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THE FISHING LINE | Archives 2005 Reports January 1st, 2005 Happy New Year everyone! We are in the midst of winter fishing and the cold snap has forced the fish to adjust, just as we've had to adapt by breaking out our cold weather gear. Yes, we wear gloves and hats here occasionally. It may be 70 degrees at noon, but when you set out in the morning running 35 miles an hour into the wind, it gets down right cold. The key words for now are: be prepared. Layer your clothing as if you were hiking or hunting. You can peel off layers later, and ride comfortably in the mean time. This time of year, fish do the same thing we do: seek warmer temperatures. For the fishermen, there's an up–side of this behavior. When you find fish, you'll get into them for a while. Wherethere's one redfish, there will likely be many more. Along with those reds you might find snook, black drum, jacks and tarpon. On colder mornings, I might toss a jig around the creeks and runoffs near Flamingo in Everglades National Park. Fish school up on the bottom where water temperatures are warmer. It's important here to make your presentations slow. Fish will not move aggressively to chase a pilchard or a Yo–Zuri lure when they can slurp a slow–moving shrimp on a Hank Brown Hook–Up Lure. They'll chomp on that every time. When the sun starts to rise and the water warms up, fish emerge from their holes and onto the flats. Once water temperatures reach a fish–pleasing level – 70 degrees for bonefish and 62 degrees for redfish – it's time to poll the flats for tails. Action in the channels has been good for rod–bending pandemonium. Cooler water temps have ladyfish, trout, jacks and pompano running and eager to hit almost anything that passes by. When the weather cooperates, and you can cruise out into the Gulf, Spanish mackerel will maul the baits. I've been using 30–pound bite tippets to deter line cut–offs from the toothy speedsters, and have resorted to wire at times. But that hasn't seemed to slow the bite. There's a variety of fish to choose from out there, and wild things like Florida lobster and the prehistoric–looking sawfish. Hit the wrecks for grouper, cobia, permit and even tripletail! I'm headed to my old fishing grounds of Colorado for the Denver Fly Fishing Show at the Merchandise Mart, January 7–9. If you're in the area, come check out the flies, pictures, videos, t–shirts and fish talk that will be flying around the booth. Hope to see you in Denver the first weekend of January, or better yet, on the front of my boat fishing in the Keys in 2005!
February 1, 2005 In January, my friend Capt. Mark Johnson and I set up a booth at the Denver Fly Fishing Show. Though we met lots of fishing enthusiasts and tied a lot of flies, we discovered just how little most people know about the style of fishing used in the shallow water of the Keys. Our videos, photos, flies, and saltwater rods from Biscayne Rod Company taught thousands of people about the diverse fishing found in the Keys. Even the pros from other booths came around to ask us how to fish a tarpon or how to make a presentation to a bonefish. Thanks to everyone who visited our booth, and thanks to the Ugly Bug Fly Shop in Casper, WY for putting up with a couple of salty dogs from Islamorada. Upon our return to Islamorada, a strong cold front came through and kept a lot of guides, including myself, off the water for days. I use this time to get my tackle organized and ready for the abuse of the year ahead. I tie flies, and get my reels cleaned and boat repairs done. This way, I know my equipment will be in tip-top condition for every angler that steps up to the platform. Once the front passed, I began preparing for one of my favorite tournaments: The Swamp Guides Ball, held annually on the last weekend in January. The one-day tournament gives points to anglers with the most redfish, snook and bonefish. This tournament brings out the very best anglers in the world. Every year, I guide my father and his good friend Tony Herner from Chicago. While scouting for the tournament, Tony caught a heavily spotted redfish, quite unlike any we’ve ever seen. The weather was calm and balmy, and we were optimistic. The night before the starting gun, winds blew out of the east near 25 knots and changed up everyone’s strategy. We struggled in areas where we had found great fishing all week. After striking out in the backcountry in the morning, we headed to some bonefish grounds in the afternoon when the water had warmed up. In just fifteen minutes, my dad hooked into a beautiful bonefish. Several long runs later, we had the grey ghost in the net, and tagged and released the 29” bone. When we returned to the dock, we learned that fishing had been tough for everyone. The results put the day into perspective: never have there been fewer fish caught in the recorded history of the tournament. Total catches were: 9 bonefish, 42 redfish and 21 snook – just 72 fish from the efforts of 166 anglers in 83 boats! Ever the optimist, I consider our day a nine-way tie for first in most bonefish releases, since 9 bonefish were caught by 9 different anglers.
March 1st, 2005 Late winter and early spring in the Keys is a wonderful time to be on the water. As the south winds bring in warmer temperatures, the fish begin "staging," or preparing to once again prowl the flats and bays around the Keys. Warm days with calm winds brought some big tarpon into the area. Larger tarpon that stay in the gulf or around the bridges can be found lurking the flats when the sun is high, warming the water. And when the silver kings start to show up, there's little else anglers want to fish for. I heard very little about the bonefish bite lately, though the permit fishing has heated up. Big sharks, rays and barracuda are also being spotted daily. Up in Whitewater Bay, fishing has been challenging. While the tarpon have been in most of the likely places, the redfish and snook have been hard to find and even harder to feed. Higher tides and off-colored water may trigger a lack of fish in the ponds. After some east wind and lower tides come through, the water should be cleaner and the fish should be happier. I've guided on some houseboat trips in the Everglades, where we stay for days on a well equipped mother-ship tucked up in the backcountry. From there we launch our skiffs, allowing us to reach some seldom-fished areas. It is a great time of year to be out there because the bugs are few and the fish are generally abundant. I'm looking forward to fishing the Marquesas, which are west of Key West, this spring for the tarpon migration and some unreal permit fishing. With the spring approaching, it's wise to keep an eye on the sky. As unsettled weather encroaches from the south or a cold front rolls down from the north, weather can change rapidly on the water. Remember to always pack some weather gear even if there's no sign of rain. You'll be thankful when a rain cell dumps three inches of rain on you in a heartbeat. Be sure to take cover if there is any sign of lightning. Those are graphite rods you're holding and they will buzz something fierce. So until next time, be safe and above all, have fun.
April 1st, 2005 This March will go into the captain's journals as one of the more stellar months for tarpon in a long time. While tarpon can be found throughout the keys year around, March is not your typical tarpon month. But consistent calm and warm weather for the last week of February through the first couple of weeks in March brough the "silver kings" back into the Florida Bay and could be found just about anywhere. A typical day might bring a 100 pound tarpon to the boat with several hookups throughout the day. Permit were also very active earlier in the month along the banks of the flats around Islamorada. They were not always easy to catch (and seldom are) because of the calm conditions. Usually, the windier days result in more Permit catches. The bonefish have been around but not in the larger numbers. I would expect that later this month we'll find them up on the flats mudding away and happily feeding. Again, find the current and a good flat and you're bound to come across a few tails or muds. The season is getting pretty busy around here so if you haven't booked your guide now, do it soon. Here are some photos from last month, which depict the great variety of fishing we enjoy here in the Florida Keys. Hope to see you here soon.
May, 2005 Tarpon season is heating up in the Keys, and is the main reason this report is a little late this month. Warm air is raising the water temperature, inviting big migratory tarpon to slowly make their way to Islamorada. When the wind subsides, the resident tarpon that live in the Gulf of Mexico and around the local bridges will make an appearance. For the live bait fisherman, the tarpon bite has been best near the bridges from sunset to the first hour after dark. Live crabs and mullet bring the most success. I've heard reports of tarpon up to 200 pounds! The migration is just waiting to happen and a little calm weather will bring strings of fish from the Marquesas all the way up through Biscayne Bay. That's over 150 miles of fishing opportunity!
The incoming tarpon lure anglers away from other species, often leaving the playing field wide open. While the oceanside points have been filling with eager silver king anglers, the flats around town have been left alone for the bonefish to peruse at will. When the tides are right but the howling wind intercepts flies on their way to passing tarpon, move up on the flats and look for bonefish tails. They've been munching on live shrimp, crabs and well presented flies. The redfish flats around Flamingo have also been thick with fish and short on anglers, as more people forego the ride to the backcountry in favor of targeting nearby tarpon. Snook season closed on May 1 and will reopen again on September 1. The linesiders have been eating well and getting fat as they start to spawn. A shrimp on a jig on the falling tide is the best way to get the snook bite. Sharks, ladyfish and trout have been outstanding and will keep most anglers busy most of the day as long as the water is moving. June 1, 2005 Wow, this is THE time to fish the Keys. We’ve finally made some peace with the wind and the fishing has lived up to the advertisement. I can’t think of anywhere else that an angler can have shot after shot at schools of huge tarpon, then go after tailing bonefish, and top it off with a down and dirty fight with a permit. All in the same day. When you can combine good light, strong tides and manageable wind conditions, fishing fantasies come alive. That’s why this season is so busy for the guides and booking your trips early is a must. We’ve had some pretty phenomenal days looking at school of hundreds of tarpon coming right at the boat, floating nice and high and looking hungry. But be prepared for a little frustration. The wind might cause problems or the angler might get nervous or the fish simply won’t eat. It can be so frustrating, I’ve seen people bust rods over their knees and put a “For Sale” sign on their boat the very next day. It’s at these moments where it’s important to keep your cool and realize what a great scene you’re smack dab in the middle of. But I assure you, if you stick with it, listen to your guide and practice, frustration turns to elation in a flash of a second. Zero to hero in a heartbeat. So if you’re fortunate enough to get some time on the water this month, remember to have fun and enjoy because there aren’t many people that get to be here during one of the most exciting seasons in all of fishing.
July 1st, 2005 I hope you like the new look of the AFG website. Many thanks go to Paul Fisicaro and Fisics Designs, for the sleek layout, easy navigation and professional rapport! Tarpon were the primary target last month. Early in June, while following the annual palolo worm hatch, I found myself fishing in the Middle and Lower Keys. Tarpon think the worms are very tasty morsels, and other fish often turn up nearby. Several times, the esteemed and cherished “grand slam” was within the grasp of my fishing companions. Catching a permit, tarpon and bonefish all in the same day is a rush for even the most seasoned angler. One night, a friend and I braved 25-knot winds to pursue the tarpon feeding frenzy. We were rewarded by jumping two tarpon in just an hour. Well worth taking a beating by the wind! So what’s in store for July? Warm summer weather has finally taken over the unusually wet and cool spring. As the days heat up, we can expect to find the bonefish more active around the early and late hours of the day. Tarpon will be happy in the warmer water, especially on a calm day with good visibility. Redfish will be tailing away on the flats with snook cruising the beaches and creek mouths in the cooler moving waters around the Everglades. August 1, 2005 Our fishing haven was interrupted for a few days by Hurricane Dennis. We got very lucky and had some branches, trees, and other foliage to clean up the next day, but it didn’t seem to affect the fishing accept for some dirty water for a few days and it actually cooled tha water slightly. Bonefish is redhot this time of year and you can expect to see some large schools of smaller bonefish early in the morning and late in the afternoon when the water temps are at their coolest. A live shrimp, small crab or a gotcha fly will work like a charm on the bigger schools as they charge up onto the flats.
September 3, 2005 As I write this today my thoughts and prayers are with the people
who have been suffering as a result of Hurricane Katrina’s
path of destruction. We were extremely lucky when Katrina took a
turn for the Keys but left behind only some more foliage damage.
Hurricanes are a way of life when you live in South Florida. But
this is also a time of year whenthe fishing can be excellent, especially
for the flyfishing enthusiast. Bonefishing is reaching its peak,
baby tarpon are all around, permit show up on the stronger tides,
snook are back in season, and the redfish are tailing everywhere.
Don’t be deterred about planning a vacation to the Keys in
hurricane season. That’s why you get travel insurance. If
you don’t, you might get burned. A few extra dollars to ensure
your money back from hotel reservations, plane tickets and car rentals
can make the decision to come down during a volatile time of year
an easy one. Most airlines will reschedule your reservations at
no charge if a hurricane is anywhere in the area. They want to get
you out as much as you want to be home and safe from the big blow.
So, take some extra time to investigate vacation insurance before
making that dream vacation to the Keys. October 7, 2005 • Rolling tarpon The strategy last month was to fish for tailing bonefish early in the morning before the water temperature got too hot for them. Then it was off to find some rolling tarpon or lazy, laid up baby ‘poons that hang out on in the channels or around the deeper flat edges. When we were lucky enough to get these two to the boat, we then headed off to some hard bottom fishing where the permit hang out to complete the slam. October can be just as exciting when the first cold fronts of the year start to come in from the north. As the seasons begin to change, the bait starts to move into the Florida bay and out on the reef. When the bait shows up, so do the big fish. We can expect some great days in the backcountry fishing. Snook, redfish and bonefish will all be active. Check out a few photos we snapped last month, and I hope to see you out on the water soon.
November 7, 2005
Before the big blow, heavy winds didn’t disturb the water clarity. We sight fished at tailing permit and bonefish and hooked some baby tarpon in the backcountry. Then, hurricane winds churned the clear water into chocolate milk. But now, the water is starting to clear again. Another “cool” front has come in to reduce water temperatures and trigger the seasonal change into our fall/winter fishing season. It’s just a great time to be fishing in the Keys. As for my family personally, we had very little damage to our house
and property. And my boat is in good shape with plenty of gas in
the tank.
December 7, 2005 The long, hot, humid days are long gone now and we are enjoying some wonderfully cool days on the flats. The fish have been enjoying it too. Water temperatures have been hovering around 70 degrees which is still comfortable for the bonefish, tarpon and permit and is well within range of redfish, snook and sea trout. One of the fish I like to target when the water start to cool is the spanish mackerel. They aregreat fun on light tackle and keep you busy all day long. In the mix, you can also encounter speckled sea trout, sharks jack crevalle and cobia. I hope everyone has a safe and joyous holiday season. And the New
Year is better than the last. If you’re looking for the non-traditional
resolution…practice your cast and you’ll be a better
angler than last year.
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