Florida Keys

Date: August 17, 2008

Offshore: There are relatively few charterboats getting out in quest of offshore species these days, but those that have looked for the Dolphin have usually found them. Capt. Kevin Kelly on the Motherload had a ¾ day this week and racked over twenty Mahi-Mahi for his customers. The bite of Blackfin Tuna is pretty good if you get to the hump early in the morning and find current. The Tuna are not large, but provide good eats and variety in the fish box. The Dolphin have been from twelve to twenty miles from the beach.

Reefs: The mainstay of reef fishing, the Yellowtail Snapper, are still being caught in good numbers when the right conditions exist. For successful Yellowtail “freelining” one needs off color water and at least a trickle of current preferably to the east. For those of you that are true Snapper aficionados, stay out into darkness and get up shallow for great Mangrove Snapper action. Remember the Mangrove limit is only five of the Snapper bag limit, so be selective and release the smaller fish. Using circle hooks will lessen the damage to a released fish.

Gulf and Bay: With the start of school soon and the very hot weather business has slowed down, but not the fishing! Snapper and Trout are providing plenty of action in Florida Bay and the near Gulf. For the uninitiated, just go northwest from Lower Matecumbe or Long Key and stop when you get to the smoky water. For the Trout and Snapper both drift jigs or cut bait near the bottom. If you elect to chum you will probably get covered up with the Catfish. When in the same area try a drift for Tarpon with live Blue Crab or ladyfish under a float. The channels near Sandy Key will have Tarpon feeding on the tide change.

Flats, Backcountry and Flamingo: In the Flamingo area many guides are up on the flats finding Redfish and the occasional Snook. The Redfish seem to like the water temperature in the upper eighties and can be found cruising the flats looking for Crabs. If you are doing some scouting for Snook with the Snook season nearing, check out the Cape Sable area as well as the drains in Flamingo. The Snook season opener for Gulf of Mexico, Monroe County and Everglades National Park is coming September 1st. On that note, there is one guide who is suggesting that charter captains institute a voluntary “no take” – “no harvest” when it comes to Snook! “Environmental conditions and mother nature’s cold fronts are hard enough on the Snook,” said Capt. Lou Brubaker, “I wonder how the Snook population would respond if man did not take a percentage?”