Islamorada On The Fly

Islamorada, Everglades, and Florida Keys Flats and Fly Fishing Charters

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The Florida Keys Are Open!

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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

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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!

 

April 2016 Islamorada and the Florida Keys Fishing Report: Tarpon and Permit, Oh My!

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Well spring has sprung on the flats of Islamorada and the Florida Keys.  And with the warmer water temps one of our flats favorites has been showing in good numbers: the tarpon.  Each day more and more fish have been showing in the backcountry and on the flats closer to home.  Most of these fish are large, 60-80 lbs or so, with some real slobs mixed in.  Calm mornings you can find these fish rolling and while you end up lining quite a few, it’s still amazing fishing.  Even better is if you find them feeding on baitfish schools.  That kind of aggressive feeding behavior is bound to result in a hookup.  That said, good fly casting is still the name of the game.  If your best cast is thirty feet after five minutes of false casting, better get practicing or better yet, invest in a casting lesson.  Far too many come to fly fish in Islamorada and the Florida Keys believing all they have to do is get a fly in the water and magically they’re going to catch all of our favorite flats species.  It’s not the case.  Doing anything with a fly here is the pinnacle of angling and good casting is a must.  I sound like a broken record when it comes to this stuff, but if you’re investing the money to come to Islamorada and the Florida Keys to fish, invest the time to work on your casting skills.  It doesn’t take much but too many anglers don’t even bother.  If you had the chance to play Augusta wouldn’t you at least hit the driving range?  Well that’s enough of a casting sermon.  On to the fishing.

The last few weeks we’ve been mostly targeting tarpon and permit.  Had absolutely amazing permit fishing the last few weeks.  Hundreds, yes I said, hundreds of the sickle tailed devils around.  All bunched up before they head offshore to spawn.  They ranged in size from juveniles to some beasts.  Nothing better than seeing dozens and dozens of tails spiked up on a calm morning!  As mentioned, more and more tarpon are showing.  We’ve had some incredible days the last couple of weeks.  When you look 360 degrees and see rolling tarpon everywhere it’s like striking gold!  When the wind has been really up we’ve been poling shorelines for snook but that has been tough fishing.  Most of the fish have been stuck well back in the mangroves and not moving an inch.  Hard to coax them out with a fly when it’s like that.  There have been a few redfish around.  Ditto for bonefish.

That’s it in a nutshell.  The coming weeks more and more tarpon will be showing up.  So come down and fish!  Until next time.  -Pete

September 2014 Islamorada / Florida Keys Fishing Report: Fall Is Here!

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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!

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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

July 2014 Islamorada Fishing Report: Summer time fishing is red hot!

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Well it’s mid-July and summer is definitely here.  Hot, humid and buggy and I love it.  Strangely, most northerners are afraid to visit the Florida Keys in the warmer months because they think it’s going to be “too hot”.  The shocking truth is that our temps rarely get over ninety degrees.  Most of the time it’s upper eighties.  That’s almost cool compared to many places in the summer, even New York City!

The nice thing about summer is that the winds have lessened, the snowbirds are gone and the fishing is great.  Weekends can get a bit busier but during the week almost no one is on the water.  Having Everglades National Park to yourself isn’t a bad thing, not by a long shot especially since the redfishing has been off the hook.  Slicked out mornings you can find redfish doing headstands, waving that big old tail around.  I love coming across a flat that looks like a sheet of glass and seeing tailers and pushers.  It’s a beautiful sight.  Along with the redfish, snook will be found up on the flats as well, usually sitting in depressions or holes.

I know I keep repeating myself, but it’s so good to see those fish coming back as strong as they are.  Snook are just an awesome gamefish and it’s great seeing them everytime I go out.  I still think the state should have kept the season closed for another year however.  Too many fisherman, including guides, went back to their old ways of killing every legal fish they caught.  That kind of old school attitude still permeates the Keys and that kind of offshore mentality really has no place where sportfishing provides everything to our economy.  Well enough of my ranting and onto the fishing!  As mentioned the redfish and snook fishing has been awesome in the backcountry.  The areas around Flamingo have been loaded with mullet and not surprisingly the gamefish are there as well.  While the tarpon migration is over, there are still plenty of fish around.  These residents will remain well into fall and some fish will overwinter at the bridges.

Although I don’t want to call it a recovery, bonefishing has been steadily improving.  The great news is seeing lots of juvenile fish in the 2 – 3 pound range.  That is certainly encouraging.  Fingers crossed that the fishery will make a full comeback.  When I think of summer I think of permit.  I love seeing those sickle tails spiking up on a glassed out morning.  Talk about an adrenaline rush!  For those of you that think it’s too hot to come to the Keys, you’re mistaken and you don’t know what you are missing!  Until next time.  -Pete

March 2014 Fishing Report for the Keys and Islamorada: Tarpon and Permit, Oh My!

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Well it’s mid-March here in Islamorada and the Florida Keys and apparently we’re not going to have winter, once again.  Air and water temps on the flats have been up the last two months and not surprisingly the fishing has been hot as well.  The spooky thing too has been the lack of wind. Not really sure what that’s all about but I’ll take it since it seemed like it blew all of 2013.  With a reasonably consistent weather pattern and the warmer than normal temps, tarpon have been showing up big time.  Not only in numbers but in size as well.  We’ve put in the air a number of fish well over a hundred pounds.   They can be hard to stay buttoned up to but they sure are fun to watch!

The mood of the fish is in direct relationship to the weather however.   Since it is still “winter” the occasional north wind can either give them a case of lockjaw or simply push them out.  The good thing is that the cold snaps we’ve had have all been short in duration with things normalizing after a couple of days.  I don’t care what the species, consistent weather lends itself to good fishing.  While it’s hard not to get distracted by telephone pole-sized tarpon, there just happens to be another species that has been making a solid showing.  Mr. Permit.

March is one of the best months of the year to get a shot on these guys, as they get bunched up before spawning offshore.  On calm days you can find big schools of permit floating, tails spiked out and looking sexy.  Man, I love those fish!  Permit are synonomous with doctorvideos.net crabs but they have no problem eating tarpon flies.  Just strip like hell!  Bonefishing has been hit or miss.  Some days have been good and some have been dismal.  It just comes with the territory.  Out in the backcountry the redfish and snook fishing is still solid with some days better than others.  Looking forward to fishing the new and full moons in April for redfish.  It’s one of the best times to get into large schools of large fish.  Love seeing tons of tails on calm mornings.  Seeing more and more snook and even though they’re numbers are not close to what they used to be they are definitely making a comeback.  Tarpon season will be in full swing before you know it so get on it before it’s too late!  Until next time.  -Pete

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Capt. Pete Rowney

Capt. Pete Rowney is a light tackle and fly fishing specialist who guides out of Islamorada, Florida Keys and Everglades.

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