Greetings from Islamorada and the Florida Keys! Well, it’s April 1 and spring is in the air! And if you’re lucky maybe a tarpon or two in the air as well! Finally, after a cooler than normal winter, we’re getting temps that feel more like South Florida. As in, you’re sweating first thing in the morning. And as some are apt to forget, our finned species are of the tropical kind and like it on the warm side. Stabilizing water temps mean more consistent fishing and we’re finally at that point of the season. And while the temps have been increasing so has the fly fisherman’s nemesis, The Wind. The reason I mention this is because some anglers are surprised at this fact alone and even more surprised when we go out in it. Unfortunately, this is usually not without some form of protest from a frankly, an unknowing angler that’s only experienced the Florida Keys through some video. If you have never fly fished the Keys, there is a vast expanse of water known as Florida Bay. This bay is encompassed by Everglades National Park and is dotted with innumerable islands and shorelines. Fishing guides refer to this simply as “the backcountry” or “out back”, and it offers lots of places to find a lee shoreline and get out of the wind. For the average angler getting out of the wind can mean the difference between being success and failure, so lots of days that’s what I find myself doing. Snook and juvenile tarpon are the usual suspects, as well as Mr. Redfish. There have been some solid snook around and the baby tarpon fishing is just heating up. I’m thankful to see redfish popping up in some of their old haunts closer to home. No big numbers but some of the fish have been in the 30″ range. Let’s hope that trend continues. March is hands down our best permit month but this year proved otherwise. Permit fishing has been tough and that’s putting it nicely. Our colder than normal winter along with non-stop cold fronts really messed things up. They’re a lot of fish around but much further south. I’m hoping they start sliding northward so we can get on some of the big pre-spawn schools before they head offshore. Like their pint-sized version, the big tarpon fishing is just starting to get consistent. Frankly, I really don’t start fishing those guys seriously until it begins to feel summerlike, so with this welcome warming trend that’s what I find myself doing when conditions allow. Bonefishing has been good, given the day. They are the Ghost, for you that don’t know. Well, that’s it in a nutshell. Thanks for reading and I hope we get out there!
The Florida Keys Are Open!
After a few months of being closed to all non-residents, the Florida Keys officially opened to tourists on June 1. All hotels, restaurants and businesses are open but operating with social distancing measures in place but those measures dependent upon the policies of the business owners. It may not be exactly the Keys you remember or the Keys you dream about because you may need to wear a mask but the Keys are the Keys! There is no place like them!
If there has been one silver lining to the whole pandemic thing here is that the fishing has been nothing short of epic. I’m sure most of the migratory tarpon around swimming the Keys have seen this little harassment in decades! A month ago I had to drive to Marathon and from Islamorada all the way down and across the Seven Mile Bridge I saw three boats tarpon fishing! Three! In the month of May! Talk about happy fish! Bonefishing has been great, with a lot of fish in the backcountry. Redfish and snook fishing has been stupid at times.
The Keys closure came at the height of our busy season. I have been out of business since March 13. The Florida Keys have the second highest unemployment rate in the state. Our economy is based completely on tourism. I’m fortunate my wife works and has been able to float us financially during this time but she’s an ICU nurse so it’s not a lot of consolation. However, there are a lot of other folks here that aren’t so fortunate. I have a buddy that is a single dad, fishing guide, trying to support three kids. He’s suffering and so are a lot of others. So if you’re pondering a visit to the Keys don’t hesitate. Not only has been the fishing been great but visiting here will really help a lot of people in need. Times are strange, and it’s still a bit strange here but then again, the Keys have always been strange!
February 2018 Post-Irma Fishing Report
Well we finally have some warmer temperatures here in the Florida Keys. Up until last week, we were still feeling the effects of the Arctic blasts that many others were experiencing in more northern climes. Thank goodness for the warmer weather, because with the warmer water temperatures the fishing has heated up. The permit are starting to show up big time, and last week was unbelievable. We had one slicked out calm day when we were casting at fish for a solid eight hours! There were literally hundreds of permit around, tails spiked up floating in the current, tailing in the shallows, hiding behind crab pots, you name it! Sizes ranged from little juveniles, to some slobs that were probably in the thirty pound range! Absolutely sick!
As many of you are aware, Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in the Florida Keys in September. Thankfully the Upper Keys of Islamorada, Tavernier and Key Largo were spared from the worst of it. But “worst” is relative and while we were not impacted like the Lower Keys, particularly Big Pine Key, there were families that lost homes in the Upper Keys. As I mentioned in a previous post, the majority of oceanside hotels in Islamorada suffered flooding and wind damage. But the repairs and cleanup the last few months have been amazing. The Florida Keys and Islamorada are open for business! The place still looks a little beat up, but it’s certainly not as bad as what the media has portrayed it as. One customer of mine that has been coming here for a number of years made the comment that “The place is a lot greener and looks a lot better than I thought it would be.” And he is right! And while Islamorada looks mostly normal, some things are not.
Which brings me to the still unique lodging situation in Islamorada. Islamorada is still at about half capacity for available hotel rooms. But that number is changing every day. Here is the information I have on the hotel situation: All of the bayside hotels in Islamorada are currently open and some of the smaller oceanside hotels are open as well. Many of the oceanside hotels are still closed for repairs but are working to reopen quickly. This is the latest info on re-openings that I am aware of. This is not a complete list of local lodging, just a list of the larger hotels. Amara Cay Resort is open. Chesapeake Beach Resort is open. The Moorings Village is open, Pelican Cove Resort & Marina opens February 15, La Siesta Resort & Marina opens March 1, Cheeca Lodge & Spa is due to reopen March 30, The Islander Resort reopens sometime in the fall but Islander Bayside is open, Postcard Inn, known by many as Holiday Isle is supposed to open sometime in June.
Given the limited number of hotel rooms currently available in Islamorada, I know some are having difficulty in booking lodging in the Islamorada area. For those of you unfamiliar with the Keys, there are plenty of hotels in Key Largo as well as a few in Tavernier, and most less than a twenty minute drive from Islamorada. Thankfully those areas did not receive the kind of flooding that other keys did, and with the exception of the Key Largo Hilton, all hotels in Key Largo and Tavernier are open, to the best of my knowledge. Check out islamoradachamber.com for links to local lodging.
Spring is just around the corner in the Florida Keys and with it some tremendous fishing, so come on down!
January 2018 Post-Irma Info and Fishing Report
Happy New Year everyone! Islamorada and the Florida Keys have rung in the new year with the same arctic blast that so many in the country are feeling presently. Man it’s been chilly! My wife and I have been huddled around the fire pit burning wood piles left by Irma every night now for a week! I know, I know temperatures in the fifties is warm to some folks but here in the Keys that means dressing like an Eskimo. I mentioned Irma, and no, she is not some neighbor dropping off split logs. Irma, as many of you are aware, was a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in the Florida Keys in September. Thankfully the Upper Keys of Islamorada, Tavernier and Key Largo were spared from the worst of it. But “worst” is relative and while we were not impacted like the Lower Keys, particularly Big Pine Key, there were families that lost homes in the Upper Keys. As I mentioned in a previous post, the majority of oceanside hotels in Islamorada suffered flooding and wind damage. But the repairs and progress the last few months have been amazing.
Which brings me to the still unique lodging situation in Islamorada. All of the bayside hotels in Islamorada are currently open and some of the smaller oceanside hotels are open as well. Many of the oceanside hotels are still closed for repairs but are working to reopen quickly. This is the latest info on re-openings that I am aware of. This is not a complete list of local lodging, just a list of the larger hotels. Amara Cay Resort is open. Chesapeake Beach Resort is open. The Moorings Village opens January 15, Pelican Cove Resort & Marina opens February 1, La Siesta Resort & Marina opens March 1, Cheeca Lodge & Spa is due to reopen April 1, The Islander Resort reopens sometime in the fall but Islander Bayside is open, Postcard Inn, known by many as Holiday Isle is closed indefinitely.
Given the limited number of hotel rooms currently available in Islamorada, I know some are having difficulty in booking lodging in the Islamorada area. For those of you unfamiliar with the Keys, there are plenty of hotels in Key Largo as well as a few in Tavernier, and most less than a twenty minute drive from Islamorada. Thankfully those areas did not receive the kind of flooding that other keys did, and with the exception of the Key Largo Hilton, all hotels in Key Largo and Tavernier are open, to the best of my knowledge.
But enough of this minutiae and onto the fishing! Wintertime usually finds me poking around the backcountry of the Everglades. It affords shelter from the wind and it also holds fish! Sight fishing for snook and big jacks is about as fun as it gets, and finding slob snook sunning themselves in gin clear water after a cold snap is a dream come true! And when double digit jacks are roaming around in the same areas it’s even better! So get your frigid butt on a plane down to the sun and get some!
Irma
Hurricane Irma, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in the Florida Keys, September 9. Some areas were more severely impacted than others. Thankfully, the Upper Keys of Islamorada, Tavernier and Key Largo were mostly spared from the full wrath of the storm. Sadly, those living in Marathon and the Lower Keys were not as fortunate.
To be sure, the Upper Keys received their share of the damage. Some people lost their homes. Those properties on the Atlantic-side suffered the worst, particularly the mobile home parks where some homes were devastated by flooding. Trees landed on homes. Roofs were damaged. Most of the boat docks on the oceanside were severely damaged if not destroyed altogether. Many trees came down.
It sounds awful, and it is, but compared to what the Lower Keys are dealing with, we lucked out. Fortunately Islamorada and the Upper Keys were just outside the worst of Irma’s winds. The majority of the homes made it through with no or minimal damage. Thankfully my house made it through without a scratch. The screen porch didn’t even get a hole in it. My neighborhood only lost power for a couple of days. And while we certainly took a beating, the reality of our current situation is far different from that displayed in the media. Destroyed mobile home parks make good sensationalized news but do not tell the full story.
I won’t sugar coat it. Things do not look normal in Islamorada. Things do not look pretty. There are large mounds of tree debris and items damaged by flooding at the roadside awaiting pickup by the crews that have been working tirelessly to clean up this mess. But the recovery has been rapid. In less than a month’s time 70,000 cubic yard of debris have been removed from Islamorada alone by the twenty-five crews working there. When I returned to an undamaged home a week following the storm I had no power and could barely walk around my property due to all of the fallen tree limbs. The trees that remained standing were mostly denuded. But in two days, my entire yard was cleaned up and power restored thanks to friends and a utility truck from Wisconsin. Within a week, the massive pile of tree debris that obscured my house from the street was gone. And natures resilience has evidenced itself in the new leaves that I wake up to every morning.
People are working night and day to clean up the mess Irma left. The number of resources here from all parts of the country is staggering and the headway made in just a month’s time since Irma made landfall here is amazing. I can’t thank the emergency responders and linemen enough. I’ve seen firefighters and policemen that are a long way from home. The day we returned home and I saw a convoy of cops from Philadelphia I cried. And a special thanks to the Michel’s linemen from Wisconsin that strung a new service line for us. You guys are amazing. You make me proud to be an American.
Things are getting back to normal in Islamorada. Beers at Florida Keys Brewing, sunset cocktails at the Lorelei and dinner at Marker 88 is still the norm for me. And I’m not alone. But it’s just locals. Businesses are open with the exception of those oceanside hotels that want to return to a pre-Irma look and are rebuilding docks and re-planting palm trees before opening to the public.
And while it’s understandable that some may be hesitant to visit, there is one thing that Irma didn’t touch. Our fishery. Despite all of the gloom, the fishing has been amazing. Tarpon have been everywhere and there has been a ridiculous number of bonefish around. And nobody is fishing for them. So while things on land may be a bit grim, under the surface of the water, it’s a different story.
April 2015 Islamorada/Florida Keys Fishing Report: Spring is Here!
It’s hard to believe Easter has come and gone and we’re already a week into April here in the Florida Keys. I’m glad because we should be clear of any vestiges of winter. It’s always a possibility a cold front will push through this time of year but for the most part, it’s balmy temps and winds from the east. With balmy temps it should be no surprise to anyone that the Silver King will be making its yearly migration through Islamorada and its backcountry. We had good tarpon fishing in the backcountry in March when the weather cooperated and as our weather stabilizes and our water warms it’s only going to get better. Depending on the day, good numbers of tarpon have been moving on the ocean as well. Most of these fish have been somewhere in the 60 – 80 pound range with some larger fish around as well.
If you’ve never fly fished for tarpon before, prepare yourself for a fishing experience unlike anything else. It’s a physical, psychological and emotional commitment. Forget all the stuff you’ve seen on TV. Trust me, it doesn’t happen that way. Catching any of our gamefish species on fly is not easy but tarpon fishing adds a physical element that the others lack. Sure, the size of the fish will beat up an angler, but a lot of the time you’re getting bounced around in a pitching boat. Casting to fish while trying not to fall overboard is not easy my friends! If there is one thing any tarpon angler should prepare for it is this: Wind. Contrary to what is shown on TV, tarpon fisherman are generally faced with wind, and a fair amount of it. If there is one piece of advice I can give to the flycaster who is coming to the Florida Keys it is to learn to cast in the wind. If you don’t know how to double haul, spend some time and learn it. It is a necessary skill set and will make casting in the wind far easier.
The one thing I love about tarpon season is that everyone is tarpon fishing. Don’t get me wrong, I love tarpon fishing as much as the next guide, but there is something to be said for running out back to go snook fishing and having Everglades National Park seemingly to yourself. Ditto for redfish, permit and bonefish. This time of year the limelight is on tarpon but fishing on a whole is great for everything else and there are far less boats to contend with. The last two weeks were evidence to that. Snook fishing was as good as it gets and we had all to ourselves. Snook on fly is as cool as it gets but sight casting to snook over 10 pounds on fly is amazing. Seeing that big bucket mouth inhale a fly is a heart stopper! Until next time. -Pete
January 2015 Islamorada and The Florida Keys Fishing Report: Happy New Year!
Well I can’t believe another year has come and gone. Frankly, living in the Florida Keys time seems to go by faster. You’re not reminded by the normal seasonal changes that much of the country has and which reminds you of where you are on the calendar. Take this winter for example. For the most part other than the days being shorter, the temperatures are getting into the low 80’s during the day. What month am I in? January? Really? With the exception of a couple of cooler weeks prior to Christmas, it’s been downright balmy and just like the past two winters. I hate making fishing predictions because Mother Nature calls the shots, but it’s looking like it’s going to setup for the kind of amazing tarpon fishing we had in Islamorada in February and March of last year. Fingers crossed!
Fishing in the park continues to be excellent for just about everything. When I refer to the “park” it’s Everglades National Park I am speaking of. One of the best things about fishing out of Islamorda is its proximity to the park. From almost any launching point in Islamorada a five minute boat ride will place you inside a 1.5 million acre wilderness that is virtually inaccessible without a boat. No jet skis, no commercial fishing, no random boat traffic. There are days when you only share the park with dolphin, turtles, gators, maybe a croc and an amazing amount of bird life. If you don’t understand why such an experience is a big deal even if the fishing stinks, you better stick to party boats or fishing under a bridge.
The last month or so the snook bite has still been solid, although I really wish things were a bit cooler. Cooler mornings will have those fish out in the open sunning and warming up. Bright, warm mornings are a different story. Those fish will sometimes stick to the mangroves like glue. Unless of course there are thousands of finger mullet swimming around. That kind of candy with fins can cause the most stubborn of fish to abandon all caution. All they need then is a perfectly placed fly right in front of their mug! When snook are hanging under cover, the spinning rod definitely has the advantage. But then again, it usually does. A well placed jerk bait is hard thing for a snook to resist. It still baffles me that some people think you can’t catch snook without live bait. Trust me, they eat artificials just fine. That said, just because you have a spinning rod in your hand doesn’t mean it’s going to happen on it’s own. Skipping plastics under the mangroves takes plenty of skill. If you don’t know how to feather a cast or even know what it means look it up. It’s a necessary skill to cast accurately with a spinning rod. Whether it’s a tailing redfish, a mudding bonefish, a permit or rolling tarpon, know how to feather your casts for accuracy and more hookups!
Happy New Year everyone and tightlines! Until next time. -Pete
October 2014 Islamorada/Florida Keys Fishing Report: Backcountry on fire!
Well it’s mid-October and fishing has really heated up. The bait has arrived, the bait has arrived! It’s a good thing because the past month was very up and down for me. Some days a hero, some days a zero. But last week I was all hero, thanks to Mr. Finger Mullet. I am so glad because something needed to change. Too many days of being surrounded by tons of tailing redfish that were moody and wouldn’t eat. Sure, some of that moodiness can be attributed to fishing pressure, but when fish on every spot are responding in the same fashion, you know something is up. I know on those lockjaw days that if I resorted to soaking baits or live chumming like many guides do, my results would be different. But soaking baits isn’t hunting for fish and live chumming takes the “sport” out of sportfishing. In fact, I wish guides would stop the practice of live chumming. It ruins spots. But enough of that, the bait has arrived, the water is cooling and fish are putting on the feedbag!
The arrival of the finger mullet is a cause for celebration. Finger mullet are just that, mullet the size of a finger. These mullet are not the same as the big daddies used to live bait tarpon. These juvenile mullet are mouth-sized morsels that every gamefish predator can get in their gullet, and in the Everglades backcountry that means redfish and snook. When you’re on a shoreline watching finger mullet schools pushing along and being blown up and smacked by snook, you know you’re in for some good fishing. The same goes for redfish. Sure, mullet muds are always a good place to look for reds, but finger mullet muds are a different story. Redfish with shoulders will be blasting finger mullet and in that dirty water, they’re far easier to feed than in the clear stuff.
Bonefishing is still the same story. It’s slowly improving. Key word: slowly. We’re still along way to get back to what we had but at least we’re moving in the right direction. Truth be told, if you can’t put a fly or bait exactly where you want, in a wind, you will not be successful. This stands true with any type of sight fishing, but when you’re only afforded limited shots, there is absolutely zero room for error. This is strictly black and white fishing. You can do it, or you can’t. That’s the reality of it.
I had a tough permit month. It seemed that every day we had to permit fish we were contending with clouds and wind. Tough spotting in those conditions but we had our shots. That’s all you can hope for fishing for Mr. Rubber Lips.
Well, even though I have the day off the weather is perfect and I’m going to go chase some fish with the wife. Until next time. -Pete
September 2014 Islamorada / Florida Keys Fishing Report: Fall Is Here!
Well it’s mid-September, the kids are back at school and the crowds have gone. The fall is my favorite time to be in the Keys. The tourist season is over and having less people around is a welcome break. It also means nobody is on the flats! Being able to fish Everglades National Park and have it all to yourself is pretty amazing. Islamorada’s proximity to Everglades National Park is one of the reasons why Islamorada is the best place to fish in the Keys. A five minute boat ride from any bayside boat ramp will put you inside the park. You don’t have that kind of access anywhere else in the Keys. Fishing inside the park is an amazing experience and no fishing trip to Islamorada is complete without going “out back”. An angler can find every fish imaginable in the “backcountry”. Bonefish, permit, tarpon, redfish, snook, sea trout, black drum, sharks, jack crevalle, and the list goes on. But the bonus is fishing for these species in a wilderness environment. Sure, it’s not unspoiled and there are reminders that you’re still in the 21st century, but there are definitely times when I’ve been fishing and wouldn’t have been surprised to see a dinosaur or two! Now on to the fishing!
Redfish and snook fishing continues to be excellent. As mentioned in previous reports, it is so great to see more and more juvenile snook. This great gamefish is making a strong comeback since the freeze of 2010 and I couldn’t be happier. What makes me unhappy is the fact that the state of Florida reopened snook season last year and people went right back to their old ways. Most upsetting are the guides that did so. As much as Islamorada is the “Sportfishing Capital of the World” it certainly is not the “Fishing Conservation Capital of the World”. The old school, offshore fishing mentality of “if it’s legal, keep it” is archaic and needs to change. For my part, every snook will go back. They are too valuable of a resource to be on a dinner plate.
Another success story in the making appears to be bonefish. Finding large schools of juvenile bonefish tailing in the backcountry is a great sign, although oceanside fishing has been the most consistent. We’ve also been finding some decent sized schools of hotporevo.net juvenile permit, along with the occasional slob. There are still a number of tarpon in the 20 – 30 pound range on the oceanside as well as in the backcountry. As the water starts to cool and the mullet migration kicks in next month, fishing for tarpon, redfish and snook will really light up. That goes for bonefish and permit as well. A little bit cooler water really fires these guys up and you can find some really fatties. Looking forward to October. Until next time. -Pete
August 2014 Islamorada / Florida Keys Fishing Report: Go Get Some!
Well it’s mid-August and not surprisingly it’s a bit hot here in Islamorada and the Florida Keys. The light winds of summer can have you wishing for more wind but I love it. Slicked out conditions means spotting tails of all kinds. Redfish, bonefish and permit tails to be exact. When it’s glassy calm you can see fish on the flats from a distance, pushing, waking with tails flashing. There is nothing better, than getting a fluorocarbon fishing line to tackle them, and grab a quick bite. The flip side to glassed out conditions is the fish are far spookier. Calm conditions demand stealth. Dropped hatches and cooler lids will have happily feeding fish running for their lives. The same goes for talking too loudly. Remember, you’re hunting except you’re armed with a rod. Long leaders are not fun to cast but they’re necessary when you’re faced with those kind of conditions. Fish, especially those in shallow water, can hear and feel everything and they will keep their distance if something doesn’t feel right to them. A boat rocking from putting too much “body English” into a cast will have fish pushing off in the opposite direction from the pressure wave created. Efficiency of motion is what is needed for good casting. Forget all the pics in the magazines and the videos that show guys casting as if they’re doing some track and field event. You don’t have to double haul with your whole body!
The great news as of late has been the steadily increasing numbers of bonefish being found up and down the Keys. There have even been some schools out in the backcountry. Even better than seeing them is the fact that these fish have been juveniles. It is certainly encouraging. Along gifsex.blog with the juvenile bonefish have been some juvenile permit as well. So cool to see bunches of five pound permit spiked up and tailing away. Sure they’re not big but who cares, they’re still permit and they will still smoke you. Redfishing and snook fishing in the backcountry of Everglades National Park is still rock solid. Look for bait, look for wakes. Still plenty of tarpon around both on the ocean and in the Flamingo area. Sizes vary, but I like finding fish in the 30 pound range. Great acrobatics and they don’t beat you up too much!
If you haven’t already picked it up, the summer issue of The Drake is out and my essay “The Hum” is featured. I had a good time writing it and I hope it’s enjoyed. It gives a little taste of what summertime fishing in the ‘glades can be like. Until next time. -Capt. Pete Rowney
