I
hope everyone is taking advantage of the beautiful summer
weather we've been having down here because it doesn't get much
better. Winds have been non-existent this week. Of course since
the winds are so light and the skies are so clear the heat can
be down right dangerous if you're not careful. For those who are
vacationing down here, be certain that you apply sunscreen at
least three times when out for a full days fishing. There is no
place to hide form the sun on a flats skiff and you can get
burned so bad here in one day it could send you to the hospital.
Second, make sure to drink plenty of fluids so you don't get
dehydrated on the boat. Major dehydration can make you sick for
a week and in turn ruin your whole vacation. For anyone who does
a lot of fishing here in the keys you should be covered from
head to toe including a HAD or a Buff to cover your face. You
should still apply sunscreen on your face because you can still
get burned. I am constantly pulling the my face sock down to
either have a conversation or get a drink. With the sunscreen on
I don't have to worry about getting burned because it doesn't
take very long with the sun we have down here. As long as you
take some precautions, the sun won't bother you but if you
choose to ignore it than you're going to be in some pain.
The
fishing is still very good for all three game fish species. The
tarpon fishing has been very solid with fish loving the calm
weather. The still winds in the morning have also been producing
some hatches of shrimp and minnows which of course brings the
tarpon into a frenzy. Whether you're fly fishing or spin fishing
use something that rides close to the surface. A gurgaler is a
great choice for a fly rodder and a un-weighted soft plastic is
good for a spin caster. If you want to make it easier for
yourself then a live crab is just about irresistible to a tarpon
when they are in feeding mode. The permit fishing has been very
solid but with the calm winds they have been on the spooky
side and that is to be expected. I was getting some flies to the
fish this week but you only get one shot and that's it. If you
try to pick up your fly to make another cast the fish feels you
and spooks off. For the spin caster use as small a crab as you
can get away with, a little bigger than the size of a quarter.
This will limit the splash and give you a better shot at
catching the fish. I've talked to a lot of fishermen who have
been down here a long time and everyone has said that this years
bonefishing has been off the charts. The tides are a little off
this week compared to last but there should still be plenty of
fish around. It's more of the same as far as the weather is
concerned so what better place is there than on the flats. Hope
everyone has tight lines and fish boat side until next week.
