November 8 - 

August 26 - 

          Well it has been quite a while since my last report but it has probably been the busiest two months I have had in the business.  I want to thank everyone for a great season.  You have given me a wonderful first eight months of the year.  The kids are heading back to school and business will slow down but the fishing will still be great all fall and winter if you get the chance to make it down to the Keys.  
          We have had some great catches over the past couple months.  The mutton snapper bite was on fire throughout the spawn.  I can't even tell you how many large muttons we caught this summer on the wrecks.  The dolphin fishing has been about the best I have ever seen it so late in the year.  There are still nice catches of many school fish and large fish being brought to the docks every day that the weather allows us to venture offshore.  The yellowtail and mangrove snapper bite has been great when the wind and the current are lined up on the reef.  I have been catching large mangroves on the same patch reef area all summer.
          Lobster season opened up on August 6th and I have been lucky enough to get out there a few times to catch some of those tasty devils my self.  I have been keeping track this year and I am up to 111 lobsters that I have caught free diving so far.  I will put some pictures of my catches on the photo gallery.
          I will try to fill in some of the blank weeks since my last report over the coming days.  I will post as many pictures I have of recent catches on the photo gallery right now though.  I am going to offer some special rates so if you can make it down this fall it will be worth your time.  Once again, Thank You for a great season!

June 21 -

          Over the past week and a half, we have had beautiful weather just as it normally is in the Keys.  The offshore fishing for dolphin has been pretty good you just normally have to do a lot of running.  There are a lot of big fish out there but they have been over 25 miles out.  There are some stragglers in close, but you need to be lucky enough to cross paths with them.  There are many small schoolies around causing us to have to go from school to school to find decent fish.  The mutton fishing has been great on the deeper wrecks with many fish up to 20 pounds schooled up ready to spawn.  If you can find these schools, they love a live bait whether it is a pinfish, ballyhoo, pilchard, or grunt.  The yellowtails have been biting great now that the winds have died with many fish up to 6 pounds being caught in the 80-90 foot range.  Normally with these fish, if they don't bite right off the bat, then they probably won't bite at all.  If you keep trying different spots at different depths, you should find some hungry fish.

June 12 -

          We have had two solid weeks of heavy wind out of the east that has really put a damper on everyone's plans for fishing in the Keys.  Luckily, we have so many options that I have taken my clients to the ocean side when we had a window of less wind, tarpon fishing around the seven mile bridge, or back in the bay side to catch snapper or sharks.  The reef bite has been very good if you could get out there, producing many nice mangrove, mutton, and yellowtail snapper in the 50-90 foot range.  If the yellowtail bite slows at all I typically like to fish small pinfish on the bottom for muttons and mangroves.  The tarpon fishing is still good around the bridges with fewer fish than a month ago but they are all in the 80-200 pound range.  This time of year you can almost get as many strikes on pinfish as you can live mullet.  The mangrove snapper are very thick in the bay on the wrecks.  They aren't as big as the spawners on the reef but they are plentiful and very hungry.  I fished one day for sharks last week and we released 18 lemon sharks from 50-200 pounds in a matter of a few hours.  We had up to 40 sharks at any given time swimming around the boat in just four feet of water.  If you haven't experienced gulf side shark fishing, it is definitely an experience to remember.

May 30 -

           The dolphin fishing has been great offshore in the 10-15 mile range.  We have all been catching many big fish and there are plenty of nice schoolies to be found too.  I have seen numerous fish up to 40 pounds caught by Captains all over town.  There was even a 68 pound bull caught about a week ago off Marathon. 
            I headed offshore with Tiffany, Dale, and Kevin from Cape Coral in some windy and challenging conditions.  We caught ten nice school fish, one 20 pound cow, and one nice Wahoo.  All the fish were caught between 400-500 feet of water on ballyhoo.  We came in a bit early because it started to get a little too rough but we still had some great success.

May 23 -

           Yesterday we finished the 25th Annual Faro Blanco Tarpon Tournament here in Marathon.  There were 124 fish caught over three nights between 38 boats.  I finished 14th out of 38 boats.  I was able to help my teams to catch three fish.  Two on day one and one on day two.  The last day was pretty frustrating because we had seven Tarpon bites but were only able to hook one fish which we eventually lost boatside.  The fish were acting pretty finicky, as Tarpon sometimes can, grabbing a lot of the baits but not actually eating them.  I was using live mullet and crabs for bait at the Seven Mile Bridge.  We had a good shot at placing higher but, all in all it was a great showing.  This tournament benefits charity and is a lot of fun for the teams and the Captains.  Captain Jason Long of Best Bet Sportfishing was the winning Captain with eight fish.  Check out the results at http://faroblancotarpon.com/results/.
         I also fished with Scott and Alexis earlier in the week for a couple days.  We spent one day on the reef and one offshore.  We caught many nice yellowtails in 75 feet of water, a few amberjacks on the wrecks, and some nice dolphin up to 25 pounds over the two days. 

May 16 -

            I have done a lot of reef and Tarpon fishing over the last week.  The yellowtail fishing has been tough because of the clear water and lack of current but the bottom fishing has made up for it.  The grouper bite is still great in 45-90 feet of water.  We caught three nice black groupers today but unfortunately the bull sharks had there way with two of them.  The fish were large enough that we were still able to get about 5 pounds of meat off the two damaged ones.  The muttons and mangroves have still been biting pretty well on the bottom in the 45-55 foot range.  The Tarpon bite at all the local bridges has been as good as I've ever seen it.  There have been many fish caught every day at the Seven Mile, Bahia Honda, and Long Key Bridges.  These bridge fish are typically 60-200 pounds which provide an amazing fight.

May 10 -

            I fished this morning with my old friends Mike, Madeline, Andy, and Judy from Atlanta and Texas.  We were fortunate enough to catch a swordfish together years ago on the original Native Sun.  You can find a picture of that one in the gallery.  Anyway, we started on the reef catching a couple handfuls of yellowtail snapper and then we pushed off to a wreck and played with the permit for a while.  The fish were coming up to the surface beautifully until other boats arrived.  We hooked four permit and boated three.  The fish were being very finicky only eating very tiny crabs.  Lucky for us, my four year old daughter Maya and I netted a bunch on Coco Plum beach a few days ago so we had enough good baits to have a blast.  If you haven't caught permit on deep water wrecks, you just can't imagine the battle they put up.  They dig deep and then turn sideways.  Then when you think you have them up, they dive back down again to the bottom.  They will be out there for a few more weeks so hurry and get here to fight these beauties!

May 9 -

            We have fished the reef for snapper and the 7-Mile bridge for tarpon the past few days.  The reef is still a little tough because absolutely crystal clear water has moved in and the wind has been non-existent.  However, we have managed to catch some nice muttons, mangroves, and yellowtails.  The yellowtails haven't been the larger fish we were catching in weeks past but that is typical when the conditions are tough.  The most exciting thing is the amount of 5-12 lb. mutton snappers we have caught in as little as 30 feet of water.  These fish are in our chum slick a little further down than the yellowtails.  We have been catching them on light tackle that we would typically catch yellowtails with.  You will catch a few yellowtails then the next fish will be a hard fighting mutton using the same technique.  Also, we have hit a couple patch reefs that are holding mangrove snapper up to 4 lbs.
            Then there is the tarpon fishing.  To say the least it has been very productive and extremely exciting. We hooked five fish tonight, boating two.  All of the fish we hooked were over 80 lbs giving my anglers an amazing fight.  Joe and Eddie from New Jersey each caught there first tarpon after years of trying.  It is always nice to help avid fisherman cross a lifelong goal off the list.  These three photos are a sequence of one of these fish.  Sorry that the middle one is a bit blurry.  Be on the lookout for some new videos and photos added to the site.

May 6 -

            The tides have made it very difficult on the reef this week but that hasn't stopped us from having some great catches.  I fished today with Joe, Joanne, Eddie, and Barbara from New Jersey.  The conditions were tough but we managed to catch a handful of yellowtails, 3 muttons, a nice mangrove, and a 22 lb. black grouper.  This was a great mixed bag of some of the best eating fish in the ocean.  The tides will be moving later each day so the reef bite should be picking up even better soon.
            The dolphin bite has been great offshore.  There have been many big fish caught in as little as 120 feet of water.  The wind we had earlier in the week actually really helped the dolphin fishing.  There haven't been many weeds or floating objects so all the fish have been under birds.  There is plenty of bait out there so the fish should be thick for the rest of the season.

May 1 -

            Well, today was the opening day of grouper season in the Atlantic.  Bobby, Cathy, and Ray, from South Carolina, did a fine job starting the season off aboard the Native Sun.  All three of them were able to catch their bag limit of one black grouper per person.  The grouper bite has been pretty good so it was nice to throw a few of them in the box.  The wind was up but we were still able to fish pretty effectively on the reef.  We also caught a couple nice mangrove snapper, a mutton snapper, and plenty of big yellowtails.
            I tarpon fished Thursday night with Mark and Chuck originally from West Palm Beach.  We were able to catch two big Tarpon one being about 90 lbs. and the other about 110 lbs.  Both fish were a blast but we weren't able to get a good picture of either.  The tarpon bite is pretty darn good too so if anyone is interested in battling the silver king then come down to the keys and see what it is all about.

April 27 -

            Over the last week I have stuck to reef and wreck fishing and it has been very hot.  We fished one day in the bay and caught a limit of nice mangrove snapper early and headed a little deeper and caught many gag and red grouper.  The rest of the week we fished the Atlantic side catching many nice yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, permit, and grouper.  I don't know if I can remember the grouper fishing being so good on the reef.  The ballyhoo are thick and this can definitely turn it on.  In another four days, the grouper fishery will reopen and I can't wait.  The permit have been thick and eating well on a couple wrecks so it isn't uncommon to catch one on every try.  On the reef, while we were catching yellowtails, we have brought up a few muttons off the bottom on every trip.  The offshore fishing should be in full steam and I will be heading out for dolphin more over the next couple weeks.

April 20 - 

           The wind has picked up since Tuesday but that hasn't stopped us from catching some great fish.  I have gone back in the bay the past two days and the snapper bite has been great.  There are as many fish as you can catch on the closer wrecks.  These mangrove snapper are up to around three pounds.  We also caught a nice cobia today that was following two huge sawfish.  Having an opportunity to see one of these animals is a rarity but to see two together in the wild is unheard of.  The sawfish is listed as critically endangered, with sightings encouraged to be reported to a dedicated line at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.  They both swam around the boat for at least two hours.  We estimated one at 15 feet long and the other at 12 feet.  This was truly another amazing day on the water in the Florida Keys.

            We have had some absolutely beautiful weather the past few days.  The sun is out and the wind is down.  The full moon on Sunday night has made the dolphin fishing a little tough but there are still plenty of fish to be found out there.  The clear blue water is in close so that means the dolphin can be close as well.  The mutton snapper fishing is picking up pretty well on the wrecks with plenty of fish on some of the wrecks.  If you can find them, present the right baits and they will eat.  The permit have made their annual trip to the deep wrecks so we have been catching a lot of these bruisers.  Fishing for permit can be some of the most fun you can have on the water.  The reef has still been great with many large yellowtails and mangroves being caught.  If you get lucky too, the muttons may show up in your chum slick.  Tarpon fishing is in full swing around seven-mile and bahia honda bridges.  Both morning and evening trips have been great.

April 13 –           There has been some nice catches of mixed bags this week.  The gulf stream has been close to the reef which makes the sailfishing and cobia fishing great on windy days.  When the gulf stream is close here, there is a strong current to the east. So if the wind is blowing out of the east we get what we call "tailing" conditions.  The sails and cobias will pretty much surf down the waves which makes it very easy to spot them on the surface.  All that is left then is presenting a bait right in front of them and hopefully they will eat it. 
          As far as the reef goes, the snapper bite has been great.  We are still catching big yellowtails and the muttons have moved in pretty thick.  Another exciting thing is that the grouper bite has been great.  We have been catching keeper grouper every trip over the past couple weeks.  Grouper season opens back up May 1 so hopefully they will be biting just as well then.
          The dolphin bite is really heating up offshore.  I shot offshore yesterday for an hour or so at the end of my trip and we caught a handful of nice school fish.  We also lost a couple decent fish at the boat so all in all it was worth our time.  Captain Howard caught a 25-30 pounder yesterday which was the first big fish I have heard of this year.  Definitely good to hear.
         Well, without a doubt we are beginning the most exciting time of year for fishing in the Keys.  Dolphin offshore, snapper and grouper on the reef,  muttons and amberjacks on the wrecks, and tarpon under the bridges.  There are so many options that I cant wait to get out there every day!

April 6 –

             I had a nice afternoon on the reef today with Rick and his family from Indianapolis, IN.  The weather was gorgeous with very little wind and seas.  The water was nice and dirty also, which is great for reef fishing.  We hooked many large yellowtails with some of them getting the best of us, but we got the best of some of them too.  We caught a couple that were around five pounds and some just a bit smaller, a nice dog snapper, kingfish, and a beautiful black grouper.  Logan caught this black grouper on fifteen pound test with a light jighead and shrimp on the bottom.  For a young man, he really kicked this fish’s butt.  I think his sister might have helped a bit too, at least during picture time!  We got a nice pic and sent this guy back on his way to get a little bigger for next time they come down.

March 23 –
          There has been a lot going on the past few days with the beautiful weather we have been lucky to have.  The reef bite has been decent, giving opportunity for some giant yellowtails and mangroves.  The mutton snapper have been starting to bite more on the deep water wrecks.  But the big story this week has probably been the arrival of many dolphin offshore.  There still haven’t been many big fish to speak of, but the school fish are here and in big numbers.  If you head offshore, look for anything floating in the water (flotsam), which is probably going to have baitfish under it.  As you all know, baitfish attract dolphin.  This could be weeds, wood, rope, logs, stumps, or anything else brought in from the never ending ocean current.  Still, there have been many schools of undersized fish but keep on trucking and look for a school of legal fish.  Typically, these fish like to stay in schools with other fish of like size so you really don’t need to catch twenty small ones hoping to find a keeper.  The mortality rate for dolphin caught and released is quite high so it is best to move on and find more fish.  There has been plenty of ballyhoo on the reef so I like to catch a few dozen live baits and then shove offshore to give it a look.  A large dolphin almost always will attack a live ballyhoo.  All they need to do is see it, so hone your casting skills and the bait will do the rest!

            We have had a pretty good week of fishing though it has been windy for most the week. The giant yellowtails have been biting quite well on the deeper reef areas which always lots of fun. The fish can be anywhere up to 28” long which is about 7 lbs. If you haven’t ever caught yellowtails, you can’t imagine how hard these fish fight for there size. You will absolutely battle these hogs working hard to keep them off the coral and away from the larger predators. There have been a few muttons caught on the deeper wrecks, which is a nice change from the lack of activity we have had on them for the past month or so. Cobias are moving through now so you always need to keep your eyes peeled because they can pop up anywhere. This is the time of year that really gets a charter captains blood flowing. Giant yellowtails, cobias, muttons, mangroves, kingfish, amberjack, and dolphin, what more can you ask for! One of the most unique catches I have ever seen though is this flying fish on a yellowtail line. Actually, I have never seen or heard of it happening.

            We have been dealing with some windy conditions over the past week or so. I have actually had to go back in the bay a couple times or to Hawk’s channel. It seems that there are better snapper back there than there were over the past couple months. We caught many fish and picked through them and kept some real nice fish. The Spanish mackerel have pretty much left the bay. There are still some back there but they are small and not nearly as many as in the heart of winter.

Dolphin have been showing up pretty well just off the reef on the color changes and the current edges. It is almost time for the spring and summer fish to show up thick which means two things: Tarpon and Dolphin! I can’t wait for my favorite time of the year.

            I’ve had a busy week fishing most every day either on the reef, in Hawk’s Channel, or at the bridge. The snapper have not been as big at the bridge which causes us to move around more to find the better fish. There are still plenty of fish there, which does save us on the windiest of days.

            The reef fishing is still up and down depending on the conditions. We have been catching yellowtails, mangroves, and muttons on the patches. It is still very important to find an area where the current and wind are lined up. It should be about time to move from the shallower patch reefs to the deeper reef areas to go for the giant yellowtails.

            Hawk’s channel has still been the most consistent area to fish. I know what to expect every time we go there. There have been plenty of mangrove, lane, and yellowtail snapper and they are very hungry. Probably the most exciting part is the kingfish and shark bite. We have caught a limit of kingfish every time I have fished the channel for quite some time. They are in the 15-35 pound range which is an absolute blast on spinning tackle.

Feb. 1 –

            The wind has been wreaking havoc on us like it can in the winter time in the Keys. However, the fishing has been great. On the windiest of days I have been fishing around the bridges with some good success. The mangrove snapper couldn’t be much thicker and there are plenty of jacks and porgies there as well. It is almost guaranteed to catch a limit of snapper in not much time at all. There are many small fish but if you pick through them and be patient you can find some nice size snapper. The right bait is key when fishing the bridges. I prefer small pinfish, pilchards and of course, cut ballyhoo. Shrimp always work too, but the first fish to get to it will almost always eat them.

Zach's Christmas present

            I took a few trips this week to the Reef and to Hawk’s channel again.  The yellowtail bite is still great on the reef and there are quite a few kingfish showing up.  Hawk’s channel has some real nice kingfish and lane and mangrove snapper.

            On Saturday, I fished with Angela, Tom, and Zach from the Tampa area.  We gave Zach a real nice Christmas present with some giant kingfish in the 20-40 pound range.  We fished a couple areas in the channel about 25-35 feet deep.  The weather was foggy which is unusual for us here in the keys but we dodged all the rain and had a great day!

Big yellowtails, amberjack, and kingfish

            I had a great trip today with Lance, Kortlyn, and Bryton Templin.  We had a heck of a day on the reef catching a bunch of real nice yellowtail snapper, our limit of eight kingfish, and an amberjack.  All these fish were caught at one spot in eighty feet of water off Duck Key.  The weather was gorgeous with no wind and lots of rays.  The yellowtails were up to 23” long and the kingfish were all about ten lbs.           

            I hope everyone had a great year and capped it off with a wonderful Christmas and New Year.  We are hoping for a busy year in the Keys with some great fishing to go along with it.

I took a few trips to the Reef and Hawk’s channel this week with some great results.  The yellowtail and mangrove snapper have been biting really well after the very cold week we had before Christmas.  Both shallow and deep water have had been producing.  The yellowtailing has been best in the 70-80 foot range with a lot of nice 18”-24” fish.  The mangroves have been thickest in the shallower water around 25-35 feet.

We fished two trips in the bay side last week also.  It is absolutely loaded with Spanish mackerel.  For those of you who haven’t been back there, it is some of the most fun you can ever have on light tackle.  It gets to the point where every bait you throw is bit within five seconds.  I haven’t seen any kingfish or cobias back there yet but they should be here soon.

Happy New Year and tight lines!