12/13/13 Florida Keys Backcountry Fishing in December

Well the fishing and weather had been great in the backcountry earlier this week with the mild temperatures and wind.  The winds were howling northeast today 20 mph and muddied up some areas of the bay.  The temperature was a little chilly back around the mainland this morning, but not too bad or what we would consider 'cold'.  Capt. Jim Willcox and Capt. Rick Stanczyk had a double party.  Fishing wasn't great it was kind of a slow pick but we got a variety.  A handful of nice redfish in the morning around flamingo on the dead low water, the flats were sticking way out and water temperatures chilly which normally is a productive condition for that kind of fishing but was just a slow pick this morning.  We had a mix of small trout, ladyfish, and jacks as well later in the bays and other channels.  Capt. Jim also caught a tarpon while fishing for trout in the afternoon which was an unexpected surprise!  Capt. Rick got into a handful of snook around some of the islands too on the live pilchards.  Earlier this week Capt. Rick reported great snook fishing and had a small tarpon one day, as well as another day with some gag grouper, goliath grouper, and cobias.  Capt. Bill Bassett fished a half day and had good fishing for mangrove snappers around the local Islamorada islands, and also got into a mixed bag of jacks, bluefish, and ladyfish on the bayside of Islamorada.  After he left the area, Capt. Tim Arce fished it and as soon as the tide turned the spanish mackerels really fired up he said.  Capt. John Johansen earlier this week reported good snook fishing as well as spanish mackerel fishing.  He had some snook on fly and spin one day.  Looks like southerly wind directions this weekend which will mean warmer weather.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk