SLAM!!! Fall fishing report continued
October 27, 2018 Big Pine Key 3 photos
Bonefish
Bonefish
Permit
Permit
Tarpon
Tarpon

Trip Summary

So the title of this fishing report is about what occurred to me yesterday while I was out on the water fishing with my buddy Eric. A well deserved day off is what I needed as we had beautiful weather conditions and what would be an epic day out on the water. The first thing we came across were a few schools of Juvenile Tarpon with a couple of fish caught on fly along with some good hookups. After the Tarpon, we switched our focuses to Bonefish as we arrived at the next spot. It didn’t take long for the Bonefish to show up I quickly caught 2 bones as my buddy Eric went 2 for 3 all within 30 minutes of fishing which are really good numbers. So Eric and I was setup for possible grand slam for the each of us as we made our way down the flat. Off in the distance Eric and I started noticing some nervous water. I immediately knew right away that this would be Permit. I poled towards the school of fish trying to predict which way they were going to come at us which tricky and took some patience due to the fish acting as they were on edge or spooky. As we finally got into position to make a cast, a small school of bonefish appeared in front of as Eric made a few cast at the school of Permit and then switched his target back to the bones in which he would catch one. As he was releasing his fish, I grabbed my 9wt fly rod and started stripping line out from the reel. Another school appeared off in the distance as Eric and I noticed the nervous water. Eric poled me into position as I would make my first shot at a school of fish. I had fish tracking the as Eric notice and yelled out “he ate it”. I made an attempt to strip strike the fish with no successful hook up. 2 minutes later a school appeared 40’ from my 3 o’ clock side I made a 30’ backcast which put the fly in the middle of the school. I stripped the fly and immediately had a fish tracking as Eric yelled out again he ate it! I immediately came tight to the fish as there was a moment of pure concentration of fighting and landing the fish. Eric grabbed the Permit at the base of the tail and brought him in the boat. SLAM completed! After the silence of concentration, there was celebration. Now it was Eric’s turn and I knew that we had good chance of getting Eric a SLAM after confidence and high of obtaining mine. We would move to another spot where I know we would see more later in the tide. Sure enough the fish were there. Eric had a quite few really good shots with one fish eating the fly. Things started getting frustrating as needlefish would screw up our shots along with another bonefish caught after as the presentation was intended for a Permit. So our day ended with 6 Bonefish, 2 Tarpon, and 1 Permit caught on the day which made for an incredible trip.
Robert Horachek
Big-pine-key, Florida, United States
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When it comes down to the unspoiled flats of the Florida Keys, Kingfisher Backcountry Charters is an excellent choice. Whether you are a curious novice angler or an experienced fly-fisherman, there is a trip for you. The company is run and operated by Cap...

Other reports from this captain

Guides day off
Guides day off
June 25, 2020
I had the oppurtunity to fish with my buddy Eric which led to a great day on the water. We were able to get numerous shots at Bonefish, Permit, and some Juvenile Tarpon while fly fishiing in a 20 mph windy day. With that said, there were challages that we overcame while catching a couple of bones and one Juvenile Tarpon. We made some really good presentations at fish that didn’t a take or draw interest which made us change flies a few times before we figured out the formula. Some of the biggest and sucessful highlight of the trip lead to 3 shots at Permit. Shot number 1 was on our first spot at the middle half of the outgoing tide brought us an epic shot at Permit in super shallow water in the 20lb range. With the boat angled in the right direction we were able to get 3 cast at that fish. The last may have look as if the Permit Tailed on the fly, but didn’t tight. After getting a couple of shots at some bones, it was time to make a change before we approach several muds off in the distance. I ended up choosing the right fly and landed a Bonefish shortly after. I ponder and regretted that I should of change before the 1st shot at the tailing Permit. The next spot, bought us plenty of Bonefish shots as there were quite a few times where the fish should have taken the fly. Eric landed a nice Bonefish shortly after several shots were taken. After that, it was low tide as we decided to take a break for lunch. We talk a figured out what the next spot was going to be as it seemed promising according to trend of the tides and weather. We ran out to the gulf edge and set our selves up on and early incoming tide. I got up on the bow casually as I was rehydrating with cold H2O. Then as I was stripping out line Eric called out a school of Permit at 1 o’clock 50ft. I made sure that my line one the deck was good and quickly figured out which side to cast off of. By the time I was starting my presentation a cloud cover the sun on us which made it feel like someone had turned off a light switch in a bedroom. Shortly after, we have a couple of shot at some more Bonefish as the transitional bottom made it a little difficult in spotting the fish. After that spot we may our way to an interior spot where we found some good bonefish muds and one Permit that gave is no chance at a shot. As we approach some of the muds, we staird for sometime trying to spot fish. I made some good blind cast into the spots where i figure the fish may be. Unfortunaly, no takes. About the time we got too close, a school 30 fish shot out from the Mud and headed for deeper water. We decided to push inside as we ended up capping the the day with a nice 20lb Tarpon on fly. The Tarpon itself gave us a nice show as fish came out of water a few also making another Tarpon come out of the and doing a mirror image summersalt simultaneously. So this concludes the fishing report of the day. My goal with this report was trying to provide a visual experience on how the fishing is right now in the lower keys backcountry and flats area.
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