12/29/11 Islamorada fishing guide report

Islamorada fishing guide Capt. Jim Willcox fished a full day today on 12/29/11.  They ran deep into the everglades all the way up to the cape area of the mainland.  The cool weather from the cold front we've had the last day often turns these fish on - and it did today!  They caught lots of redfish, sheepshead, trout, black drum in some of the different creeks.  They also caught this monster snook!  The wind layed down today to a nice 10 knots or so in the AM, and was even lighter by this afternoon almost turning out of the west.  Capt. Rick Stanczyk reported a decent spanish mackerel bite this morning along with plenty of blue runners, ladyfish, and mangrove snappers.  They also caught a 250 lb hammerhead shark but unfortunately it got wrapped in the leader before we could snap a picture.  This afternoon he fished another party and they caught several snappers, sheepshead, jacks, a nice pompano, and a few big trout!  Capt. Perry Scuderi looked like he had some nice hogfish this afternoon, he was able to sneak out to the patches!

12/18/11 Fishing the everglades and east cape.

Had John and his girlfriend over from across the pond (Australia!) today for a full day florida keys backcountry fishing trip!  We left out early at 7 am, stiff north-northeast breeze about 15mph, not too bad but a little chilly.  We headed back to the east cape area where fish have been stacking up in many of the canals and ditches.  First stop we fished a canal mouth, jigging shrimp and pinfish on the bottom.  Tide was still trickling in.  First fish of the day was a nice snook on one of the pins!  Also caught a few small reds and mix of crevalle jacks.  Moved a little further in to a run-off, tide switched and got the reds going pretty good there.  Caught probably 15, also a couple of nice sheeps head!  Headed a little further west to east cape canal and hit a few run-off creeks inside there.  One held some more decent redfish, and caught a couple nice black drum, along with a few more big sheepshead!  Bounced around since the bugs were bad (no-seeums!).  Did not do much else, ran to lake ingrham and caught a couple little reds there, stopped and ate lunch.  Headed back towards home, stopped for some islamorada flats fishing near one of the islands.  Drifted and poled one of the edges and found a school of little redfish, caught one.  Also blew out a snook.  For the end of the day tried mackerel fishing in the bay again, though the tide was hard into the wind, not ideal!  Caught a handful of blue runners and mangrove snappers, and then headed back home.  Christmas week is almost here so book your fishing trips today, soon we will be islamorada fishing in january!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
rick@seethefloridakeys.net
305-747-6903

12/2/11 More good fishing in the everglades!

Capt. Jim Willcox hit the everglades park again today way in the back around the mainland..  Good fishing and nice to be out of the wind!  They caught fish all over, some nice size redfish and a few monster black drum.  Also big trout stirred up everywhere and caught plenty of those too!  Had a big bull shark eat a large black drum as well - very exciting!  Capt. Rick Stanczyk reported some decent fishing for mackerels on the edge of the gulf, though the water was really dirty the few spots we fished.  Did catch some nice big ones though, and a couple pompanos.  Plus several trout, runners, ladyfish, and a few snappers.  Also a big 200 lb goliath which we pulled out of a wreck!  The offshore boats fished the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament today... Capt. Alex Adler on the Kalex, and Capt. Nick Stanczyk fishing with the crew of Bodacious tied for 1st place with 7 sails a peice, great job hang in there boys!!

10/23/11 More big snook fishing florida keys!

Capt Jim Willcox today...major flurry of big snook,big reds, & big drum...with college buddies from Alabama on the 90's, Andrew, Matt & Brant.The boys finished with 2 lemon sharks over 200 lbs and a blacktip approaching 150, for some reasomn everything was big today!!! Capt. Rick Stanczyk fished a late afternoon half day, caught plenty of trout, ladyfish, and jacks.  Plus a big bull shark and 2 big blacktips, sharks were what they wanted!

10/20/11 + 10/21/11 Cooler weather has arrived!

Ross Hiatt caught his first bonefish fishing with Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti on 10/20/11. Fishing was great after the weather we had. First nice day in quite a few, lots and lots of rain previous!  Lots of tailing bones. Ended the day on the patches catching some porgy and mutton snapper.  10/21/11 the wind picked up again out of the north and it was a little cooler out, that time of year again!  Capt. Rick Stanczyk fished with Jason and Craig on a half day and ran back all the way to flamingo.  Fishing was fair, we did get a decent snook, black drum, redfish, and sheepshead.  Lots of jacks, little snappers, and ladyfish as well.  Decent islamorada fishing for the incoming tide on half a day!  Capt. Vinnie and Capt. Bill Bassett reported once the tide start slowing down in the afternoon, they caught several large snook and redfish in the same area Capt. Rick was fishing.  Just goes to show you how fishing a full day can give you a lot more opportunities since you have different stages of tide, daylight, and conditions!