September & October Fishing in the Keys

Many bonuses come along when tarpon fishing in the spring and summer months. This nice permit was caught while drifting a crab during a slow period during a recent tarpon tournament. Though we earned no tournament points for this catch, none of my anglers were disappointed with the catching, photographing, and releasing of this fine gamefish. Capt Buddy

Now that we’re through those prime time months of May and June, there is often a general attitude among the angling public that backcountry fishing is over with until the Fall. Not so! Excellent, yes excellent fishing will continue in the backcountry especially during the month of July. However, those who wish to do battle in the backcountry during the summer months must take into account the heat factor. Four vital items that no angler can afford to be without during these months are a powerful sunscreen, a wide brimmed hat, polarized sunglasses, and plenty of water (soda and beer just won’t cut it out here gang). From my position as a backcountry guide, the best solution I’ve found for dealing with the summer heat is to break my day up by fishing for four or five hours in the morning, and returning to the dock around noontime to get out of the heat for awhile. Then we’ll hit the flats again during the late afternoon, and finish off the trip at sunset (or later if we’re going to fish for tarpon after dark). Both the fish and my anglers have been quite happy with this routine, for years. Flats fishing should remain excellent, especially on those “big water tides” of the full and new moon in July. Look for tailing bonefish early and again late in the day, especially on late falling or early incoming tides. But don’t limit your bonefishing to tailers only, as there should be lots of cruising fish (albeit somewhat smaller bones) up on many of the oceanside and gulf side flats during the higher stages of the tide. Permit will also be plentiful throughout the summer, especially on those aforementioned new and full moon tides. Though they are a thrill to take when they are tailing, most permit will be caught in somewhat deeper water along the edge of the flat. While on some of those deeper flats, expect to see some tarpon on the move. These are the rear guard of the Spring tarpon run, and you’ll be involved mainly in “mopping up operations”, but there will still be enough of them around during the first part of July to keep things interesting. July will be the last month that fly-rodders can reasonably expect to have shots at the silver king along the oceanside flats. Speaking of tarpon fishing, don’t think that the season is over as far as live-bait fishing at the bridges is concerned. The best four hour tarpon trip I had last year was in August! Fishing a family from Birmingham, Al., we had twenty-three strikes, put sixteen fish in the air, and landed ten tarpon ranging from fifteen to fifty pounds. Though not every summer night will be as red hot as that one, it does show what’s available during the “off-season.” Put those twenty and thirty pound outfits away until next spring; now is the time to have fun with these smaller tarpon on your 12-15 pound “snapper” rods. The waters of Everglades National Park will be productive for those able to tolerate the heat of an all day trip up there. Sight fishing for redfish is a good bet, as they are receiving very little fishing pressure now. Also available in many of the “lakes”, channels, and flats are the ever- present tarpon. The fishing in Florida Bay will slow down considerably in July and August, as most of the spawning size mangrove snapper will have moved from the Bay, through the bridges, and out onto the reef to do their summer spawning thing. Yet, it always surprises me that we get a few nice (pound and a half to three pound) snapper each trip. We do drop down on leader and hook size at this time due to the exceptional clarity of the water, and anchor further up-tide from our “honey holes” to keep from spooking the fish. Another thing that really helps is to pick a time when both the wind and the current are lined up in the same direction to improve the flow of the chum (a good tip for Bay snapper fishing at any time of the year actually). You might even dabble with some night fishing out in the Bay during the summer months; it’s a great way to beat the heat. Further out into the Gulf of Mexico, permit are the hot item out on the wrecks. Some captains can literally put you on hour after hour of bone-tiring action with permit on some of their “secret wrecks.” For anglers who can manage to get a live bait down through the hordes of barracuda stacked up on those wrecks, some nice size snapper and grouper can be caught at this time (again provided you can get those bottom fish up through the hungry ‘cuda mob. And, finally a summer backcountry report wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the lobstering activity that will be taking place in late July and throughout the month of August. Those same Florida Bay ledges that are so productive for mangrove snapper and grouper are transformed into crawfish condominiums during the summer months. Though this column is about fishing rather than diving or snorkeling, I do want to pass on one piece of advice: The spotted jewfish is making a remarkable recovery in Florida Bay due to the moratorium placed on them seve

Primetime! That’s what the months of May and June are to the backcountry and inshore angler. Water temperatures are in that perfect 74 to 78 degree range during this period, and the weather pattern has switched from the constant northerly winds (compliments of winter cold fronts), to light balmy breezes from the east and southeast. First of all, if you’ve ever wanted to catch a tarpon, now is the time! Any reader who hasn’t experienced the thrill of watching a hungry “silver king” chase down a frantic mullet, and then explode out of the water upon being hooked is missing one of sportfishing’s greatest thrills. The high percentage bet is to anchor or drift fish near the bridges and backcountry channels with 20 to 30 pound tackle and live bait. Silver mullet are the best bait during May; in June when the mullet are leaving the area, pinfish and crabs are excellent producers. Those anglers seeking to take their tarpon fishing to the next level can sight cast to these mighty fish up on the oceanside flats during May and June. A 15 lb. spinning outfit with a large live shrimp or crab makes a good choice. And perhaps the ultimate challenge of all is to take them on fly. This is a good time to mention the important but often forgotten concept of flats etiquette. During the spring large numbers of tarpon travel along the edge of oceanside and backcountry flats. Professional guides and knowledgeable private boat anglers will stake out along the edge of these flats in hopes of ambushing these traveling tarpon. When an unknowing or uncaring boater or jet ski operator runs his watercraft down the edge of a flat, he’ll blow those fish off the edge into deeper water making them impossible to catch. This is a tremendously frustrating situation both for the guide (whose reputation for finding fish is on the line) and for his client (who has spent a substantial sum of money to come to the Keys to fish our flats). Some pretty nasty on the water confrontations take place at this time between fishermen and recreational boaters, with insults and threats being the norm, not the exception. I’m willing to acknowledge the fact that the flats are a resource to be shared by all. With that in mind I’d like to share a few thoughts that if practiced, could lead to a greater degree of harmony up on the flats during the Spring. 1. Stay at least 100 yards from the edge of the flats when running a boat or personal watercraft in an area where fishermen are present. 2. If you must access a flat do so at idle speed and at a 90 degree angle to the flat. 3. Try to determine the predominant direction the anglers are looking toward as this will indicate where the fish are coming from. Access the flat from behind the fishermen instead of in front of them. These three tips will go a long way in improving backcountry relations among the various user groups. There’s room for all of us out there, so long as we treat each other and the environment with respect. Tarpon aren’t the only show in town during the Spring! Expect excellent cooperation from bonefish and permit during May and June, especially during the two to three day period before the new of full moon. The upper and lower tide ranges increase greatly during this time, making it an exciting time to be a fish in the Florida Keys backcountry. This translates into hot action for the knowledgeable angler who knows the right time during a given tide to fish each flat. Back in Everglades National Park look for excellent action with large seatrout. Ideally, a well full of live pilchards (small to medium) will produce the best catches, but a 1/4 oz. white shrimp-tipped jig will produce well also. Sight fishing for reds on the flats is always good at this time too, and with the winds being down, it’s a great time to target them on fly. Don’t forget that May is the last month you can keep a snook until September (size limit – 26″ to 34″…limit two per person). That shouldn’t stop anglers from experiencing some fine catch and release fishing at the creek mouths (live pilchards, pinfish, or finger mullet are prime baits). Nor does it mean that anglers should feel compelled to kill every legal sized snook they catch just because it’s still May. Florida Bay should still be productive for mangrove snapper through May, although a switch to “shy gear” (smaller hooks and leads, and lighter leaders) may be in order to fool them in the clear water. After May the mangrove snapper will be pushing out of the bay, through the bridges, and out on the reef to spawn. During this transition though, the best snapper fishing of the year will take place at the bridges.