Key Largo Backcountry fishing report :: Key Largo, Everglades, Biscayne Bay area

The early week drop in water temperatures back into the mid 60’s coupled with the full moon, put a dampening on the snook bite. The 3 days before and after a full moon is great for nighttime fishing but slow the daytime bite. Don’t worry; the great thing about the Florida Keys is the diversity of species available to anglers. You just need to alter your targeted species and be versatile on the water. Speckled trout are one of my favorite species to target because they don’t seem to mind the colder temperatures or full moons yet provide a fun day of fishing for just about anyone. All you need is some medium action rods with light line (6-10 lb.) and cajun thunder popping corks along with an 1/8 oz HookUp Lure and Berkley Gulp baits. I’ve had the best results with the Berkley swimming mullet and shrimp for catching the bigger trout. This past week we’ve caught several trout in the 3-4 pound range. These larger trout are all females preparing for their annual spring spawning cycle. If you don’t know of any good trout spots all you have to do is drift one of the many mullet muds from Key Largo to Flamingo. In the northeast portions of the bay we have been most productive in grass lined bays with 3-6 foot depths. Just about any of the grass bays and channels surrounding Flamingo will have trout. Not all of them will hold trout but just give it a few casts and move along to the next one until you find them.

The snook bite is steadily improving as water temperatures are back to the high 70’s. This past week we found snook in some of the creeks and channels. As always, I pay close attention to the presence of mullet in the area. If there’s no sign of mullet there probably aren’t any snook so move on if you don’t get a bite within the first 10-20 minutes. When rigging for snook I use 10 lb braided line with 30 lb fluorocarbon leader and a 2/0 live bait hook or circle hook. I prefer using live bait when snook fishing on anchor in the channels. The best technique is to pitch baits up-current along the mangroves letting the baits sweep down current staying in the most productive zones. Pay close attention to any eddys or current breaks as these are great ambush spots. Snook will stack in areas of low current so they do not need to expend a lot of energy as they wait for the water to sweep the bait to them. As always, handle the snook with care and spend a minute to revive the fish before letting them go.

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

Batten down the hatches because Mother Nature has been sending some strong winds down to the Keys. I keep taping my computer monitor because 15-20 knots seems to be burning into the screen. This is not a good month for the ultra light poling skiff owners. But the trend in the backcountry seems to be larger flats boats and the latest breed of skinny water bay boats. Although many of the larger flats and bay boats do offer poling platforms, this is really not a viable option unless the conditions are perfect. But this time of year the fish aren’t hanging in the ultra skinny water allowing the use of a trolling motor along deeper shorelines and channels. The additional room and comfort of a bay boat makes it a great choice for those anglers who aren’t interested in poling. And, this time of year it can be tough task poling with the strong winds. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t sight-fish, a properly handled trolling motor will get you within casting range of most species. When using the trolling motor in shallow water you first need to adjust the height of the motor. You will need at least 15 inches of water to keep the prop from making contact with the bottom but not blowing out above the surface. I will let everyone assume their fishing positions before fine tuning the height adjustment. Once you start moving keep the speed adjustment SLOW and STEADY as you work the flat. Bay boats are not for everyone since they do have larger engines which can do substantial damage to the sea bottom if you are not familiar with the backcountry. There are plenty of good bay boats on the market made by reputable companies but 2 of my favorites are Shearwater and Ranger. If you’re interested in checking one out head over to Performance Marine in Key Largo or Islamorada Boat Center.

The warmer water temperatures have really fired-up the snook in the backcountry. This week’s snook bite brought back memories of last spring and summer when the snook were plentiful and willing to eat. We had several days this week where we caught 20-30 snook pitching pilchards along the mangroves. As always, the key to finding those snook feeding stations is by finding a good supply of finger mullet moving along the shoreline or through the creeks. Most of the snook have been in the 18-24 inch range with a few keepers mixed-in. Thanks to stricter regulations and more people practicing catch and release, the snook population is booming in Florida Bay. The trout bite has not been that great with the heavy winds, but as soon as it lays down I expect the big females to start biting more consistently. The islands are full of sharks meandering around in search of their next meal. We’ve been having plenty of fun sight fishing for bonnethead and lemon sharks on light tackle. All you need is about 8 inches of wire with a HookUp Lure jighead and some live shrimp. Sharks do not have very good eyesight so cast your baits past the shark and work it right across their nose. Sharks are a blast on light tackle and can run as hard as any other shallow water species.

If you haven’t already done so, make sure to view the General Management Plan alternatives from Everglades National Park. You can find the 4 alternatives as well as meeting dates at their website, www.nps.gov/ever. If you cannot make one of the public meetings, there’s an online comment form on the website. The GMP will outline the management of the Everglades for the next 25-30 years so make sure to voice your opinion before it’s too late!!!

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

It looks like we are expecting another week of windy weather which is typical for this time of year. Don’t let a little wind discourage you from getting out there and enjoying the world-class fisheries of the Florida Keys. March is a transitional month for the backcountry species as we are exiting winter and moving into the warmer months. This past week I spent plenty of time fishing both the backcountry and oceanside.

On the oceanside, I haven’t seen that big push of migratory tarpon moving down the flats. The fish are close as they are already showing-up at the bridges in Islamorada and will soon be moving up to Key Largo. I have seen a few schools but not enough to start fishing for them yet. However, there have been some schools of smaller “residential” tarpon along the mangroves in Key Largo. These smaller tarpon tend to hang close to the mangroves and range in size from 5-40 pounds. We’ve been having success with jerk baits, pinfish, crabs and pilchards on light tackle. These close quarters battles are a blast with plenty of jumps around the mangroves.

The snook and trout bite has been decent the past week. We have been catching those 18-24 inchers with only a few slot sized snook close to home in Key Largo. If you make it over to Flamingo the creeks and channels have been very productive at the lower stages of the tide especially the beginning of the incoming. There are plenty of these channels around Flamingo many of them are not marked on charts so look for changes in water color to find the less-frequented channels and runoffs. We’ve been having great success working shrimp tipped ¼ oz chartreuse HookUp Lures. I prefer to cast baits along the edges of the channels bouncing them down the drop-offs. The water levels still very low in Florida Bay so proceed with caution if you are unfamiliar with navigating in the bay.

The trout bite has been steadily improving the past few weeks especially on the calmer days in the bay. Trout are a spring spawning species so expect to catch some nice trout but just remember that those fat females are full of roe so it’s best to keep the smaller “crocking” male trout if you want some for dinner. I’ve noticed over the years that the larger trout seem to shut down on days with winds over 15 knots, but you can still expect to catch plenty of the schoolie sized fish. Most people think live shrimp is best for trout fishing, but that is not necessarily the case. The major problem with live shrimp is that the little trout and pinfish will often steal your bait before the bigger trout have an opportunity to get to it. Also, bigger trout will shift from mainly a crustacean diet to eating smaller baitfish especially the females as they fatten-up for the spring spawn. I prefer using artificial swim baits instead of shrimp. There are hundreds of different baits but two of my favorites are a Gulp Shrimp or Swimming Mullet. You can bounce them along the bottom on HookUp Lure XL or in combination with a Cajun Thunder popping cork.

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

It sure is nice when the weather gods give us a break from the wind. It only takes a few days for the churned water to clear-up. Take the opportunity to do some sightfishing when the wind cooperates between fronts since the oceanside and backcountry flats have been loaded with fish.

On the Oceanside, there have been schools of bonefish moving around the flats. You can find the bones moving on just about any of the flats from Ocean Reef down through Islamorada. With the moderate water temperatures the bones will be up on the flats for most of the day. If you are new to bonefishing, find a flat that has plenty of light bottom to give you a better chance of spotting these grey ghosts. You will need to take a stealthy approach trying not to spook the fish before you can get a cast off. When you do cast, make sure to land it at least 7-10 feet in front of the lead fish in the school. As the school approaches, just lift the rod tip slightly to make sure your shrimp is not hiding in the grass. This will ensure that the bonefish has an opportunity to see the bait. Once you hook-up keep the rod tip high to avoid mangrove shoots and hold on for a wild ride. This week a good customer, Greg Moffitt spent some time on the bow stalking bonefish. After a couple refusals on live shrimp we made the switch to quarter sized crabs, and that was the ticket. Greg made a perfect cast to the largest fish we had seen all day and the fish gobbled-up the crab and the fight was on. The bonefish ripped-off about 150 yards of line in less than 10 seconds and 5 minutes later Greg landed his largest bonefish weighing in at over 10 pounds. This time of year there are plenty of sharks prowling the flats looking for an easy meal. If a shark gets after your fish the only thing you can do is open the bail to let the fish get away then when it’s clear get back to the fight. Make sure to have the camera ready so you can snap a quick picture and get the fish back in the water and revived.

In the backcountry, the snook bite has been good in Northeast Florida Bay. I have been finding fish moving along the deeper shorelines and in the channels. When the water is clear, you can spot the fish hanging tight along the mangrove roots which provides added protection from predators. If you spot a fish they will eat just about any live bait or jerk baits rigged on a jig head. If you keep your rod tip low to the water on your cast, you can skip the baits under the overhanging mangroves. Make sure to set your drag as tight as possible because once the snook takes the bait he will head right back into the roots. It also helps to keep your rod tip close to the water during the fight until the fish is clear from any snags. Remember that snook must be between 28”-33” in order to keep it. You are only allowed one per person in Monroe County and Everglades National Park.

Make sure to view the newly released General Management Plan alternatives from Everglades National Park. You can find the 4 alternatives at their website, www.nps.gov/ever. If you cannot make one of the public meetings, there’s an online comment form on the website. The GMP will outline the management of the Everglades for the next 25-30 years so make sure to voice your opinion before it’s too late!!!

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

Well, I normally start my article talking a little bit about the recent weather but as of now it’s been the same the past few weeks, 15-20 knots. The big surprise was the late season cold front we had in the beginning of the week. When on the water, conditions are constantly changing depending on several factors including wind, temperature and rainfall. The two major factors that we have been dealing with this week are the drop in water temperatures because of the cold front and the excessive winds.

The recent drop in water temperatures back into the low 60’s has put a dampening on the snook bite as well as the beginning of the tarpon migration. That doesn’t mean we aren’t catching any snook, but just a few each day. Don’t worry because the great thing about the Florida Keys is that the water temperatures will quickly rebound within a few days and get those snook fired-up again. But in the meantime, it doesn’t mean that you have to stay home and finish working on that ever growing “To Do” list. You just need to alter your targeted species or find an area with warmer water temperatures. Speckled trout are one of my favorite species to target because they don’t seem to mind the colder temperatures and provide a fun day of fishing for just about anyone. All you need is some medium action rods with light line (6-10 lb.) and cajun thunder popping corks along with an 1/8 oz HookUp Lure and Berkley Gulp baits. I’ve had the best results with the Berkley swimming mullet and shrimp for catching the bigger trout. The trout are on the verge of their annual spring spawning cycle. In the next few weeks, those monster 3-5 pound female trout should start showing up in the mullet muds. If you don’t know of any good trout spots all you have to do is drift one of the many mullet muds from Key Largo to Flamingo. In the northeast portions of the bay we have been most productive in grass lined bays with 3-6 foot depths. Just about any of the grass bays and channels surrounding Flamingo will hold trout at one time or another. Just give it a few casts and move along to the next one until you find them. Many of the channels have also been producing some nice sized jack cravelles up to 7 pounds. Pound for pound the jacks are by far the hardest fighting fish that swims in the backcountry and are a blast to catch on light tackle.

If you haven’t already done so, make sure to view the newly released General Management Plan alternatives from Everglades National Park. You can find the 4 alternatives at their website, www.nps.gov/ever. If you cannot make one of the public meetings, there’s an online comment form on the website. The GMP will outline the management of the Everglades for the next 25-30 years so make sure to voice your opinion before it’s too late!!!

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

Welcome to the wacky weather of the Florida Keys. Over the next few weeks don’t be surprised if we experience record highs then fronts that drop the temperatures down to the 50’s. If you are unfamiliar with the winter and spring weather patterns here in the keys, then you might want to buckle-up because it can be a wild windy ride or a simmering hot day. But if you have a fishing rod in hand then don’t worry because the fishing has remained steady and is improving as we move into spring.

For all you snook anglers out there, March 1^st was the opening of snook season in ENP and the west coast of Florida. If you plan on keeping one for dinner they have to be in the slot between 28”-33” with a pinched tail and you are allowed one per person per day. Just remember that you don’t have to keep every “legal” snook, you can release them to fight another day and help preserve the species for future generations. This past week’s cold front brought strong north winds which blew a lot of water out of Florida Bay especially in the central areas between Key Largo and Flamingo. Many of the flats that are productive for redfish and snook have become cow pastures as they are high and dry. This is not necessarily bad if you can find deeper water adjacent to these flats where the fish will hold until water levels raise enough for them to return to the flats. The biggest concern is navigating through the extremely shallow channels as you snake your way back into the Park. If you are unfamiliar with navigating the Everglades, I would highly suggest hiring a professional captain this time of year. But if you insist on trying it yourself, there’s an important tool that you can get for FREE from the Everglades called the Florida Bay Map and Guide. The Map and Guide supplements your navigational charts providing water depths for the various channels throughout Florida Bay. Despite the low water conditions, fishing in the backcountry has been productive. This past week, I spent most of my charters in the Northeast portions of Florida Bay where we had a good snook bite in the channels and creeks. We have been catching plenty of juvenile snook in the 18-22 inch range which is a true testament of the affects of conservation for these fish. The snook population is booming in the Key Largo area as well as most of the Everglades. If you’ve never gone snook fishing in the Everglades you need to get out there and hook into one of Florida’s most exciting gamefish. The pilchards have been on the sketchy side so we’ve been tossing shrimp under the mangroves letting them drift along the edge with the current. The key has been to get the baits tight along the shoreline and try to keep it there for as long as possible during the drift.

Over the next few months, I will be talking about the Everglades General Management Plan which will outline the management of the park for the next 25 or so years. The planning process has started again and it’s important for everyone to get involved. You can find additional information about the process and proposed alternatives at www.nps.gov/ever . The public comment period is open for the next few months so educate yourself on the plans and voice your opinions.

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

Fishing with Captain Lain Goodwin

This week’s weather did a 180 from last week when it felt more like summer than mid-February. Last week water temperatures reaching the high 70’s but have since dropped back down to 60’s with the past few cold fronts. But despite the cold fronts, fishing has remained steady and there’s always something to catch in the Florida Keys. If you are a live bait fisherman, there’s plenty of finger-mullet and pilchards around the backcountry and the reefs are loaded with ballyhoo. That’s right ballyhoo! This time of year is great for getting out the patch reefs in my 22’ Shearwater bay boat. The patches have been providing my anglers with plenty of non-stop action off the Upper Keys. The variety of species included mangrove, yellowtail, mutton and hog snapper, gag groupers, cero mackerel, bar jacks, blue runners and the list goes on. The rule of thumb is generally, the deeper the patch the bigger the fish. I like to work patches in the 15-30 foot depths. Bring along plenty of chum and a bunch of live shrimp, the rest of the bait can be caught at the patch. For the mangroves, yellowtails and hogfish use a live shrimp on a ¼ HookUp lure and medium action rods. For the muttons and grouper use medium heavy action rods with 30 lb. Spiderwire Ultracast and about 4 feet of 60 lb Vanish fluorocarbon leader weighted with about an ounce of lead and a 5/0 circle hook. For bait, I like to cut ballyhoo into plugs about 3 inches long, you can also use the sides of small blue runners. Drop them down to the bottom and hold on for the bite and work the fish away from the reef with short pumps to keep its head turned.

In Florida Bay, the trout bite is as good as it gets. Keep an eye out for the patches of dirty water which is an easy giveaway of the trout’s location. A good place to start is the deeper basins with grassy bottom around Flamingo. Also, many of the channels will hold trout especially at low tide when they are forced off the flats. There’s plenty of keeper sized trout mixed in with the schoolies. You can bounce baits off the bottom or suspend the baits under a Cajun Thunder popping cork. The snook and redfish bite has fired up again after the cold fronts. They are moving down shorelines and hanging in the channels along with the schools of mullet. You can pole or use the trolling motor to maneuver down the shore or along the edge of the channel. As you blind cast keep an eye out for puffs of mud created by redfish feeding on crustaceans in the bottom. You will also find some nice sized jack cravelle in the 5-15 lb range busting through the bait schools. These jacks will eat just about anything you throw at them as long as you retrieve it quickly.

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

Brrrrr!!! It has been cold and windy in the Florida Keys after the past two cold fronts and accompanying winds dropped the mercury to the 40’s. When water temperatures start getting down in the 50’s the snook go into survival mode and the bite slows down. It’s hard to report on fishing this past week because unfortunately there were few if anyone out there. I know that Capt. George Clark got out for a day in the backcountry and reported a good bite of snapper and jacks in the creeks. He also reported some black drum and sheepshead in the channels over in Flamingo. This week’s weather report looks to bring better news with a warming trend and lighter winds expected by the end of the week. The bite should get better this week after the sun gets the water temperatures back up to the 60’s.

The good news is that the Miami Boat Show starts this Thursday and lasts until Monday. The boat show will have just about any type of vessel and all the latest gadgets for fishing and boating. If you are in the market for a new boat there’s no better time than the Miami show which will allow you to make comparisons and ask questions all in one place. Buying a new boat can be an overwhelming experience if you are unprepared. The internet has a wealth of information and gives you an idea of what prices to expect. Many manufacturers will be offering incentives to coax buyers into pulling the trigger. You can expect to get a few free extras when you purchase at the show especially this year with the industry struggling along with the economy. Extras may include extended engine warranties, add-ons and accessories like GPS, trolling motors and/or Power-poles. If you can’t make the trek up to the big city, don’t worry, many local boat dealers here are offering the same deals in the Keys during the month of February. The best way to ensure a good outcome is to create a list of important items you are looking for in a boat. This list will help keep you on track during the decision process. The list should include things that are important to YOU, and not the salesperson. Some things to consider are of course length, draft, person capacity, engine type, warranty and most importantly the servicing dealer. Many people get caught-up in the moment and forget to think about the dealer that will be servicing the boat. Service is a HUGE factor, whether its scheduled maintenance or warranty work. A new boat can quickly become a headache if your servicing dealer is not customer oriented after the sale. Take it from experience there’s plenty of nice looking boats out there in every size and class but there are few good servicing dealers. You can avoid getting a bad one by talking to local boaters and fisherman to find out what type of reputation a dealer has in the community. But, learn from my mistakes, do your homework and research to ensure a positive experience and years of enjoyment.

“Til next time, light winds and good fishin’

This past week, Mother Nature brought a mixed bag of weather conditions to the Upper Keys. We had a few days of summer-like heat with temperatures in the 80’s and light winds. But, this weekend when a cold front passed through, temperatures dropped to the 50’s and the winds picked up. This time of year is a crap-shoot when deciding whether to head out for a day of fishing. But, the great thing about fishing in the Florida Keys is the diversity of our fisheries which gives us plenty of options for catching in just about any weather conditions. You can head into the backcountry which is shallow and great for fishing in windy weather because there’s always a place to hide from the wind. On nice days this is a great time of year to do some bottom fishing at the patch reefs on the Oceanside.

This week, I did a little bit of both, heading in the backcountry for a few days and out to the patch reefs. The backcountry bite was good with some snook, jack cravelles and plenty of sharks in the northeast parts of Florida Bay. Most of the snook we caught were in the creeks and passes around Key Largo. Water temperatures got as high as 75 degrees which is high for this time of year, the snook were happy and eating well. There are also a good number of jacks hanging in the channels along with the snook. Jacks are a blast on light tackle and are pound-for-pound the hardest fighting fish in the backcountry. If you like catching sharks this is a great time of year. The lemon and bonnethead sharks are on the prowl around many of the islands in the Everglades. I like to add a short piece of wire with a long shank HookUp Lure XL and a live shrimp to catch these shallow water sharks. Sharks are very forgiving on the flats and make for a lot of fun for sightfishing on the flats. You don’t have to be an expert caster to have a fun time hunting for sharks in the shallows.

The patch reefs are full of snapper and grouper right now on the Oceanside of the Upper Keys. This is a great way to get into some non-stop rod bending action when the winds are down. I like to fish patches in 15-25 feet of water especially those off the beaten path. You can catch just about anything from snappers like mangrove, hogfish, mutton, yellowtail to a gag and black grouper. I like to bring along plenty of chum and about 10 dozen shrimp for the mangrove snapper and hogfish. You can always catch ballyhoo or blue runners for the grouper and muttons while at the patches. The chum will attract the ballyhoo along with the snapper. If the ballyhoo get close enough you can cast net them, if not you can hook them with few small gold hooks and a piece of shrimp. With some stout rod send down a fillet or plug of ballyhoo on a knocker rig and hold on for the bite. If you’re looking for dinner or just plenty of action the patches are a great place this time of year.

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

After this week’s cold weather, I’m looking forward to getting back to the 70’s the next few days. This latest cold snap was the chilliest so far this year with a few days in the 50’s. The strong north winds also blew out what water remained in the bay leaving it EXTREMELY shallow. The shallow water cools quickly which plummeted the water temperatures down to the mid-50’s. This upcoming week looks to be mild with light winds which should get the bite fired-up.

For the adventurous anglers, there’s a good bite going on back in Whitewater Bay. As water levels drop in the Everglades it forces fish from the thousands of shallow ponds which are normally inaccessible for anglers. The fish pour into the many rivers on the eastern side of Whitewater. The rivers have a wide variety of fish, on any given day you can catch snook, redfish, tarpon, trout, snapper, goliath grouper and the list goes on. If you enjoy casting lures, you’ll love fishing in Whitewater Bay. And, if you head far enough back in the rivers you might even bring a couple bass to the boat. Dark colored lures especially black/gold colors are productive when fishing in the tannic stained waters. Shallow diving stick baits and jerk baits are great for pitching shorelines in the rivers and around islands. River mouths and the points of islands are a great place for finding hungry fish. The trolling motor is great for covering a lot of territory while pitching baits and twitching them back until the rod buckles. The gag and goliath grouper bite has been great in the deeper rivers leading out to the Gulf. Keep an eye on your sonar for any sign of structure on the bottom. There are multiple rock piles and various other debris that will hold grouper during the winter and spring. Just about any type of baitfish dropped down to the bottom will provoke a bite from one of these inshore freight trains. You will need to step-up the tackle to turn these grouper before they run you back into the liar. I step up to 30-50 lb Spiderwire Ultracast with 60 lb fluorocarbon leaders and a large 7/0 circle hook on a stiff rod to neutralize the groupers. The rod bending action out in the middle of Whitewater has also been productive. Work the deeper basins with popping corks and Berkley Gulp baits on a HookUp Lure for the trout and ladyfish.

Closer to home in northeast Florida Bay, I’m expecting the flats bite to heat-up along with the water temperatures. This week, there were plenty of fish in the shallows but they were very lethargic as they were more concerned with survival than eating. Most of the snook have been off the shoreline out in the sunlight trying to warm their body temperatures. This is uncomfortable for snook, so they have been VERY spooky. The redfish are unaffected by the cold water and have been moving down the shorelines. I’ve been having success working chartreuse/glow jerk baits slowly through the grass and potholes. The water is very shallow so proceed with caution and refer to the Florida Bay Map and Guide if you are unfamiliar with the area.

“Til next time, light winds and good fishin’

A big THANKS to Capt. Kerry Wingo for filling-in while I spent some time in Louisiana for the holidays. It’s always great to spend time with family and friends while also getting a chance to do plenty of fishing for reds and trout in the marshes of south Louisiana. Returning to the keys last week, I was greeted by some typical winter weather for South Florida, a barrage of cool fronts with limited sun and plenty of wind. This is the typical pattern for January and February here in the Keys. But, don’t let a little bit of weather discourage you from getting on the water. The fishing may not be as comfortable as fall and spring, but there’s still plenty of rod bending to be had out there.

In the backcountry, the snook bite has remained steady between the upper keys and Flamingo. I have been finding fish in the creeks as well as moving along the deeper shorelines looking for their next meal. When the water is clear along leeward shorelines, you can spot the fish hanging tight along the mangrove roots which provides added protection from predators. When you spot a fish, they’ve been eating just about any live bait as well as Berkley’s Gulp baits. If you keep your rod tip low to the water on your cast, you can skip the baits under the overhanging mangroves. Make sure to set your drag as tight as possible because once the snook takes the bait he will head right back into the roots. It also helps to keep your rod tip close to the water during the fight until the fish is clear from any overhanging snags. In the deeper creeks and channels, use an 1/8 oz Hook Up Lure rigged with a live or gulp shrimp. Work the bait slowly by bouncing it along the bottom giving it a rest for a few seconds after each twitch. We’ve been catching snook, black drum, sheepshead, and redfish using this technique. These fish like to school in the deeper creeks so when you catch one make sure to work the area thoroughly. Your best bet is to fish the deeper channels in the mornings and then get up on the flats surrounding Flamingo in the afternoons. When the snook and reds move up on the flats they will tend to hang with the schools of mullet. You can pole along looking for tailing and waking fish as you blind cast. Also, reds will create little puffs of mud as they feed along the flats. Make sure to cast to any muds and potholes you see along the way. When rigging for the flats my bait of choice is a Gulp Jerk Shad rigged weedless and slowly twitched through the grass.

Bonefish are probably the most temperature sensitive species in the Upper Keys. Targeting bonefish this time of year can be very tidal dependant when choosing where to go. Overnight temperatures will drastically cool down water temperatures on the shallow flats. During an early morning outgoing tide, work deeper depressions and troughs as these areas will hold the warmest water. But once the tide turns bringing in the warmer ocean water, expect the bonefish to disburse across the flats searching for their next meal. If you are new to bonefishing, find a flat that has plenty of light bottom to give you a better chance of spotting these grey ghosts on a windy day. You will need to take a stealthy approach trying not to spook the fish before you can get a cast off. When you do cast, make sure to land it at least 5-7 feet in front of the lead fish in the school. As the school approaches, just lift the rod tip slightly to make sure your shrimp is not hiding in the grass. This will ensure that the bonefish has an opportunity to see the bait. This time of year there are plenty of sharks prowling the flats looking for an easy meal. If a shark gets after your fish the only thing you can do is open the bail to let the fish get away then when it’s clear get back to the fight. Make sure to have the camera ready so you can snap a quick picture and get the fish back in the water and revived.

Until next week, tight lines and light winds!

Greetings fish fans. If you’re reading this right now, chances are that you’re in the Keys, or at least South Florida, and I would certainly hate to be anywhere else in the United States. If you’ve seen the weather lately you know what I’m talking about. We’re the only place in the nation where the locals are wearing shorts and flip flops. We could actually use a little blast of cold air to move the fish around. The water is cool but it’s not cold and the big snook and redfish aren’t sure if they should be in their fall pattern or their winter pattern. One thing is for sure though, the Spanish mackerel know exactly where they should be. The bite has been red hot out on the edge of the Gulf. Take a ride out past East Cape to around 10-12 feet of water, anchor up, put out your chum bag and sit back with a cold drink. When you’re done with your drink it’s time to start fishing. I really don’t think it matters what you use as long as your hook isn’t bare. My preference is a chartreuse Hank Brown’s Hook Up Jig and shrimp combination. You can cast and retrieve it or float it under a Cajun Thunder. You can also drift a live pilchard back with the current, cast a red and white bucktail, or throw a silver spoon. Whatever your choice of ammo is, be prepared for arm jolting strikes. The macks don’t tip toe up to the bait, they hit it at full speed. This is no time to be wondering about your drag. Make sure they’re greased and working smooth before you leave the dock. A reel with a great drag system is the Daiwa Whisker SS 1300. Match them with a light action 7 ½ foot Coastal Series Falcon Graphite Rod and spool them with plenty of 10 lb Power Pro line and you’re off to the races.

Until next time, good tides and keep the Sun to your back. ><)))> Capt. Kerry Wingo Tails Up Fishing Charters

305-394-1383 www.tailsupfishing.com

Greeting fish fans! The fishing out of Key Largo remained hot this past week. The waters of eastern Florida Bay and the Flamingo area have been alive with snook and redfish since early last spring. The coming of the new year seemed to have caused the fish to shift gears a bit. Although the snook and redfish bite slowed a little, other heavy hitters moved in to take their place. Fishing for spanish mackerel has been red hot on the edge of the Gulf and black drum have moved in to the East Cape area. I was out last Tuesday with the Hank Lewis family from Marble Falls, TX. Hank was out gunned by two of his children, Caitlin and Abraham. I say that in fun as Hank was a big help to me. The kids reeled in more than 100 trout and kept us quite busy baiting hooks. We were using Hank Brown’s Hook Up Jigs and shrimp under a Cajun thunder float. All of the fish came out of one single “mud” we found in the middle of an open bay. We were out on Sunday and found some very large sheepshead in some of the creeks closer to home. Kirk and Jeremy Kessler from Marietta, GA were with me and both caught their first snook.

If you plan on doing some sight fishing, you’ll need to wait till the Sun has had a chance to warm the water a bit. The temperature is a little chilly early and late in the day. Your best bet will be the deeper channels and run offs.

Greetings fish fans! The fishing out of Key Largo remains hot, from eastern Florida Bay to Flamingo and beyond. On a recent outing I was joined by Mark Marsh from St. Augustine, David McCallum from Clermont, and Bill Silveira from Palmer, Alaska. We stopped and cast netted some live baits and then headed to Flamingo in my Ranger rocketship powered by a Mercury 200 Optimax. There are a couple of shorelines I am particularly fond of on an incoming tide and we managed to hit them just right. We chummed with our “livies” and cast to swirling fish. When the smoke settled, all three men had completed their back country Slam, consisting of snook, redfish, and trout. Bill, however, managed to best the other two by landing a small tarpon which completed his Super Slam. This was quite the feat considering it was Bill’s first trip ever in the back country.

Our winter fish are arriving now with the cooling of temperatures. Black drum will be moving in to the deeper channels in Flamingo as well as the East Cape area. Spanish Mackerel are showing up in the edge of the Gulf, and sea trout are moving in to the deeper grassy bottomed bays. All of these species can be caught on a shrimp and Hook Up jig combination. You can either cast and retrieve your shrimp or fish it under a Cajun Thunder float. If you are fishing for the “macks” don’t forget a trace of light wire. These toothy critters will make short work of mono leaders.

Good tides and keep the Sun to your back. ><)))>

Capt. Kerry Wingo

Tails Up Fishing Charters

305-394-1383

www.tailsupfishing.com

Greetings fish fans! If you’ve been fishing out of Key Largo lately then you know how good it’s been. If not, then come on down. The snook and redfish bite has been excellent. This time of year you will find both species pretty much in the same areas and can fish for them in the same manner. The water on the flats in Flamingo has cooled off a bit so this tells us to look for the deeper channels and runoffs. The deeper the water, the slower it is to cool off, or to warm up for that matter. Snook and redfish are a lot like us southerners, they prefer it warm. Find the warmest water and you’ll most likely find the fish. My preference is to use light tackle with 10-12 lb line, about 18” or so of 30 lb fluorocarbon leader, and a ¼ ounce chartreuse Hank Brown Hook Up Lure. Capt. Hank always said, “If it aint chartreuse, it aint no use”. Grab a live shrimp and hook it through the head from underneath between it’s eyes and it’s brain. This keeps it alive longer and also lets it ride with the hook up. Look for moving water, paying attention to the mouths of runoffs, small creeks, and any points you can find. Throw your jig and shrimp combination up current and work it back slowly, bouncing it back to the boat. Your offering looks more natural when it swims WITH the current, not against it. There will be some decent sized fish around now as the smaller fish are moving inland for the winter. Make sure you check your rules and regulations before you keep any fish. Know before you go!

Bonefish can still be found on the ocean side. Look around the deeper edges of the flats for mudding fish. If you can catch a rising tide during the day, follow it up and you should find some tailing fish closer to the mangroves. A live shrimp on a 2/0 hook will be your best bet. Cast out in front of the fish and let him find your bait, then hang on.

We’ve had another one of those fall weather weeks here in the Florida Keys. There were a few days of great weather along with the scattered showers. Unfortunately, the rain can put a kink in fishing plans down here in South Florida. But, you can take the downtime during inclement weather to do some tackle and boat maintenance. There is nothing more destructive to your equipment than the harsh saltwater environment that we fish in. And, there is nothing more aggravating than losing that fish of a lifetime due to equipment failure. So, the next time you have to cancel a fishing trip due to weather take the time to perform some of those pesky maintenance items that you’ve been avoiding.

In the backcountry, the bite has been pretty good. Along with the redfish have been snook and juvenile tarpon moving along the shorelines at the higher stages of the tide. These fish will push up onto the crowns of the flats and along shorelines to feed as the tide floods. On an outgoing tide the fish will drop off into the potholes and deeper water surrounding the shallows. Schools of mullet and dirty water are usually the best place to start looking for these fish. Due to the thick grass you will probably want to use a weedless rig to ensure that your bait looks natural. My preferred lure is a Berkley Gulp Jerkshad rigged weedless with a worm hook. This setup will give you plenty of casting distance and lands softly enough that the fish will not get spooked on a close cast. The Gulp Jerkshads are scented and have great action allowing you to move the bait slower keeping it in the strike zone longer. The trout action remains steady with plenty of schooling trout hanging out in the deeper basins (3-6 feet) around Flamingo. There aren’t as many big trout in with the schools but there’s a lot of action during the hottest part of the day. I have been finding some bigger trout in the edges of the flats hanging in the potholes in about 2-3 feet of water.

If you are unfamiliar with navigating the Everglades make sure to pick-up the Florida Bay Map & Guide at any of the local tackle shops and marinas. Or you can call Cara Cooper at Everglades National Park, (305) 852-0331 ext. 0338 for a free copy of the Map & Guide.