What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Islamorada, Florida for the first time?

Captain Tony & Travis were really good at putting on the fish and we started catching fish right away. We caught about 30 yellow tail snapper, some bonita and a blue parrot fish (beautiful) that we returned. About 16 lbs of fillets net. Great day.

Adjust your expectations based upon the weather (we had high wind gusts (20 mph+) depending on the day. This impacted the tarpon runs (we had zero sightings over 3 days). Communicate with your guide on what a “good” day of fishing (best case would look like). Also, and just as importantly, communicate what is also “almost” just as great. Your range of a good time and the guides will be really well aligned for the best experience.)

If you are fly fishing you have to be a GREAT caster. You need to be able to cast far with great accuracy without a bunch of false casts. Have your double haul down. You need to also be able to cast back handed. Like trout, tarpon scare when they see too much activity over their heads. Last year my line even under water would scare them. This year I switched to sci angler grand slam clear lines and still using a real long leader..around 12ft.

Pay close attention to the boat description.....unlike fishing charters overseas, Mexico, Thailand, Bahamas, Costa Rica, etc, where you will get full meals served on board, do not expect ANY food, snacks, drinks to be provided. Nearly all of the Florida boats clearly state to bring your own food and drinks--pay heed, otherwise you'll be SOL. Of the three boats I chartered this week, all were relatively well equipped with a variety of equipment, tackle and bait--but make sure to ask that they have the variety to switch things up depending on what's hitting. I like to bring my own rods and reels, and while the selection I brought was well suited, in some cases nearly identical to what they had, there seems to be some resistance about guests using their own....can't quite figure that out. Additionally, if you are a novice fisherman, all of the boats were eager to hook the fish and let you reel in----for someone with more experience, it's a bit insulting and degrading. Thus if you are experienced, be sure to tell the Captain and mate to back off the lines, however, if you are a novice, their willingness to help will be well received. All three boats were willing to move spots (21', 25' and 45'), but historically, I have found that the smaller boats will do it more often----giving you a better shot of finding fish vs lingering too long in dead spots. The larger the boat the more comfortable for travel as well as room to fish. All of my trips were solo, so regardless I had plenty of room, but you'll feel a bit more beat-up on the smaller boats if the waters are choppy. My general rule of thumb for any charter where I might be going with friends is if boat capacity is 6, only go with two, if capacity is 8, only three and if capacity is 10 then the max is four fisherman.

The fish are close to shore here and plentiful. Reef and wreck fishing is non-stop action. Then once dinner is caught? Try your luck going a little deeper for some bigger fish. Half day trip was plenty for inshore fishing some near by restaurants will cook your catch fresh is best

March is typically windy and can affect fishing. Water temperature changes year to year, so do some homework. Be happy with a guide that works hard and is friendly and professional, even if you don’t catch what you hoped for. These guys work hard all year!

I think Captain Ron would do an excellent job with first time anglers. My buddy hasn’t fished in decades and Captain Ron familiarized him with the tackle very quickly. He commenced to catch some beautiful keeper trout.

February is the beginning of a transition from winter to spring. Conditions can change in a hurry so be prepared with layered clothing and a good wind breaker especially while traveling from spot to spot in the boat.

I was told we got on the black tuna better than other trips lately so we were happy. Unable to locate any Mahi and will book in May or June as they migrate and aren’t many left down here right now. Near the tail end of the season for mahi. But the tuna was just down right fun.

We were well prepared by bringing a cooler with plenty of variety of snacks, we had perfect weather. Although hot, but that's what you expect at the end of July. My wife and Son took one dose of motion sickness med and were fine, just to ensure they would be fine. They were too busy catching fish to experience anything but adrenaline.

For those fishing in Islamorada for the first time, I'd say you’re in for a treat. Known as the fishing capital of the world, the area is teeming with fish. It's a good idea to hire a local expert. I highly recommend Capt Jason Katsikas who can show you the best fishing spots and share some expert tips. Enjoy your fishing adventure!

Always awesome but weather plays a part. Be ready to change it up and go after different species. Can’t be butthurt if you don’t catch exactly what you’re thinking you want to catch. Just have fun and remember it’s fishing not catching…if these guys jobs were easy we would do it ourselves.

The weather was the biggest deterrent factor in making this a great fishing trip. We had a great outcome in spite of the inclement weather conditions thanks to the skills and abilities of Captain Tony and his crew. The Singing Reel vessel was ideal to keep us dry and comfortable with its spacious and air conditioning cabin.

My recommendations for someone being a first time fisherman to Islamorada remember, you are in one of the best bodies of water for fishing. Your captain has been on that water way more than most, and he will do his best to put you on Fish the equipment that we used and the knowledge that we had with us in the boat on our captain he did a great job putting us on Fish

Book early because May is a great month to fish in FL. Also, early morning trips are cooler in May. Wear hats, sunscreen, wear long sleeve SPF shirts. And remember, you don’t always catch fish, or as many fish, or as big a fish as you’d like. The ocean is a big place and fishing is unpredictable. Most fishing guides will work very hard to put you on fish - that’s how they make their living.

Book with Singing Reels! The crew provided exceptional instruction and service, and were so personable and fun. Captain Tony emailed me the same day we booked, kept in touch and called to make sure all our questions were answered so we knew what to expect!The recommendations of where to take our catch to have it prepared, and to have some shipped home were great, and we enjoyed our catch at an Oceanside restaurant. We will book again with Tony and his crew! Best Florida fishing experience ever!

Practice casting in the wind BEFORE your trip... upwind, downwind, and cross-wind. Fish can come from any direction. You hear a lot about 60 ft - 80 ft casts in the saltwater. I've been on several saltwater trips and in my experience, those shots are more rare... more often than not, it seems distances are much shorter, then the problem becomes loading a fast action fly rod at short distances. So, practice your 30 ft - 45 ft game in the wind, also. Accuracy is critical. You have to be able to put the fly within a hula hoop, if not pie plate, much of the time, even with the wind blowing. Also practice a side arm or underhand cast to slip a fly underneath overhanging mangroves. Having a good double haul is helpful in the wind or when you need the extra distance.

No reflection upon any Captain or boat I've been on so far on this trip to Islamorada, but January is not the ideal season. There are still plenty of fish to be had, in one day I caught five dinners, but my arms aren't hurting to the extent that I'd say I can't go out for more tomorrow. In the last 4 days, I've had two charters, both exceptional experiences and anticipate my last two trips will be equally satisfying. However, knowing what I do, and if I could have booked my Florida trip for the spring or summer, I'd be inclined to do that in the future. If all you can do is a December or January trip, I doubt you will be disappointed, but if fishing is your primary purpose, it may be best to wait until the season is in full swing.

I felt a little deprived, Captain Nolan bailed at the last minute, and sent a younger captain who really didn’t live up to my expectations in his place, he even said he like catering to richer folks, which when he said that I felt used, cause we didn’t target anything I has asked for. Just put us on a few mangrove snapper. Plus a two hour boat ride. When I talked to the new captain I even expressed what I had in mind , but they did what they wanted.

First, you should decide what type of fishing you want to do. There are lots of options from shore, bridges, bay, channels, near shore and deep sea. For example, I caught a 6' long 60lbs sailfish on my 60th birthday and we were only a couple of miles off shore. On that same 1/2 day trip, my group caught 21 redfish in about 20 minutes about 15 miles off shore. Mrs. Macs cooked them up for our dinner that evening! On a recent trip my group of 4 guys caught 10 nurse sharks that were from 175lbs up to 325lbs in a channel only 100' off shore.

I would suggest to plan for multiple days in order that you can cancel due to weather. Local fisherman of leisure will not go out if there are any whitecaps. Whitecaps generally equate to 5' seas in my experience, and fishing can be miserable. There should be some standard in which the fisherman has ability to cancel without being damaged. Captains need to make money, so leaving decision in his hands is not objective decision.

If you have the chance definitely book with singing reel charters! They were very hospitable and had plenty of water and other hydration options. Tony and Travis blended well with our group and they are the most down to earth guys you can ask for who work hard to make sure everyone has a great experience.

Really check out the guides before you commit. We've had some losers. It's kind of hard to do long distance; we are from Montana. On our trip, late April 2024, it was a cooler than normal spring evidently. Luckily, the water temp worked out. April is an awesome month to come out. The weather is great, the water is warm, fishing is like no other.

Check wind reports and move your trip to the best weather if possible.We would not been able to fish the day we booked due to high winds and Dave agreed the next day seemed a better choice .He moved our charter to the next day and we we able to make it through 6 hours of rocking .Was one of my most productive days on the water.

If you're a first time fisher or even experienced, definitely consider going out. Definitely not bobber in the water fishing. Alot of casting and reeling. Would recommend 3/4 so you have plenty of time to be out there.

Absolutely! Captain is a first rate gentleman and great with kids. We had 2 younger teenagers who’s fishing experience was limited and after 6 hours with him were comfortable with their tackle and were catching fish Great trip for kids with the ability to cast

Seasoned anglers or first timers, this is a great opportunity to build lasting memories with family or friends on a boat with a crew that is top notch. Friendly, helpful, kind, I just can’t say enough nice things about these guys. I highly recommend anyone trying this, it was an absolute blast, my kids have been talking about since we got off the boat!

Our trip was much closer to the harbor than we thought. We had expected to go out a ways, but stayed within a few minutes of the harbor. Not that it’s bad to fish there, and we were successful, just not what we had pictured. Still great!

Don’t call captains the day of a charter and expect them to have availability! Do your research on who is good to ensure a good time for your family. You may want to ideally catch a certain type of fish but listen to the Captain as they know best to get you fish.

Yes! He is a very knowledgeable captain and also has a very experienced deck hand. They are patient, kind, and like to teach you their technique and provide their expertise so that you feel comfortable with fishing and to also enjoy your experience.