2006 Reports

January 3rd, 2006

Florida is probably one of the warmest places in the states right now and the fishing has been incredible. This past December was one of the best on the water that I can remember. Water temps stayed warm on the flats and the bonefish fed actively on both shrimp and custom-tied flies. Baby tarpon gave us some great battles, the snook bite was on fire, and the redfish have been all over the backcountry flats.

As January cold fronts settle over the Keys, the bite slows up on the flats until mid-day when the water temperature rises. For early morning action, check the channels around Flamingo for snook, redfish and trout. That’s also a good time to do some sight fishing for sharks. It’s a great way to get some practice looking for your target, and they don’t seem to be as affected by colder water temps. All of the same principles apply when fishing for sharks on the flats. The cast needs to be on target and you need to work your fly or bait in order to entice a bite. Bonnet heads, lemons, black tips, and spinner sharks are just some of the species that regularly patrol depths of 3 feet or less.

This can also be a great time to get way back into the Everglades for a variety of rod bending action with jack crevalle, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and more. Give me a call if you’re interested in booking a trip or just check out some of the archived reports to learn what to expect when you go fishing in the Florida Keys.

Fishin’ Line – February 3, 2006

Another Swamp Guide’s Ball tournament has come and gone and already it’s February. This means that we have passed the coolest water temperatures of the year and from here on out, the water should maintain or increase it’s temperature. Rather than waiting for the midday sun to heat up the water, redfish, bonefish and permit will enjoy the warmer water enough to move along the flats earlier in the day, seeking food.

When the wind kicks up, making it difficult to get to the flats around Flamingo, the patch reefs on the oceanside are a great place to get a lot of rod-bending action. A chum bag and some shrimp on the hook will entice yellowtail, mackerel and grouper to bite.

In February, the shark fishing can be dynamite. Catching barracuda or Spanish mackerel can bring sharks into the shallows – sometimes into water that looks too shallow to hold them. Bull sharks, lemons, spinners and maybe even a tiger shark can be targeted for a wild ride with a hook and line.

Remember to make your reservations for fishing as soon as you can. The books are starting to fill fast and will stay that way through June. If I don’t have a particular day available, I can put you in touch with some other great guides that can give you a fantastic day of fishing in the Keys.

Capt. Steve

Fishin’ Line – March 4, 2006

We are firing on all cylinders this month, gearing up for busy season. The fish are getting more and more active just as more and more people are coming down to visit our beautiful Islamorada waters. Looking back through my log books confirms that this year we have experienced typical winter weather, with some fronts making their way through the Keys. This brings some wind, rain and cooler temperatures. I make the most of clear, calm days by sight fishing during the afternoons when temperatures are at their peak. Tailing redfish and laid-up snook can often be found then. When the wind is blowing, reducing activity on the flats, it’s worth the time to work the creeks and runoffs around Flamingo. You’ll likely find snook, reds, nice groupers and trout down deep.

After the fronts pass by, the warmer days return. Water temperatures have leveled off into the mid 70’s, which allows most any fish to be caught on any given day. Bonefish look for food on the flats, and permit cruise along their favorite inshore coral heads and flats, getting ready to move offshore to spawn. Traditional tarpon season is still a few months away, when monster migratory silver kings swim through. But the warmer water and calm days have triggered bigger tarpon to move inshore. I’m not talking about the smaller, residential baby tarpon, but 100-plus pound fish. They can also be found in shallow waters of 5-feet or less, finning or laid-up to get some sun on their backs. In dirtier water, these big poons will be ready to take a dark fly that moves slowly across its face.

Spring is here and I can’t wait to take advantage of the hot action. There’s not much that isn’t possible to catch right now. Huge sharks, big permit, tailing bonefish and big snook just to name a few. The bite is on!

Capt. Steve

April 7th, 2006

I’m a little delayed in getting this month’s report out but with good reason. The fishing has been fantastic and I’ve caught a variety of species each outing. Oh yeah, and my son Benjamin Wallace Friedman was born on March 6! Between fishing everyday and changing the occasional diaper, it’s been an exciting time.

The first part of March brought a wealth of tarpon to the area. Many of my customers caught or hooked their very first tarpon ever. Some nabbed them on fly, and others jumped them on bait. It looks like we’re in store for a great tarpon season this year. Big bonefish have been around too, but they’ve been a little tougher to feed. The bones got a little spooky after a cold front breezed through. I expect smaller bonefish in sizeable schools to visit the flats more frequently in the next few weeks.

The tarpon and bonefish aren’t alone out there. Huge sharks, big permit, snook, redfish and a host of other rod-bending fish will keep the entire family in the action.

Although there were some great Kodak moments on my boat this month, I left the camera at home to take photos of the newest fisherman in the family. So, if the anglers who snapped them send me copies, I’ll get them posted soon.

I still have some dates available in April and a few for May so give me a call if you’re interested in booking a charter. (305) 393-3474.

Capt. Steve

May 2006

If you’re a fisherman, you know that springtime in the Keys is the place to be. I’ll bet if you asked seasoned anglers, that have fished around the world, where they would want to be fishing now, hands down, they would all say the Florida Keys. The reason is simple: the tarpon are here. For the tarpon fisherman, this is the best time of year to catch that trophy class, three-digit monster of a fish. Many tarpon seekers will have the gall to try to catch these brutes on fly.

But for the angler who has engaged a few silver king in one of these seemingly never-ending battles, it may be the mighty permit they’re after. On windier days with sunnier skies, permit will be moving along the gulf side flats seeking they’re favorite meal, the blue crab. We use imitation crabs for the most part to catch permit, and sometimes they might even eat it.

Perhaps bonefish are the answer when your sore arms and arthritic fingers can’t handle any more battles with fish tipping the scales at 100, 125 or maybe even 180 pounds. Bonefish flats can to be void of boats this time of year, and the fish can be easier to feed because of less pressure from anglers that are now looking elsewhere for tarpon.

If these options don’t excite you, there’s always tailing redfish, ambushing snook, hungry sea-trout and ferocious sharks of many sizes and varieties to target, just to name a few. This is the time to be here and if you’re not here now, get here soon.

Capt. Steve

June 26, 2006

Just a brief report this month as I’ve been fishing nearly everyday and haven’t found the time to get the new report posted.

The main target this month has been without a doubt, the mighty tarpon. I’ve been fishing tarpon in just about every way I know how: casting to laid up fish in the backcountry, staking out along oceanside flats and casting flies at huge groups of cruising tarpon, using live bait to jump them around bridges, and the list goes on. Certainly one of the highlights of the month was watching Anthony Jordan of Two Guys Fly Shop in Lafayette, Colorado tangle with a giant that we estimated to be around 170 pounds!

This has also been a busy month for tarpon tournaments, which I managed to stay away from this year. I avoided the crowds that were looking for tarpon by making the boat ride to the backcountry, the area called Flamingo, to find tailing redfish and laid-up snook. The action was great and it was very consistent. A lot of fish were caught in the mullet muds and we ambushed prey in the murkier water. A stealth approach to the tailing reds, by casting light flies and jigs tipped with soft plastic baits, was met with success.

The rains have started to come in during the afternoons and this has cooled the water temperature down to more tolerable levels for the bonefish. As of right now, the water temps are in the low 80’s and the bonefish have been very active. They are aggressively eating live crabs and well-cast flies. I expect this to continue for the next few weeks until the water temps start to rise again.

Check back again soon for the next update. I’ll have the July report posted much earlier and it’ll have some more great actions photos for your viewing pleasure.

Capt. Steve

July 2006

One of the highlights of fishing in Islamorada in of July is participating in the Rolex/IGFA Inshore Championship. This tournament is the world series of inshore fishing. It places anglers, who have already won IGFA-endorsed tournaments throughout the world, against each other for three days of fun and intense fishing. The objective is to catch as many fish in the “slam” as possible. A slam consisting of bonefish, tarpon, permit, snook and redfish. The anglers draw from the filed of participating guides and fish with a different guide each day. I had the good fortune to fish Dave Collier from New York; Tony Cockayne, all the way from Uganda; and ex-NFL star and all-around good guy, Mark Cooper from Colorado.

After the dust cleared, five anglers were able to complete the slam of all five species. This had never been done before in the history of the tournament. I was lucky enough to fish with two of those guys: Dave Collier and Mark Cooper. Dave started off with me on a hot streak and caught a tarpon and redfish on fly, and then finished the day with a snook on artificial. In the end, Dave was our overall release champion and fly division champion. Mark Cooper was hot on the hunt in the first couple of days, catching all but his snook and redfish in the first two days of competition. We managed to get several snook in the morning that didn’t measure up and lost a few more to the branches and bad luck. But he caught his redfish on fly and got his qualifying snook late in the day on artificial to finish his slam. It was another great tournament put on by Mike Myatt and the IGFA which featured some of the best anglers and guides in the world.

Check out these photos of Mark Cooper and his slam of fish!

Capt. Steve

August 2006

Probably one of the best things about fishing the Keys in August is the possibility of landing the flats “grand slam.” This is when an angler catches a bonefish, permit and tarpon in the same day. The odds are in your favor this month because of the consistent weather patterns. In addition, summer tides bring higher tides and create a lot of current with the larger volume of moving water.

In my experience, water temps that range from the mid eighties to the high seventies are ideal for all three species. Permit seem to relish the warmer waters, tarpon enjoy calm early morning waters, and bonefish get active late in the day as cooler waters start to flood the flats.

In additional to the treasured three, there are many varieties of fish to target. Redfish, snook and sharks are very active. For example, I was fishing with Lee Schifferal and his wife Jill, who came in from Wisconsin to enjoy some great summer fishing in the Keys. While we were hunting for laid up tarpon and tailing permit, Jill hooked and landed a 24” red grouper on 10 lb. tackle and later added a nice bull shark just for good measure. Lee wouldn’t be outdone, jumping a tarpon on a Gulp shrimp, and later had great shots at huge mudding bonefish. He didn’t hook any of the bonefish, but ended up with a killer catch. The bonefish seemed oblivious to the live crab Lee was trying to serve. But a permit came tailing along behind the bones, and with a long accurate cast and about a 15 minute fight on light tackle, Lee brought his very first permit to the boat, weighing in at a respectable 17lb. It was released unharmed after several great photos.

Capt. Steve

September, 2006

Some of the best bonefishing of the year happens in September. The weather is mild and the days are long. But I got the opportunity to take the family to some of my old fishing waters on the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers in Colorado. But this September was also a great time to get away with the family and enjoy a vacation. When one of my customers, Sam Kaufman invited us to Colorado to see the mountains and fish with him in the 4th Annual Rocky Mountain Classic, we decided it was time to go on vacation and go river fishing.

The Rocky Mountain classic is a Redbone @ Large event which brings anglers and celebrities together to have fun fishing for brown trout and rainbow trout while, at the same time, raising some money to find a cure for cystic fibrosis. We arrived in Colorado to enjoy one of the prettiest weeks of autumn. We enjoyed 70 degree days with clear blue skies and then a day later, 8-10 inches of snow fell on the mountain range making for a true life painting of the peaking colors on the aspen trees heavy with white flaky snow.

As pretty as the snowfall was, the rivers boated and were off colored when we hit the ramp. Sam was the lead angler for us on the first day catching some beautiful rainbow and brown trout using streamer flies, san juan worms and a variety of nymphs. I tried to hold my own while getting used to mending and casting up to 3 flies at a time. I think I spent as much time getting untangled an re-rigging than I did having the flies in the water. Taylor, our guide for the two day event, helped out tremendously and was very patient with me and my re-acquaintance to river fishing. I somehow managed to catch a few fish to save face. The second day proved to be even more challenging with chocolate colored water, but I managed to fish a little better and Sam kept us going with some great catches. Best of all, we had a blast just floating down the river and I enjoyed the fishing end instead of the guiding end for a change. It was a great event for a great cause and got to share some time with some great folks.

Capt. Steve

Fall/Winter Fishing Report

As the cold settles into the northern states, many of you under the blankets may be wondering how the fishing is this time of year in the Keys. As you may have seen from the homepage, I have described many of the best fishing “seasons”. The seasons I refer to are the best times of the year to pursue certain varieties of sport fish. The big migratory tarpon, for instance, tend to be flooding the keys area in the springtime starting in late April and they’ll stay around until early July. But there is no time of year when a particular fish is just not found.

Simply put, any fish can be caught any time of the year.

As cold fronts bring in cooler air and water temperatures, the fish start to move just as they do when the water warms. They sink to deeper channels or basins where the water temp is more favorable. They still have to eat and usually when the sun is at its peak during the day, the warmest temperatures are going to be on the flats where the water is the shallowest and has time to heat up the bottom. This can be a great time to approach the flats for many of our most challenging game fish.

One such quarry is the barracuda. As the winter settles in, you can be sure to find stacks of barracuda lining the beds of flats just soaking up the warm afternoon sun and waiting for a quick snack. It’s important to approach these dormant strikers with caution and stealth. A long cast out beyond the aggressive fish and a fast retrieve will bring an impact like few others to the rod and reel. A fly resembling a needlefish or ballyhoo will work as will a shallow running plug or a top water lure skimmed along the surface.

Along with the wiley barracuda there are loads of other species to be caught. Bonefish can be found mudding along deeper edges of flats. Sharks cruise around for an easy meal. Baby tarpon will be close to the surface on calmer days to warm up in the sun. Snook and redfish will be grouped together in deeper holes off of the flats and runoffs in the Everglades National Park. This only lists off a few of the opportunities that are present in the wintertime in the Keys. Keys winters may feel cold to me, but balmy to you. Lows in the 50’s and highs in the 70’s. Not too bad. The wildlife abounds in the park too. Roseate spoonbills, bottlenose dolphin, ospreys, eagles, manatees, migratory white pelicans… You’ve just got to see it to believe it. So, please contact me at 305-393-3474 or email me at steve@afishingguide.com to book your trip now!

Capt. Steve

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

The month of July usually marks the unofficial end of tarpon season. This is a bit of a misnomer. The tarpon are still here and they’ll continue to be here throughout the year. What it means to suggest is that the big “push” or migration of large schools of ocean going fish tends to slow down during this period. What we do find are the smaller juvenile tarpon in the back bays and channel runoffs around the backcountry of the Everglades. These smaller fish can be found in large and small schools and will range in size from 5-75 pounds.

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.

Redfish, bonefish and tarpon will be the fish to pursue next month. My records from last year, and my numerous discussions with other guides, show that last August was one of the best months in recent memory for redfish. They’ll be up on the flats tailing and mudding looking for something to eat. The snook will be mixed in with the reds hanging out in the deeper potholes waiting for an ambush. August will be a great month to pursue the Grand Slam: tarpon, bonefish and permit all in the same day. So get tuned up and ready for some great summer action in the Florida Keys.

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

Storm dodging is the name of the game in the Keys lately. We’ve been very fortunate and have managed to avoid any serious damage. The fish have also managed to hide during the storms and the action has increased. Though it can be very hot and humid, September is one of the most action-packed fishing months of the year. When the storms are away, it can be one of the best months of the year for the following:

• Rolling tarpon
• Tailing bonefish
• Finning permit
• Mudding redfish

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

Wilma is now behind us by more than a week and life on the flats is getting back to normal. I’ve fished nearly every day with the exception of hurricane day. The cold front that passed through just after Wilma kept things interesting on the water. Fishing in 25 knot winds can be an adventure to say the least. When you do it with a fly rod, it’s a downright challenge. Despite floating debris, missing navigational markers, and dirty water, the fish are still around.

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.

November 1st, 2004

The height of the tropical storm season, that seized us for about a month, has finally passed. I'm now looking forward to our fall fishing season with cooler temperatures. With them comes improved fishing back in the creeks and runoffs around the Flamingo area and deep into the everglades. This past month, the snook responded well to live pilchards and mullet. Baby tarpon seem to be abundant, and bonefish mixed with permit have been enjoying the higher water levels up on the flats.

On the last part of the outgoing tides, snook have been stacked up at the mouth of creeks and runoffs waiting for unsuspecting bait to float by. Try attaching a float to a leader about two feet from a good circle hook. Or free-line a pilchard around eddies and currents that bend around creek mouths. These seem to be the preferred baits this time of year as they can be found in abundance all over the bay. The bait migration is in full swing and has some larger fish trailing the huge mullet muds. I haven't been fishing for redfish much lately, but I've heard reports that they've been found on top of the flats on calmer days and also around the mullet muds when wind makes sight fishing more difficult.

Tarpon have also been hanging around the bait pods. I've found them hanging around mangrove roots or off the edges of flats that have been bubbling with nervous bait. While fighting a larger tarpon can provide you with a great story, the babies are equally as fun and require a lot less work. Several of my customers caught their first tarpon this month and had a blast just watching them rolling and cruising in big schools all around the boat.

Around the bait muds you can be sure to encounter a few curious sharks. This is another great opportunity for some fly rodding fun. Try using a larger fly with some deer hair or other bulky material to allow the shark to sense the fly. Although they may be in search of a larger, livelier meal, they rarely miss an opportunity when a fly gets put in front of them. Sometimes, they'll just nose the fly, but enough teasing will agitate the shark and start him searching around for the feathers they were just sniffing.

Deeper holes near bridges or cuts and channels around the keys have been holding a mixed bag lately. Everything from grouper, tarpon, snook and snapper are feeding on pilchards, pinfish, and mullet in these holes and cuts. I've been using a "knocker-rig" to get the bait down, but with light enough weight to feel the bite. Bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp have also been very effective.

Next month, as the colder temperatures from up north start to descend, we can expect an even hotter snook bite. I'll also be getting out to the Gulf waters for the fantastic Spanish mackerel bite. These speedsters will start to show up in the gulf waters around Florida Bay and are already out on the reef. Look for about 10 foot depth with a little bit of cloudy water. Throw out some chum and start jigging or casting a fly with some weight until the schools appear.

It's about to get a lot busier on the water so if you're planning on making the trip to the Keys and would like to go fishing, give me a call and we can get you out there and see what bites. Keep on practicing!

October 1st 2004

This year, the month of September has really flown by, no pun intended. Since last month's report where I mentioned Hurricane Charley had messed up a few things around Florida, three more big blows rolled on through by the names of, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. Most of Florida had to deal with these hurricanes in some form or another. The Keys looked like they had a bull's eye on them for a couple of the storms, but oddly enough, were spared for the most part. The worst we saw were stiff breezes, a little rain and some high water.

What does this mean for the fishing? Well, I've learned that hurricanes are a good thing in a way. They transfer moisture from the tropics, they filter water as the tides surge in an out, and new life is created from what it may have been destroyed. This is vital to the ecosystem in our part of the world. I was out fishing just days before and after each one of the storms. On occasion, I experienced days of calm warm weather and fishing was mediocre. But I also went out on days where the winds were blowing into the 30's and there were still fish to be had. Point being, the fish are still here, and they're still biting.

September and October are marked on my calendar as a couple of the best fishing months of the year. When storm systems are offshore, you can rely on calm, warm mornings to search for the elusive "grey ghost" of the flats, the bonefish. As the water temperature heats up, it might be time to look for cruising redfish tails in the backcountry of the Florida Bay as they are more tolerant of higher water temperatures. Many other fish can be found around the Florida Keys like the wily permit, the athletic tarpon and the hard-pulling snook. But it's the bonefish and redfish that consistently make for great flyrodding fodder. During the influx of tides at the new and full moons we can also look out for that distinctive dorsal fin which is unmistakably a permit's. While the bonefish will be up on a flat with the flooding tide, check out the deeper edges for a large wake or push of water which may indicate that permit are on the prowl. A live crab or crab-fly imitation might get a strike. But always keep in mind that even though the day may start out calm, the winds can creep up with little warning, so be sure to practice your casting in all kinds of weather. It can be very frustrating to get out on a flat with tails all around and the wind keeping your cast short. So the more you practice, the more you'll be prepared when the opportunity presents itself.

This is also a great time of year to pursue the "holy grail" of flats fishing: The Grand Slam. To complete this trifecta, the object is to catch a bonefish, tarpon and permit all in a single outing. The recent storms brought some good fortune to the keys by quickly reducing water temperatures a good 10 degrees into the low 80's. Rain, cloud cover and cooler air temperatures helped bring some of these fish back up on the flats mid-day, and kept them frisky well into the late afternoon and early evenings. My friend Doug and I took advantage one of these post-storm days by heading to the Marquesas, a set of islands formed in the likeness of horseshoe about 30 miles to the west of Key West. We were lucky with good light most of the day but the calm winds and warm day made it a challenge for us to catch our prey: permit. While we were successful in catching one on fly, we missed several others that took the fly or simply fell off the hook on their initial runs. We also had some great shots at bonefish and jumped a beautiful tarpon that day.

The storms have also brought in a great snook bite in the backcountry. As water moves throughout the everglades and empties out into creeks and runoffs, it flushes out bait. Reports of up to 20 snook a day have been common. In the coming days and weeks we'll see a continued increase in the amount of bait appearing in the Florida Bay and out on the reef as the weather gets colder up north. Already, I have been seeing pods of finger mullet, sardines, and ballyhoo just about everywhere I look. This should only get better as some of the bigger fish that feed on these bait pods start appearing around the shores of the Keys. Sailfish, tuna and dolphin (mahi mahi) are being caught daily, and the tarpon are starting to settle in around the bridges as the bait pods and crabs move through with the currents. This is a great time of year to be fishing and next month I'll no doubt have a few more stories to tell. So, keep checking back and let me know if you'd like to get out there and have some fun fishing the Florida Keys.

September 1st 2004

August usually brings about thoughts of returning to school, mowing the lawn, and long, hot summer days. This is true throughout mostly of the States. But here in the Keys, August means seeing sparkling tails popping out from under a warm water blanket on the flats near Islamorada. August fishing is exceptional, and this one was slightly above the norm. Rains came late and cooled the waters which kept the fish happy. Hurricane Charley dropped the barometer which triggered a feeding frenzy on the flats around the Florida Bay. I had also planned a much needed vacation with my wife and companion, Kristine, to Abaco in the Bahamas to relax, fish, and sample a rum drink here and there. Yes, it's true, I do like to fish on my vacations as well as my days off. Here's an excerpt from Kristine's vacation log:

I learned two things from my first Bahamas experience: next time I'll pack less and stay longer. Life in Abaco - at Marsh Harbor and on the surrounding Cays - makes days in the Keys seem hectic and mainstream.
Each has its own kind of aquatic experience, too. My favorite part of fishing, besides the hunt, is immersing myself in nature, so both regions are equally appealing to me.
Our temporary beach home was 45 minutes from "schools of hundreds of bonefish, with permit tailing in between," according to our host Linda Ullian. And right outside our door we repeatedly found pairs and trios scavenging meals in the firm, grassy flats.
And what a pleasure to engage the fish by foot, not boat. Instead, I woke in the morning, donned sunscreen, , a suit, a hat, shades and Tevas, grabbed a 7-weight and was out the door.
These bonefish had obviously seen a lot of action, behaving a bit more like their Keys cousins. They were cautious, aware of our presence, and comfortable roaming their feeding grounds just out of casting range.
But the fish were just a fraction of the sensations that filled those fabulous mornings. The thrill began with the first steps taken towards the flats: songbirds, light lapping waves, shells, natural sea debris - and the neighbor's dogs - held our attention until we reached our fishing grounds. It was on one of these walks that I had my first encounter with a sea cucumber. Now that's an interesting facet of evolution!
Once we saw tails dancing on the water, we waded in and soaked up the scene in its entirety: velvety colors, soothing breeze, dazzling vistas, and the quiet rhythms of an un-manipulated shallow-water estuary.
The beauty of the scene became complete when we realized we couldn't hear highway hum, sirens, horns, shouts, songs, or other intrusive noises of human origin.
Just the occasional "doh!" from a fellow angler, as a bonefish outwitted his hottest fly. .

Sounds familiar. And I had the great experience of catching a nice 3-4 pound bonefish just yards away from the front porch. We were in the Bahamas when we heard about hurricane Charley's lean on South Florida. We decided to leave a day early to get home and strap everything down that could move in case the big one came through. (The Keys faired well.) And I learned that the people at Hells Bay had wisely postponed their Baithaters Tournament until the following week.

On day one, my fishing partner for the tournament, Ed Cox, and I were up at the crack of dark ready to by hunt for bonefish. The Baithaters is a species tournament so we were also after tarpon, permit, snook and redfish. There were some minimum-length requirements but generally the idea was to catch all five species and then build points from there. Did I mention that this was to be accomplished in just two days using only flies and/or artificial lures? No bait. Our strategy paid off on the first day with Ed catching a nice bonefish on fly by 7:15 a.m. We lurked around the bonefish flats, to trying for another on artificial but gave it up once the tide came in, and headed for redfish country. They took a bit more cunning than the bonefish, but at the end of the day we had our bonefish on fly, redfish on fly and a red on artificial. We were in the thick of the pack on the scoreboard and were pleased with our first days' efforts. The second day started even earlier and we were determined to get our tarpon, snook and maybe a permit, to add to our species list. By mid morning we had spotted some tarpon rolling nearby and I was able to hook a nice 50 pounder on a plug. It made some of the most spectacular jumps you could ever see before finally ridding itself of those pesky hooks. Try as we did, we came up with a big zero for the day and decided that we had a great time despite being outside the winner's circle. Ed was a motivated fishing partner and had a great experience for his first tournament ever. Just look at the smile on his face with that early morning bonefish. Congratulation to Dave Denkert and Patrick Dorsey for winning the inaugural Hells Bay Baithaters Tournament.

Redfish remained the story for August. They seemed to be hungry and willing to eat most every fly or jig that was a well placed cast. My parents came down for a visit from Chicago and we had some opportunities to get out on the flats. My mom caught a pretty multi-spotted red on fly and my Dad had some fly-roddin' fun as well, catching up to eight redfish in a day. We also had some tight lines with tarpon and bonefish on fly. The sunsets and rain clouds were spectacular!

Keep Casting,

August 1st 2004

I love July. Around here, it's the month that brings calm days heated with humid air and warm breezes. It also marks the unofficial end of tarpon season which is symbolically closed with the annual Poor Boys Tarpon Fly Tournament. It's a bit of a misnomer that the tarpon season is over because tarpon still abound this month in big sizes and sometimes big numbers. July also plays host to the IFA Redfish Tour, and the annual RedGhost Stalk has found a niche in this month to allow our younger anglers with an opportunity to compete. Calm days in the summer also offer some great opportunities to pursue the offshore fishing grounds.

This month harbors an abundance of smaller tarpon ranging in sizes from 5 to 35 pounds. Be assured that they will test all of your angling skills just like their older and larger relatives. Baby tarpon lurk in and around thick mangroves and deep channels or back bays that make for dramatic setting for hookups, both with fish or the leaves and branches that you forgot were behind you. July also presents great opportunities for the average or beginning fly caster. Redfish, snook and bonefish seem to be almost everywhere. Calm winds allow even the greenest of fly casters to present a fly to a laid up fish. Keep in mind that the calmer days can also be frustrating because the fish can see and hear you as easily as you can spot them.

I also love that I can get out and be an angler this month. The Poor Boys' tournament is one of the few where guides are allowed to fish. I hooked up with my good friend and fellow fish bum, Carter Bates. We were up against some very stiff competition from other competent anglers in this historic yet casual two-day event. Carter and I planned out our strategy, got our fly rods rigged, and had plenty of flies to tempt even the most finicky tastes of the mighty tarpon. Day one led us to pods, or groups, of hungry fish. Carter had our first hook up at 7:30 a.m. and I held my breath as the silver giant took to the air to give us a good look at its full body length which we instantly knew would be over the minimum qualifying length of 4 feet. The second leap was equally as exciting but the end result left us a bit deflated as the fly dislodged and our hearts sank just like the detached fish we were pursuing. Not to worry, there was plenty of time left to catch our team goal of three tarpon for the day. As nature would have it, just like the last laugh, our total at the end of the day was four fish on, four fish off, which equals zero. So we shook it off. We're fisherman. We know how this works, and surely the next day would reap its rewards. Day two started out as watercolor-beautiful as the previous morning and we went back to the scene of the crime. Only this day the tarpon didn't give us as much of an opportunity to fail or succeed as day one. We went 0 for two on hook ups and went back to the dock defeated yet fortified with our efforts and congratulated the winners who had managed to keep six tarpon on the line for a great win. Thank you Carter for all the effort and fun we had during the 2004 Poor Boys. At least the beer was cold at the dock.

I love July because the offshore fishing is much more accessible to me. I don't like being on the ocean in rough weather and July tends to be calm. "Mangrove" Mike Forster took me along this year as his official observer/mate/fishing bum for this year's Holiday Isle Dolphin Tournament. Mike and I have been having a great time fishing offshore since his acquisition of a beautiful 27-foot Contender. We've hit Gulf wrecks for goliath grouper (jewfish), permit and other assorted creatures as well as the ocean-side reefs for grouper, snapper, dolphin (mahi mahi), and whatever else tastes good. The Holiday Isle tournament is pretty simple: two days of fishing to catch the largest dolphin. Again, we were up against some pretty experienced competition, but when you're dolphin fishing, anyone has a chance. All you need is that magical piece of debris or Sargasso weed or a frigate bird to point you in the right direction. We had a blast catching some small dolphin for a couple of days with a triple tail mixed in just to make things different. Needless to say, a great time was had by all despite the fact that we didn't bring a fish in to be weighed either day. If anyone decides to have a tournament for the most goliath grouper, we're there. Federally protected as goliath grouper are, I don't see that happening any time soon, but they are still a hoot to pull on. But we've had some great jewfish catches this month that would rival any competitor. I went out with Mike and my pal Juan to see what we could find, and we all ended up tangling with ones in excess of 60 pounds, along with an assortment of shark, small grouper, snook, and triple tail on a billiard table-calm day out on the Gulf of Mexico. I even managed to cajole one up to the surface that had tangled with us previously, which also displayed a previous meal of a succulent lobster, out of season, I may add.

Also this July, I had the enjoyment of guiding several people to some "firsts" in their own fishing lives. Harry Mayer from Colorado caught his first redfish on fly with me while fishing on a hot day in the Florida Bay. When Harry saw that red coming his way, he put the custom-tied fly out there and the red shimmied towards it like it was his last meal. It wasn't. After a picture, and a quick revival in the water, Harry sent that red on its way to grow, and hopefully remain stupid. I also had the pleasure of sharing the boat with a couple of great guys from North Carolina, Everett and Richard. Fishing brothers in spirit and blood, they were determined to catch tarpon while enjoying Islamorada on their recent visit with their wives, Tanya and Candace. As the tides would have it, we were able to have some great shots and some very unwilling tarpon that evening so we changed up the strategy to finding the elusive bonefish on a "chamber of commerce" type afternoon. I cannot pretend to describe the beauty and subtlety of the fish we were seeking that evening. While we had numerous attempts at schooling, mudding, tailing bones on the ocean-side flats that evening, it was the two fish up on the flat just before night fall that had our memories on "save." Our last ditch effort, after a couple of bites that didn't bring fish to the boat, was on a shallow flat with incoming water that had started out dry but wetted itself within minutes of our arrival. In fact the tails that we first spotted were so shallow, I couldn't get my boat close enough to be able to get a cast within biting distance. So we paralleled them for what seemed like an eternity--but was probably closer to a matter of moments--and watched the tail fin behind a dorsal fin by about 8 inches. I knew that bonefish was of quite grand proportions. Another bonefish was there with its companion, not tailing so much as just moving about looking for anything that its presence scared up into the minuscule waters. Soon, we were able to get over the ridge of sand and marl to get a closer look and cast at these divine specimens. Rigged with live crabs, Richard and Everett were silent as the bonefishes approached the boat. A cast to the left by Richard was followed by a cast to the right by Everett. Sure enough, the bones took the middle road, missing the hard-shelled morsels on either side. OK, try again. A little spookier now, the two divide as the casts are put out for the offering. As dark started to fill the sky, our anticipation grew and the casts grew more aggressive. One landed just inches away from the backside of one bone and was ignored. Another cast was almost too perfect and landed on the nose of another, prompting the immediate departure of our prize to deeper waters. We still had one beauty left, but by this time, the sun was low and the last light of the gleaming tail seemed to illuminate our fates. After a final "Hail Mary" cast the silver shadow disappeared to areas we could not see nor dare to follow. But the North Carolina boys seemed almost as pleased as the bonefish.

This month I had the good fortune to compete in a professional redfish tournament with Mark Johnson, a veteran Islamorada guide and tour member of the IFA Redfish Tour. At the rules meeting the evening before tournament day, the officials let it be known that there would be a "no cull" rule for the event. This meant that you may not release a redfish that had been taken or put into the livewell to replace it with a bigger fish. This added some strategy to the event because once you decide to keep that fish, you're stuck with it. Mark and I had been doing some prefishing and had a pretty good idea where we would find reds that would meet the size range that we wanted. We had a target weight of two combined fish around ten pounds. In the previous four years that the tour has been in the Islamorada area, 10-11 pounds of fish finished in the top ten. We set out on a gorgeous, flat-calm morning to our fishing grounds and within minutes of our arrival, tailing reds were in every direction. I took the long pole in the back, and Mark took the spinning rod to the front. We soon had our first fish on using a plastic grub for bait and knew once we netted the small red that it wouldn't be in our target weight range. Mark caught about three more fish in the four-pound range before he hooked into a five-pounder using a bucktail jig which ended up weighing a little over five pounds. After some quick thought, we decided this would be our first fish in the box and now set our sights on a larger fish of seven pounds. Not too long after the first fish was placed in the box, Mark caught a nicer fish and was just shy of seven pounds on the Boga Grip. Using both hands and some toes to add up the total weight of the fish, we estimated the two redfish to be about twelve pounds and put him in the livewell with a smile. 12 pounds had finished in the top five each of the last few years and we felt confident that we would be somewhere near the top of the leader board. Our day was done by 9:00 a.m. As it turns out, we weighed in officially at 11.93 pounds which was good enough to place us in 9th place and still get a check. There were some unprecedented big fish brought back to the weigh station, measured, brought to the scale and then released at Papa Joe's Marina. It was a great sign to see that these fish are thriving and conservation efforts have resulted in larger numbers of fatter fish.

Finally, July brings the now-annual, RedGhost Stalk. Jim and Sheri Trice run a professionally organized tournament for young adults ages 11-25. The winner of each division receives the invitation and entry fee for the IGFA/ROLEX Inshore Championships to compete against others that have won IGFA-sanctioned events around the globe. I guided a 16-year-old local, Tal Hazelhurst, who came prepared to cast flies and spinning rods at our main targets, redfish and bonefish. We were the first off the line at the shotgun start at 6:30 a.m. and made it to our destination ahead of the pack. We quickly spotted some tailing redfish and Tal had the flyrod in hand ready for action. The redfish we were after had been a bit nervous and were difficult to get close to for a fly cast. Pretty soon, Tal had one in his sights and put the fly right on the fish's nose which hit the fly aggressively. It hit with fury and accelerated towards the boat, not allowing Tal to come tight on the line. After another burst of speed, it dropped the fly and disappeared. We decided to change up the strategy and catch a couple using the spinning gear. Tal caught three fish before we went back to the fly rod. By this time the fishing was starting to slow up a bit and the fish were keeping their distance. Tal went back to the spinning rod to get some extra distance which paid off. He caught five more redfish to finish his day with eight total redfish and made a great showing for the tournament.

August will be another great month for the fly fishing fans. Bonefish will be around most of the flats in the early evening and late afternoons on the right tides. Redfish will still be a main staple as the water temperature climbs. Snook and baby tarpon will also be found around the bridges and backcountry channels and runoffs. We'll be looking for some permit up on the flats on the higher tides and practicing hard for the Bait Hater's Tournament sponsored by Hell's Bay Boatworks. So get out there and do some practicing of your own and get ready for some great summertime action in the Keys.

July 1st 2004

The beginning of June always brings a smile to my face. It's around this time every year that the tarpon get as excited as the anglers who are after them, because the Palolo worm is bound to appear around bridges throughout the Florida Keys. This year, the worms floated in right on time and came out in the thousands. And thousands of tarpon followed. This phenomenon is one of the ultimate experiences you can witness in the fishing world. It can also be one of the more frustrating events to participate in. Picture scores of tarpon all around the boat eating these little worms off of the surface of the water, but ignoring every fly in your tackle box. As frustrating as this may be, it's still great fun to witness. With the right fly and a good presentation, these feeding tarpon will find your fly eventually.

I also had the pleasure of guiding Jack Hyndman from Saratoga Springs, New York in the 30th annual Don Hawley Tarpon Fly Tournament. This tournament features some of the world's best fly anglers who have fished the big-time tarpon tournaments for years. Jack worked hard all five days of the tournament and caught his first and second-ever tarpon on fly on just the second day of competition. We were feeling pretty good heading into the remaining days of the tournament and had a memorable final day. Jack caught his first hundred-pounder on that day and had several other fish on. After all of the dust cleared, the impressive team of Diana Rudolph and Captain Tad Burke defeated the outright favorites, Andy Mill and Captain Paul Tejera. We came close to placing in the 16-pound tippet division but were just edged out of the trophy stand. But Jack's points added to the team effort and he came away with a winning award and smile that tells the whole story. Look for Jack and me to make our move for the big trophies next year!

June is also a month that I like to spend traveling around the Keys. My favorites include the Bahia Honda Bridge during the Paolo worm hatch, fishing the Ponce de Leon inlet near Whitewater Bay for roaming tarpon, redfish and snook, or Biscayne Bay for permit and bonefish with the Miami skyline in the background. Biscayne Bay is a beautiful park and has made a great comeback from hurricane Andrew some ten years ago. Lots of clear water, strong current and hard coral flats make a great concoction for a unique flyfishing experience. Depending on which area of the Bay you'd like to fish, it's only about and hour and a half from Islamorada (about the same time to Whitewater Bay) and you can cover a lot of ground in a day. I would recommend visiting on a weekday to avoid a plethora of weekend cruisers.

The offshore fisherman in Islamorada have been enjoying this month seeking for dolphin, grouper, yellowtail and other deep water dwellers. My wife and I were invited by Mike Forster to try out some fishing out on the wrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. We headed out on Mike's 26' Contender loaded with music, sub sandwiches, plenty of fluids, chum and a livewell full of pinfish and crabs. We fished three different wrecks around the Cape Sable area and caught fish each time we stopped. Kristine caught her first Jewfish (Goliath Grouper) and I caught a variety of other grouper and some sharks. I brought my fly rod along just in case we had the opportunity to cast to fish in our chum slick. I hooked and broke off a nice shark on fly and had many casts to cobia and permit. Mike was the big star that day when he caught a fat snook, a feisty cobia and a hefty permit. It just goes to show you what a great playground we live in here in the Keys with the variety of sea life and water that is accessible to whomever desires to give it a try.

July is a great month for many of these fish I mentioned above. The bonus during this time of year is that winds generally calm down which makes fly fishing a little bit easier. Bonefish, permit and tarpon will all be making appearances this month as will the redfish and snook in the backcountry. The heat of the day will tend to slow the bite down as the temperature rises in the air and water. So your best bet is to get out early and come in to cool down, have some lunch, catch a nap and go back out to fish the late afternoon or evening bite. The sunrise and sunsets alone are worth the extra effort to get up early or stay out late. You'll find plenty of inspiration this month whether its painting a watercolor of that beautiful sunset out your window or framing the perfect photo of that trophy bonefish you just battled on a breathless flat. Get out there this summer and enjoy the outdoors in the Florida Keys.

June 1st 2004

There's a reason why all the fishing guides around the Keys are busy this time of year. It's Tarpon season! The time of year when these giant, prehistoric beasts cruise near the mangrove shorelines migrating south. There, they will spawn and feed until it's time to head back north. This has been going on for thousands, if not millions of years. And we still know very little about this process and how the fish stocks are doing. There are reports of people in other countries netting thousands of fish, including tarpon, to use as fertilizer for fields. And we know that many of those tarpon are the same ones we find moving along the oceanside flats and the Florida Bay backcountry. To aid in their strength and survival, we must give caught fish the utmost care when handling and releasing these beautiful beasts.

Tarpon, like people, don't like a lot of wind when they're on the water. And for the past six weeks, the Keys were pounded by relentless winds, up to 30 miles per hour. High winds make sight fishing difficult and unlikely. When it's blowing, visibility is reduced and tarpon stick close to the bottom instead of breaching the surface. They can be seen "blooping" up to the surface mainly when conditions are warm and calm. So when it's windy, we do the best we can with alternatives. To try the tarpon bite in gusty weather, drift crabs and mullet at the bridges or float ladyfish in the channels. Or seek out a variety of activity in Flamingo, near the southern edge of Florida's mainland. This month in Flamingo, the trout bite was good and I took lots of fish in the 4-pound range. The ladyfish were also biting consistently. They hit hard, pull harder, and also make great tarpon bait when aimed at the channels and runoffs around Flamingo. We also had fun with some large jack crevalle. These voracious eaters fight you all the way to the boat. If you like to cast a fly rod, a nice 10-pound jack will give you all you can handle. We had some great bites from some in the 12-pound range that shot out of the water and crashed down on the fly. It's also a blast to watch jacks hit top-water flies or plugs or streamer flies near the surface. Sharks also make for an exciting day on the water, and can be caught using many different techniques. If you like to sight fish for your prey, shark can be found up on the flats as the water rises and gets deep enough for them to navigate. Cut bait, shrimp, pilchards, and large plugs will get their attention in a hurry. Use wire leader with a big hook, or when throwing plugs, change the treble hooks to strong single hooks. That will make releasing the toothy critters easier and safer for shark and angler.

Once the winds finally broke here and the water slicked out like a pool table, we were able to go looking for tarpon once again. Last week, Sandy Moret of Florida Keys Outfitters and his guest, photographer Dale Spartas, climbed aboard the boat with hardly a breath of wind around us. Dale was almost giddy with excitement. He had just been fishing in Whitewater Bay for nearly a week with not-so-great results. We found some smaller tarpon rolling first thing in the morning and had several shots at some laid-up tarpon. After some great casts and some even greater refusals, we changed up flies and went to a larger fly rod, and tracked down the bigger fish once the sun started to rise. We spotted a school of about seven tarpon facing in all directions. Sandy made a short cast to the left and had some movement, but little interest. Then he made a bold cast into the middle of the school and let the fly sink. Here's where Sandy's angling experience made the difference between a nice cast and a nice catch. When the biggest of the tarpon came toward