Fishing in Key West

Key West - Del Brown Tournament Results - 7/22/06

2006-07-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

The Del Brown Permit Tournament ended on a stormy Thursday. The previous day, Wednesday, saw three more teams land permit. Capts. Mark Krowka and Simon Becker poled their anglers into the running, each boating a permit, but Capt. Kris Suplee out did them all on the second day, landing three. The storms that rolled through on the final day of the tournament washed away any chance of anyone catching up. In the end, Capt. Suplee and his angler Warren Hinrichs won. Capt. Dale Perez and angler Doug Mayer took second, while Capt. Bill Houze and angler Will Benson captured third.

Today, Saturday, July 22, the storms have moved off, leaving sunnier skies and calmer winds. Anglers fishing the flats should expect to see bonefish, permit, tarpon and possibly some redfish foraging for a meal.
Offshore, chicken dolphin are still the staple, but marlin, and some sailfish have also been raised. On the bottom, the snapper and grouper fishing continue to catch the attention of anglers.

Key West - Del Brown Update - 07/19/06

2006-07-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...
Tuesday, July 18, the first day of the Del Brown Permit Tournament, proved a challenging one. The wind barely rippled the water in the morning and only picked up a little during the day. Adding to the challenge, the clouds returned, limiting the visibility of the guides and anglers. Under these tough conditions only three teams landed a permit on the first day - those captained by Capt. Bill Houze, Capt. Dale Perez and Capt. Justin Rea. These three boats are tied for first place with 150 points each.
Today looks like it is going to be another tough one for the participants, as there was only a whisper of wind this morning, and the clouds are lingering.
Tomorrow, fortunately, the wind is predicted to break the 10 mph. barrier, making it easier to get with in casting range of the fish without spooking them.
For those not fishing the permit tournament, the early morning and evening hours have produced some good fishing, especially for tarpon and bonefish.

Key West - July 15, 2006

2006-07-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

It was a wet week for us down here. We had periods of heavy rain and some good thunderstorms mixed with generally cloudy skies, which kept many anglers off the flats. Those who went out between the storms found some decent fishing for bonefish and permit, and if they timed it right, they were rewarded with flats teaming with tails. Some reported seeing over a hundred in an hour or two. As for the tarpon, only a few of the big boys remain, but there are still plenty 15 - 50 pounders to jump start your day. Today dawned with a drenching rain, but has cleared up considerably. We now have blue skies and calmer winds. It is a good time to get out there.

Offshore, dolphin are the main attraction with many anglers wearing out their arms battling schoolies on light tackle. Fewer big cows and bulls were caught this past week, but fish in the 15 - 30 pound range were not uncommon.

Next week, The Del Brown Permit Tournament starts on Tuesday, July 18, and runs through Thursday, July 20. Hopefully, the weather will improve as permit are tough enough to catch as it is.

Key West Update - June 29, 2006

2006-06-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Occasional storms and water spouts continue to pose some obstacles for flats fishing, but the fishing is good enough to make it worth getting rained on. From the Contents to the Marquesas, tarpon, bonefish and permit have presented anglers with many opportunities to hook up. Several of the tarpon have been in the 120 to 150 pound range, so if you are still looking to tangle with one of the big boys, this weekend should be a good time to get it done.

Offshore, anglers are having the best luck for dolphin in 700' of water. Plenty of schoolies are being caught along with some in the 30 - 50 pound range. Many anglers have reported seeing free jumping marlin busting on the dolphin, so there is a chance of hooking one of those, too. On top of that, the mutton snapper bite has been hot lately in the evenings.

Whether you are fishing shallow or deep, it is a good time to get on the water.

Key West

2006-06-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...06/27/06
The clouds and showers that continue to filter across the keys, have not shut down the fishing. Yes, the visibility has been tough at times, but there have been plenty of fish caught on the flats during the past few days. The new moon tides have been good for bonefish and permit. These same strong tides often bring in a fresh push or two of tarpon. Even if it does not, there are still plenty cruising around if one is interested. With good opportunities to catch bonefish, permit and tarpon, this is a great time of year to catch the Keys Grand Slam.

Fishing Update - June 21, 2006

2006-06-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Despite the occasional thunder storm and broken cloud cover, the flats fishing has been productive these past few days. Anglers are getting good shots at tarpon, especially early, bonefish and permit. With a 10-15 mph breeze picking up during the day, the conditions are good for sneaking up on your target, but it is not too windy to make it impossible to get a good presentation.
Offshore, there are still reports of good dolphin fishing. You may have read about the new 70 pound 12 ounce record caught recently, but there have also been numerous fish in the 30 - 50 pound range brought to the boat. Some sails and marlin have also been spotted out by the wall.

Key West Update - June 19, 2006

2006-06-20T06:23:00.000-07:00

June 19, 2006 Hello to everyone again from The Saltwater Angler. After last weeks little weather episode this weeks fishing was a welcomed sight. Winds calmed right down to around 10 miles an hour and even though we had passing thunderstorms they were short lived, and never really affected you while fishing. The tarpon fishing was back in full swing with fish all over the flats and in the channels. Of course the fly rod was definitely the way to go with the light winds. If you know how to throw a fly rod, it can be a far more effective tool than a spinning rod when the fish are on the flats. Whether you are throwing a live crab or a soft plastic, either one makes a splash that can spook the fish. In some situations you see the fish coming from a long way out that will allow you to throw way in front of the fish, but the conditions don’t always allow for such easy sightings. Much of the time there’s either a cloud over head or bad glare that makes a lot of your shots at close range and that’s when the spooking begins with the spinning rod, and makes the fly so much more efficient. If you haven’t thrown a fly rod and like to fish on the flats give it a shot. Not only is it more satisfying when you land a fish, but you’ll see where it can be a better way to fish in shallow water and calm weather.

The bonefishng has been solid, but we have been waiting for the permit, and it seems that they are back in really good numbers. The captains are still catching them on the coral heads and wrecks around Key West but I have seen some fish tailing while tarpon fishing and have heard great reports from some of the captains around the docks. With the calm weather we’ve been having you’ll have to make a long cast at them not to spook one but these fish should be a little more relaxed than some of the fish in the fall because there just getting back from spawning. This is a real long shot but definitely cast a tarpon fly at one if he swims by the boat. Crabs are, of course, their main food source, but they do eat small fish also and have been known to grab a tarpon fly once in a blue moon. If your going to go traditional permit fishing on the fly, then you can’t beat a tan Del Brown merkin crab to cast at them.

No storm in the forecast and light winds so if you have the time to get on the water it doesn’t get much better than the conditions we have now. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West Update - June 17, 2006

2006-06-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

Alberto only caused a minor slump in our fishing. From Saturday through Monday we were socked in with wind, clouds, and some much need rain hitting the Key West area and shutting down the fishing, but on Tuesday the flats were back in action. Anglers found early morning tarpon, and as the sun came up, the bonefishing proved quite good. Schools up to 20 fish in the 3-5 pound range and many larger singles and doubles were spotted cruising the shallows looking for something to eat. A couple of days later the permit were back in good numbers.
On top of this action, the palolo worms hatched again during the recent full moon phase of the past few nights. The reports I heard did not claim as many worms as the earlier hatch, but the tarpon did not seem as picky, either. This, along with recent reports of new pushes of tarpon, has added to the excitement on the flats. Combined with the good numbers of permit and bonefish, it is a good time to start thinking about catching the Grand Slam of the flats.

June 11 Update

2006-06-17T05:22:00.000-07:00

Hello from everyone at The Saltwater Angler in Key West. I guess it’s that time of year again and like last year the Caribbean is having no problem whipping up a storm right at the begriming of the season. Tropical storm Alberto passed to the west of Key West but was close enough to put a damper on the fishing. If you remember last year we had a storm right at the same time so let’s hope that we're not in the same cycle. The tarpon fishing which is what I do everyday this time of year really fell off from where it had been. The storm formed to the southwest of us which sent a mini swell even before the storm got here mucking up the ocean side and making fishing very difficult. Not all the fish had left but the ones that were there were very hard to see, so fly-fishing was really frustrating. The fish could still be found in the channels and if you had a sinking line you might get a couple of eats but live bait was definitely the way to go. On a positive note the bonefishng is still decent and there are some larger fish to be caught out there. There are still the schools of 4-5 pounders but singles and doubles in the seven to eight pound range. I haven’t seen the fish tailing much so don’t go super shallow if you're going to fish for them. About 1 ½ to 2 feet is ideal. The permit fishing is still kind of up in the air but I have been getting some better reports from captains. I think the main reason is that the tarpon fishing has dropped off and people are fishing for different species. All and all it was a disappointing week, but the storm has passed and things should get back to normal next week.

Since the hurricane season is upon us lets talk about a way we can use it to our advantage on the water. A fishes lateral line can detect drops in barometric pressure and will feed aggressively when this happens. Hurricanes obviously have a very low barometric pressure and when fish feel this they eat as much as they can because they know it might be a little while before they eat again. It usually occurs about 2-3 days before the storm hits, but sometimes even closer to the storm. Now I’m not saying to go out 6 hours before a storm to have good fishing but if you have a day off before a storm hits, give it a try. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West - June 3rd

2006-06-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

The tarpon fishing has been best at either end of the day. Once the sun gets past 10:30 or so, the tarpon have become tough to feed and have remained so until evening. That is not to say that no one is catching any during the middle of the day, but most of the success has been during these glass calm mornings when the tarpon have been very active. It is during these hours that several guides found "guppy" hatches and fed a bunch of fish. Reports ranged anywhere from 10 -18 jumped. The most boated, that I heard about, was 8.
Permit and bonefish are a good option after the tarpon stop feeding. With the sun higher in the sky the visibility is good for spotting tailing and cruising fish.
Offshore, the bottom fishing has been hot with grouper and snapper. Up top, dolphin and the chance for a marlin have kept the anglers happy and arms weary.

Fishing Update - June 1, 2006

2006-06-03T05:09:00.000-07:00

The worm hatch was awesome. The best results I heard about were 14 tarpon jumped and 5 boated in a four hour period. The worms will fade quickly, but it might be worth trying a worm pattern for the next day or two. You still might get a fish to eat it. This morning was perfect for early morning rollers...slack winds building to a light breeze out of the southeast. The next few days look to be about the same with light to variable winds primarily out of the southeast with a possible shower or passing thunder storm. Time to start thinking about the guppy hatch and catching the slam. There has been some good permit and bonefishing for those who can tear themselves away from the lure of hooking a 100 plus pound tarpon.
Offshore the dolphin fishing has been very good along with some solid action on the bottom for snapper and grouper.

Key West - May 30, 2006

2006-05-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hello again to everyone from The Saltwater Angler in Key West. If you are not a fan of humidity, then this was definitely not your week. We had cloudy skies with an occasional shower but mostly just hot muggy weather with light winds. Although the sun wasn’t shining, and seeing cruising tarpon was tough, the light winds were making them do a lot of rolling which was a real blessing. This was a great opportunity
to use a top water fly like a gurgular. A gurgular typically has a stack of deer hair in front of the fly which will push a wake on the surface of the water and the tarpon can’t seem tp resist the easy meal. Early in the morning before the sun rises on calm days lots of small fish are deprived of oxygen and can often times be seen on top of the water barley kicking their tails. Since the tarpon have an air bladder they have
no problem in low oxygenated water and can just move through with ease picking off the easy meals. When the wind is flat calm be sure to move with extreme care so as not to spook the fish. Often times, the fish won’t leave the area but are aware that something is not right and become near impossible to catch. Sometimes it may take a little longer to get to the fish but if you take your time and stalk as quietly as
possible you will be rewarded with much happier fish. I’m sure the bonefishing is good right now but this is tarpon season and the silver king is on everyone’s mind right now.
This also is the time of year that the famous palola worm hatch. This is a worm that hatches in the bay and on the coral heads around Key West and up the keys and tries to swim out to the reef. I use the word try because the tarpon have a keen sense of when this happens and they lie in wait as millions of these worms pass by them. It is an extraordinary sight to see as sometimes the tarpon swim on the surface with their mouths wide open taking in as many worms as possible. The worms are blue with a red tail and I have seen hundreds of flies that mimic the worm but there is definitely not a fly out there that is going to catch them every time. A pattern a good friend showed me is a fuscia (pinkish purple color) bunny strip with the hair trimmed down to the hide. The thread is red and that’s it. I have had my best luck with this fly but like I said there are a number that will work. The hatch will happen on the full and new moons of the month and an outgoing tide is the best, because remember the worms are trying to make it to the reef. It’s certainly not something that you can predict months ahead of time but with the right conditions and moon you can witness one of the neatest things that happens down here in the Keys. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West Update

2006-05-30T06:13:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...05/30/06
Worms, worms, worms... the palolo worms hatched big time Sunday and Monday night from the Bahia Honda area to Key West. Those anglers anticipating it witnessed thousands of tarpon gorging themselves on the tiny morsels. It was a feeding frenzy, but it is like fishing an tremendous trico hatch. If you do not have the right fly and get it in the right place at the right time, you will remain a spectator to this spectacular event. As frustrating as that can be, it is definitely worth seeing. If you missed the last two nights, try tonight. The palolo worms may hatch again.

Key West - May 21, 2006

2006-05-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

The weather took a little bit of a turn with some pretty serious thunderstorms that kept everyone off the water for one day. That in turn brought some north winds and cloudy weather but it didn't affect the fishing too negatively. The tarpon bite continues to be very steady with schools traveling up the ocean side of the Keys. The big schools have slowed down a little bit, but there are plenty of fish around. Some anglers would say that the Florida Keys is not a destination for the really big tarpon, but that is not true this year. I have seen and caught some of my biggest fish ever this year, and the same goes for a lot of the other guides. I have almost been exclusively casting twelve weights in case that monster decides to eat the fly. I have still been using sixty pound shock leader. Sometimes you'll have a fish wear through, but it definitely gets more bites than eighty or one hundred pound test. It is clearly the time of year for the fly rod, but all is not lost if you can't cast a fly rod. A spinning rod rigged with a live crab or a soft plastic is a great way to sight fish for tarpon on the flats. If you're fishing two at a time, one person can throw the fly and the other can back him up with a spinner. Choosing the right spinning rod to tarpon fish with is half the battle. With the braided lines now you can use a heavy rod without losing too much casting ability. I suggest a twenty to thirty pound outfit in the 7 1/2 foot range rigged with thirty pound braid. Be sure to use a six to ten foot piece of fluorocarbon leader so as not to spook the fish. Whether you're backing up a fly rodder or just using it as your primary, a spinner can be a great way to catch tarpon.The permit still seem to be offshore on the wrecks, and I have no idea why they are still out there. It's possible that they are waiting for the next moon to come, but I expected more fish to be around than there are. The bonefishing is still solid and can be a great fish to fish for with everyone tarpon fishing. It looks like we have some light winds in our future which should keep the fishing excellent. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

2006-02-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings to everyone from The Saltwater Angler staff in very cold Key West. After having a great January with temperatures hovering around 80 degrees winter is finally settling in and the cold fronts just keep coming. There is a positive spin to the weather and it comes in the way of water clarity. All of us have been dealing with water clarity issues ever since Wilma passed through the Keys. The cold snaps that we are getting should help out that situation considerably and spots that have been very cloudy should be fishable in short order. I’m not going to go in to the science of the whole thing but cold water makes for clear water. Even though we’ve had some disrupting weather the fishing has been decent. The barracuda fishing continues to be very strong just about everywhere you go. I for one have had a difficult time getting them to eat the fly, but a tube lure reeled past their face is getting the strike almost every time. The jack fishing slowed down a little bit since last week but it has still been very consistent on rays, sharks, and in the channels. The permit fishing was very slow this week but anglers have been getting a shot here and there if the time is put in. Remember that the permit will go out and hang on coral heads in the deeper water this time of year so that is an option if you really have your heart set on one. Hopefully these cold fronts will bring in the cobia which everyone has been patiently waiting on the whole winter.

When the winter months roll in and the weather continues to deteriorate fishing can be a real challenge. One thing is for sure, if you can’t fish in the wind you won’t be fishing very much this time of year. I like to use this weather as an excuse to try new spots that I’m not used to fishing. For instance, the wind has been coming really hard out of the north and north east this past week and usually I like to concentrate out west in the lakes. Well when it’s blowing 20 knots the North-West channel can get really nasty which means you’ll be wet, cold and miserable for the rest of the day. Why not go back east on the ocean side and try out some new flats instead of the same old thing you always do. Not only are you scouting new areas but you can stay dry and comfortable the whole day all while learning something new. Maybe you’ll find a good permit edge or an area where you think they’ll be tarpon during the season. Even if the fishing not outstanding the fact that you went to a new area to do reconnaissance makes you a better fisherman and this time of year is a great time to do something like this. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West Feb. 6, 2006

2006-02-06T17:24:00.000-08:00

Greetings from all the staff here at The Saltwater Angler in Key West. This week was more of the same weather wise with periods of sun, but mostly cloudy with the cold fronts passing over us. Luckily, the fronts were still on the weaker side and didn’t bring much in the way of temperature change or high winds. The real highlight was the jack crevalle fishing in the channels and on the backs of rays and sharks. They were acting suicidal to everything that was thrown in front of them whether it was a plug, spoon, jig, fly, ect. When you really got into the jacks thick, the bull and lemon sharks would come up and absolutely annihilate the fish right off your rod. This brought another fishing opportunity without having to move an inch. The obvious choice for bait is a piece of jack which they eat almost every time it hits the water, but a big plug was also working very well. If your're not looking for a huge fight, then leave these sharks alone because they have been on the larger side and they never seem to get tired. They may not be the most glorious fish on the flats, but if your looking to bend a rod with either the spin or fly it’s a great time to get on the water.

The permit fishing was pretty tough this week but there were a few buzzing around, and towards the end of the week they calmed down enough to do some tailing. Even though the cold front was a weak one, I believe it dropped the water temps down enough to really affect the fish. As soon as we get a good warm spell we should see a serious rebound in the permit fishing which shouldn’t be too long in the future. The story has gone that when the permit fishing is off, the barracuda fishing has been excellent and this week was no exception, especially on the few sunny periods we got. It seemed like every white spot, hole, or rock had a big cuda on it and they were ready to eat. I saw them actually jumping out of the water for tube lures which they only do when they really get fired up. For anglers interested in Spanish mackerel that has continued to be great on the coral heads south of Key West. All and all the fishing was really good this week with the permit taking a back seat to the predators of the flats.

When the sharks get really fired up behind the boat like they have been they make perfect fly rod quarry. A big red fly is usually the ticket to get the bite, but you want a fly with a slow sink so you can move it slow. Sharks have a wonderful sense of smell but horrible eye sight so if you move the fly too fast they’ll lose sight of it and just fade off. I like to use a fly with a spun deer hair head to really make it sink slow. There are a number of materials you can use to slow the sink of your fly but deer hair seems to work the best for me. Once the shark has seen your fly just stop it until he gets right next to it and give it a little bump. That will usually be enough to get the bite, but if he doesn’t take it just keep moving it real slow. After that you better hold on and keep your fingers away from reel unless you want bruised knuckles. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Jan. 30 Update - Key West

2006-02-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

Hello to everyone from the staff at The Saltwater Angler. The weather gods gave us a little break in the way of sunny skies this week, but the wind remained fairly strong for a majority of the time. Strong winds are typical for January, so if we can get some sunny days it can be considered a blessing. Despite the wind, the fishing did pick up this week with barracuda finally waking up and acting like they’re supposed to. The windy conditions made them far less spooky, and although you could get close enough to cast a fly at them, the tube lure on a spinning rod was the weapon of choice. One little trick while reeling the tube in quickly is to try and keep your lure under the surface instead of allowing it to skip across the top of the water which will often deter cudas. The permit fishing was much better this week with the fish tailing in the shallows and feeding around coral heads in the deeper water. Even though we’ve been having cold fronts the past two weeks, the water temperature hasn't gotten that cold, so once the front passes the fish tend to return to the shallow water fairly quickly. The jack crevalle fishing has continued to be solid with some fish in the 20lb class being taken in shallow water. Pound for pound the crevalle is the hardest fighter on the flats, so hooking up to fish that big is no walk in the park. With the temperatures expected to get back in the 80s during the day this week’s fishing should get better and better.
Even though we've been lucky to have a mild winter this year, there are days when it's overcast and windy, and sight fishing on the flats is not an option. On days like these, an alternative is to try visiting the backcountry. The biggest mangrove snappers I've ever caught have been in the backcountry here in Key West. The fish tend to inhabit underwater structures, and dead trees are almost always a sure thing, and are my favorite area to target. Mangrove ledges can also be very productive as long as the water is moving through the trees. If it's just a straight drop off, however, they usually won't be there. Most people would recommend a live shrimp as the best bait for a snapper, but you will catch so many little ones that way that you’re better off using something bigger. A small to medium live pinfish is great bait to use if you’re searching for the big one. A live pilchard will work, too, but their bodies are so streamlined the smaller fish can get his mouth around it. If you’re using a fly rod, a chartreuse clouser seems to work the best, but for whatever reason, the big ones are hard to catch on fly. The backcountry is definitely an overlooked fishery and can really save the day when the weather is less than ideal. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West Fishing - JAn. 18, 2006

2006-01-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Fishing Update ...01/18/06
Leaden skies and chilling winds blew the anglers off the water today. Even the sailboat races were postponed and possibly canceled due to the 25 - 30 mph winds. It is definitely not a day to fish. Fortunately, this front is supposed to push through quickly and the outlook for the weekend and the beginning of next week is good.

Key West Update - Jan. 9, 2006

2006-01-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

Greetings from The Saltwater Angler staff from a very cold Key West. It was the tale of two weather scenarios this week with a very major cold front hitting us in mid-week. The beginning of the week continued to be unseasonably warm and the fishing was great. Highlighting it was the permit which were being seen on the shallow coral heads and the flats in good numbers. Sometimes they were a little reluctant to eat but anglers where getting enough shots to get a few fish to eat a live crab. The baby tarpon fishing, which is usually non existent this time of year, was very productive for many fishermen. I spoke to a number of people that where catching them from shore and underneath bridges, so people visiting without a boat had a nice surprise. They were also holed up in the backcountry taking advantage of the warm water temps before the front. The barracuda fishing was also very consistent with some larger fish being caught west off Key West. It was an amazing stretch of weather we had and we should all be thankful, but winter weather was bound to come sooner than later.
When the front started coming through things changed dramatically. The permit fishing the day before the front was very difficult with the fish in the same areas as they had been but very spooky and uncooperative. Most fish will turn on and eat vigorously before bad weather comes through but the permit seem to be the complete opposite the day before a front passes for what ever reason. The water temperature dropped to 65 degrees within 24 hours which really affected the fishing negatively. The fish don’t mind small changes in water temps in most cases, but a sharp change will cause them to go out to deeper water to find more stable water temps. This was certainly the case with this cold front resulting in fishing being really tough for the rest of the week. As the high pressure system moves eastward our air temperature should be in the mid seventies during the day and by then the fish will get over the initial shock of the water. The permit fishing is obviously going to be tough but expect the barracuda, jack crevalle, and maybe even the cobia fishing to be back in full swing.
Trying to fish after a front can be very discouraging but there are certain things you can do to up your success rate. One thing I tend to do as a fisherman is to stay in an area that I think is holding fish even if I don’t see them right away. Since the fishing is usually marginal after a front it’s in your best interest to move around a little more than normal and locate the fish. Another thing to keep in mind is cast at every ray and shark you see. The fish that are on the flats are looking for an easy meal and following a ray or shark is their best bet. You’ll find anything from jacks, permit, cobia or maybe even a big snapper cruising with them looking for little crabs and shrimp scurrying away. Hopefully this advice will get you a few more hook-ups when the fishing is less than stellar. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

2006-01-01T16:13:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from all of us at The Saltwater Angler in Key West. If you didn’t know any better you would think it was April down here. It has been a steady 80 degrees all week with sunny skies and light winds which is so uncharacteristic for this time of year. The water temperature quickly got above the 70 degree mark and the fish really responded when that happened. The permit made a strong showing in shallow this week tailing, and were much calmer than the fish we were seeing last week. Even though we had very light winds there was enough chop on most days to make sneaking up on them far easier. It goes to show you how a temperature change of a couple degrees can spark the fish into eating mode.

It was hard to fish for anything but permit with it being so good but when that fishing slowed there were plenty of barracuda to keep you occupied. The light winds kept the fish high in the water column and made them perfect fly fishing quarry. Chartreuse needlefish fly was the go to pattern this week with the fish really feeding actively. When tying or buying a needlefish fly keep in mind that the fish really destroy the fly when they eat it so try using stiff materials to make the flies last a little longer. The stiffer material also helps keep the fly from fouling up when casting. With conditions like we’ve been having you can go through a lot of cuda flies so it’s important to get as much use out of one as you can.

The water in the backcountry has still been cloudy ever since Wilma came through but that has not stopped the sea trout fishing which has been excellent all winter long. The jack crevalle were not up on the flats following rays like they had been with the warmer water temps but fishing for them is still decent. The warmer temps have also brought our resident tarpon around Key West in the channels and captains who put their time into it have been getting a few strikes. I haven’t heard of too many baby tarpon around right now but the way the weather has been I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they made an unexpected winter visit to the backcountry. With more warm weather in the forecast I think it’s safe to say that the fishing on the flats will continue to be excellent. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler, we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West Update

2005-12-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

Fishing Update ...12/31/05
If you did not go fishing today, you made a mistake. It is absolutely fantastic out there. Light southeast breeze, temperature broaching 80 degrees with warm nights means permit, permit and more permit. Heck, yesterday there were reports of significant numbers of permit along with big barracudas on the flats. Today the number of permit will be even higher. Today could even produce tarpon and bonefish. It is that good, and it just continues to get better! Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are predicted to be identical... lows of 70, highs around 80 with a southeast breeze around 10 mph! If you are in the keys or can get down here fast, now is a good time to go fishing. Even the offshore action is hopping with sails, winter dolphin, tuna, bonito, kingfish, etc. crashing the bait balls. If you are looking for a great way to start the new year, grab your rod and head for the boat. If you do not have one, give us a call and we'll set you up.

Key West Update - Dec. 29, 2005

2005-12-29T07:20:00.000-08:00

Fishing Update ...12/29/05
We have had three spectacular days in a row, starting off with cool, crisp, clear mornings and warming up to the mid 70's by mid day. It is reported the mercury will climb to the high 70's and not drop below 70 by Saturday night. With clear blue skies and 5 -10 mph winds shifting to the south southeast, the flats will be hopping. Big cudas have moved in and provided plenty of action these last few days. Jacks and sharks continue to prowl the shallows, and with the warmer temperatures, anglers might find some permit in the coming days.
Offshore the fishing has matched the weather. Large schools of bait have wolf packs of sailfish crashing the surface mixing in with the tuna, kingfish and dolphin. Fishing the bottom has also been red hot, producing a impressive bunch of large American Red Snapper, the biggest being a 29 pounder.
These next few days, through the New Years weekend, will be great opportunity to get out and bend in your rod.

Key West Update

2005-12-28T05:59:00.000-08:00

Dec. 26, 2005
Greetings and Happy Holidays from all of us at The Saltwater Angler in Key West. Santa brought more cold weather for us at the beginning of the week with a cold front that stalled right on top of Key West. This brought cloudy and windy weather which really brought the water temperature down on the flats. After the front passed, we got a couple of really nice sunny days that were perfect for sight fishing, and with the water temps down the barracuda fishing was excellent. When the wind calms down like it did, the fish rise up in the water column so far that their tails stick out of the water. Not only does this make them very easy to see, but they also eat a lot better. It didn’t hurt either that most of the fish were traveling in packs so they want to eat your fly before another fish can grab it. As long as the wind is light from now until April, the barracuda fishing should be this good.
The permit that were on the flats this week were extremely difficult to fish for because the only chance to fish for them was when it was slicked out calm. They were also moving pretty fast which can make them even more challenging. Personally, I was surprised at the amount of fish we saw and it seemed that as the tide slowed down so did the fish. As the tide slows, the colder water that is rushing onto the flats is slowing down and beginning to warm which make the permit more settled. The water temps were at about 68 which is not the greatest but certainly warm enough for them and as the water warmed on the flats the fish were more settled. If you can find the water that is the warmest this time of year you can put yourself in a better position to see permit on the flats.
The sea trout fishing has been very strong for anglers from Key West to Cudjoe Key. Most people are taking their fish out of the mullet muds in the backcountry, but fish are still being found on grass edges and small channels. The thing that has impressed me about the trout down in the southern keys is their size. These fish are big and on an 8 pound spinning rod or a 7 weight fly rod they're a nice fight. The jack crevalle continues to be on the backs of rays and sharks on the flats and in the channels busting bait, and the Spanish mackerel have been everywhere. You can just see them jumping out of the water and just run right up on them and start fishing. It’s been a mixed bag of winter fish for us which can keep you busy all day long. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West - Nov. 24, 2005

2005-11-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

Winter rushed in with a howling cold front... winds blowing 20 to 30 out of the northwest for a couple of days with nighttime temperature dropping into the 50's. Fishing was pretty much out of the question at the beginning of the week, except for the hardcore, but today, Thanksgiving Day, dawned calm and sunny. A light wind has picked up. It is a great day to get offshore where the blackfin tuna, bonita fishing has been active. The sails and kingfish should be chompin' at the bait, too. Water temperature on the flats dropped to the high 60's and low 70's, so the action there has clearly shifted to our predator fish: barracuda, jacks and sharks with some permit on the warmer days. All things considered, it is a beautiful day in Key West. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Key West Update - Nov. 20, 2005

2005-11-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

The permit fishing that was pretty solid since Wilma has been tough because of the clouds. I don’t think its necessarily a lack of fish on the flats, I just think the fish are being overlooked with the tough sight fishing conditions. The baby tarpon are still around and have probably been easier to fish for than the permit considering the light conditions. Target these fish early in the morning as they have been moving to deep water later in the day. I have been getting reports of some smaller bonefish patrolling the ocean side flats but not with any great concentration. If you can find these fish, they are voracious eaters and can be excellent fly quarry. Usually when I’m fishing for bonefish I like to use larger shrimp flIes like Borski’s fur shrimp, in size 2. These fish will eat a fly that big, but if it is not working, scale down the size of your fly a little you’ll get a better response from the fish. Even though the fishing hasn’t been epic, it’s great that we can still talk about bonefish, tarpon, and permit on the flats. Hopefully the fish have brought their winter wear and will stick it out a little longer. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler, we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West Fishing Report

2005-11-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

Nov 15, 2005
Hello again from all of us at The Saltwater Angler. The winds have been steady out of the northeast but let up enough for a couple of days to have some decent fishing. All in all, the permit fishing this past week was good with lots of fish being spotted. One angler had 15 shots, but the permit have proved tougher than usual on the fly as the fish are still getting used to the change in weather. Sometimes it takes a little while before the fish is enticed enough to eat. That’s the one good thing about the wind. Because of the surface chop and noise, the fish are not spooking easily. Usually a bad cast ends the deal as the fish spooks off the flat. Recently, though, the permit are only running a couple hundred feet and settling down again. This has allowed several shots at the same fish.
The big concentrations of cuda’s haven’t moved on the flats yet. Many are busting baits along the channel edges, so it shouldn’t be long before they start moving in. They are a great quarry on the fly with long runs and explosive jumps, and with the approaching cold fronts it will not be long before they are providing plenty of action on the flats. A fish that has already moved on the flats and is racing all over the place is the yellow jack. They’re a larger jack and look a lot like the yellow tail they catch out in California. They’ll eat a shrimp, but they’re moving around so fast it’s hard to get a shot off, especially with the fly.
There is a tremendous amount of bait all over the place and species of all sorts are busting them. If you’re just looking to bend a rod working a baitfish fly, a plug or soft plastic jig, you can find big jacks, barracuda, mackerel, tarpon and even cobia attacking these schools of bait. A trace wire is a good idea when doing this because of the toothy critters. If you’re seeing a lot of tarpon then obviously take your chances and switch to 60-80 pound fluorocarbon leader.
Offshore has been a bit rough lately, but those willing to take a beating have been rewarded with fast action on sailfish and good sized dolphin. Blackfin tuna, yellowtail snapper and grouper are also pulling on the other end of the line. All this makes it worth getting out there.

Key West Update - Oct. 29, 2005

2005-10-29T10:31:00.000-07:00

Key West is back from Hurricane Wilma. The Saltwater Angler opened for business yesterday, and many of the hotels are receiving quests. The harbor will reopen soon; our first cruise ship docks on Tuesday. Other visitors are already flying in. The water is clearing and the flats should be good for sight fishing shortly. I have already seen some light tackle boats heading out to try their luck in deeper water. If you have a trip planned for the near future you should be OK. If you want to plan a trip, give us a call. We are here to answer your questions.

Key West - Oct. 17, 2005

2005-10-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hello again from The Saltwater Angler in beautiful Key West. There was a noticeable change in the weather this past week. We’ve been seeing steady breezes out of the northeast all week long which can mean only one thing…………WINTER! As much as that pains me to say, we shouldn’t be fishing for cuda’s and sharks just yet. The baby tarpon fishing has taken a hit this week, but if you can find the fish, they're still eating fairly well. With the north wind they really haven’t been rolling, but they have been in their usual spots. The reports of bonefish this week have been surprisingly decent with anglers catching them almost every day. This time of year you certainly won’t see as many fish, but the ones on the flats are generally the larger fish. This is a good time to fish for tailers too because the shallow water is warmer where the fish are more likely to be. The permit is certainly the most tolerant to colder temps, and the fishing for them has also been good but not excellent. As the water temps start to drop I like to concentrate fishing in the lakes region because it seems more consistent at that time. The flats are really large out there, and they seem to hold more stable water temps which fish like. You can also start looking for big schools of jacks which will hang on sharks and rays in that area. With some unsettled weather in the forecast pick your days wisely when venturing out this week.

Key West Fishing Report - Oct. 2, 2005

2005-10-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

Hello again from all of us at The Saltwater Angler here in Key West Florida. With hurricane Rita in the rear view mirror the fishing that followed was absolutely outstanding. The baby tarpon that came back soon after the storm had passed were in the backcountry in full swing and eager to eat flys or bait. There have even been reports of some larger fish being caught anywhere from 60 -100 pounds. This could be a sign of fish that are lingering back from their migration up the coast. There is probably also some resident fish getting out into the backcountry too. There is a tremendous amount of bait in the backcountry so there’s certainly a reason for those resident fish to get more active. The bonefishing has continued to be very good with fish doing the most tailing I’ve seen them do the whole year. With the calm water they have been a little spooky up shallow so be very quiet. Don’t hesitate to get out of the boat and do a little wading for them. It’s amazing how much calmer the fish will be when there’s no boat involved. Only wade when they’re tailing as they can be very hard to see when you don’t have the advantage of standing on the boat. A fly that has been working really well is the EP spawning shrimp. This is a pattern tied with streamer brush with little rubber legs in it. It has been irresistible to the bonefish so come down to the shop and take a look. The tailing permit action has been even better this last week especially in the late evening. For those of you who haven’t seen a tailing permit it’s one of the most amazing sights in fishing. It’s not uncommon for them to tail so hard that they fall over backwards in the water. All in all, it really doesn’t get any better and with light south east winds in the forecast this is a great time to get out.

This time of year is a great time to get some wading done in the keys. Not everyone is blessed enough to have a boat but the lower keys offers so many wonderful wading opportunities. The most widely known wading flat here is Bahia Honda State Park. Concentrate on the south east side of the island where there are less people and you will find some really good bonefishing. The best tide to concentrate on is a low outgoing. The low water makes them a lot easier to see and it seems that they just prefer the out going tide there. If you have an incoming tide, Ohio Key is my next choice and is the next island from Bahia Honda. Stay on the south side and there is a large flat where the fish are more apt to tail than at Bahia Honda. A good spot closer to Key West is the south west side of Boca Chica Key. There you have a better chance of seeing permit but there is also a healthy bonefish population. You want to try to concentrate your fishing on the beginning of the incoming tide as the water rushes up on the flat. Whereever you go, try to make it either early in the morning or late in the evening. This way the fish will be more comfortable to come shallower giving you a better shot at seeing them. Just because you don’t have a boat doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fabulous fishing done here. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Lower Keys Bonefish & Permit

2005-10-04T05:29:00.000-07:00

Fall is in full swing in the Lower Keys and that means great bonefishing for us. This is one of the best times of the year to fish for the ghost of the flats with a fly rod or with light tackle spinning gear. We tend to get a push of larger bonefish and they will travel in schools of 2-3 fish. Often you will just see one cruising fish and if he is startled it's then that you notice he had a few companions on the flats as well.

Bonefishing methods here in the Keys can range from chumming with shrimp to call the bonefish in to a particular spot on a flat, to poling the flats and stalking these illusive silver bullets in very skinny water, to wading for tailing fish that are feeding in the shallows around mangrove islands. It's all really up to you and your guide and how you want to fish for them. The certainty is if you do get into them on any particular flat and the tide is working to your advantage you will see many fish and get a lot of shots at hooking them.

Another favorite Fall fish here in the Lower Keys is the permit. Permit are more abundant in the Lower Keys and Marquesas. The best way to fish for permit is with a slight breeze to put a ripple or chop on the water. This enables your guide to get closer to the fish and give you a better shot. During flat calm summer days the permit fishing is also excellent but your cast must be very accurate and land softly due to the noise factor. The chop creates enough commotion that the permit doesn't as easily detect that you are near by. Methods of fishing for permit include casting a live crab on a small hook with little to no weight. The crab must be lively and he will swim to the bottom to try and hide. If the permit sees him he will often rush over and tail up on the crab to eat him. For the fly fisherman, a classic tan merkin with rubber legs works great for permit. It really depends on the fish and how he is feeding as to what to do about stripping the fly. Some do it faster, some just bump it a few times to get the permit's attention. You will have to observe your fish and listen to the guide's advice on that one.

Although it is still hurricane season here in the Keys, we are past the peak of the season. That is certainly a relief to many.

We have many professional guides available for half and full day fishing charters. Please email or call us to find out availability. We not only book charters for the flats & fly fisherman, but offer light tackle sport fishing and offshore trolling charters too.

We're adding new products and clothing to our online store all the time. If you are in need of a special gift for the angler in your life, check out our online store or visit us in Key West on the waterfront at the Hilton Resort & Marina.

Key West Fishing Report

2005-09-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...09/28/05
The fall fishing is back in full swing around Key West. We have received reports of baby tarpon, permit and some excellent tailing bonefish action over the last few day with some of those bonefish being over 10 pounds. The water on the flats has cleared up and the weather is perfect. A light wind is blowing out of the southeast, and while there are some clouds, there is more than enough blue sky to make for good sight fishing. It is definitely a good time to fish the flats around Key West and the lower keys. For a more detailed report on the impact of Rita on this area, click on the Key West Fishing Report on our web page.

Key West - Sept. 23, 2005

2005-09-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...09/23/05
We are back. In fact, we opened yesterday, and everything is pretty much back to normal around Key West. Fortunately, Rita did not reach her full potential until after she passed us, so we were spared the force of the storm and only suffered minor flooding, downed limbs and temporary loss of power.
As far as the fishing goes, today is looking much better. The water is already clearing and looks more blue/green than the muddy pea soup of yesterday. One guide reported that the backcountry water between Sugarloaf and Big Pine did not look all that bad. The Atlantic side flats will take a bit longer to clear up, but we still have some fairly strong tides to help improve the clarity. If you have a fishing trip planned in the near future, be sure to talk to your guide before changing your plans. There is a good chance you will not need to make any changes. If you need a guide, give us a call. We work with some of the best in the business.

Fishing in Key West

2005-09-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

Hello again from all of us at The Saltwater Angler. Overall the fishing on the flats has still been very productive. With hurricane Ophelia spinning to the north of us we’ve been having some west to north-west breezes at around 10 to 15 knots which can really turn the fishing off. What it did instead was have the fish coming in waves and then turning off completely. The bonefishing this week was a perfect example of that. The good thing was that when the fish where there they were aggressive and in good numbers but we poled some flats that were just plain desolate. It seemed that the fish where mainly on the incoming tide but there has been some good tailing action at the end of the outgoing too. I’ve been hearing of some great reports of permit on the flats with some really nice fish being hooked. Most of the action has been out in the lakes area. Some of the water out there is really mudded up which the fish really don’t like so make sure to keep yourself in clear water. The north west wind didn’t shut the bonefish and permit down but it did have an affect on the tarpon fishing. We all know that tarpon don’t like wind, especially out of the north-west and it showed towards the end of last week. Captains where still able to find the fish but it was not nearly as good as the previous weeks. The good news is that it’s now slicked off and the tarpon are back to there usual self’s. The forecast still has the wind coming out of the north but at very light speeds so it should be an excellent week of not only bonefish and permit fishing but tarpon too.

When I was fishing this week I got to thinking about how we strip our fly when we have it in front of a fish. When you’re fishing for species like jacks and barracudas you want to have a real erratic strip to entice the fish’s attention and get him to eat. You also want that fly moving as fast as possible once the fish has locked on to your fly. These fish eat very aggressively and when they eat you usually get a solid hook-up. Tarpon, bonefish, and permit are complete opposites. They eat a fly very delicately and often times the angler won’t even know when the fish has picked up the fly. The way I find to have the best connection with the fly is not to strip in a jerk jerk action but rather a slow steady strip like strippppp strip strip. All the time keeping the fly moving in smooth rhythmic fashion so that when a fish picks up the fly you can feel him immediately and set the hook. When you have a short choppy strip it creates slack in the line where a fish could pick up the fly and you would never know it. Hope everyone has a chance to get out on the water with this beautiful weather where having. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Fishing in Key West

2005-09-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Fishing in Key West

2005-09-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

Fishing in Key West Hello again from all of us at The Saltwater Angler. Overall the fishing on the flats has still been very productive. With hurricane Ophelia spinning to the north of us we’ve been having some west to north-west breezes at around 10 to 15 knots which can really turn the fishing off. What it did instead was have the fish coming in waves and then turning off completely. The bonefishing this week was a perfect example of that. The good thing was that when the fish where there they were aggressive and in good numbers but we poled some flats that were just plain desolate. It seemed that the fish where mainly on the incoming tide but there has been some good tailing action at the end of the outgoing too. I’ve been hearing of some great reports of permit on the flats with some really nice fish being hooked. Most of the action has been out in the lakes area. Some of the water out there is really mudded up which the fish really don’t like so make sure to keep yourself in clear water. The north west wind didn’t shut the bonefish and permit down but it did have an affect on the tarpon fishing. We all know that tarpon don’t like wind, especially out of the north-west and it showed towards the end of last week. Captains where still able to find the fish but it was not nearly as good as the previous weeks. The good news is that it’s now slicked off and the tarpon are back to there usual self’s. The forecast still has the wind coming out of the north but at very light speeds so it should be an excellent week of not only bonefish and permit fishing but tarpon too.

When I was fishing this week I got to thinking about how we strip our fly when we have it in front of a fish. When you’re fishing for species like jacks and barracudas you want to have a real erratic strip to entice the fish’s attention and get him to eat. You also want that fly moving as fast as possible once the fish has locked on to your fly. These fish eat very aggressively and when they eat you usually get a solid hook-up. Tarpon, bonefish, and permit are complete opposites. They eat a fly very delicately and often times the angler won’t even know when the fish has picked up the fly. The way I find to have the best connection with the fly is not to strip in a jerk jerk action but rather a slow steady strip like strippppp strip strip. All the time keeping the fly moving in smooth rhythmic fashion so that when a fish picks up the fly you can feel him immediately and set the hook. When you have a short choppy strip it creates slack in the line where a fish could pick up the fly and you would never know it. Hope everyone has a chance to get out on the water with this beautiful weather where having. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

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Key West Fishing

2005-09-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...09/02/05
It just keeps getting better! This morning's slick calm is shattered by several sudden leaps of tarpon trying to shake loose from the pull in the corner of their mouths and by the nearly silent waggle of a translucent tail as it brakes the surface indicating the burrowing nose of a feeding bonefish. Then the push of water, too big to be a bonefish, is highlighted by a black scythe exposing the elusive permit. I am sure these scenes occurred repeatedly today. I know it happened yesterday as a couple of guides, taking a busman's holiday, managed to land the Flats Slam! If our fishing continues to improve, The Key West, Redbone Mercury S.L.A.M. tournament which starts next Friday, will be very exciting indeed.

Key West Update

2005-08-31T06:40:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...Aug. 31, 2005
The weather and the water is clearing up nicely down here in Key West. It is a beautiful, calm, sunny morning. Driving in this morning, I could not help thinking I should be heading for the boat instead of the store. The flats are clearing up as the tide flushes out the muddy water. The reports form the guides are a bit mixed. Some found fishable flats, especially oceanside, while others in the backcountry were still a little too muddy. Still, there was decent tarpon fishing early yesterday. The bonefish and permit should not be too far behind. Offshore, the light tackle captains are expecting exciting action with snapper and grouper over the next few days as the bottom fishing on the reefs and wrecks should be excellent with the water being a bit cloudy. If you have nothing more important to do, and even if you do, it is a good time to get on the water to bend some rods.

Fishing Report…Aug. 28, 2005
Hello again from all of us at The Saltwater Angler. It was a wacky week down here to say the least with Hurricane Katrina making a u-turn and giving us a brush. Thankfully I haven’t heard of any serious damage to any boats so that was a blessing. Well let’s get back to what’s really important…. Fishing. I know I might be sounding a little repetitive but the baby tarpon fishing has defiantly been the most dependable fish in the shallows. I saw baby tarpon from Boca Grande to Johnson key form 10 pounds to 100 pounds. I noticed that the larger fish where staying in the channels and not willing to move up on the flat but the babies would have no problem. It’s an awesome sight to see a school babies cruising in 2 feet of water and attacking a fly. It’s been so good that we just have to hope after everything clears up and the fish are still there.

As solid as the tarpon fishing was the permit a bonefish was still good but not stellar. One reason is probably the water temps in the backcountry. I got out of the boat in the beginning of the week and the water was so warm it was uncomfortable to be in. You can bet that if the water is hot to the touch than the fish aren’t going to be there and that was certainly the case. There are a couple tricks to try to keep you in cooler water to give yourself a better chance at seeing fish. One way is to try fishing some ocean side flats. The water on these flats compared to the flats in the backcountry can sometimes be 5 degrees cooler or more. Another thing is always try to be on an incoming tide during the hot parts of the day. This way you have the cooler waters from the deep flooding the flats and in turn cooling them off. Fish will follow that cool water right up on to the flats to feed. Right now it’s a waiting game to see when the water is going to clear up. The fish have seen this sort of thing before so it shouldn’t be long before they come back to the flats and things are back to normal. Form all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Key West Update

2005-08-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...08/23/05
It is another beautiful day here in Key West. The early morning tarpon fishing continues to be exceptional! On these slick calm mornings it is easy to see the silver heads of the tarpon break the surface as they gulp air or your top water fly. As the sun climbs, the wind picks up, creating ideal conditions to chase bonefish and permit. Of course, there may be a storm or two to dodge around, but the fishing is awesome. Dolphin, grouper and snapper make up most of the offshore reports.

Fishing Update - Aug. 18

2005-08-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Greetings form the staff at The Saltwater Angler. It was another solid week of fishing down here in Key Wet with the weather continuing to be beautiful. We have had more thunderstorms rolling through but that has cooled water temps on the flats making it more comfortable for the fish, which in turn keeps them in the shallows longer. Tarpon fishing reports have really been excellent from everyone I’ve talked with even some big tarpon being caught. The bite has still been better early in the morning but with the rain the fish have been there for a little longer.

The permit have been thick up on the flats but still hard to sneak up on. Long casts is a must with a fly or spinning rod. One advantage you can give yourself with a spinner is using a longer rod. Instead of a 6’6 try using a 7’0 or even 8’0 foot spinning rod. You’d be amazed at what a difference something like that makes. One that I have used is the shimano teremar. It’s 7’4 and rated for 6-15 pound test. With this extra length I can go 15-25 feet further with my cast. When using a fly there’s little things you can do to get extra distance. Most people will use a 9 weight when fishing for permit but most people can cast a 10 weight further. The one disadvantage in using a 10 weight in calm weather is that it creates more line slap on the water than a 9 that will sometimes be enough to spook a fish. One way to help that is using a longer leader from to 10 to 14 feet. Granted they are harder to turn a fly over, especially a heavy merkin, but can sometimes make or break the day.

Of course all these tips can be used for bonefish too which has also been very good. The bigger fish have defiantly been around more and everyone I’ve talked to have been seeing more fish tail which is a sign of bigger fish. Again the cooler water on the flats has helped tremendously not only to bring more fish up on the flats but having them up there feeding longer. Even after the sun has come up there has still been consistent fishing into the afternoon for the grey ghost. The most dependable bait for bones is a live shrimp but sometimes the splash will give you away. Try using a 1/8 ounce skimmer style jig tipped with a little piece of shrimp. It doesn’t make near the splash as a shrimp and a bonefish won’t hesitate to eat one if it’s presented correctly. Lets all hope the weather stays like this for a long time so we can take advantage of the awesome summer flats fishing. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

Fishing Key West July 22,2005

2005-07-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the fabulous Florida Keys. The water clarity has been getting better and better with each passing day and in turn the fishing has picked up.The permit and bonefishing has been really good for this time of year. It's really best to get an early start now because the flats have been heating up quick. These fish are way more apt to eat early when it's more comfortable for them. The big migration of tarpon has come to an end, but the baby tarpon follow right behind them flooding the back country flats. I haven't seen good numbers yet but a few here and there. The offshore fishing has been tremendous with all the debris that was left over from Hurricane Dennis. Slammer Dolphin, Kingfish, and Wahoo have been caught in good numbers. The annually Drambuie Marlin Tournament is going on this week, so for the next report we'll see if anyone was able to land a big blue.
With no storms in the forecast the fishing should only get better during the next few weeks. We've still had good crab hatches and should have a few more coming up. This is a great time to catch a permit on a fly.

Key West

2005-07-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...07/13/05
Dennis is long gone, and the fishing has already picked back up in the Key West area. Yesterday, the water in the backcountry was still a bit cloudy, but the fish were there feeding. Those anglers that kept a sharp look out managed to get shots at tarpon, bonefish and permit. I talked to one guide who boated some binefish yesterday and another already had two on this morning. With all the debris in the water offshore, the dolphin fishing continues to prove reliable action. The yellowtail bite was excellent yesterday with many 4-5 pounders caught and some over 5.

With the experts reporting that Emily is going to stay well to the south of us, the fishing should only get better during the next few weeks. We've had a few good crab hatches and should have a few more coming up in the next couple of weeks. This is a great time to catch a permit on a fly.

July 11, 2005
Fishing Report by Capt. Sandy Horn:

Another hurricane and another near miss for us here in the lower keys and Key West. Dennis came through with winds around 70 miles per hour which didn’t do much in the way of damage but will put a hamper on the fishing for the next couple of days. Before the storm hit I was having some of the most consistent permit fishing of the whole year. The fish were cruising both the lakes out west and Jewfish basin, Mud keys, and the Barracuda’s back east. As most of us know a live crab is the bait of choice for these fish when using a spinning rod but anyone with aspirations of taking one on fly should put there skills to the test. The fish I’ve been seeing have been on the smaller side and are schooled up which makes them more eager to eat a fly than just a single fish. My fly of choice has always been a 2/0 merkin on a 15 pound tippet leader. Make sure to use flurocarbon for your class tippet because permit have excellent eye site. Don’t be shy when casting to these fish either. Cast your fly right on top of his head so that the fish eats the fly out of pure instinct instead of swimming up to the fly and inspecting it. The tarpon fishing has still been good but the big migration of fish is slowly staring to end. A big live crab is what most of us use when sight fishing for these fish, but there are other ways to get the silver king in the air. Something that has really worked for me this year is a 4-6 inch soft plastic in a finger mullet pattern. I rig it on a 4/0 owner worm hook weightless so it stays on the surface. This way it stays in the strike zone longer and you have less of a chance of spooking the fish. Those with bonefish on the brain should not worry. I didn’t fish for them this week but all the reports I got had been good and should only get better as the summer wears on. So let’s keep our fingers and toes crossed for the next storm to pass far far away from us so I can talk more about fishing and less about hurricanes. From all of us at The Saltwater Angler we wish you tight lines and fish boat side.

IMPORTANT NEWS ON OUR FISHERY

2005-07-05T07:55:00.000-07:00

Noted angler issues a tarpon warning:

I received the following information from a concerned friend/angler:

During a recent public hearing on tarpon research a number of experts issued warning signs that the silver king population may be in peril. Sponsored by the Bonefish and Tarpon Unlimited group, the speakers ranged from cutting edge scientists to one of the great legends in fishing.They all pretty much came to the same conclusions: Most of those apply well to Boca Grande.

Shocking most of the audience was Billy Pate's account of tarpon fishing in other countries. Pate is legendary in fishing circles. He was the first man to catch all major billfish species on a fly rod and held the All-Tackle tarpon fly rod record for over 15 years, as well as other light tackle records.
Pate stunned most of the assemblage by revealing that there is a large harpoon fishery for tarpon in Central and South America where the eggs – a la caviar – are sold at market. Thousands of tarpon are killed in that part of the world each year – tarpon that may be those that also come to Boca Grande.
But the most crushing of Pate's comments was about the decimation of the tarpon fishery in the Homosassa and Florida Keys areas. Pate is an avid fly fisherman and therefore kept his comments to where he fished, but what he had to say draws great parallels to Boca Grande.
"I used to jump 200 tarpon in the month of May at Homosassa," Pate told the St. Petersburg gathering. "Now you have trouble finding a fish and the decline has just happened in the last five or six years."
A similar event has occurred in the Florida Keys – a place that got Billy Pate involved in fly fishing for giant tarpon. "I fished a tournament in the Keys last week and we had 51 schools of fish – fish that I had good shots at with a fly rod. But out of all those fish I only caught one. There seems to still be tarpon in the Keys but they don't bite the way they used to."
Sound familiar? Well it should.
When asked what caused the trouble with tarpon he came up with the same troubles so familiar with Boca Grande.
"I'm not an expert," Pate said, "but if you ask me it is too many boats and lack of courtesy. When I first started fishing in the Keys the guides took me out and taught me the courtesy that is important to fishing. If a guy is poling down a flat you don't go in front of him, you slip in behind him. If you hook a fish and somebody is fishing next to you than you don't start your engine until his fish have passed by. That can spook tarpon like crazy."
Pate said things have changed in his small home town of Islamorada; much as they have also changed in tiny Boca Grande as well. "I started fishing in the Keys for tarpon in the early 1960s," said the 70-something Pate. "Back in those days there were about 25 fishing guides in Islamorada, but today there are 200, as well as regular recreational anglers. A lot of the boaters out there don't know the track that tarpon take, they don't know where the bonefish lakes are. We have tracked tarpon from Flamingo (at the southern tip of peninsular Florida) to the bridges south of Lower Matecumbe Key, but today's anglers don't understand this and they cut them off their routes."

Though a key theme to Pate's talk was the crash of vital tarpon fisheries in Florida, it was not his chief concern. Instead he raised chills with the audience by his recounting of tarpon fishing trips to Central and South America.
"I'm not going to say which country because they've been pretty good to me, but I was asking one guy where the big tarpon were and he got out a map. He pointed to some small towns and looked in a ledger. He told me one town had a slow year and only got 450 big tarpon but another town got over 2,000 – all in the same country. When I asked what they did with them I was told that they can sell the eggs, tarpon caviar, for as high as $16 a pound." Mature tarpon often carry as much as 40 pounds worth of eggs. The average fisherman in these third world countries can probably harpoon, and take to market, several a day. Pate said the carcass may be sold as fertilizer, minus the valuable eggs.
If you do the math that means that tarpon harvest can mean a probable minimum of $1,000 a day, more than many Boca Grande fishing guides make and in a small country where such monies represent a fortune. Pate's concern is that, while tarpon populations seem to be in good shape in Florida, they may be in serious danger elsewhere – all the more reason to work to preserve them everywhere. And he was not alone in that sentiment.
Scientist Dr. Aaron Adams of Mote Marine Laboratory also addressed the group. Adams has been studying juvenile tarpon habitat, primarily in Charlotte Harbor. He noted that habitat is very important to the early life cycle of the silver king.
Tarpon spawn far offshore but, later, young silver kings move far up the estuary, into seemingly hostile waters. "They go into the nastiest places you can imagine, where you would not expect to find any fish," Adams said. "They thrive in low, perhaps no oxygen, environments where tarpon predator fish could not possibly survive. Hence they grow up in a relatively predator-free environment. We've seen a few birds eat them but not much else."
Meanwhile, according to Adams, such interior coastal habitats are being rapidly destroyed by development, damming or other water alteration schemes. Adams displayed a portion of the Cape Haze Peninsula and pointed to a number of seemingly land-locked lakes.
"This is where young tarpon need to grow up, but it is an area that can only be accessed through the vast coastal mangrove system during extreme high tides. When a berm or road interrupts this water system then tarpon are cut off from this valuable habitat."
And since such habitat is rapidly vanishing the threat remains real to the tarpon population.
"Tarpon live for a very long time, maybe 60 years or more," Adams said. "They take a long time to reach sexual maturity so we won't know what kind of shape the population is in for some years. It isn't the same as with fish like snook where you can get a handle on it in a relatively short period of time."

The bottom line is that – as many conservationists have been insisting – we may already be fishing on credit. If the tarpon schools we see now were spawned 10, 20 or more years ago they may be devoid of nursery habitat today. If you combine that with the global threat, with harvest for caviar, than you have a pretty scary picture of what the future could bring.
Meanwhile, tarpon anglers around the world are now concerned about fishing pressure. What seems to be an abundant gamefish just may well be on the road to extinction.
And that would be a great shame.
By G.B. Knowles

Protecting Permit

Some good news...back in February a limit on permit over 20" was established. It is now set at 2 per boat. This should help limit the take on the bigger fish, especially during their April spawn. Unfortunately, their is no limit on permit under 20". We are hoping to get permit classified as a "game fish" which would go a long way towards further protecting this prized fish. The gamefish classification is one of the goals of local guides associations. If you are interested in more information about this or in helping us have permit recognized as a game fish you can contact Bryan Yates, an officer of the guide association, at byates103@aol.com.

Personal WaterCraft / Jet Skis Update

On April 1, a local Key West angler suffered a head on collision at about 15 mph. with a jet ski piloted by a very careless operator who had rented the craft from on of the resorts in Key West. It was a miracle no one was injured. The operator seemed totally oblivious, and claimed that the rental operator had told him that there would be "no other boats in the area". Fish and Wildlife investigated and cited the operator as well as the rental agency. See Fish and Wildlife Agency Case Number 05-SE-44-2056B for details.

On April 24 an article in the Sunday Key West Citizen newspaper on page 4A entitled "Man killed in watercraft accident" describes a collision between two jet skis in the same area in which one operator was killed and the other critically injured.

The officers who investigated these accidents cited many such incidents of careless PWC operator behavior. They acknowledge extreme frustration over the continued lack of oversight and "Rules of the Road" enforcement over this type of craft generally. As one officer said,"the time we waste investigating these accidents, going to hospitals and autopsies, and going to funerals, is enormous."

One can only imagine how many more such incidents they will need to investigate if the wildlife refuges and national parks in the backcountry of the Florida Keys are reopened to jet skis and other PWC.

The Florida State Supreme Court recently ruled that regulatory agencies could no longer discriminate between boat types in granting access to state waters. This ruling came in response to a decade of lawsuits filed by the personal watercraft industry, which has been trying to regain access for jet skis, sea-doos, etc., in wildlife refuges and national parks. The Key West National Wildlife Refuge, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Everglades National Park, and Biscayne National Park would all be required to open its waters to jet skis, air boats, etc. In other words, everywhere in south Florida that you fish will now be open to personal watercraft. Many of you were fishing here when jet skis were allowed in the backcountry, and can attest to the detrimental effect they had on the environment and the fishing. The local guide association is currently working on a plan of action in conjunction with other environmental groups in the area.

Key West

2005-07-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...07/02/05
What a spectacular day! Blue skies, little wind, lots of sun - a good recipe for exciting fishing. The last couple of days, while considerably cloudier, actually produced some good action with bonefish, permit and tarpon. For whatever reason the tarpon proved more eager to eat the flies thrown at them, and guides are sighting more and more tails on the flats. One angler not only caught his first permit on the fly, but that same day boated a SLAM! To the permit, he added a 70 pound tarpon and four bonefish... a truly remarkable day. In general there has been good fishing early in the morning and in the evening, but with the right tides the mid day hours have been productive, especially for permit.

Reports of dolphin and marlin are still coming in from the offshore boats along with news of excellent snapper and grouper fishing.

Whether you like the shallows or the deep blue, sight fishing or the mystery of not knowing what's hooked, July is a good month to fish Key West.

Key Wesy Update - 6/25/05

2005-06-25T05:41:00.000-07:00

Fishing Update ...06/25/05
The good news: The typical summer fishing pattern seems to be establishing itself. The last couple of days have started with little wind and relatively clear skies. In the early hours, the slick calm mornings present ideal conditions for casting to rolling tarpon. As the sun climbs, the wind picks up a little, making it possible to stalk bonefish and permit on the flats. If it remains too calm, there is little chance of sneaking up on these guys. This is the time to look tarpon too if you have not had your fill during the early hours.

The bad news: There really isn't any... We will get those afternoon storms that blow through here and there, but one can generally scoot around them or find some shelter to sit it out.

Offshore, the dolphin fishing continues to produce good numbers with blue and white marlin adding to the excitement. Sails and wahoo are making their presence felt, too.

The Worms and Arlene

2005-06-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

Arlene is gone and so is the palolo worm hatch. The worms finally hatched for three, maybe four nights just after the new moon and just prior to the main impact of Arlene's outer bands. The tarpon did not mind the windy conditions or even the rain that came down during the last two nights of the hatch. Those anglers who chose the right nights saw thousands of tarpon sucking down the worms as they zipped about. One guide reported twenty hook ups in just over an hour. Another had nine, while others struggled to put a fish in the air. Having the right fly and knowing how to move it made a big difference for some.

The high winds of Arlene did stir up the waters enough to shut down the fishing for a few days, but once the tides bring in clear water the fishing should bounce back. Tarpon, bones and permit will be cruising the flats looking for an easy meal. This time of year to start looking for the SLAM. The crab hatch is also coming up. This is a time when permit act more like jacks and can be easily fooled into taking a fly.

Key West Up DAte 6/4/ 05

2005-06-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

The fishing off Key West continues to be productive for both flats and offshore fisherman alike. The tarpon continue to migrate up the coast and fishing has been consistent. Flyfihing for them has been tough however because of our cloudy skies but persistent anglers have been able to stick a few. I have gotten tremendous reports from our night tarpon fisherman. Some boats have reported 30 hook-up nights which is about as good as it gets. The dolphin fishing has still been really good with big dolphin and schoolies being caught. With all the schoolies we've been seeing some blue marlin lurking around. I've talked to a number of boats who have hooked up with "The man in the blue suit" with the top boat hooking three fish and landing one. Blue Marlin are not the most common catch down here in the Keys but this is a great time of year to get one and there's no better place to get one in the keys than Key West. The weather outlook is more of the same with winds at 10-15 knots out of the south east with cloudy conditions. With the fishing as good as it is with our cloudy conditions, if we could get a couple of days of sunshine for us fly fisherman, I expect it to be fabulous.

The Worm Hatch Up Date:
THE WORM HATCH HAS NOT YET HAPPENED IN KEY WEST.
While there were some reports of guides seeing a good numbers of palolo worms last Sunday in the Big Pine area, there was no big hatch and tarpon bite associated with it. Many guides suspect if the weather improves this week we could see the hatrch occur on or around the new moon. Others expect it to hold off until the next full moon near the end of this month. If you are interested in fishing this major event give us a call. If you are looking for a locally tied version of the palolo worm, one of our guides created some for us. We have two colors as sometimes the worm is a deep red and other years it is a rusty orange.

The Guppy Hatch Is On:
Several guides have reported that the less known "guppy hatch" has occurred and will continue to provide some excellent early morning tarpon fishing with explosive surface strikes for those who know where and when to look for it. This hatch happens with greater frequency than the palolo worm, and it can be just as if not more productive. June and July are great months to find the guppy hatch. If you do not have a guide, give us a call, so we can line one up to get you out there to experience this phenomena.

Key West Update

2005-05-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

The worm hatch has not yet happened; though there are many who believe tonight or tomorrow night wiil be it. Others are betting the spawn will not occur until the new moon or possible even the next full moon in June. Nevertheless, guides have reported that the full moon tides have brought a good push of tarpon. Large schools were spotted on the ocean side west of Key west and heading back up the beach towards Sugarloaf and Big Pine. Recent night fishing for tarpon has produced some exciting moments for anglers willing to fish after the sun goes down even without the worm hatch. Permit and bonefish are also cruising the shallows, but with the extreme tides, you may want to look for them further up on the flats than normal. Permit fisherman should keep their eyes out for the crab hatch, too. The full moon also brings good things to the offshore fishermen with the mutton spawn. Again, fishing late into the night has recently produced awesome muttons fishing. If you are looking to fish the daylight hours offshore, the dolphin bite finally kicked off. There have been a number of good bulls and cows caught with enough schoolies to wear your arms out.

Don't Forget About the Palolo Worm Hatch!

2005-05-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

Do Not Forget the Worm Hatch!
Sometime during the end of May or early June a phenomenal event occurs for the tarpon fisherman. The palolo worm “hatches” from their coral burrows and swarm to the surface to spawn. While the scientific details of this unique reproductive process is interesting, what is important to the angler is that tarpon love to gorge themselves on these worms. They know it is coming and seem to school up by the thousands in certain places up and down the keys, waiting in anticipation for the worms to come flooding out with the tide. Imagine an acre of tarpon heads breaking the surface as they suck down these nutrient rich morsels. The tarpon seem to lose their natural caution as they gobble the palolo with abandon. If an angler is fortunate enough to pick the right night and catch the worm hatch, the fishing could be epic. The hatch typically occurs around the full or new moon in late May or early June.
Even though the tarpon seem to throw caution to the wind as they passionately pounce on the palatable palolo, having the right fly and knowing how to fish it is just as important as knowing when and where the hatch occurs. For more information, give the shop a call, 800-223-1629.

Saltwater Angler Fishing Update

2005-05-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

The flats are still producing a good number of tarpon despite the wind, and it will only get better with time. The early morning bite for rolling tarpon has been especially hot as the wind has died to 5 or so knots for the first couple of hours around sunrise. The permit have made a strong showing on flats the last couple of days, so it seems that they are coming of their spawn. The bonefish round out the possibilities for the flats angler at this time.

Offshore a record number of sailfish were caught off the lower keys this week with one boat catching 36 sailfish in one day. That's the highest one day total that anyone one in South Florida has ever heard of. On the same day two other boats had 15 and 18 fish. The dolphin fishing has also picked up with the steady southeast wind. The wind is blowing around 15 knots but will increase a little on Saturday before laying down again Sunday morning. NOAA is still calling for seas in the 3-5 foot range, making the offshore fishing a bit sloppy but well worth the effort.

Key West Fishing Report

2005-05-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

For all of you anglers just on the edge of your seat waiting to come down here and go fishing, this is the time! The tarpon are here at long last and the weather has been certainly cooperating enough to make them bite.
Tarpon can be found anywhere along the Keys this time of year. They are still not as easy as you may think to hook on the flats but a dancing fly in front of their nose sure does make them get fired up. Many of the deeper flats and channel edges are reportedly fishing well for migrating tarpon. Fishing the early morning rolling fish is always a great opportunity to hook up, as is evening and night tarpon fishing.
Bonefishing is back and they can be found throughout the Keys as well. We have fairly large bonefish here in the Keys and on an average they range from 5-8lbs. This time of year they are receptive to both live shrimp and flies. Most bonefish are found on our beautiful backcountry flats along the northern side of the Keys.
The Permit are still being reported strong on the flats. This time of year permit spawn and the majority of the fish leave the flats and join up on a wreck or reef. Wreck fishing for permit is just as fun with a live crab and the opportunity to see hundreds of permit in one place is pretty neat too!
Right now the sailfishing has turned on again. The conditions are perfect for live bait sailfishing and the color change is just off the reef making for a perfect feeding scenario for sailfish. With our prevailing southeast winds the past few days the dolphin fishing has turned on. Dolphin fishing will remain good through the summer and provides lots of action for everyone.
Don't shun out June and July for great fishing here in the Keys. An early start to your fishing day can prove very productive in the summertime for early morning tarpon, then as the sun gets higher pursue permit and bonefish for a GRAND SLAM!