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Caloosahatchee River - November 9th, 2010
supplied by: FishSkinner Charters RECORDED:70 °FISHING: Good
The winter has come even earlier in 2010 than the year past. Lets hope this is not a sign of whats to come. Last years continuous cooler temps killed off a lot of our Snook. I appreciate the continued Snook ban but would hope that they have time to flourish without the threat of more dying off. They truly are a beauty. I choose to catch and release whether there's a shortage or not. I'd hope that other anglers and or guides (in particular) choose to do the same.
In regards to the cold temperatures moving south into the Fort Myers and Sanibel area, the larger fish are migrating south and/or up into the rivers and creeks for the winter months to stay warm. The bait has moved off the beaches and has been harder to find. Now's the time to start using shrimp, which is a lot easier for me in the mornings. I don't mind a bit.
The past week I've been been staying near shore fishing the reefs for grouper, snapper and flounder along with trout on cut bait.
Inshore I've done well catching nice sized trout on jigs and shrimp.
Sight fishing has been awesome lately. Changing weather conditions and cold fronts have been making the fish very predictable. Snook are staging up in their winter lies and the redfish have been tailing aggressively. December brings some of the lowest tides of the year and the redfish are tailing most every day on the right grass flats. We have also been sight fishing them on the sand and catching them very consistently. We have had very little boat traffic and the fish seem to be very happy swimming in super shallow water and striking flies aggressively. I fished two days with a gentleman and the first day it was slick calm, overcast and hotter than blazes. The tides were great and we cast at fish in a muddy bottom creek and every redfish we threw the fly in front of smashed it. We lost what little light we had so I took him to find the tailing fish. After casting to 30 tailing redfish with a variety of crab, shrimp and baitfish patterns we could not get them to bite anything. The next day we went out after a nice cold front came through and the water temperatures dropped ten degrees and all the tailers we through at ate the fly or chased it. We boated a 33 inch redfish and two 28 inch redfish and missed and lost several others. I feel like when the water temp drops the food availability to fish diminishes making them much more susceptible to fly presentations. In other words cold fronts are good for fishing and it is nothing but a myth that fish don't bite when it is cold.
I fished with another gentleman on a half day right after a cold front and we caught 25 snook, a Small 8lb Tarpon and and an 8lb redfish yielding him a grand slam in just a morning half day. My afternoon clients managed to nail 2 big tailing redfish in the after noon making that day a great fishing day.
Yesterday, I fished with Sam who loves to catch big Snook. We went out and the conditions were mint. Calm winds and glarey skies made visibility tough but the fish were ther in big numbers and we cast to two snook gliding down the shorelines in a foot of water. We cast to the lead fish, a 35-40 inch snook and he refused the fly and the two fish swam into a shady corner. We waited for them to come out of the shade and when they did they swam around a log and Sam fired a fly right past the first on and left it for the second snook, he stripped and the fish automatically popped the fly right on the surface and the battle commenced. We landed this 30 inch Snook and proceeded to catch another 27 incher and then we landed a 37 inch Snook all within the hour. We managed to catch 3 redfish and lose 3 more nice snook that day. I have posted the video of our adventure on this blog.
Overall, I think Boca Grande fly fishing is as good as it gets right now and should continue to stay good through the month. The tides are low and there are lots of fish to cast at. You just have to feed them.
Hillsboro Inlet, Boca Raton to Ft. Lauderdale - November 26th, 2009
supplied by: Fanntastic Fishing RECORDED:71 °FISHING: Great
Thanksgiving morning we had cool northwest winds and almost smooth sea conditions.
The sailfish are showing up in good numbers and feeding on a variety of baits. The most common offering is the live goggle eye, which can be purchased on the way out to fishing grounds. Other baits work very well also, including live mullet, blue runners, live bonito and live ballyhoo, which can usually be caught quickly on the way out.
This weekend the fish were widely scattered, from the edge of the reef at 9’ to as deep as 600’. I had reports of groups of sailfish coming into the spread with multiple hookups.
Besides sailfish, we had catches of blackfin tuna, wahoo, kingfish and some mahi mahi.
Although sailfish is considered a big game fish, they are a great sport for the kids. We here at the FANNTASTIC have introduced many children to their first sailfish experience. We have had children as young as 6 years old land these amazing creatures! The thrill of the catch for those kids is truly phenomenal.
Sailfishing will steadily improve into January through February – so watch for those cold fronts for some hot sailfish action. Don’t worry about rough weather, the FANNTASTIC is a 50’ Hatteras, the largest boat for charter in Ft. Lauderdale.
Charlotte Harbor Area - May 10th, 2009
supplied by: Tight Loops Flyfishing RECORDED:90 °FISHING: Excellent
MAY 10, 2009 It’s Tarpon Time in Southwest Florida! Yes, the big silver beasts are back for their annual spawning migration, and seem to have begun littering the nearshore beaches off Casey Key, Manasota Key, and Venice. Because tarpon actually are nocturnal feeders, it stands to reason that late night and very early morning hours would be the best time to present a fly that would be enticing enough to trigger a “Let’s Eat This” reaction. However, most folks watched too many re-runs of “Jaws,” and are mortally afraid of being in the dark where there could be sharks. So, the majority of our tarpon angling happens from just before dawn (yes, Virginia, there ARE sharks out here but they really WON’T bite the boat in half) and continues through the early morning. Which is why I drove 1,500 miles to take Kate, Ghost and Heart back to Michigan two weeks ago. English setters simply do not understand why Dad has to get out of bed at 3:30 in the morning and disturb their peaceful snoring. Nor do they comprehend climbing into all of our respective crates when it’s still daylight at 7pm. Double Ditto for Kate. Which is why the three of them are freezing up on the 45th parallel while I’m roasting in blazing sunshine with temps that hit 93 yesterday. But what about the *&%# FISH!!!!!! you ask. Ah, well. Yes. Bob Darnold of Sutton’s Bay, Michigan, and his nephew-by-marriage, Kurt Liederman spent three days with me last week chasing tarpon and assorted other finny creatures. We rocked & rolled outside Stump Pass on Wednesday and never saw a live fin. Bazillions of tarpon were running silent and deep below us in the nearshore Gulf (according to my Garmin 172C), but wouldn’t come up top. Finally, when Bob nearly pitched off the deck of my Hewes Redfisher, we headed back inside Lemon Bay. Spanish mackerel and a variety of other finned animals came to the proffered flies and jigs—particularly a couple of cobia! I had glanced behind the boat and saw two large brown shapes floating at the surface. “Cobia,” I yelled, and Kurt made an absolutely perfect cast. The smaller of the two—a mere 30-pounder!—immediately ate the glass minnow imitation and for the next hour Kurt deftly played that fish on an ultra-light rod rigged with 10-pound line and a 20-pound bite tippet. Meanwhile, the other cobia—which must have weighed in at more than 60 pounds—kept nudging the hooked fish, and generally was curiously wondering what was up with his buddy. We got that cobia to the boat dozens of times, but always JUST out of netting reach. I did touch the leader at one point, so it counts as a legal catch, but after just over an hour the line SNAPPPPED and everybody groaned. Kurt was impressed with that fish, but tarpon was the name of the game and Bob was concerned about his “sea legs in the rolling water of the Gulf.” So, we went to Plan B. Which was the Myakka River, where scores of juvenile poons in the 10 to 50-pound class abound. With some 80-pounders thrown into the mix to keep everybody’s adrenaline rush at peak levels. I guess Kurt described the situation quite aptly when he said, “if tarpon were torpedoes this boat would have been sunk a hundred times.” Simply put, they were EVERYWHERE. Tarpon to the left of us. Tarpon to the right of us. Tarpon exploding out from underneath the boat in a muddy swirl. And yes indeed, Kurt jumped two on Thursday—both in the 60-pound class. Alas, he did not heed the guide’s warning that “setting the hook on a tarpon is like driving it into the side of this boat.” We got the jump, but both fish threw the hook. Friday was MOS. Only without the jumps. We had big guys constantly around us the entire time we were in the main river, and had several different pods of 10-to-20-pounders frolicking back and forth in one of the residential canals. They absolutely would NOT, however, eat an artificial offering. Capt. Gospo had the same frustrating experience with his clients that day. “Fish all OVER the place,” he lamented, “but maybe this damned full moon got them all screwed up.” Who knows? They’re fish. I HATE fish! Or, as my old Chilean friend Oscar Feliu once muttered, “Damned fish are just like women. One night YES, next night NO!” Well, I guess Gary Sibbald will find out this week when he comes back down from Ontario. He’s got a raging case of Tarpon Fever, and I’ve got the cure! ENGLISH SETTER UPDATE Kate says the Little Guy—who turns two years old next month—has a raging case of Bird Fever. “He runs from window to window looking at the mourning doves and whining pitifully. It’s still only 45 degrees up here, so it feels like bird season. “Looks like it, too,” she said. “The trees are all pretty bare, but at least the daffodils are starting to bloom, so there’s SOME color out there.” Ghost, who will be 12 years old on Friday, is acting like a dog half that age, according to Kate. “Except she’s been digging big holes in the dog pen and got her nose absolutely impacted with sand and dirt. Poor thing could hardly breathe, and kept sneezing constantly.” Sigh. Two months before I’m roaming the woods and waters of northern Michigan with all of them. At least I’ve got several hundred thousand tarpon to keep me company down here! Tight Loops,Capt. Tony
Venice - April 26th, 2007
supplied by: Tail Chaser Fish Gear and Charter Service RECORDED:85 °FISHING: Excellentmaps VeniceFlorida Fishing ReportThe Tail Chaser Fleet has had a great month fishing inshore and offshore charters. Our Inshore team led by Capt. Chris O’Neill has caught plenty of oversized Redfish, along with giant Snook that have began their spring migration out of the rivers. Redfish have been plentiful along the West Wall of the Myakka River, as well as the Cattle Dock area of the river. The bar outside of Cape Haze has held multiple species all month. The Snook bite has been insane, with most of Capt. Chris’ guides using Tarpon gear to pull the monsters out of the structure. The bait of choice has been pilchards and threadfins. Artificial will produce, but live bait is the guarantee to giant fish. Tarpon, Tarpon, Tarpon! The Tail Chaser Fleet boated over 40 Silver King Tarpon in the month of April. The bite will only get better for the next two months, and be steady through the summer. Tarpon are hungry to eat your larger threadfins. Large schools have been running the bar along the east side of Charlotte Harbor. The Offshore captains have been finding major bites along the beaches and out to 150 feet. The Kings have been running within 1-15 miles of our beaches, along with plenty of Spanish Mackerel. Grouper are found along the wrecks, and have been smacking pinfish and threadfins fished on the bottom. Trolling will also work well, over the wrecks. Chum heavy for the best results. If you would like to experience some of this unbelievable action, give us a call. We are excited about the new line-up of guides we have now, and look forward to continued success. For the best fishing in the Venice Florida or Charlotte Harbor area, spend a day with one our team of world-class guides. Visit our new website www.tailchasercharters.com, or call Capt. Chris @ (941) 270-7867.
Islamorada - January 18th, 2007
supplied by: No Bones About It FISHING: Good
I hope all of my anglers have been enjoying the Holidays, and what a warm start to the Winter Fishing. I mean warm, we have had a few cool days, but it has been a warm winter, with some great fishing. It can only get better and better, and if old man winter has been this predictable, I can only wonder what the rest of the month will be like.
There has been quite a few windy days, but the wind has laid off nice this past week, and have had some great reports fishing offshore, and flats and backcountry fishing.
The bonefishing has been good both oceanside and especially in the Florida Bay. Some big fish being caught and released on fly and light tackle.
Bonefish ranging from 9lbs and up, you cannot ask for a great day on the water with them being in the Fall Pattern still.
Redfishing has been quite consisitent over in Flamingo and in the channels, and area lake and rivers.
Trout fishing has been super with some big trout being caught and released because of the limit in size, but have been quite a few going to the restaurants for lunch too.
Backcountry fishing has also produced some spanish makerals, and pompano have been on the hooks of many anglers, snook have been quite abundant, and trout, ladyfish, and jack crevelle, along with mangrove snapper, sharks, and I have even heard, tarpon are still in the back getting caught on some light tackle and fly!
This has been some great fishing.
I hope all my Readers and Anglers have had a Great Time Fishing and Had Some Tight lines.
As I said, the fishing has been good, with the bite for the bonefish has been good, and has been good in the early mornings, and of course, just before sunset.
But, I want to let everyone know we all had a good time and enjoyed having each and everyone of you all aboard our skiffs, and hope to see you all come back fishing.
The tarpon bite has shown up again, and some fish are still around the area bridges and channels, and they are finding some still in the Park.
Using crabs, and dead bait is the best early in the morning hours, and pilchards are being used for some evening trips.
Every year, I keep saying time surely does fly by and can you believe it, Spring fishing is on us soon, and the Winter fishing, well maybe on its way out, if the weather stays as nice as it has been.
I am getting alot of calls and emails about the upcoming tarpon season for 2007, and you should definitely make sure to be making your reservations now, so that ensures you get the dates you want, and lock in the time frame, for those glorious evening trips that are available.
Don't forget to go to my website for those great fishing charter packages I offer, and give me a call at 305-664-5891, or drop me a line at captann@boneranger.com, and I will ensure your emails are answered promptly and correctly with any questions you may all have.
Remember we get full fast, and it is good to start planning now, and get a jump on the dates you have in mind, which is also good idea for our fly anglers too. Season usually starts late March, and April and runs through July.
If any anglers are interested in some of the tournaments that are around, we still have some going on, please go to my website for updated tournament information at www.boneranger.com.
Some of the Winter tournaments available, so if your interested in tournament information or just coming down and getting yourself a fix on fly or light tackle, the Winter and Spring fishing, it is aways a great time for saltwater gamefishing, and meeting new anglers and friends.
That is the time of year when the flyfisherman and live bait anglers are battling it out with the big fish.
It never stops to amaze me the enthusiasm my anglers show whether it is on fly or live bait or even light tackle for our elusive gamefish.
If your fishing in Everglades National Park, alot of anglers catching and releasing several big trout, jack crevelle, ladyfish, and redfish and snook in the park, they are using shrimp on Millie Bucktails is the best shot with either white hackle or brown bucktails tipped with a little shrimp. The redfish, and trout love that, and so do the ladyfish.
Overall, everyone had a great time and days some fun days filled with alot of fishing.
January reopened the trout season, but there have been some big trout in Everglades National Park.
Snook Season will reopen February 1st, and will be closed May, June, July, and August. So, lets get out there and get some of those strong snook on board and is fun on light tackle.
Patch fishing fishing should pick up immensely with snpper, grouper, porgies, sharks, and yellowtail being caught up on the patches of the reef with this cooler water coming in.
The water temperature still remains in the lower 70's, but the tides have been good in the early morning, and early evenings just before sunset.
Permit fishing has been fair, using small crab, and crab flies, jigs tipped with shrimp, and shrimp.
There are many anglers here from all over the world, challenging their skills from fly to light tackle, which is wonderful to see them enjoy and learn new skills.
Whether you challenge your skills on fly or live bait or light tackle, it is great fun to be out in the sun, and releasing some really big fish from all the different species.
You and your friends and family are not far from the Best Saltwater Action around!
Remember the snapper that you catch, has limits, so make sure you take just enough for a good lunch and dinner, and have fun with your rods bending on the rest.
Islamorada offers some of the Best Saltwater Gamefishing for anglers focused either for light tackle, live bait or artifical baits, or our avid fly anglers, now is the time to be doing your bookings and hopping on the band wagon for some a great time and action, for the morning bite and evening bites.
So, don't forget to get into some of that great Flats and Backcountry Fishing in Everglades State Park is a great way to spend the day fishing, lunching, and enjoying the beauty of the wildlife.
These fish always puts big smiles on the kids and even us grown ups faces when the rod bends on these great reef and patch fish, and what a way to spend an evening for a great meal.
Don't forget I still offer those incredibly great Value Fishing Packages where you can get the best of both Worlds for Flats and Backcountry charters.
So, take a look on the homepage at www.boneranger.com, and schroll to the Islamorada Fishing Charter Pakcages and click on the top icon for Some Great Savings!
Don't forget your extra supplies to bring on your trip, please Make Sure You Bring Extra Water and Gatorade or Powerade with you to keep your body rehydrated, and your Elecrolites going, with this intense heat, and the heat index, can dehydrate you quickly with the water acting as a mirror, and sun beating down on our anglers. So, please ensure you have Sunblock, Drinks, and Protective Clothing, to enjoy your morning Flats, Backcountry or Offhsore Fishing.
I am looking forward to a Great Winter and Spring Season for all anglers.
Don't Forget that the Day and Evening trips for Spring and Summer Action for the Tarpon Season where the days getting longer, you can still fish for tarpon, bonefish, and permit are fantastic too, and a great time to see a terrific sunset, and have a great time on fly or live bait. Great time of the year for those bites! Give me a call or just drop a line.
Come and challenge your skills from fly to light tackle, to live bait, and sightcasting. Rest assured, you too will be hooked.
Since the Holidays are gone, you still have some great ideal coming and giving one of those fishing packages I can make gift certificates for your husbands, wives, friends, family, co-workers, your college students. It makes a great stocking stuffer or gift. You all deserve a great Get-Away for you and your loved ones.
What better of a place than here in the Florida Keys, Islamorada is the Place for all kinds of Saltwater Gamefishing.
I can put together any great fishing package for you all, either flats fishing and backcountry, or Flats fishing and Offshore fishing. Just give me a call and I will put together a nice cover letter, and send a gift certificate to put in that special someones card. So, don't forget to call me at 305-664-5891, and I will be happy to work with you, and make sure you get it on time.
So, lets make sure that you get your plans in order!
Stalking these Gray Ghosts, or Poling for those Powerful Permit, or Preying on those Giant Silver Kings, you have to use a bit of muscle, but the hand and eye coordination on fly is a fantastic challenge for any kind of angler. Or just exciting on Live Bait for the same species on 6lb or 8lb test, what an adrenaline rush.
Even if your a novice or intermediate flycaster, I do offer fly instruction, I know it can be a bit trying on the nerves, but once you learn the technique, and you hook up the adrenaline takes over, and your knees start shaking, and the thrill of the line zipping out in less than a minute. It is a true rush. I cannot describe the feeling, until you actually hook up. But, let me tell you, that it is one of the most fasinating, and intriging experiences you could ever have, whether on fly or light tackle, it will have your heart racing, and have a lump in your throat, and a smile on your face, when you hook up! There is no screaming, just your elated face and excitement watching you have the hook up of your life.
Winter and Spring Tournament Fishing will be getting active, with some Big Fish that will be Caught, and Released. If any of you anglers are interested in Some Great Comraderie, and Action, and would like to Enter Some Of Islamorada's Great Tournaments, please call me at 305-664-5891, or you can email me at CaptAnn@boneranger.com, and I will get all the information needed for such events.
Great way to benefit some great causes, and give a little back to some of the less fortunate, and a Great Way to have Fun, and make new Friends.
Don't forget you Flyfishing Enthusiasts, this is the greatest time of the year to come and challenge all our gamefish on fly, the challenge can be quite rewarding, and a great way to get ready for your Spring fishing. Gives you all great hand and eye coordination, so those who you think are bad, don't think it your eyes that are going, its time to get some lessons. I do offer No-Pressure fly instruction, and love to teach you new techniques to build your skills for the Lake and Stream fishing your doing.
I hate to keep reiterating on the Upcoming Spring and Summer Fishing, but plan in advance for those Fishing Dates for 2007. You can book now, for it is the time, I don' mean to be repetitive, but I want you all to get the dates you want in advance for those Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit and Backcountry Fishing Trips.
Remember, it starts late March if the weather gets really warm and runs from April through July!
I also do Group Bookings, with the fishing packages with hotel accomodations, don't forget that with those evening trips for the rocket blasting tarpon.
So don't delay to grab your dates and put together a trip and we will let you feel the thrill of hooking up the species of choice, whether its bonefish, tarpon, or permit, you may be lucky enough to land a Grand Slam!
Whichever you decide to experience, it all has been an exciting and great way to spend a day with the family or with your friends, wife, or girlfriend. All I can say is the fishing has been at its best, and challenging anglers to all aspects of fishing.
So your fishing is not limited to anyone species. With all year round fishing, you just cannot miss, especially the Fall and Winter fishing coming back up, you can challenge a number of species.
Whether your flyfishing for bonefish, permit, redfish, or light tackle fishing for the same species, the effect will have you hooked for years to come, and where else but, Paradise, can we achieve such tremendous catches and releases.
What a great way to enjoy the beauty of the island chains here in the Fabulous Florida Keys! You definitely will enjoy the experience and challenge of the Sportfishing Capital of the World.
If you decide to book a backcountry trip, don't forget before heading out into the backcountry in Everglades National Park, don't forget your cameras to take some grand pictures of some of the most intriguing birds, and of course the fish of the day you caught.
So drop me a line, or call up and make sure you get the bookings that you are looking for, and don't forget an Evening trip is Great too, and what a good way to see our Fabulous Sunsets. Bookings can get full, and limited, so make sure you call in advance, so you too can experience the wonderful challenge of all species we have to offer.
I am offering to Anglers for this upcoming Winter and Spring Fishing Packages to all of those who want to get away from the kids, or bring the kids on breaks, or to just get out of the office, or just to experience some of the off season. Anglers can get a great deal and want to do some great fishing in the off season, great on your pocketbook, it is a great value, check it out on my Rates and Package Page!
The Flyfishing and Light Tackle Fishing Packages that are on the site give everyone the best of both worlds, to come down and challenge their skills for Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit, Redfish and Snook, and for those Great Offshore Species!
I hate to keep reiterating, but I do offer No Pressure tactics, and offer Fly Instruction, and what an experience for either the beginner fisherman, novice fisherman, or advanced fisherman, to benefit a day on the water. It is the growing trend, to stalk these gamefish on fly and what a wonderful sport it is, and a great way for some great hand and eye coordination for you to learn how to cast to these beautiful fish! What memories you and your fishing companion to experience together, or you can make it a family event, and ladies don't forget, we too make it as a great pasttime for ourselves to pick up the fly, and surprise yourself how enjoyable and challenging it really is.
Isn't that what it is all about, the grandure and power of all of these great saltwater gamefish, whether you choose bonefish, tarpon, or permit, the memories are there forever!
Ladies, don't forget, you too can enjoy the splendors of fishing on light tackle or fly, and it's a great way to spend the day getting to know the waters and the beauty that happens here in the Keys!
Well, until my next report, tight lines, and Hope To See You on the Flats, and Remember Catch and Release for the Future!
Tight lines, and Keep Reeling, and Hope to See Yah on the Flats,
Everglades National Park - January 16th, 2007
supplied by: Captain Ariel Cabrera FISHING: Good
Winter has been on the warm side for a while now. Expect the season to continue with some windy, yet warm weather and we’ll have a steady bite. Inshore fish are pretty responsive to temperature changes however; they are accustomed to our tropical temperatures. This is exactly where we are headed. Late winter will bring out the best. Expect all sorts of species on the inshore arena. Snook, tarpon, redfish, trout will continue to be around in good numbers but so will the winter residents. These would be black drum, sheepshead, mackerel, bluefish, cobia, flounder, bluefish, and grouper. For techniques, I would use a bucktail with a shad or grub tail. Move it across the grass flats and mangrove shorelines for your best bet. If it is quiet add a popping cork to your jig. This is easy on/easy off applications. It works well as a fish finder and locator. Shrimp or cut strips of synthetics such as FISHBITES can be added for extra appeal. The scent will lure the fish! Late winter in the Everglades area in a great time to fish and explore. A trip into the deep interior is recommended for those who like to change the scenery. Try Hell’s Bay, Lane River, Tarpon Bay, or Robert’s River to start. If you are fishing these areas stick to swimming plugs and small lures. You can encounter anything like bass, snook to bull sharks. Don’t forget your backcountry essentials: compass, GPS, water, safety gear, water, beef jerky, repellant, and water. Did you remember to leave a float plan? Remember that your cell phones won’t work. Learn one stretch at a time.
Naples, Estero Bay, Marco Island, and the 10000 Islands - December 18th, 2006
supplied by: Tarpon Tails FISHING: Great
Weather is warm as we have had a mild winter so far. A cold front a few weeks ago slowed the fishing but it has become better. The trout bite is excellent with alot of fish to 24 inchs. They are best on outside flats. Redfish have been good and a few days we took as many as 20. Alot of fish south with some to 29 inhs. Jigs have bben the best and some sight fished with fly. Snook are fair with alot of big fish shallow sunning on flats. Small snook have been best in holes with jigs. We took 15 a few days ago up to 29 inchs. Alot of mangrove snapper in the back islands. Pompano are fair and should get better. Tarpon are slow and a few fish in the Islands. Makeral and bluefish on bait offshore and in passes for quick action. Look for bait balls and the fish will be around them. Get out and enjoy the great winter weather and fishing. Good Fishing... Capt Robert Walczak
Marquesas Keys - October 26th, 2006
supplied by: Key West Fly Fishing - Fly Fishing Paradise RECORDED:86 °FISHING: Excellent
Oct. 26, 2006. October fishing in the Keys is a mixed bag of Tailing Permit, Bonefish, rolling baby Tarpon, Barracuda, spawning Black Tip Sharks. Then comes that first serious cold front with 25 to 30 knot winds out of the North. Water temps drop from the mid 80's to the mid to upper 70's. Fish go deeper where the water is a consistent temperature and cleaner so they can see to feed and avoid predators. <br><br>The day before that cold front approached the Keys, Capt. Dexter decided to venture out to the Marquesas on a guide's holiday. Mooney Harbor Channel was bustling with rolling baby Tarpon at 7:30 a.m. On Capt. Dexter's 6th cast, the line came tight to a fish that struggled mightily but did not jump. After a few brisk runs, the fish was subdued and brought to the boat. Capt. Dexter was happy to find a ten pound Permit with the cockroach fly in the scissors of its mouth.<br><br><IMG SRC="http://www.keywestflyfishing.com/permitbabe2.jpg" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=224><br><br>Just after releasing the Permit unharmed, Capt. Dexter noticed a few baby Tarpon rolling up the channel toward his staked out skiff. Four casts later, Capt. Dexter's line came tight again and the fish was on. But what was it? No jump again. Was it another Permit?<br><br><IMG SRC="http://www.keywestflyfishing.com/jumpinbaby.jpg" WIDTH=248 HEIGHT=237><br><br>Then the baby Tarpon finally cleared the water in a surging jump, with gills rattling. Capt. Dexter was happy to see and feel the fish thrash. A couple more jumps, bowing to the Silver King baby each time, and Capt. Dexter brought the fish to the boat releasing it unharmed from Capt. Dexter's cockroach.<br><br>O.K. now what? There was a splash behind "FlatsMaster" Sounded like another baby Tarpon, so Capt. Dexter made a quick back-cast and started stripping right away. The line came tight again, but quickly went limp as the large Barracuda thrashed the surface gnawing through the thirty pound shock tippet. Lucky fly lost, Capt. Dexter took a break to soak it all in as a scattered shower sprinkled through "FlatsMaster" and the Marquesas. <br><Br>What a great morning! Just then, another splash 150 feet from the skiff to the east on the flat. The large sickle tail protruded from the water giving evidence of a tailing Permit. Capt. Dexter quietly scrambled to the rod rack for the SAGE TCR 990 with a Sandy Merkin ready to cast. Would the fish swim close enough for a shot? The answer came within minutes as Capt. Dexter maneuvered the skiff a bit closer trying not to make any noise so as to spook the fish. Restaking the skiff within 80 feet, Capt. Dexter waited to see if a shot was possible. Ten minutes later, the fish tailed nearly 200 feet further out on the flat. Capt. Dexter decided just to watch this one out, as the flat was too soft to wade and the fish was undoubtedly headed away from the skiff.<br><br><IMG SRC="http://www.keywestflyfishing.com/bonerod2.jpg" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=146><br><br> Bonefish were on the mind as Capt. Dexter poled the skiff onto another flat inside the Marquesas. Patchy clouds made sightfishing tough, but every now and then the sun would shine steadily and with any luck...there! Three Bonefish were cruising across a spit of sand at high tide. The skiff was drifting slowly and the fish were swimming toward the bow at the 2 o'clock position, about 90 feet out. Capt. Dexter made a back-cast with the Hartwell Gotcha fly that landed 6 feet in front of the approaching fish in 16 inches of water. The fly settled and after a few seconds Capt. Dexter twitched the fly with a few short strips, then paused. Another few short strips and the lead fish pounced on the fly. Capt. Dexter came tight to the Bonefish and the run was on. The SAGE TCR-890 bent over with the weight of the Bonefish power run. Two blistering runs later Capt. Dexter brought the fish to the skiff and released it unharmed.<br><br>Twelve o'clock, high noon at the Marquesas corral and a GRAND SLAM. The Marquesas are the very best place to pursue that lofty goal, and on that day Capt. Dexter was truly fortunate to have made it happen. <br><br>When you are ready to book a charter or just talk fishing, contact Capt. Dexter Simmons by casting your net line to http://www.keywestflyfishing.com or by TOLL FREE CHARTER HOTLINE: 877-FISH052 (877-3474052) ///// or at 305-745-3304 or by email at <A HREF="mailto:captdexter@prodigy.net">captdexter@prodigy.net </a> Happy Fishing! <br><Br><IMG SRC="http://www.keywestflyfishing.com/tarponhatch.jpg" WIDTH=300 HEIGHT=225><br><br> Our Father (Mother) - Son (Daughter) Key West Flats Fishing Trips are now scheduled for throughout the summer, fall, winter, and spring. For more information about the Father and Son Flats Fishing Trips go to <A HREF="http://www.keywestflyfishing.com/fatherandson.htm">http://www.keywestflyfishing.com/fatherandson.htm<br><IMG SRC="http://www.keywestflyfishing.com/bentarpon2.jpg" WIDTH=189 HEIGHT=226></a> <br><br>Once again, you may contact Capt. Dexter Simmons for a future fishing charter on his TOLL FREE CHARTER HOTLINE: 877-FISH052 (877-3474052) ///// or at 305-745-3304 or by email at <A HREF="mailto:captdexter@prodigy.net">captdexter@prodigy.net</a>
Lake Tohopekaliga - September 22nd, 2006
supplied by: Florida Bass FISHING: Fair
East Lake Toho
Today I hit East Lake Toho for a few hours, My old tournament partner wanted, for some reason to tackle East Lake and get away for a few hours. Normally East Lake is pretty much a last resort fishing spot, as it has not really been producing that great as of late.
We started the day out searching the deep water brush piles in hopes of finding a good bite, managing 3 nice crappie on a drop shot, now this is an awesome lake for crappie.
Making the move to shallow water and working Gitem KO’s in baby bass color, and Shads in watermelon red we did manage to pick up a few here and there in and around the reeds and scattered grasses. Bit was very soft, so you really had to pay close attention to your line. We had one very solid, hard hitting bite, and I mumbled it was a mudfish, and after a few minutes of a good fight, it was a 5 pound mudfish!
From there we made a move to check out Boggy Cove, a few weeks back it was tough going to get in there, if at all, but with the rains, the lake is up atleast a foot, so we ventured back there and tried our luck. Using the same baits, we slammed a bunch of bass, a total of 28, but the sad thing is, of the 28, only 3 were of keeper size and just barely at that, as you can tell in the pictures. Lake levels are looking good, and the waters are very clean, have not seen the waters this clean in a long time. Water temps started out at 82.4 first thing this morning and when we pulled off they were right around 83.9, cooler temps have made the bite a little better, with more schooling activity going on around the offshore hydrilla beds.
We did manage to spot several good bass, in the 4 to 6 pound class cruising in and around the scattered reed, but as you know, generally if you see them, they have also spotted you. Other than the small size, it turned out to be a fairly good day. If we get the waters to cool down maybe another 10 degrees this lake should really turn on good.
Till my next report, tight lines and great fishing! Capt Tim Fey Bassfishingfl.com
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