Islamorada Fishing Roundup
Brought To You By Captain Greg Ekland
Captain Greg owns and operates the CLOUD NINE in Islamorada out
of Bud & Mary's Marina. You can reach him at 305/360-7476.
email:
info@islamoradafishingtrips.com
or visit his site:
www.islamoradafishingtrips.com
Islamorada
& Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: February 18,2009
This past week I had the pleasure and the honor of going
fishing with four American men who chose years ago to serve
their country. Three were enlisted men, one was an officer,
all are heroes. They were part of a group down here in the
Keys from the Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C. These
men all carried scars and horrific wounds that stop you in
your tracks. They referred to the moment that they were
wounded in terms like "there I was walking on patrol and I
got blown up" or "there was a flash and I was down crawling
to my buddy" almost like me saying "then the fish peeled
off 200 yards of line". It just happen and they moved on.
They spoke of the efforts that they are making to get back
into shape to go back to Iraq, but in terms of when they get
their running leg adjusted and their stump heals completely.
I heard a Staff Sargent from North Carolina who handles
bomb sniffing dogs explain to me with total clarity and
need, how he will be back on patrol in combat as soon as he
gets his wind back and his sprint times down. All this as
he was adjusting the spring action on his artificial leg!
There was no false bravado here, just everyday American men
who have made sacrifices of thei time, their bodies and
their futures so the rest of the world not just America may
be a better place one day.
We were fishing on the charter boat "Relentless" out of Bud
‘n Mary's Marina at mile marker 80 in Islamorada. Capt.
Paul Ross and mate Jimmy Hendricks put on a show! Its no
wonder these guys have dominated the sailfish game as of
late, they never stop looking for signs of bait, birds and
sailfish. We ran up and down the reef-line all day,
constantly changing baits and setups as conditions changed
through out the day. We caught 3 sails the first day and
they caught 6 sails on the second day and won the tournament
that was held for them and their buddies. The soldiers were
far removed from the hospital halls and the hours of therapy
that makes up their days in D.C. They were given a dose of
medicine that can only be found out on the water while
fishing. The effect of the day's fishing is so effective,
yet so simple, you could see the disconnect from the
hospital and how their focus narrows down to the moment, the
task at hand, the rod, the reel and the fish. When you are
concentrating on a running, leaping sailfish on a blue -
blue sea, you can't and won't look too much past the task at
hand. That is the beauty and power of fishing for anyone who
takes a rod and reel up in their hands for a day on the
water. The level of commitment these men showed to recovery
and moving on is amazing and has humbled me. I have an
artificial knee and my other replacement knee is in my
future, I will never complain about either joint again. If
you come across a soldier or veteran of our armed forces
take the time to shake their hand and tell them "Thank You"
and keep your opinion of world politics to yourself.
As far as the fishing on the flats and
backcountry its red hot in the Gulf and the trout bite
around Flamingo is great on either tide. The warm weather
has redfish and snook getting back on track. Soft plastic
jerk baits were producing large trout and snook on the edges
of the channels out west of Flamingo on the incoming tide
and the falling tide was prime time for live shrimp work low
and slow on the bottom.
Thank you to all of the boat crews and to Mangrove Mike's in
Islamorada for taking care of the soldiers from Walter Reed.
Also thank you to the Elk's Club for their efforts, the
lunches from The Island Grill, and many other people who
helped. And thanks to Elizabeth, of this paper, for all her
effort she somehow fit into her schedule to make sure these
soldiers had fun on the water…and her work as the committee
boat and tournament director.
Islamorada & Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: February
11,2009
Welcome to the
Sportfishing Capitol of the World and the Fabulous Florida
Keys. In this weeks addition of the Weekly Fisherman you
will find everything you need to know about what is biting,
who is catching, and what fishing events are happening this
week in the Keys. Make sure to check out the area detailed
fishing reports for more details. Here you will find my
roundup of what is happening in our fishery here in the Keys
this week. If I can help you get hooked up with a local
guide or crew to do some fishing during you visit please
contact me at the above information.
The
Sailfish action heated up of Key Largo and Islamorada last
weekend after the passage of our latest round of cold
fronts. The Islamorada Ladies Sailfish Tournament angler
experienced some excellent Sailfishing. Congratulations to
the team of the Sweet Release on their victory, Sailfishing
should continue to be excellent this week as we crown the
full moon on Monday and the weather forecast calls for
moderating temperatures. In addition to the Sailfish several
other species have been caught along the Keys reef line
lately.
The Cobias
have been showing up with regularity the last ten days.
Several schools have produced fish in fifty pound range.
These hard fighting fish are best taken on live baits such
as grunts, cigar minnows, and pinfish. They can be targeted
along the gulleys and sandy areas along the edge of the reef
and found more often than not following the large black
southern stingrays that frequent these areas. February and
March are the best months to catch Cobias in the Florida
Keys and the early signs for this season look exceptional.
The King Mackerel bite rebounded from the cold snap of last
week over the weekend. The Kings have ranged from 5 to 40
pounds lately with the larger fish holding on the deeper
ledges of the reef. This coming week should produce some
good fishing for the speedy predators as we return to more
normal temperatures and wind direction. The Snapper fishing
turned off with the cold temp of last week but should
rebound this week. Both the top edge of the reef and the
rocky patch areas closer to shore are holding several
species of snappers right now. In addition to the snappers
the red and gag groupers are starting to show up in the
patch reef areas in the northern Keys and this is a good
indicator that the black groupers are soon to arrive.
The
inshore fishing on the Gulf side suffered a bit last week
with the cold temperatures but with the current warming
trend and the rising water temperatures this week fishing
should recover quickly. The Snook, Redfish, and Trout
fishing should be good by weeks end. There are also Spanish
Mackerel, jacks, pompano, and a variety of other fish that
will benefit from the increasing water temperatures. Closer
to the main island chain the Bonefishing has been good on
the incoming tides lately.
This is an amazing
time of year to fish the Florida Keys and experience some of
the best fishing we have to offer. Whether your pleasure is
chasing Sailfish along the reef or a wide variety of fish in
the backcountry you couldn’t be here at a better time. We
have one of the greatest collections of fishing captains and
crews in the world here in the Keys so make sure you take
advantage and go fishing during your visit. Enjoy your week
and feel free to contact me if I can help you with questions
or arrangements. Great Fishing! Capt. Greg
Islamorada & Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: February
04,2009
Welcome to the
Sportfishing Capitol of the World and the Fabulous Florida
Keys. You are here in the Keys at one of the best times of
the year to get in on some amazing fishing action. In this
weeks addition of the Weekly Fisherman you will find
everything you need to know about what is biting, who is
catching, and what fishing events are happening this week in
the Keys. Make sure to check out the area detailed fishing
reports for more details. Here you will find my roundup of
what is happening in our fishery here in the Keys this week.
If I can help you get hooked up with a local guide or crew
to do some fishing during you visit please contact me at the
above information.
Offshore
fishing this past week has been excellent. The Sailfish
bite has continued to please visiting anglers. The Sails
are taking advantage of excellent bait supplies holding
along the edge of the reef as their primary food source.
Ballyhoo, Sardines, Cigar minnows, and Pilchards have been
providing a variety of bait choices for our anglers and
different fish species. Slow trolling these baits or
fishing them from kites has proved very effective for most
of the crews looking to catch Sailfish. With the passing of
two more cold fronts early this week I expect the Sailfish
bite to continue to be strong. The Sailfish are not the
only game in town right now. The King Mackerel bite has
produced lots of fish lately in the 5 to 35 pound range.
These speedy predators are holding best around the wrecks
and ledges of the reef in 110 to 150 feet of water. The
Cobias have also shown up in force during the last week.
Several schools of these hard fighting fish have been
prowling the ocean side of the Keys from the edge of the
reef inshore to the patch areas. These fish are a ton of
fun to catch and have been caught between 15 to 50 pounds in
the last few days. This fishery should continue to better
over the next few weeks.
Along the reef
edge and patch reef areas the snapper fishing has started to
rally. Yellowtail and Mangrove snappers are starting to
bite during the warming periods between cold fronts. The
Mutton snapper and Grouper bite has also better. Several
Captains from up and down the Keys are reporting quality
catches of these larger bottom fish. The patch reef areas
are also producing some great Cero Mackerel fishing. These
fish are the smaller cousins of the King’s and make for some
great table fair and as well as fast action. Light wire
leaders and plenty of chum can really spark these guys into
a feeding frenzy.
The skinny
water fishing along the flats and mangrove areas of the
backcountry has been producing some great Snook fishing.
Last weekend marked the 2009 Swamp Guides tournament and the
anglers toughed out some cold windy conditions to raise a
ton of money for charity. Congratulations go out to all of
those who participated and organized this great event. In
addition to the excellent Snook bite several of the area
guides have been catching a good number of Redfish and
Trout. There have also been some early signs of Tarpon and
Bonefish activity during the warming periods between
fronts.
This is an
amazing time of year to fish the Florida Keys and experience
some of the best fishing we have to offer. Whether your
pleasure is chasing Sailfish along the reef or a wide
variety of fish in the backcountry you couldn’t be here at a
better time. We have one of the greatest collections of
fishing captains and crews in the world here in the Keys so
make sure you take advantage and go fishing during your
visit. Enjoy your week and feel free to contact me if I can
help you with questions or arrangements. Great Fishing!
Capt. Greg
Islamorada & Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: January
28,2009
Welcome to
the Fabulous Florida Keys and the Sport Fishing Capitol of
the World. Fishing this past week here in the Islands has
been fantastic. Along the reef edge on the Ocean side of
the Keys the Sailfish action has been consistent with most
crews releasing 3 to 5 fish a day. Out back in the Gulf
of Mexico the King Mackerel and Cobia fishing around the
numerous wrecks and ledges has been producing some awesome
fish to fifty pounds. We are in the height of the winter
fishing season here in the Keys and as a visiting angler
you couldn’t have picked a better time to come here
fishing.
As I
mentioned above the Sailfish action has been very good
along the reef from Ocean reef to Key West. The strong
series of cold fronts we have experienced over the last
ten days has held up the migratory sailfish in large
quantities around the bait that is heavily stacked on the
shallower ledges of the reef line. Ballyhoo, sardines,
cigar minnows, and goggles eyes are all providing forage
for the Sailfish that are here right now. We have been
using several of these baits, flown under kites for
stealth, to produce some quality fishing for our clients.
Last week concluded the Florida Keys Sailfish Gold Cup
Series with the Islamorada Fishing Club’s Sailfish
Tourney. The Relentless team ran away with the last event
and closed out the series winning all three legs of the
Gold Cup. The Relentless team is led by Capt. Paul Ross
and featured anglers Jim Hendrix, Jimmy and Debbie David
from Miami, and Fenton Langston of Key Largo. They
released 48 sailfish in 6 days of fishing while on their
way to top honors in the Gold Cup series. Congratulations
to all of them on their victories and very impressive
season.
The Sailfish
are not the only game in town on the Ocean side these
days. The King Mackerel schools have taken up residence
Keys wide and range in size from a few pounds to more than
fifty pounds. The larger Kings have been holding in
120-180 feet of water and falling for cigar minnows, blue
runners, and speedos. These make for great sport on light
tackle and should remain in place in our waters now
through March. There has also been an increasing number
of Cobia caught lately. These fish are migrating through
our area right now and range in size from 10 to more than
60 pounds. They can be found along the shallower ledges
in the reef all the way back to the wrecks on the Gulf
side. Sight fishing for these powerhouse fish can
produce the best results and some great fights for
visiting anglers. These fish will also continue to
congregate in our area now through the middle of March.
As we approach the beginning of February we will see an
increase in the number of Snappers and Groupers along the
top edge of the reef. These fish start to assemble this
time of year into pre-spawning schools and we will see
fishing for these species improve over the next few weeks.
The inshore
fishing has also been improving. The Redfish and Trout
are biting well in several spots in Everglades National
Park and around the banks and Islands to the SW toward Key
West. The bonefishing has been excellent on the rising
water nearer the main Island chain lately. As we start to
get more warm days between our cold fronts in February the
fishing will only improve on the flats. Once the water
temps warm back into the 70’s we should also see the first
signs of Tarpon activity in our area in several months.
February is a
great month to fish here in the Keys. We have a lot of
excellent action for visiting anglers this time of year
and our world class collection of guides and crews are
available to put you on them. If I can answer any
questions you have about fishing here in the Florida Keys
or help you get hooked up with a day on the water please
contact me at the number or email above. Have a great
week and good fishing! Capt. Greg
Islamorada & Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: January
21,2009
Welcome to the
Fabulous Florida Keys, the home of the Sportfishing
Capital of the World and the original Weekly Fisherman
newspaper. In this week’s issue you will find an overview
of what has been biting Keys wide, what to expect in the
upcoming week of fishing and who made news in the fleet.
You will also find area detailed reports from local
Captains who bring their on-water experiences back and
share them with you. If I can help you get hooked up
with a local crew to do some fishing while you are in the
area please contact me at the information above.
This past
week marked the middle of the Sailfish tournament season
here in the Keys with the passing of the Annual Islamorada
Presidential Sailfish Tournament. This event replaced the
Cheeca Lodge Presidential as the second leg of the Florida
Keys Sailfish Gold Cup Series while the lodge cleans up
after the fire. The field of 28 boats enjoyed a good bite
of Sailfish both days -- landing a hundred or so fish.
The Relentless Team led by Capt. Paul Ross released 11
fish to take first place. They also won the opening leg
of the Gold Cup Series and have a commanding 6 fish lead
over the Real McCoy team going in to the last leg this
Thursday at the Islamorada Fishing Club.
The weather
conditions the last week have taken on a familiar pattern
for this time of year as the cold fronts from the north
have been flying through every four days or so. This
fact, combined with the large volume of bait that we have
on the edge of the reef Keys wide, has been producing some
excellent Sailfishing. The high hook-ups of the fleet have
been catching five to ten Sails a day. I expect the
weather and fishing to continue the same patterns this
week.
The King
Mackerel fishing has also been very good. Large Kings to
45 pounds have been caught by several of the boats in the
fleet recently. These fish are feeding on larger baits
along the ledges in the reef from 90 to 150 feet and are
being caught Keys wide. There has also been good fishing
for Greater Amberjacks, Blackfin Tuna, Wahoo, and Cobias
lately. This is the time of year in the Keys when the
winter time fishery is in full swing. Make sure you get
out and do some fishing during the next two weeks while
all of this action is available to you.
Further back
into the Gulf the Spanish Mackerel bite has continued to
be strong. These fish are in place from 5 to 15 miles to
the West of the Keys and are congregated around areas of
structure in 7 to 20 feet of water. The succession of
Cold fronts has sparked the Snook bite back in the creeks
and rivers of the Cape. There have also been some quality
schools of Redfish and Trout on the Bayside. The
bonefishing has been good closer to the Islands along the
Ocean flats during the heat of the day. We will start to
see a warming of the water temps in the shallows over the
next 30 days and the beginning of February will find more
and more guides and their anglers out on the water
catching these and other species.
There is no
better time to come out and experience some of the best
fishing the Florida Keys has to offer. Whether your
pleasure is chasing Sailfish along the reef or a wide
variety of fish in the backcountry you couldn’t be here at
a better time. We have one of the greatest collections of
fishing captains and crews in the world here in the Keys
so make sure you take advantage and go fishing during your
visit. Enjoy your stay here in the Sportfishing Capital
of the World and please get out and enjoy our amazing
fishery. Good fishing Capt. Greg
Islamorada & Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: January
14,2009
Welcome to the
Fabulous Florida Keys, the home of the Sportfishing
Capital of the World and the original Weekly Fisherman
newspaper. In this week’s issue you will find an overview
of what has been biting Keys wide, what to expect in the
upcoming week of fishing and who made news in the fleet
were last week. You will also find area detailed reports
from local Captains who bring their on-water experiences
back and share them with you. If I can help you get
hooked up with a local crew to do some fishing while you
are in the area please contact me at the information
above.
From North Key
Largo to Key West the excellent Sailfish bite has been a
main stay for the fleet lately. The Islamorada
Invitational Flyrod Tournament out of the Florida Keys
Outfitters was held this last week. Capt Charlie Scoble
and his team on the YO HO HO released two fish to come
away with the Grand Champion honors. The two day event
drew several quality teams. The Sailfish were difficult
to get to tease to the fly but the fleet hooked several
fish and landed only three. The Sailfishing on live bait
has continued to be excellent. The fish are focused along
the shallower edge of the reef and are using the huge
schools of ballyhoo baitfish as their main supply of
food.
Besides the
great Sailfishing we are experiencing an excellent bite of
King Mackerel. These fish have been held up on the
shallower ledges of the reef from 35 to 140 feet of
water. These speedy predators make for some great light
tackle action and can be taken in a variety of ways. They
have ranged in weight from 5 to 40 pounds and will
continue to provide some excellent action for the next few
weeks. The Cobias are starting to show up in force on the
Ocean side of the Keys. Several boats out of Marathon
caught a number of these great sport fish between 30 and
60 pounds last week. As we continue into January the
Cobias will continue to show up in larger numbers Keys
wide inside the edge of the reef. Bottom fishing along
the reef and patch reef has continued to produce good
numbers of smaller Mutton Snapper, Yellowtail Snapper, and
some great Cero Mackerel action. Look for this all to
continue to be good next week.
The
weather man is forecasting a strong cold front to move
through the Keys midweek. This front should be excellent
for fishing as it will cycle the migratory fish along the
edge of the reef and refresh the stocks of bait held up
along the ledges of the reef. We are still holding some
impressive stocks of Ballyhoo, cigar minnows, sardines,
and pilchards in our area. This abundance of bait has not
only made catching bait easier for the local crews but is
also providing some excellent forage for all of the fish
species the fleet is currently targeting. This should
continue to be the case this month and help to encourage
the fish migrating by our reef to stop and feed for a
while in between fronts. And help make all the
tournaments this week have a good bite! Don’t Forget the
Islamorada Presidental will be held at Marker 88
Restaurant, 15th thru 17th – contact
Dianne at 305/852-2101 or email
ditournaments@aol.com.
Further back
into the Gulf the Spanish Mackerel bite has continued to
be strong. These fish are in place from 5 to 15 miles to
the West of the Keys and are congregated around areas of
structure in 7 to 20 feet of water. There has also been
some good Cobia action in the Gulf during the past ten
days. Several Guides reported excellent Redfish and Trout
bites in Everglades National Park to the West of Key Largo
and Islamorada as well as off the Marqueses and back side
of Key West. There have also been some good numbers of
Snook along the outer banks of the Park and up into the
estuaries of Flamingo.
There is no
better time to come out and experience some of the best
fishing the Florida Keys has to offer. Whether your
pleasure is chasing Sailfish along the reef or a wide
variety of fish in the backcountry you couldn’t be here at
a better time. We have one of the greatest collections of
fishing captains and crews in the world here in the Keys
so make sure you take advantage and go fishing during your
visit. Enjoy your stay here in the Sportfishing Capital
of the World and please get out and enjoy our amazing
fishery.
Good fishing Capt.
Greg
Islamorada & Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: January
07,2009
Happy New Year and
welcome to the Fabulous Florida Keys, the home of the
Sportfishing Capital of the World and the original Weekly
Fisherman newspaper. In this week’s issue you will find an
overview of what has been biting Keys wide, what to expect
in the upcoming week of fishing and who stand outs in the
fleet were last week. You will also find area detailed
reports from local Captains who bring their on water
experiences back and share them with you. If I can help
you get hooked up with a local crew to do some fishing while
you are in the area please contact me at the information
above.
From North
Key Largo to Key West the excellent Sailfish bite has been a
main stay for the fleet lately. The Sailfish tournament
schedule continued last weekend as the Key Largo Sailfish
tournament drew a field of more than 20 boats.
Congratulations go to the Kalex team out of Bud n Mary’s
marina in Islamorada led by Capt. Alex Adler who released 11
Sails on their way to a first place finish. The Islamorada
Invitational Sailfish Flyrod tournament kicks off this week
out of the Florida Keys Outfitters in Islamorada. This
event always draws some great crews and anglers from all
over the Keys and takes the art of Sailfishing to the next
level.
Besides
the great Sailfishing we are experiencing an excellent bite
of King Mackerel. These fish have been held up on the
shallower ledges of the reef from 35 to 140 feet of water.
These speedy predators make for some great light tackle
action and can be taken in a variety of ways. They have
ranged in weight from 5 to 40 pounds and will continue to
provide some excellent action for the next few weeks. The
Cobias are starting to show up in force on the Ocean side of
the Keys. Several boats out of Marathon caught a number of
these great sport fish between 30 and 60 pounds last week.
As we continue into January the Cobias will continue to show
up in larger numbers Keys wide inside the edge of the reef.
Bottom fishing along the reef and patch reef has continued
to produce good numbers of smaller Mutton Snapper,
Yellowtail Snapper, and some great Cero Mackerel action.
Look for this all to continue to be good next week.
The
weather man is forecasting a strong cold front to move
through the Keys midweek. This front should be excellent
for fishing as it will cycle the migratory fish along the
edge of the reef and refresh the stocks of bait held up
along the ledges of the reef. We are still holding some
impressive stocks of Ballyhoo, cigar minnows, sardines, and
pilchards in our area. This abundance of bait has not only
made catching bait easier for the local crews but is also
providing some excellent forage for all of the fish species
the fleet is currently targeting. This should continue to
be the case this month and help to encourage the fish
migrating by our reef to stop and feed for a while in
between fronts.
Further back into
the Gulf the Spanish Mackerel bite has continued to be
strong. These fish are in place from 5 to 15 miles to the
West of the Keys and are congregated around areas of
structure in 7 to 20 feet of water. There has also been
some good Cobia action in the Gulf during the past ten
days. Several Guides reported excellent Redfish and Trout
bites in Everglades National Park to the West of Key Largo
and Islamorada as well as off the Marqueses and back side of
Key West. There have also been some good numbers of Snook
along the outer banks of the Park and up into the estuaries
of Flamingo.
This week
in the Keys brings us not only the beginning of a new year
but also a huge number of visiting anglers to our waters.
There is no better time to come out and experience some of
the best fishing the Florida Keys has to offer. Whether
your pleasure is chasing Sailfish along the reef or a wide
variety of fish in the backcountry you couldn’t be here at a
better time. We have one of the greatest collections of
fishing captains and crews in the world here in the Keys so
make sure you take advantage and go fishing during your
visit. Enjoy your stay here in the Sportfishing Capital of
the World and have a wonderful start to your New Year!
Capt. Greg
Islamorada
& Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: December 31,2009
Keys
wide the Sailfish bite continued to be strong last week.
The Christmas week brought with it some strong East winds
and the Sailfish responded by congregating along the
shallower ledges in the reef. The Sails have been
showering large schools of Ballyhoo baitfish up and down
the reef. They are also taking advantage of the large
amount of sardines and cigar minnows that are holding in
75 to 130 feet of water. Casting and trolling Ballyhoos,
cigar minnows, and sardines as well as flying baits from
kites has been producing multiple releases for a lot of
the crews from Key Largo to Key West. The King Mackerel
bite has also been excellent. Large fish to 50 pounds are
lined up along the reef from the western edge of Key West
to Key Largo. These fish are aggressive feeders and make
for great action on light tackle. The Kings should
continue to be in our area in great number for the next
few weeks. Several boats in the Key Largo and Islamorada
area experienced some great Wahoo action last week.
Wahoos from 25 to 60 pounds took trolled and live baits in
150 to 240 feet of water. The heavy East winds of last
week have given way to light breezes this week and that
should bring with it some great conditions for catching
these drag sizzling speedsters. Large baits such as
speedos, goggle eyes, and smaller bonitos are all prime
choices for baiting up these great fish. Further inshore
the patch reef fishing has produced some great catches
lately. Large Mutton Snappers, Cero mackerel, Yellowtail
Snapper, Black and Red Groupers, and a few Hogfish have
been filling up several local boats’ coolers and providing
some excellent action for anglers. When the wind is up
and the water is muddy this alternative to the deeper
water can be very productive.
The
winds of last week created some good conditions for
mudding Bonefish along the ocean side of the Keys.
Several captains and there anglers braved the windy
conditions and caught good numbers of these active fish.
Further back into the Gulf the Spanish Mackerel bite has
continued to be strong. These fish are in place from 5 to
15 miles to the West of the Keys and are congregated
around areas of structure in 7 to 20 feet of water. There
has also been some good Cobia action in the Gulf during
the past ten days. These fish are hard fighting and make
excellent table fair. They should remain in good number
this week both on the Gulf and Ocean sides of the Keys.
Several Guides reported excellent Redfish and Trout bites
in Everglades National Park to the West of Key Largo and
Islamorada. There have also been some good numbers of
Snook along the outer banks of the Park and up into the
estuaries of the Cape.
This
week in the Keys brings us not only the beginning of a new
year but also a huge number of visiting anglers to our
waters. For those of you that have come to fish our
waters you will no doubt be greeted by some of the best
fishing we have to offer. Whether your pleasure is
chasing Sailfish along the reef or a wide variety of fish
in the backcountry, you couldn’t be here at a better
time. We have one of the greatest collections of fishing
captains and crew in the world here in the Keys to guide
you to some of this excellent fishing. If I can help you
with setting up a trip or answering any of your questions
please give me a ring. Enjoy your visit to the
Sportfishing Capital of the World and have a wonderful
start to your New Year! Capt. Greg
Islamorada
& Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: December 24,2009
Welcome to the
Fabulous Florida Keys, the home of the Sportfishing Capital
of the World and the original Weekly Fisherman newspaper.
In this week’s issue you will find a quick overview of what
has been biting Keys wide, what to expect in the upcoming
week, and who the stand outs were in the fleet this week
past. Also make sure to check out the fishing reports from
each of the contributing Captains for detailed fishing
information from their area.
Chamber of Commerce
weather and good numbers of Sailfish greeted the Florida
Keys Junior anglers last week during the Islamorada Junior
Sailfish Tournament. The team of the Contagious led
by Capt. Brian Cone took top honors with a two day total of
nine Sailfish releases. This event has received a lot of
support from both visiting anglers, local kids, and
corporate sponsors over the years and this year’s event was
a huge success. Congratulations to all of those who
participated on a job well done. It is great to see the
future of our sport doing so well.
As we enter
Christmas week here in the Florida Keys we are all excited
about the quality of fishing the Keys waters is offering to
this years visiting anglers Huge numbers of cigar minnows
and sardines continue to dominate the bait supply along the
ledges of the reef from Key Largo to Key West. Several
Species of gamefish are using this bait supply as their main
food source from the top edge of the reef out to 300 feet of
water. Large numbers of Sailfish and King Mackerel are
stacked up along several of these ledges in the reef. The
Sailfishing has been excellent in South Key Largo, Northern
Islamorada, Marathon, and Key West. Most boats have been
releasing multiple fish a day and this pattern should
continue for the next few weeks. The arrival this past week
of huge numbers of King Mackerel has also brought us some
excellent fishing action. These fish have been as large as
55 pounds and there are several fish in the 20 to35 pound
range to catch. The Kings make great sport on light line
and can be caught right now from the top edge of the reef
out to 165 feet. The Cobia fishing is a two sided story
this week. A few fish to 35 pounds were caught on the
Oceanside last week but the real numbers of these fish are
staged on the gulfside from 10 to 20 miles out. We are due
a cold front Tuesday which should help to move these fish
out to the reefs on the Oceanside where the offshore fleet
can get the anglers into schools of these great fish. Look
for Cobia fishing to be very good in the area for the next
few weeks. A few Blackfin Tunas, Amberjacks, and lots of
Sharks have been biting at the area humps in 450 to 750 feet
of water. Further inshore we are catching good numbers of
Mutton Snappers to 20 pounds. We are also starting to see
the arrival of a few Black Groupers to the area. Last but
not least are the Wahoos. Christmas week always seems to
bring with it the arrival of several schools of Wahoo to the
Keys waters and this year should be no different. A few
were caught last week to 50 pounds and once the winds settle
out from the front early in the week we should see more of
these great fish hanging on the docks in the afternoon.
Inshore the Redfish
action has been great. The fish have been averaging 5 to 7
pounds and feeding on the flats around several of the island
and mainland shorelines this week. As predicted the calm
weather last week was great for inshore fishing. Several
guides reported great catches of Spanish Mackerel, Goliath
Grouper, Cobia, Tripletail and Mangrove snappers. Several
guides also reported solid Bonefishing on the Oceanside
flats this past week. The Spanish Mackerel bite continues
to be excellent. These fish have set up residence in the
Gulf off of Islamorada, Marathon and Key West. There have
also been several Pompano, Sea Trout and Ladyfish and Sharks
caught in the back waters of late. As we cycle yet another
cold front this week look for the inshore fishing to pick up
as the winds settle out and go back to the E/NE.
Once again welcome
to the Florida Keys and thanks for spending your holidays
with us. Fortunately for you, you have landed here in the
middle of some great fishing. Make sure you include some
time on the water this week during your holiday visit and
take advantage of some of the best fishing we have had this
season. I would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and if
I can help you book a charter in the area or answer any
questions please feel free to contact me at the above
number. Enjoy your week here in fishing paradise! Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year! Capt. Greg
Islamorada
& Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: December 17,2009
Y
et
again this week the Sailfish bite has been excellent. The
two tournaments out of Islamorada this week both posted
large numbers of Sailfish releases. The Main Attraction out
of Marathon with Capt. Marty Lewis and crew released 17
Sailfish in one day to win the Islamorada Fishing Club’s
Captains Cup tourney. They were followed closely by the crew
of the Reel McCoy out of Bud N Mary’s Marina in Islamorada
with 16 releases. The 15 boat fleet released a total of 130
Sailfish in the one day tournament. This quality of fishing
continued last weekend for the Don Gurgiolo Sailfish
Classic. The crew of the Carib Sea led by Capt. Kenny
Spaulding released 17 Sailfish to take top honors. The Kalex
led by Capt. Alex Adlertook second place and were followed
in third by Capt. Paul Ross and the Relentless team.
There is no
doubt that the weather patterns have been a major part of
the great bite the Keys has been experiencing lately. The
last cold front was followed up by a period of light
Northeast breezes and the fish have been piling up along the
reef from Key Largo to Key West. Last week I reported the
early arrival of monster masses of sardines and cigar
minnows along the deeper ledges of the reef. Well the good
news is that they are still here in large quantity and they
are providing some excellent forage for several of our
winter time species here in the Keys. Sailfish, Wahoo,
Dolphin, Blackfin Tuna, and King Mackerel have all been
caught this past week by the fleet Keys wide. The King
Mackerel fishing has been consistent this week and with the
arrival of the next cold front due by Friday we should
continue to see good numbers of these fish in our waters
Keys wide. Some of the Kings the last few days have been up
to 40 pounds and they have averaged 15 to 20 pounds. Cigar
minnows have been the bait of choice but Blue runner and
speedos have taken their share as well. Several packs of
Dolphin have been using the deeper ledges of the reef the
last few days and they should continue to be evident this
week as the weather man is calling for some stiff breezes
out of the SE early in the week before the arrival of the
next cold front. The Cobia bite this week is still improving
and a few fish to forty pounds were found along the
shallower edge of the reef on the ocean side and on several
of the wrecks back into the Gulf of Mexico. The Blackfin
Tuna have been busting the large masses of sardines and
cigar minnows in 180 to 240 feet of water. These fish have
average 8 to 12 pounds and been as large as 20 pounds this
past week. All of this fishing action mentioned above should
continue to thrive this next week as we welcome the arrival
of the Holidays guests to the Keys.
Inshore
several Snook and Redfish are gathered up on the flats and
creeks in Everglades National Park. The warm weather early
this week should elevate the water temps on the flats and
get these fish really happy. The Bonefish will also benefit
from the warmer water temps and should be good this week.
Several guys reported solid bonefishing on the Ocean side
flats this past week. The Spanish Mackerel bite continues to
be excellent. These fish have set up residence in the Gulf
off of Islamorada, Marathon and Key West. There has also
been several Pompano, Sea Trout and Goliath Grouper caught
in the back waters of late. As we cycle yet another cold
front later this week look for the inshore fishing to pick
up as the winds settle out and go back to the NE.
The arrival
of the Christmas Holiday crowds early next week are no doubt
going to be welcomed by the Keys residents with open arms
this year. Most of the Fishing fleet will be on the water
over the next 7 to 10 days and with all of the great fishing
we should have some extremely happy visiting anglers. I
would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and if I can help
you book a charter in the area or answer any questions
please feel free to contact me at the above number.
Enjoy your week
here in fishing paradise!
Capt. Greg
Islamorada & Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: December
10,2009
Sailfish
Everywhere! That has been the hot topic in the Keys now for
three weeks and last weekend’s Islamorada Sailfish
Tournament posted some amazing numbers. 30 boats turned out
from all over South Florida to compete in the tournament and
caught more than 400 Sailfish in three days. When the smoke
settled, team Relentless, lead by Paul Ross from Bud N
Mary’s Marina in Islamorada, released 30 fish over the three
days to take top honors. Capt. George McElveen on the Reel
McCoy and his team took second and the XXX team was third.
Again, this
week the weather has been excellent for fishing here in the
Keys. The last cold front was followed by a period of light
Northeast breezes and the fish have been piling up along the
reef from Key Largo to Key West. The headline news for
fisherman this week has been the early arrival of monster
masses of sardines and cigar minnows along the deeper ledges
of the reef. Normally we don’t see this amount of bait until
early January and it is attracting large amounts of
Sailfish, Blackfin Tuna, and King Mackerel. The King
Mackerel fishing has been excellent early this week and with
the arrival of the next cold front due by Friday we should
continue to see good numbers of these fish Keys-wide. Some
of the Kings the last few days have been up to 40 pounds and
average 15 to 20 pounds. Cigar minnowshave been the bait of
choice, but Blue runner and speedos have taken their share
as well. The Cobia have also continued to gather on the
Atlantic side and on several of the wrecks in the Gulf.
Reports from fisherman north of the Keys on both the Gulf
and Atlantic sides have been excellent and we are due some
big numbers of these fish during the next few weeks.
Inshore, the
Redfish and Snook bite has also been excellent. Several of
the flats to the west of Key Largo, back towards Everglades
National Park are holding good schools of these fish. There
has also been a great Sea Trout bite back in the park during
the last few days. The lighter winds and sunny weather last
week also perked up the Bonefish both on the Ocean and Bay
side flats Keys-wide. The Bonefish bite has been best at
midday into the afternoon as
the shallower
waters warm and the fish become more active on the flats.
The Spanish Mackerel bite was also excellent this past week.
These fish have set up residence in the Gulf off of
Islamorada, Marathon and Key West. The Spanish Macks are
aggressive eaters and make great targets on any tackle of
your choice. As the winds settle out from the passage of the
latest cold front early this week, this great inshore
fishing action will surely continue.
In the Upper
Keys this week the Sailfish tournament trail continues with
the Islamorada Fishing Club’s $25,000 Captain’s Cup on
Thursday and The Don Gurgiolo Sailfish Tourney on Saturday
and Sunday. If you would like more information about how you
can participate in this events please contact Dianne
Harbaugh directly at (305) 852-2102 for The Captains Cup and
Tammie Gurgiolo at (305) 852-9337 (or email her at
fishinbully@msn. com). As
you can see, the fishing here in the Florida Keys is
excellent right now. If I can help you book a charter in the
area or answer any questions please feel free to contact me
at the above number.
Enjoy your week
here in fishing paradise!
Capt. Greg
Islamorada
& Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: December 03,2009
Again this week the
Sailfish bite has been epic throughout the Keys. The crew of
the Sachem led by Capt. Bill Bassett and mate Bill Chapman
topped the fleet this week in Sailfish releases. His anglers
Carrie and Charlie Owens, their daughter Diana and son in
law Joe Harris and their two sons Joe and Nathan caught an
impressive 42 out of 53 Sailfish in seven days. This family
has been fishing the Keys for more than 25 years and this is
the best Sailfish bite they have ever seen this time of
year. Last week was also a banner week for some of the Key’s
junior anglers. Cheyenne Cale age 11, released her first 3
Sailfish last Sunday with the help of Cameron Bassett on the
wire aboard the Sachem. Capt. Kenny Spaulding from the Carib
Sea guided his son K. C., age 8, to his first Sailfish on
fly. The fish ate a tube fly and K.C. battled the fish to
the boat in less than 15 minutes where he promptly retrieved
his fly and set the fish free. Bailey Hypes, age 8, caught a
38 pound Wahoo on 12lb. test with us aboard the Cloud Nine.
These kids are the future of fishing here in the Keys and it
is great to see them prosper so early in their angling
careers. Congratulations to All on a job well done!
As we
discussed last week, the weather pattern here in the Keys
has been excellent for fishing. As we roll in to the
beginning of this week we are due yet another cold front and
then a 5 to 7 day period of North to Northeast winds. This
continuation of the favorable weather pattern will no doubt
keep the Sailfish bite strong Keys wide. Another factor that
has helped make the offshore fishing excellent recently is
the extraordinary number of baitfish that have assembled
along the edge of the reef from north Key Largo to Key West.
Huge schools of Ballyhoo, cigar minnows and Sardines are
shimmering along the edge of the reef. This huge mass of
bait is providing a very attractive food source for the
various species of game fish currently migrating through the
Key’s waters. Besides the large number of Sails in the area
we are starting to see the arrival of several small King
Mackerel and some healthy Cobias. Last week the Kings ran 5
to 10 pounds and a few of the Cobias even topped 40 pounds.
These fish will continue to stack up for the next few weeks
and provide prime opportunities for anglers to enjoy a
variety of fish to chase.
Inshore the
Redfish and Snook bite has been excellent. Several of the
flats to the West of Key Largo back towards Everglades
National Park are holding good schools of these fish. The
lighter winds and sunny weather last week also perked up the
Bonefish both on the Ocean and Bay side flats Keys wide. The
Bonefish bite has been best midday into the afternoon as the
shallower waters warm and the fish become more active on the
the flats. The Spanish Mackerel bite was also excellent this
past week. These fish have set up residence in the Gulf off
of Islamorada, Marathon and Key West. The Spanish Macks are
aggressive eaters and make great targets on any tackle of
your choice. As the winds settle out from the passage of the
latest cold front early this week, this great inshore
fishing action will surely continue.
This week
marks the opening of the Sailfish tournament season here in
the Keys with the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament. The
tournament is sponsored by the Islamorada Charterboat
Association and draws anglers from all over the country. The
three days of competition make up half of the angling days
for the Florida Keys Sailfish Gold Cup series. Fishing
begins Friday, Dec. 5th and should post some great numbers
this year with all of the fish in town. If you would like
more information about how you can participate in this event
please contact Dianne Harbaugh directly at (305) 852-2102 or
visit the website at www. islamoradasailfishtournament.com.
Please give me a call if you would like to get in on some
of this great Florida Keys fishing or have some of your own
fish stories for next week’s column. Thanks to everyone that
contributed their efforts to this week’s column. Have a
great week!
Capt. Greg
Islamorada
& Florida Keys Fishing Roundup Report: November 26,2008
The Sailfish bite
Keys wide has been off the charts and tops the headlines
this week. A large number of Sailfish are held up from South
Key Largo throughout Islamorada and down to Marathon and
have been aggressively feeding on huge schools of ballyhoo
stacked up along the shallow ledges of the reef. Last week
on Thursday, Friday and Saturday the bite from Islamorada to
Key West was off the hook. Capt. George McElveen on the Reel
McCoy out of Bud N Mary’s Marina in Islamorada released 16
Sails in a single day. A few other Islamorada boats topped
ten releases and Capt. Brad Simmons in Key West reported
similar success. The current North to Northeast weather
pattern and water temps in the high 70’s have set the stage
for a great start to the Sailfish season just in time for
the Holiday crowds. The large number of baitfish along the
edge of the reef is impressive for this time of year and the
favorable North northeast weather pattern is forecast to
hold through the weekend. All these factors point to a great
bite of Sails this Thanksgiving week so make sure you get
out on the water and enjoy these prime conditions.
The Sailfish
are not the only game in town right now. The Dolphin bite
has begun to taper off a bit but there have still been a few
gaffer size fish on the inshore current and color changes of
the Gulfstream. There was a color change brewing to the
southeast of Key West over the weekend and if the Dolphin
are going to continue this week you can bet areas like this
will be the best. There are some Blackfin Tunas hanging
around the area humps and wrecks. These fish have been in
the 10 to 25 pound range but the sharks have been hungry and
getting a whole one to the boat has been more than difficult
at several of the spots. The King Mack bite has continued to
be on the slow side. With the water temps still on the warm
side we might still be a few weeks away from a big push of
these toothy critters. Bottom fishing has been good inshore
along the patches from Key Largo to Key West. A few Mutton
Snapper and a steady bite of Yellowtail and Mangrove
snappers have been reported area-wide. The upper Keys will
be first to sound off that the groupers are here and should
start to gather up a few of these fish during the next
couple of weeks. Be on the look out for the arrival of the
Cobias as well. Several of the wrecks off of the Cape are
holding good numbers of these great fighting fish and with
all of the North-based wind we are having, their arrival on
the ocean side of the Keys in number is due.
Inshore, the
windy weather has made the Bonefish scarce. Further back
toward Everglades National Park, the Snook bite was good for
those that toughed out the windy conditions. Prior to the
arrival of the wind, the Spanish Mackerel bite was excellent
out into the Gulf. These fish are great light tackle and fly
targets and should continue to provide some excellent action
for the inshore anglers as we push into December.
The Sailfish
Tournament season here in the Keys kicks off December 4th
with the Islamorada Sailfish Tourney. For more information
you can visit the tournament’s website at
www.islamoradasailfishtournament. com or contact Dianne
Harbaugh directly at (305) 852-2102. It is followed up by
the Islamorada Fishing Club’s $25,000 Captain’s Cup December
10th and 11th. Again, contact Dianne at the above number for
more information. Enjoy your Thanksgiving week and make sure
you get out on the water to take advantage of this awesome
Sailfish bite. If I can help you get hooked up with a crew
in your area or you have some information you want to get in
next week’s column, please contact me at the above
information.
Good Fishing! Capt.
Greg