Key West Fishing Reports
Updated fishing reports from the Lower Florida Keys & Key West
Archive for Key West Flats Fishing
May 15, 2007 at 2:00 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing
KEY WEST - Mid May holds a lot of potential for great fishing action in the Lower Keys. Nearly every fish in our versatile palette of species is available someplace. Whether it is in shallow water or deep, anglers can find their quarry here.
This week even the Key West area had a tinge of smoke in the air. Wafts of burning cinder came and went with our variable winds. Navigating during the early morning hours was more difficult with these smoky conditions and sight fishing was also more difficult.
Tarpon are still moving in and out of the Lower Keys in large numbers. Captain Mike Bartlett out of Garrison Bight Marina in Key West gave me a few precious hours on the bow of his skiff this week. Bartlett took me to a few ocean side flats in the Lakes Passage for a quick lesson in tarpon fishing.
I do not fish for tarpon all that much but know the basics on leading the fish and putting the bait or fly where it needs to be. On this particular day these fish were just not eating for me.
“Many times you learn through the course of the day what these fish are going to react to; strip fast, strip slow,” Bartlett said. “Putting the fly in front of the fish is what it’s all about,” he added.
Each day is different. The following afternoon Bartlett took his wife Sandy fishing and she put three tarpon in the air. Go figure.
Bonefish have really started to show up on the flats this week. Several guides have reported good numbers of bonefish in the backcountry near Marvin Key and the Barracuda Keys. Others have just been fishing west of Key West and have had similar luck in the shallows.
Targeting bonefish during tarpon season can yield many advantages. One is that you will most likely have plenty of spots to yourself. With tarpon fishing being the main attraction on the flats through June, bonefishing is a great option for anglers not wanting to get in the thick of boats to get their grip on a tarpon.
Another great option for self-guided anglers is to fish the shallows for bonefish and permit during the day and try tarpon at night under Bahia Honda Bridge or in Key West Harbor.
Night fishing for tarpon can be an absolute blast with a spinning outfit or fly rod. Conditions should be fairly calm. Calm enough to hear tarpon busting the surface of the water.
A sinking plug on light tackle is about the most fun you can have during a session of tarpon fishing at night. Bagley’s Finger Mullet or a Rebel Windcheater plug work great.
Captain Mike Bartlett offers night tarpon trips out of Key West. For more information contact him at 305-797-2452.
The offshore waters have produced a mixed bag of fish this week.
Captain Jake Perry on Mean Green out of Murray Marina reports some activity in close for schoolie dolphin. Although Perry had made the trek out 18 miles to the Wall, he found much of the action in closer to Sand Key and the reef.
Perry found some hearty blackfin tuna busting on a bait ball a few days ago and picked off three nice fish out of the school. Perry also reported working the reef edge for grouper. His anglers landed nine red grouper up to 20- pounds plus one black grouper and a king mackerel.
Captain Alex Canalejo on Showtime has spent his week inshore fishing for sailfish. Canalejo has been fishing the waters directly south of Key West and to the east near Pelican Shoal. He’s been using a kite for sailfish but says he’s had some great bites from blackfin tuna and has landed several in the 30- pound range.
May also marks the best time to fish for mutton snapper in the Florida Keys. Mutton Snapper spawn on the deeper sand bars outside the reef during the full moon in May and June.
Although these fish spawn during different times of the year throughout the Caribbean, now is the time to fish for them in the Lower Keys. Since mutton snapper are both nocturnal and diurnal feeders, it is not uncommon to catch good numbers of them during both the evening and daylight hours.
Canalejo predicts the mutton snapper fishing to be better on this next full moon on May 31st.
“It’s got to be good this next moon, or if the water is real dirty we’ll even catch them during the daytime,” Canalejo said.
For more information on fishing with Captain Alex Canalejo contact him at 305-797-5146.
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May 14, 2007 at 8:42 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing, Key West Sport Fishing
Calm seas and smoke fill the skies over the Lower Keys. It’s hard to believe so many wildfires are burning throughout Florida. All we can do is hope for some rain in the forecast this week (which there is a 40% chance of here).
Offshore waters are producing some dolphin but many of the charter boats are heading way offshore to find the big boys. Wahoo and tuna are being caught west of Key West on some of the deeper structures while kingfish are around the reef.
May and June mark the spawn of mutton snapper in South Florida. The Keys are a great place to take advantage of this. Larger mutton snapper hug the outer bar to spawn and supposedly the best fishing is during the full moon. Many captains and guides swear it can be done day or night but sometimes the best action is just before and just after sunset.
Tarpon have made a big push into the Lower Keys from the Marquesas to Big Pine. They can be found cruising the outer edges of flats on the ocean, and there have been some spotted in the backcountry. Live crabs and pinfish will get you the bite and flies range from natural color toads to black and purple for early morning rolling fish.
Bonefishing has improved and there have been several nice schools of fish plus some pairs and singles spotted in the backcountry. Permit will start making their come back to the flats this month, there have been some nice fish taken on the flats this week already in the 16- pound range.
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May 7, 2007 at 5:40 pm · Filed under Florida Keys Fishing, Key West Flats Fishing
The moment you have been waiting for has finally arrived… a few days ago. A strong push of tarpon have moved into our Key West waters bringing much joy to the flats fishing community. A few warm and sunny days gave way to hundreds of tarpon on the move in search of something to eat.
Today the weather turned nasty though and a slight temperature drop and stronger winds may hinder the tarpon activity for a day or so. None the less, they are here and the oceanside basins, channels and deeper flats are filling up with tarpon… and with boats.
Fly fishing for tarpon? Try black and purple in the early morning hours and then switch up to a chartreuse or natural color toad. Keep in mind that these fish are pretty lazy and putting the fly close to their mouth is the key.
Bonefish are showing up in good numbers west of Key West and in the backcountry flats around Sugarloaf Key and the Contents. Many times if you can show these fish a fly they are going to eat it.
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April 24, 2007 at 2:49 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing
You can usually estimate the time in April when the permit vacate the flats and head for deeper water to spawn. By late April it is apparent that the permit we’ll see on the flats are just juveniles topping a weight of 12 pounds at most.
Key West has experienced a rush of feeding permit this week. While tarpon fishing has been unusually slow, many guides have decided to cut their losses and go permit fishing west of Key West for a chance of pace. For many of them it has paid off. Several reports of permit ranging from 15- to 20- pounds were caught this week on live crabs and flies.
Offshore fishing has continuted to be productive. Larger dolphin are fluctuating in and out of the area, there are a few tuna on the Atlantic side and even some reports of a small marlin.
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April 22, 2007 at 11:50 am · Filed under Florida Keys Fishing, Key West Flats Fishing
Yesterday the weather was a treat compared to what we’ve been expereincing on and off with blustery winds and churned up water. It was calm with a slight breeze from the north east. Tarpon tend to shun away when there is any bit of north in the wind but several guides did manage to hook a few fish.
Our tarpon season has been off. Although there are tarpon in the area their behavior is not the same is it has been in recent years. Late March usually marks the time when these fish are laid up in the basins. They tend not to want to move too far until the water temperature is over 75 degrees, some say 78 is the magic number.
Each cool front we get blows these fish off the mark and therefore we’ve been struggling with trying to find them and get them to bite.
Yesterday shed some hope on the situation. Tarpon have to migrate, they’ve done it forever. We just catch a small portion of the stream of fish heading up the Keys and up the coast of Florida.
What does this mean? Possibly an incredible summer of big tarpon.
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April 17, 2007 at 1:01 am · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing
The electric light show yesterday was just a prelude to the awful weather that struck the Keys. Cold winds moved in after the initial rain and brought temperatures down quite a bit.
As for the tarpon - if we knew where they went when it got cold, we’d go fish there. Unfortunately they do disappear but it was already warm this afternoon and the high winds have subsided so maybe, just maybe there will be hope in some good tarpon fishing for the end of this week.
Permit fishing has a sudden spurt of energy on the flats prior to the weekend. Several reports of permit caught up to 15- pounds. Many are still offshore spawning but they may commute to the flats for some food.
Offshore waters are producing some big dolphin and the reef fishing has picked up a bit with some great mutton snapper fishing. The World Sailfish Championship starts this Wednesday in Key West. We certainly hope for some better numbers in sailfish as it’s been kind of slow so far.
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April 5, 2007 at 9:50 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing
If you are just hanging on the edge of your cubicle seat waiting for the word that we’ve got tarpon in Key West well YES we do! They’re starting to show up now and can be found throughout the backcountry and west of Key West all the way to the Marquesas.
Seaplane basin is a good place to start looking, just be advised of the etiquette for flats fishing here if you plan on bringing your own boat. Be respectful of boats already fishing the area. Most professional guides will pole a long way into position instead of using their motor so they do not push the fish away from neighboring boats in the area. Tarpon may not spook easily but they may be come weary of the noise of a motor.
If you are having a difficult time seeing the tarpon you are not alone. These fish may appear very dark under the surface and will even look purple through some polorized glasses. Your cast should put the fly or bait in the tarpon’s “zone” where he can see and eat it readily and not have to turn or think about eating.
Fly fishing for tarpon is one of the biggest attractions in the area. Fish are migrating, daisy chaining and are resting layed up in pockets in the backcountry flats. If you can show them what they want to see, they’ll eat and then all you have to do is hold on and bow to the King!
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April 5, 2007 at 9:42 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing, Key West Sport Fishing, Florida Fishing Weekly
KEY WEST – Spending a few days on the water in the Florida Keys can often be the perfect cure for the winter-time blues. For those of you stuck in an office cubicle I feel your pain. But don’t feel so bad about being here this week, the wind has been howling, I mean howling, out of the north east and keeping a lot of boats dockside.
The water temperatures have not fluctuated much but the churned up waters of the Gulf of Mexico has made fishing on the flats and offshore somewhat concentrated on the Atlantic waters.
Inshore Gulf-side flats have been fishable on the outgoing tide for permit because they remain fairly clear, but once the tide switches it is a matter of just a few hours before visibility has diminished.
The ocean side flats of the Lower Keys have been fishing good for barracuda. On these somewhat cooler days the barracuda will stack up on the sandy ocean flats. These fish were very active in the beginning of the week. As the days progressed it seemed as though the barracuda were lure-shocked and became leary of flies and lures.
West of Key West the flats are reportedly clear inside the Lakes Passage out to Boca Grande Channel, mostly on the south side. This area has reportedly still fishing very good for large permit. Captain Peter Heydon out of Garrison Bight Marina had three consecutive days of good fishing where his angler landed a permit over 20- pounds on a live crab.
Other great opportunities in the shallow waters include redfish, cobia, large jacks and sharks. Redfish are not abundant in the Lower Keys but when the north winds blow for any amount of time these fish tend to push down onto our flats and also on patch reef areas in the Gulf.
Several captains have made these windy days fun for anglers with an action packed shark fishing trip. Shark fishing should never be overlooked for light tackle anglers as well as fly rodders. It’s a lot of fun to hook these dangerous creatures and feel their arm-burning first run. Spinner sharks are common during the winter months and these strong fish will jump and spin in the air when hooked, hence their nickname. The spinning motion of this shark is one way in which is catches it’s prey.
Speaking of sharks, the next MadFin Shark Series airs on April 9th on ESPN2 featuring the most exciting catch and release shark event yet. Many of our Key West light tackle guides and anglers are featured. Check it out.
Windy conditions were a factor in the offshore waters this week but it did not keep some of the larger sportfishing boats from giving it their best for the tug of an Atlantic sailfish. Yes, at long last the sailfish bite is picking up a bit.
“It’s about time,” said Captain Bennett Taylor on the Outer Limits.
Taylor’s 41- foot sportfisher has given him an advantage this week by offering anglers a more comfortable ride to the fishing grounds. Earlier in the week there were what is called tailing conditions for sailfish. This term is for when the east wind and east current push the sailfish to the surface and they can be seen “riding” down the waves. It can be a very productive time to fish for sailfish too.
Taylor had several multiple sailfish days. He was using live threadfin herring and utilizing a kite and drifting with the current.
There has been no defined color change and now that the eastbound current has been slowing down, the water is not as clear.
Captain Rush Maltz on Odyssea out of Murray Marina has been hiding from the rough seas in closer to the reef. Maltz had a great catch consisting of 14 mutton snapper and some grouper.
Maltz says these bottom fish can be finicky.
“It depends on whether they want to eat or not,” Maltz said.
Maltz does admit that sailfishing is the easiest thing to do in these rougher seas and high winds. Drifting downwind and with the current he uses both thread herring and pilchards to entice the bite.
In addition to landing a few sailfish this week, Maltz found a few dolphin that were willing to eat too.
So what is in store for April? Historically it is some of the best fishing available. You name it. Fish offshore for sailfish, wreck fishing for permit, flats fishing for tarpon, and reef fishing for grouper and snapper.
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April 2, 2007 at 5:13 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing, Key West Sport Fishing, Key West Deep Sea Fishing
Windy conditions are beginning to subside in the Lower Keys. At long last after nearly two weeks of 20 mph winds we’re getting a break. Blue skies and temps in the low 80s make for a wonderful day.
Permit fishing still remains active with plenty of big permit on the flats feeding like crazy. This will start to diminish towards the middle of the month. Permit take their spring hiatus to the offshore waters to spawn and will return to the flats close to mid-June.
Tarpon fishing should bust wide open any day now. Tarpon are already being spotted in deeper basins and are being fished for on light tackle in the Northwest Channel and in Key West Harbor areas. Look for the backcountry flats and oceanside flats to be flooded with them soon. Fly fishing for tarpon is something that attracts so many anglers this time of year. April through June is considered the high season for tarpon but don’t rule out July as one of the best months to chase the silver king.
Offshore fishing has been increasingly better for sailfish. Sailfish migrate into the Key West area in search food and good water temps. The Gulfstream has moved in close to Key West over the past week and brings more activity in the form of sailfish, mahi-mahi, and other migratory fish. Bottom dwelling fish like snapper and grouper have been fishing okay but with some changes in the current this type of fishing could be a lot better.
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March 20, 2007 at 7:09 pm · Filed under Key West Flats Fishing
The psychology of permit fishing
Capt. Kris Suplee of Marathon is unwinding behind a table at Hurricane Hole Marina. He looks wind-burned and sunburned like the other captains, and yet, there is a certain glow. The look tells me there is no need to rush over to the scoreboard to check the results of the second-annual March Merkin Permit Tournament that concluded Friday.
“I always wanted to see what we’d be able to do with good weather,” Suplee says. He’s referring to his years of guiding Warren Hinrichs, an investment portfolio manager from Jacksonville with an uncanny knack for fooling permit.
In a sport where catching even one permit on fly is considered an achievement, Hinrichs has just caught and released six of the beautifully awkward animals in three days of fly fishing with Suplee. They are the easy winners of the 24-team competition.
Unlike bonefish, whose green torpedo bodies look like they sprang from a marine architect’s CAD program, permit have broad bodies with pointy black fins that are less than optimized for disguise. This big reef fish can’t help coming into the shallows to root for crustaceans, usually crabs. They’re more nervous and wary than bonefish, and harder to fool with a fly.
A stiff breeze, slight chop and bright sunshine are the optimal weather conditions for permit fishing. The chop makes it harder for the permit to see or feel an approaching boat; and for the angler the sunlight creates a convenient contrast between their black tails and the grassy background.
“It was a 7 out of 10,” Suplee says of the tournament weather.
That doesn’t mean it was easy, which is fine by Hinrichs. Permit fishing is exhilarating, he says, precisely because it’s hard.
“The permit game is a psychological game. You experience highs and lows very fast,” he says.
Missed casts; hooks that don’t stick; the wandering mind. They happen to Hinrichs too, believe it or not, or maybe thank goodness. The difference might be that he keeps the past out of the present better than most. He credits Suplee with more than finding the fish: “He did a really good job of keeping me focused.”
As for the choice of flies, most anglers, including Hinrichs, target permit with homespun versions of the Merkin fly. With these bits of fibers, feather and rubber strings are trimmed to resemble a crab darting for cover. Some anglers break out secret patterns in especially hard times, but most will rely on the Merkin.
Hinrichs and Suplee are on a roll that probably has nothing to do with the choice of fly. They won last July’s Del Brown Invitational Permit tournament too. It would be unwise to imply they’ve somehow solved the permit riddle, however. Every permit angler knows there will be dry spells, and in fact seated just a few feet away from Suplee is a living, breathing example.
He is Jon Ain, a part-time resident of Sugarloaf Key and a highly-successful permit angler. Ain helped create this tournament when the organizers of the annual Del Brown competition shifted that event to July. Conventional wisdom says March is a good month for permit fishing because the fish are feasting up before spawning offshore in April and early May. Ain was skunked over the three-day event after winning last year’s inaugural competition.
There’s no denying that Suplee and Hinrichs had the most spectacular fishing, but others at the dock are glowing too.
Loren Rea of Sugarloaf Key caught her third permit on fly while fishing with Capt. Edward Michaels of Yankee Town. Rea will go down as the first woman to catch a permit in the event. Her husband, Capt. Justin Rea, guided Brian Byerly to a permit.
In a role reversal, Capt. Peter Heydon of Key West stood on the bow while his long-time friend Bill Heindl of Richmond, Va., poled the boat. Heydon caught his second permit on fly, a 30.5-inch fish that weighed 24 pounds on the handheld “Boga Grip.”
Heydon and Heindl were edged out for the largest fish by David Dalu, an emergency room doctor from Charleston, S.C., who fished with Capt. Scott Collins of Marathon. Their fish also measured 30.5 inches, but they caught it earlier to earn the honors.
Heindl, who is 66, is okay with that: “Being the oldest guide, I don’t care,” he says.
Call it the winning permititude.
Ben Iannotta is a freelance journalist and flats fishing guide. He can be reached at biannotta@aol.com.
For complete results please visit www.marchmerkin.com
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