Mo Smith from Cordova, TN caught 6 bonefish and 2 tarpon to win the event. Smith was fishing with Captain Mark Krowka from Islamorada. The runner up award went to Nicolas Pierce from Wilmington, NC who was guided by Captain Justin Rea.
The Mercury S.L.A.M. (Southernmost Light Tackle Angler Masters) was a complete success attracting celebrity anglers and seasoned Redbone participants. Celebrities included baseball hall of fame great Wade Boggs, astronaut Bruce Melnick, Carmel Cafiero of Fox 7 News, retired NFL players Manny Fernandez and Mark Cooper, Bill Hurst and Joey Cornblit.
There were 35 boats total that fished the event and the total of released fish was 91. This was quite an increase from the 2005 event where 41 fish were released.
Several guides said the fishing was very good for all three species. And although some of the fish released did not meet the 18- inch minimum measurement for the tournament, the anglers seemed overjoyed to be actively fishing for the better part of each tournament day.
Cal Collier, Jr. of Atlanta, GA had his own tactics for racking up points in the fly division. Collier spent part of day two of the tournament wading for bonefish. He was successful in landing one bonefish on fly, while the second one surged as he was landing it and broke off. Collier also released a permit that day. Collier and is father, Cal Collier, Sr. were fishing with Captain Bryan Yates of Key West.
The final results for the S.L.A.M. left Troy Pruett of Naples with the title of Grand Champion Angler. Pruett released 9 tarpon, 2 bonefish and 2 permit with the help of his guide Captain Rich Tudor.
Bill Hurst, former Florida Marlins pitcher, was awarded the Celebrity Grand Champion award. Hurst was fishing with Captain Andy Thompson.
The Grand Champion Lady Angler award went to Linda Denkert of Islamorada. She was guided by her husband, Captain Dave Denkert.
Team Grand Champions were Jim Boker and Jim Hoefert both of Tavernier, guided by Captain Tim Hoover.
The Fly Division Champion was awarded to Mike Allen who was fishing with Captain Will Benson.
It is obvious by the number of fish caught in this tournament that the flats are alive in the Lower Keys. Anglers and their guides traveled from Marathon to the Marquesas in search of victory.
Offshore fishing has been slow this week. There are still some smaller mahi-mahi around in close and reportedly there are some larger mahi out past the wall.
Sportfishing charters and light tackle boats are fishing deep wrecks for mutton snapper, grouper, amberjack and yellowtail. Reportedly the patch reefs at Western Dry Rocks and further west of Sand Key have been good for yellowtail snapper. The bite seems to be good early in the day and the water has been clear. Be prepared to move around in search of cloudy water to help the bite. All types of bait are working including squid, fresh ballyhoo, silverside minnows or glass minnows, and strips of bonito.
September has been good to us so far. Good Key West weather and good fishing, particularly for the grand slam trio of tarpon, bonefish and permit. The goal for anglers this weekend was to catch a slam to rack up the most points.
Fourteen boats participated in the Super Fly event on Friday. Tournament Director Gary Ellis explained that this tournament was devised to give the fly fishing anglers another chance to fish one additional day that was for fly anglers only. “It gives the guides another paid day of fishing,” Ellis said as he read off the rules for the tournament.
The anglers and guides both do their part to help fight Cystic Fibrosis. The Redbone is dedicated to raising money for this disease. Each guide donates one day of fishing for the cause, and the majority of the angler entry fees also go to charity.
The tournament is unique because the flies used must all be the same pattern but can be tied in different sizes for each of the three species.
There were no grand slams caught in the Super Fly but Mo Smith from Cordova, TN caught 6 bonefish and 2 tarpon to win the event. Smith was fishing with Captain Mark Krowka from Islamorada. The runner up award went to Nicolas Pierce from Wilmington, NC who was guided by Captain Justin Rea.
The Mercury S.L.A.M. (Southernmost Light Tackle Angler Masters) was a complete success attracting celebrity anglers and seasoned Redbone participants. Celebrities included baseball hall of fame great Wade Boggs, astronaut Bruce Melnick, Carmel Cafiero of Fox 7 News, retired NFL players Manny Fernandez and Mark Cooper, Bill Hurst and Joey Cornblit.
There were 35 boats total that fished the event and the total of released fish was 91. This was quite an increase from the 2005 event where 41 fish were released.
Several guides said the fishing was very good for all three species. And although some of the fish released did not meet the 18- inch minimum measurement for the tournament, the anglers seemed overjoyed to be actively fishing for the better part of each tournament day.
Cal Collier, Jr. of Atlanta, GA had his own tactics for racking up points in the fly division. Collier spent part of day two of the tournament wading for bonefish. He was successful in landing one bonefish on fly, while the second one surged as he was landing it and broke off. Collier also released a permit that day. Collier and is father, Cal Collier, Sr. were fishing with Captain Bryan Yates of Key West.
The final results for the S.L.A.M. left Troy Pruett of Naples with the title of Grand Champion Angler. Pruett released 9 tarpon, 2 bonefish and 2 permit with the help of his guide Captain Rich Tudor.
Bill Hurst, former Florida Marlins pitcher, was awarded the Celebrity Grand Champion award. Hurst was fishing with Captain Andy Thompson.
The Grand Champion Lady Angler award went to Linda Denkert of Islamorada. She was guided by her husband, Captain Dave Denkert.
Team Grand Champions were Jim Boker and Jim Hoefert both of Tavernier, guided by Captain Tim Hoover.
The Fly Division Champion was awarded to Mike Allen who was fishing with Captain Will Benson.
It is obvious by the number of fish caught in this tournament that the flats are alive in the Lower Keys. Anglers and their guides traveled from Marathon to the Marquesas in search of victory.
Offshore fishing has been slow this week. There are still some smaller mahi-mahi around in close and reportedly there are some larger mahi out past the wall.
Sportfishing charters and light tackle boats are fishing deep wrecks for mutton snapper, grouper, amberjack and yellowtail. Reportedly the patch reefs at Western Dry Rocks and further west of Sand Key have been good for yellowtail snapper. The bite seems to be good early in the day and the water has been clear. Be prepared to move around in search of cloudy water to help the bite. All types of bait are working including squid, fresh ballyhoo, silverside minnows or glass minnows, and strips of bonito.
Fishing August 2006
KEY WEST – Fishing conditions prior to the arrival of Tropical Storm Ernesto were good for both inshore and offshore action.
August and September are the hottest months here in the Lower Keys. There can definitely be some lull in the fishing action because of the water temperatures that can reach close to 90 degrees.
This week the offshore fishing was decent. Mahi-mahi are still the staple fish in the blue water. Clearer water and better defined weed lines are down to the west of Sand Key to the Tail End Buoy.
Captain Brian Welzenbach of the Andy Griffiths Charter Fleet out of Mayberry Marina on Stock Island spent this week trolling the clear blue waters west of Key West and bottom fishing during the evenings. Welzenbach fishes multiple day charters to the Marquesas and Dry Tortugas fishing grounds.
Welzenbach’s charter this week spent the duration of the trip west of Key West trolling for mahi and wahoo. Welzenbach had a 47- pound wahoo to add to 26 mahi the group caught on the way to their final destination west of the Marquesas atoll.
Welzenbach noted that fishing conditions have remained consistent for the month of August and bottom fishing has been excellent.
Their catch consisted of yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, porgy, sharks, kingfish and four different species of grouper.
“It is not really the time of year for grouper but we still manage to catch a few,” Welzenbach said. Grouper generally like the cooler water and are more active in shallow during the winter months.
A trip to the fishing grounds west of the Marquesas Keys and the Dry Tortugas is a great experience for anglers who want to see the Florida Keys from a different perspective. The fishing opportunities are abundant for bottom fish like snapper and grouper.
Visit Captain Andy Griffiths website at www.fishandy.com or contact Captain Brian Welzenbach at 305-797-7525.
There has been equal action closer to Key West for grouper, amberjack, barracudas and blacktip sharks. Captain Bennett Taylor on the Outer Limits out of A&B Marina in Key West reports he’s had some great fishing in 200-300 feet of water south of Key West.
Taylor had four black grouper up to 24- pounds this week on an afternoon charter. It was a bit frustrating because only a handful of his deep drops would make it all the way to the bottom. Several times they were cut off by blacktip sharks or barracudas.
Taylor said at one point they put on a circle hook and landed a few sharks.
Deep drop fishing in several hundred feet of water can be tricky. As line comes off the reel it must be regulated by the angler’s thumb on a level wind reel or pinched between the thumb and index finger when using a spinning reel.
Judging how much weight to use depends on the current and the depth of water you are fishing.
Inshore and flats fishing in the Lower Keys still provides the opportunity for a grand slam. The grand slam consists of the tarpon, bonefish and permit.
Tarpon are surprisingly still a major player on the flats even in late August. There are a few big tarpon traveling the outer flats but most action this week has been fish in the 20- pound range.
Captain Eric Bonar, a flats guide out of Sugarloaf Key said he’s been concentrating on the bonefish this week. “Finding tarpon is a bonus,” Bonar said. Bonar has been a guide in the Keys since 1989 and is a native to South Florida.
The flats fish the best in the early morning hours and action will taper off in the afternoon. This pattern will continue until cooler weather settles in, hopefully in mid September.
You can reach Captain Eric Bonar at 305-305-5776 or visit his website at www.backcountryguide.net.
August and September are the hottest months here in the Lower Keys. There can definitely be some lull in the fishing action because of the water temperatures that can reach close to 90 degrees.
This week the offshore fishing was decent. Mahi-mahi are still the staple fish in the blue water. Clearer water and better defined weed lines are down to the west of Sand Key to the Tail End Buoy.
Captain Brian Welzenbach of the Andy Griffiths Charter Fleet out of Mayberry Marina on Stock Island spent this week trolling the clear blue waters west of Key West and bottom fishing during the evenings. Welzenbach fishes multiple day charters to the Marquesas and Dry Tortugas fishing grounds.
Welzenbach’s charter this week spent the duration of the trip west of Key West trolling for mahi and wahoo. Welzenbach had a 47- pound wahoo to add to 26 mahi the group caught on the way to their final destination west of the Marquesas atoll.
Welzenbach noted that fishing conditions have remained consistent for the month of August and bottom fishing has been excellent.
Their catch consisted of yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, porgy, sharks, kingfish and four different species of grouper.
“It is not really the time of year for grouper but we still manage to catch a few,” Welzenbach said. Grouper generally like the cooler water and are more active in shallow during the winter months.
A trip to the fishing grounds west of the Marquesas Keys and the Dry Tortugas is a great experience for anglers who want to see the Florida Keys from a different perspective. The fishing opportunities are abundant for bottom fish like snapper and grouper.
Visit Captain Andy Griffiths website at www.fishandy.com or contact Captain Brian Welzenbach at 305-797-7525.
There has been equal action closer to Key West for grouper, amberjack, barracudas and blacktip sharks. Captain Bennett Taylor on the Outer Limits out of A&B Marina in Key West reports he’s had some great fishing in 200-300 feet of water south of Key West.
Taylor had four black grouper up to 24- pounds this week on an afternoon charter. It was a bit frustrating because only a handful of his deep drops would make it all the way to the bottom. Several times they were cut off by blacktip sharks or barracudas.
Taylor said at one point they put on a circle hook and landed a few sharks.
Deep drop fishing in several hundred feet of water can be tricky. As line comes off the reel it must be regulated by the angler’s thumb on a level wind reel or pinched between the thumb and index finger when using a spinning reel.
Judging how much weight to use depends on the current and the depth of water you are fishing.
Inshore and flats fishing in the Lower Keys still provides the opportunity for a grand slam. The grand slam consists of the tarpon, bonefish and permit.
Tarpon are surprisingly still a major player on the flats even in late August. There are a few big tarpon traveling the outer flats but most action this week has been fish in the 20- pound range.
Captain Eric Bonar, a flats guide out of Sugarloaf Key said he’s been concentrating on the bonefish this week. “Finding tarpon is a bonus,” Bonar said. Bonar has been a guide in the Keys since 1989 and is a native to South Florida.
The flats fish the best in the early morning hours and action will taper off in the afternoon. This pattern will continue until cooler weather settles in, hopefully in mid September.
You can reach Captain Eric Bonar at 305-305-5776 or visit his website at www.backcountryguide.net.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Key West Fishing Report - August 2006
KEY WEST – August heat has finally taking over the Lower Keys this week. Up until a few days ago we had some beautiful conditions for fishing and just general activities on the water.
Offshore fishing has been a little slow this week but still has some nice highlights. As we moved through another full moon phase there were a few reported blue marlin hooked up, one was on the Captain Conch out of Charter Boat Row in Key West. It’s safe to say that during our summer months it would not be uncommon to come across a blue while fishing out past 600- feet all the way to the Wall, about 18- miles off Key West.
Trolling the blue water will still produce some smaller dolphin up to 15- pounds, but reportedly there are many more much smaller dolphin in shore.
Captain Rob Nevius on Jerkwater out of Hurricane Hole Marina has been spending his time close to the reef edge fishing for yellowtail, grouper and even the occasional kingfish.
The inshore currents have been weak so choosing your day to fish the reef is important. Nevius mentioned there have been some nice flag yellowtail available. The best bet for most of our fishing these days is in the early morning before the water heats up too much.
Nevius says he’s hoping the gulfstream will push in closer to Key West again soon, that will definitely help the fishing pick up a bit.
Deeper wrecks have been holding some larger amberjack. In addition to picking off a few nice black grouper, the amberjack gives an arm-burning fight.
I cannot say I am preferential to the inshore and shallow water fishing; I love all the fishing we have to offer here in the Keys. But lately, the flats seem to be where it’s at.
There is something to be said about the beauty of the fin of a feeding fish breaking the surface of slick calm water. It’s very exciting to see and even more exciting when you’ve made what could be the best cast in your entire life and the fish grabs your offering and runs away with it.
The flats of the Lower Keys still hold all the coveted grand slam species. That includes the tarpon, permit and bonefish. This time of the year the flats get very hot towards mid-day so early morning fishing is also a must on the flats.
According to Capt. Doug Kilpatrick “You’ve got to get them early.” Kilpatrick has been pre-fishing with his angler for the Little Palm Island Slam Tournament. He says that our nice weather and some of the rain showers have kept conditions good.
Kilpatrick also contributes the good tarpon fishing west of Key West and to the east in the backcountry of the Lower Keys to our calm weather.
His pre-fishing tactic: fish a handful of spots, hook a fish and move on. His theory makes a lot of sense since if the fish are obviously there, save some for your tournament days.
Bonefish are making a strong comeback to the flats this week. They can also move off to deeper water if the flats get too hot. I’ve seen them in deeper water congregated in some sort of a spawning ritual. They will still take a bait or fly during this time, but hang on because the likelihood of being broken off is much greater.
Captain Tim Carlisle, a veteran flats guide out of Sugarloaf Marina, was also pre-fishing for the Slam tournament this week. He did manage to pull off one slam yesterday.
He mentioned that there were not many permit around where he was fishing. Permit fishing can be a struggle but hopefully these guys will find some on the channel edges or floating in a little deeper water.
As we skate through August and into the fall season, look for the flats to really come alive for bones and permit. It’s a perfect time of year for tailing fish on the flats.
September 8th – 10th are the dates for the Mercury Redbone S.L.A.M. tournament. This tournament focuses on the flats species and both light tackle and fly anglers are welcome. For more information contact the Redbone at 305-664-2002.
Offshore fishing has been a little slow this week but still has some nice highlights. As we moved through another full moon phase there were a few reported blue marlin hooked up, one was on the Captain Conch out of Charter Boat Row in Key West. It’s safe to say that during our summer months it would not be uncommon to come across a blue while fishing out past 600- feet all the way to the Wall, about 18- miles off Key West.
Trolling the blue water will still produce some smaller dolphin up to 15- pounds, but reportedly there are many more much smaller dolphin in shore.
Captain Rob Nevius on Jerkwater out of Hurricane Hole Marina has been spending his time close to the reef edge fishing for yellowtail, grouper and even the occasional kingfish.
The inshore currents have been weak so choosing your day to fish the reef is important. Nevius mentioned there have been some nice flag yellowtail available. The best bet for most of our fishing these days is in the early morning before the water heats up too much.
Nevius says he’s hoping the gulfstream will push in closer to Key West again soon, that will definitely help the fishing pick up a bit.
Deeper wrecks have been holding some larger amberjack. In addition to picking off a few nice black grouper, the amberjack gives an arm-burning fight.
I cannot say I am preferential to the inshore and shallow water fishing; I love all the fishing we have to offer here in the Keys. But lately, the flats seem to be where it’s at.
There is something to be said about the beauty of the fin of a feeding fish breaking the surface of slick calm water. It’s very exciting to see and even more exciting when you’ve made what could be the best cast in your entire life and the fish grabs your offering and runs away with it.
The flats of the Lower Keys still hold all the coveted grand slam species. That includes the tarpon, permit and bonefish. This time of the year the flats get very hot towards mid-day so early morning fishing is also a must on the flats.
According to Capt. Doug Kilpatrick “You’ve got to get them early.” Kilpatrick has been pre-fishing with his angler for the Little Palm Island Slam Tournament. He says that our nice weather and some of the rain showers have kept conditions good.
Kilpatrick also contributes the good tarpon fishing west of Key West and to the east in the backcountry of the Lower Keys to our calm weather.
His pre-fishing tactic: fish a handful of spots, hook a fish and move on. His theory makes a lot of sense since if the fish are obviously there, save some for your tournament days.
Bonefish are making a strong comeback to the flats this week. They can also move off to deeper water if the flats get too hot. I’ve seen them in deeper water congregated in some sort of a spawning ritual. They will still take a bait or fly during this time, but hang on because the likelihood of being broken off is much greater.
Captain Tim Carlisle, a veteran flats guide out of Sugarloaf Marina, was also pre-fishing for the Slam tournament this week. He did manage to pull off one slam yesterday.
He mentioned that there were not many permit around where he was fishing. Permit fishing can be a struggle but hopefully these guys will find some on the channel edges or floating in a little deeper water.
As we skate through August and into the fall season, look for the flats to really come alive for bones and permit. It’s a perfect time of year for tailing fish on the flats.
September 8th – 10th are the dates for the Mercury Redbone S.L.A.M. tournament. This tournament focuses on the flats species and both light tackle and fly anglers are welcome. For more information contact the Redbone at 305-664-2002.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Key West Fishing Report - July 2006
KEY WEST – This week has been a wet one in the Lower Keys. Those developing afternoon showers are just a fact of life this time of year. It can sometimes put a damper on the day but for the most part the clouds are scattered and can be worked around pretty easily.
I actually had the opportunity to meet our Upper Keys writer, Mark Krowka in the confines of Papa Joe’s tackle shop in Islamorada this weekend. We had some severe thunderstorms in the area so several guides and their anglers were enjoying some coffee and sharing a few fish stories while the clouds passed.
I had booked a few days with Captain Steve Freidman over the holiday weekend in hopes of getting my husband, Capt. Justin Rea, a little time on the bow. It’s a great tactic for me since my skiff poling skills are still ‘in development’ and we get to see some different water and some big tailing bonefish. Although we do have plenty of bonefish in the lower Keys, they don’t tail as much for some reason.
Freidman has been fishing the Keys for many years and has made Islamorada his home. I enjoyed just sitting back and watching angler and guide work together to get the fly in front of the fish.
One word of advice to anglers new to the sport: communicate with your guide. The more you work together to spot fish and make an accurate cast in the path of fish, the more success and enjoyment you’ll get out of the experience.
This week was not a total wash-out for anglers in the Third Annual Conch Republic Ladies Dolphin Tournament. Several nice fish were weighed in, but the weather kept a few boats from venturing out for the one day tournament. All in the entire tournament was a success with 55 women anglers on 22 boats.
Lili DiStefano, guided by her husband, Captain Jeff DiStefano on the Second Chance out of Oceanside Marina managed a last minute remarkable catch – a 52.9- pound dolphin. “We hooked the fish at the last possible minute,” Lili DeStefano said. The clock on the GPS read 3:17 PM and DiStefano knew there was little time left to land this size fish and make it back to the dock to weigh in the fish.
“It was exciting and a good story to tell but I wish I had more time to enjoy the catch,” she added. They arrived back at the Conch Republic Seafood Company dock with ten minutes to spare. Team Second Chance took first prize for heaviest fish.
Other notable catches in the heaviest fish division include Mary Phund with a 32.2- pound fish, and Lara Rutskin with her 28.6- pound catch. Rutskin’s team fishing on the Equity Too also won first prize in the aggregate weight division with a combined weight of 50.9- pounds.
Captain Brice Barr on the Double Down out of Charter Boat Row in Key West also participated in the ladies tournament with is wife, Holly. He mentioned that fishing has slowed down a bit but conditions are still very good for fishing off Key West.
“There is plenty of current, bait and weeds but not a ton of fish,” remarked Barr. He’s been out fishing nearly every day and has found mahi-mahi up to 18- pounds but many more that are in the 8- pound range. Barr mentioned that he’s tried to change up the fishing a bit with his anglers and has had some success fishing the reef for mangrove snapper, yellowtail and muttons. “The water is still dirty which makes the reef fishing really good,” Barr said.
Captain Brice Barr can be contacted at 305-304-2314 or you can visit his website at www.doubledownsportfishing.com.
Captain John Batillo on the Greyhound V out of Charter Boat Row has had some great days of reef fishing as well. Batillo reported his anglers aboard the half-day party boat landed some great fish including yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, grouper, porgy and mangrove snapper. Anglers were mainly using cut bait and squid while some of the local regulars had bonito chunks and ballyhoo plugs to entice the bite.
Several of the party boats, including the Greyhound V run evening trips as well during the summer months. It can be a lot of fun to get out on the water at sunset and fish past dark here in the Lower Keys.
Flats guides are enjoying the abundance of feeding bonefish and permit throughout the backcountry flats. There are still tarpon around too but expect to find fish in the 50- pound range. This is also the time of year to look closely for baby tarpon under mangrove islands and in small coves in the backcountry.
Many of the fly fishing guides in the Keys are gearing up for the Del Brown Invitational Tournament scheduled for July 18-20th. This tournament is in memory of the late Del Brown, a pioneer in permit fishing. Brown caught over 500 permit on fly in his lifetime. For information on the tournament contact Charlotte Ambrogio at 305-664-2444.
I actually had the opportunity to meet our Upper Keys writer, Mark Krowka in the confines of Papa Joe’s tackle shop in Islamorada this weekend. We had some severe thunderstorms in the area so several guides and their anglers were enjoying some coffee and sharing a few fish stories while the clouds passed.
I had booked a few days with Captain Steve Freidman over the holiday weekend in hopes of getting my husband, Capt. Justin Rea, a little time on the bow. It’s a great tactic for me since my skiff poling skills are still ‘in development’ and we get to see some different water and some big tailing bonefish. Although we do have plenty of bonefish in the lower Keys, they don’t tail as much for some reason.
Freidman has been fishing the Keys for many years and has made Islamorada his home. I enjoyed just sitting back and watching angler and guide work together to get the fly in front of the fish.
One word of advice to anglers new to the sport: communicate with your guide. The more you work together to spot fish and make an accurate cast in the path of fish, the more success and enjoyment you’ll get out of the experience.
This week was not a total wash-out for anglers in the Third Annual Conch Republic Ladies Dolphin Tournament. Several nice fish were weighed in, but the weather kept a few boats from venturing out for the one day tournament. All in the entire tournament was a success with 55 women anglers on 22 boats.
Lili DiStefano, guided by her husband, Captain Jeff DiStefano on the Second Chance out of Oceanside Marina managed a last minute remarkable catch – a 52.9- pound dolphin. “We hooked the fish at the last possible minute,” Lili DeStefano said. The clock on the GPS read 3:17 PM and DiStefano knew there was little time left to land this size fish and make it back to the dock to weigh in the fish.
“It was exciting and a good story to tell but I wish I had more time to enjoy the catch,” she added. They arrived back at the Conch Republic Seafood Company dock with ten minutes to spare. Team Second Chance took first prize for heaviest fish.
Other notable catches in the heaviest fish division include Mary Phund with a 32.2- pound fish, and Lara Rutskin with her 28.6- pound catch. Rutskin’s team fishing on the Equity Too also won first prize in the aggregate weight division with a combined weight of 50.9- pounds.
Captain Brice Barr on the Double Down out of Charter Boat Row in Key West also participated in the ladies tournament with is wife, Holly. He mentioned that fishing has slowed down a bit but conditions are still very good for fishing off Key West.
“There is plenty of current, bait and weeds but not a ton of fish,” remarked Barr. He’s been out fishing nearly every day and has found mahi-mahi up to 18- pounds but many more that are in the 8- pound range. Barr mentioned that he’s tried to change up the fishing a bit with his anglers and has had some success fishing the reef for mangrove snapper, yellowtail and muttons. “The water is still dirty which makes the reef fishing really good,” Barr said.
Captain Brice Barr can be contacted at 305-304-2314 or you can visit his website at www.doubledownsportfishing.com.
Captain John Batillo on the Greyhound V out of Charter Boat Row has had some great days of reef fishing as well. Batillo reported his anglers aboard the half-day party boat landed some great fish including yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, grouper, porgy and mangrove snapper. Anglers were mainly using cut bait and squid while some of the local regulars had bonito chunks and ballyhoo plugs to entice the bite.
Several of the party boats, including the Greyhound V run evening trips as well during the summer months. It can be a lot of fun to get out on the water at sunset and fish past dark here in the Lower Keys.
Flats guides are enjoying the abundance of feeding bonefish and permit throughout the backcountry flats. There are still tarpon around too but expect to find fish in the 50- pound range. This is also the time of year to look closely for baby tarpon under mangrove islands and in small coves in the backcountry.
Many of the fly fishing guides in the Keys are gearing up for the Del Brown Invitational Tournament scheduled for July 18-20th. This tournament is in memory of the late Del Brown, a pioneer in permit fishing. Brown caught over 500 permit on fly in his lifetime. For information on the tournament contact Charlotte Ambrogio at 305-664-2444.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Key West Fishing Report - June 5
Flats fishing has been exceptionally good for bonefish and permit.
Del Brown Permit Invitational is scheduled for July 18th-20th in Key West at Hurricane Hole Marina.
Del Brown Permit Invitational is scheduled for July 18th-20th in Key West at Hurricane Hole Marina.
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