11/8/17 November Islamorada Backcountry Fishing Report

Well November is moving right along and it looked like we were going to have a bit of an early winter at the end of October with a pretty cold, early front.  However since then things have calmed down and warmed right back up!  This week the temperatures have been in the low to mid 80s during the day, with fairly light winds... almost summer like conditions except you can feel a hint of fall in the air, not the super humid 90+ degrees we get then.  Fishing has been very good for the most part.  I myself have had several days off since last week as my wife is out of town and taking care of the little one at home, but from what I've been seeing I've been itching to get out there.  My last day out was last Friday, we had a decent catch of snook landing 8 and missing a few others in the everglades.  We had banner fishing before that during the late october cold snap, with some redfish, snook, and black drum.  Jon Patten had a nice 20 lb black drum one of those days, and my dad and his friend Peter had some nice snook, redfish, and black drum the following day.  Capt. Jim Willcox has gotten into fish both in the everglades and closer to home.  He's been having some nice snook back there as well as a few redfish here and there.  He got some bonefish a few days ago too for an angler who was looking for bonefish and snook... what a day for him.  Also a cobia on one day as well.  Capt. Clyde Upchurch has had some good snapper and snook action around some of the bay islands in the everglades.  Capt. Jeff Beeler said the snook and tarpon deep in the everglades on his full day trips the last few days were very good.  Capt. Mike Bassett had stellar patch fishing yesterday with a variety of snappers including lanes, yellowtails, and mangroves.  They also had some nice bar jacks and his angler was rewarded with a 30 lb permit!  Capt. Gunner Guthrie was out for fun over the weekend and also reported good patch action and got a smaller permit as well.  Capt. Mike Walter had a half day on the patches over the weekend with some big mangrove snappers eating pilchards!  Capt. John Johansen and Capt. Bill Bassett have had some good patch action as well this week.  Yes... the patch fishing is where it has been at if you want practically guaranteed fish and some dinner to take home.  My dad Capt. Richard Stanczyk Sr. had some good bonefish fishing last night landing 4 bonefish with his daughter in law Sara Stanczyk.  He also got Rich Hastings, bud n marys employee, 4 bonefish and his first permit over the weekend too!  Stake up bonefish fishing has been pretty good - but you have to find the clean water to have success with that.  I've also seen some other guides in town have been finding some hungry tarpon in many areas.  With the calm, warm conditions they can pop right back up like it's summer time no matter what time of year.  Now this condition may not hold for long but at least from the forecast I've seen we have no cold weather in the immediate future, so it's definitely possible for the coming week or two possibly.  Anyways yes the fishing is very good the last week or so as things have readjusted to 'warm weather' condtions after our front at the end of October.  The gulf spanish mackerel fishing has not been very good as of yet from reports I've heard, but that can fire up as soon as we get some more cold weather.  But as you can see there are plenty of options worth trying.  Come on down and let's go fishing!  305-664-2461

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing