11/9/11 Islamorada Offshore & Backcountry Report

Fishing was good all around today here in Islamorada Florida Keys.  In the backcountry Capt. Rick Stanczyk reported hooking double digit snook and catching 8 or so.  Redfishing around flamingo was not so hot just a few small rats.  Capt. Mike Bassett caught a real nice size fish on a half day back there as well.  Capt. Jim Willcox ran deep into the backcountry and caught some snook, redfish, and a baby tarpon.  Capt. Skip Nielsen did say he got a few nice size reds out to the west.  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti fished the patches and caught several nice size hogfish - great eating!  Also plenty of porgies and other fish.  Offshore Capt. Nick Stanczyk on the BnM got into several nice mahi, great to see them this time of year.  They also caught 2 sailfish.  The gulf edge got a little nasty this afternoon, Capt. Rick reported it started blowing out of the west shutting a lot of fishing down out there this afternoon, we did catch some nice jacks and found a big goliath grouper on some structure.  Unfortunately we hooked him about 6 times and could not pull him out of it with the rod we had, must of been a very big fish!!!  Great fun still though to feel them pull!