Key West Fishing Reports
Updated fishing reports from the Lower Florida Keys & Key West
Archive for June, 2005
June 26, 2005 at 3:49 pm · Filed under Florida Keys Fishing
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.
June 10, 2005 at 9:48 am · Filed under Florida Keys Fishing
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.
June 3, 2005 at 9:31 am · Filed under Florida Keys Fishing
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.
June 1, 2005 at 9:26 am · Filed under Florida Keys Fishing
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.
