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.
