Key West Fishing Reports
Updated fishing reports from the Lower Florida Keys & Key West
Archive for November, 2007
November 24, 2007 at 2:01 am · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing
Key West Flats & Fly Fishing - November 23, 2007
Our flats fishing is in a transition right now from the cold fronts that have dipped down through the area. The change in water temperature often makes fishing difficult for a few days while the transition takes place.
Winter time fishing in December can be explosive for so many species. Although what you read may be about tarpon, bonefish and permit - keeping an open mind about other flats species will ensure you have a great time while fishing in Key West. Some of the more prominant species that roam the flats during the colder months include the toothy barracuda. These fish can tip the scale at more than 20- pounds at times. They fight hard, thrash and even jump when they are hooked. One of the best fighting fish in shallow water on light tackle or on a fly rod.
These barracudas stack up in the shallows looking for bait and possibly even to warm up a little. There can be plenty of them around and they are very exciting to fish for as far as I am concerned.
Jacks, sharks, ladyfish, look downs, pompano, seatrout, snook, redfish and snapper are amoung some of the other species you might see on any given day on the flats. The larger jack crevalle move through the shallows in the winter months giving us a great target with a plug rod or fly. These fish can also get into the 20- pound range and they fight hard. Some of the other species may not get as big but they are a fun target for novice and expert anglers as well as kids.
Finally, yes there are bonefish and permit still roaming the flats. Live shrimp or a live crab is the best bait for these species. They can be found popping up out of deeper channels to check out a backcountry flat. The bonefish may disappear after the water gets too cold, but the permit seem to be able to withstand more of a water temperature fluctuation. If you are a lover of tarpon, I would suggest waiting until we get some warmer weather that moves through and sticks around for a while. Yes, there are still tarpon here but not schools and schoools of them like we get in the Spring and Summer.
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November 4, 2007 at 1:41 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing, Key West Deep Sea Fishing
The north winds blow and our first real cold front is here. Honestly it is welcomed with open arms after a hot, hot summer and fall season. Now a cold front for the Keys is not parka weather so don’t be thinking you are coming to the frozen tundra now. Low in the 70s and high in the low 80s is a cool down for us.
We are now entering our winter season of fishing here in the Keys. Here’s a rundown on what to expect:
Key West Flats Fishing: As the temperatures cool you can wave goodbye to the tarpon. They are going to become very scarce with the water temps plummeting. There may be some resident tarpon cruising around Key West harbor, but they are more apt to be swirling around a fish cleaning table at the A&B Marina or behind Turtle Kraals restaurant. Leave your tarpon fishing dreams behind for a little while, they will be back soon enough.
Permit are some of the hardiest fish on the flats. They are constantlly on the hunt for food and if the water is a little choppy it’s even easier to get near them on the flats without scaring them. Permit love crabs and shrimp so keep that in mind when you grab a few live baits to go fish with. Permit will hang around through the winter months. They may head out to deeper water if the flats temps drop too low, but don’t dispair, they usually return within a few days time.
Bonefish may take a vacation and head to deeper water too. They don’t like to tolerate water temps that are below 70 degrees. Islamorada and Key Largo will hold more bones in the winter months because of their protection from the mainland of Florida and the Everglades.
Key West Deep Sea Fishing: Ooh baby is this a good time to fish offshore! Things are just starting to heat up in our offshore waters. A cold front’s biggest benefit is it will push the bait supply farther south and the fish will follow. Expect to see more tuna, sailfish, and wahoo around the deep wrecks and just off the reef edge. Snapper and grouper will also spend more time in shallow water making it easier to anchor off the reef and chum for these deliciouos fish. Mutton snapper, yellowtail, mangrove snapper and grouper are just some of the fish you may encounter on an offshore fishing adventure.
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