2/25/13 Backcountry fishing in the Florida Keys Report

Had a good day today in the backcountry florida keys fishing.  We ran out to some channels in search of some big fish in the backcountry and gulf waters.  Had a few hours of falling tide this morning, we started out catching a variety of ladyfish, trout, and some nice pompano.  Saving the ladyfish for live and dead bait.  Saw a handful of tarpon in islamorada rolling so we put some baits out.  Caught a couple blacktips and did have a tarpon bust a live ladyfish however he missed it and didn't come back for seconds!  After the tide quit and we had enough bait we hit some shallow runoffs for some trout where the tide was still trickling out.  Caught a handful and made a few throws with the net in hopes of mullet, however only came up with one.  We went out a little further towards the gulf and set up for some february shark fishing in islamorada with hopes of getting lucky and maybe snagging a tarpon.  Lots of action with smaller blacktips, and hooked a monster 'mud marlin.'  He had a nice companion following along with him, a 45 lb cobia!  We hooked him up and took a break with the sea monster and focused on the cobia... after a 25 minute battle on light spin tackle he was ours!  We then went back to the big rod and fought him for another 30 minutes and finally got a good look at him before he rolled over and cut us off.  Ran back to our spot with an hour or so left to fish and within a few minutes hooked up this nice 100 lb hammerhead shark!  After that saw a few more tarpon busting and a couple rolling around, however not our day for them, but all in all still a fantastic day fishing islamorada in february!  Capt. John Johansen and Capt. Bill Bassett both reported good rod bending action with ladyfish, trout, etc... and also had lots of action with the blacktip sharks in the backcountry.  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti reported several hook ups the day before fishing some rock piles on the ocean side when it was flat calm for permit.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

2/23/13 Florida Keys Shark fishing in the backcountry february

Another beautiful day here on 2/23/13 fishing in the florida keys in february.  Today I had Martin Williamson who fished with me a couple years ago and had a great time.  He was back from across the pond for another special birthday fishing trip.  I got to dust my big rods off as I haven't used them much as of late.  We started out early catching some small stuff for bait, but got into a plethora of fish.  Lots of ladyfish, jacks, and trout.  Even a few spanish mackerel, bluefish, and pompano mixed in with them.  Trout fishing in Islamorada should pick up in the bays and muds as the water warms and we enter our spring time islamorada fishing period.  We put one shark rod out whilst catching bait and got lots of action on that, caught 4 small to medium size blacktips.  After we were loaded up on ladyfish we made our way back towards another spot.  Martin wanted to catch a goliath and it was a little too rough for the gulf wrecks so I tried closer in around some protected areas.  We had a pack of cobias swim up on us about 20 minutes after we got there, caught 1 and had another one eat a bait and spit it.  Another 20 minutes later and both big rods doubled over - double header!  Martin fought one while I through our anchor ball and gave chase, all the while our other rod/fish is going the opposite way behind us.  Eventually the fish behind us tired a bit and I had Martin switch to that... low and behold that was the goliath he was looking for a nice 150 lb fish!  A great islamorada golaith grouper!  We got pictures of him than moved back to the other fish which was absolutely massive.  Finally got him to stop and started leadering him up, I could tell what it was from the big dead weight and big slashing movements - mud marlin!  We got him near the surface with bill sticking out of the water, but unfortunately on the monofilament he cut us off before we could get a real good look/picture.  We gave it another 45 minutes there but no other action, and decided to try a spot for some redfish which worked out nice.  Caught about 10 mostly slot reds to end the day, perfect end to another great day of february fishing in Islamorada.

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

2/22/13 Fishing east cape in february islamorada

Capt. Mike Bassett reported a great day on his islamorada fishing charter in february today.  His guys were looking to catch some snook and they had some good luck.  Capt. Mike fished around the east cape/mainland area which can hold some nice size snook at all times of the year.  They fished many of the creeks and runoffs that wind into the mainland.  They caught 6 nice snook, plus several nice drum mostly blacks.  They also got about 20 trout later in the day too.  Not a bad day fishing the florida keys in february.  Capt. Rick Stanczyk and Capt. Bill Bassett had a group trip half day fishing islamorada today.  They were after some stuff for the dinner plate, they both caught limit of mangrove snappers and also several nice trout and some rod bending ladyfish in some of the local muds near islamorada.  Bigger snappers are moving back in around the islands and cuts as the water temperatures are getting back to the low to mid 70s.  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti and Capt. John Johansen have fished a few evening trips for tarpon the last couple nights and had some action too, not hot and heavy but a couple bites and some decent size fish... if your thinking of tarpon fishing in february as long as the weather stays warm it is a good possibility, ask about doing some evening fishing there are guys who are ready and willing!  Capt. Jim Willcox also has had a couple hammerhead sharks this week shark fishing in islamorada.

2/20/13 Half Day Backcountry Fishing Islamorada

Well season has kicked off with a bang here in islamorada, florida keys.  Just about everything that floats has been on the water this week, I myself have had double half days most every day, so you know the people are in town!  Fishing in the backcountry of Islamorada had started a little slow this week as we had a late cold front which was the coldest it got all winter.  Some of the backcountry waters got into the high 50s... brrrr!  Today it got back up to 70 or so which is good news for fishermen!  Yesterday we managed to catch some snappers for dinner on our half day trips, plus plenty of blue runners for some rod bending action, and got into a mess of ladyfish and a few trout in the afternoon as well.  Today we found lots of pompano this morning and caught about 15 or so on a half day islamorada fishing charter.  Also plenty of trout and big ladyfish.  This afternoon we did a similar game plan, no pompano but probalby caught close to 50 trout, plus a few ladyfish and jacks.  On full day trips, there has been some fish around east cape - redfish, black drum, snook, and trout... not red hot fishing but a good pick of fish, and some decent size ones as well.  Today Capt. Bill Bassett and Capt. Mike Bassett reported good fishing in the gulf of mexico in Islamorada.  Mike got some mackerel in the morning, some tripletails, and 3 snook in the afternoon.  Bill reported several nice big tripletail they kept for dinner.  Well we are getting towards the tail end of february fishing in islamorada and hopefully the last cold front of this winter season... wouldn't suprise me if the tarpon start to go off here in the next few days!

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

 

2/15/13 Pre february cold front backcountry fishing report

Well looks like we have (hopefully) our last cold front of the year coming over the weekend.  Today on 2/15/13 there was lots of moisture in the air and some scattered rain, you could also feel the cooler air pushing down with the north/northeast winds in the backcountry fishing islamorada february.  We fished a bit west of flamingo and out around the cape this morning.  Picked a handful of nice 22-24 inch redfish off a few spots.  Also got a nice juvenile tarpon which was cool as my anglers wanted to catch one.  We also lost a snook at the boat and caught plenty of snappers and jacks.  Later bugs got bad in the next spot, so we went in the gulf to check it out.  Hooked one cobia on the wreck which we pulled the hook on, and caught a big sting ray fishing the gulf in islamorada.  On the way back found the tripletails floating and caught probably 8 or those, only one nice keeper though but they were lots of fun!  We ended the day with a handful of trout in some runoffs again, not a bad way to spend the day fishing islamorada in february.  Capt. Dave Sisung fished closer to Islamorada, they had a mixed bag and got a couple nice sharks too, as well as this nice redfish to end the day.  Capt. Bill Bassett found caught a few redfish polingand said they saw many more, plus caught fish for dinner including trout and mangrove snappers.  Capt. Mike Bassett reported some redfish, black drum, trout, and a snook back around mainland florida as well.  Great news on this islamorada fishing report.  This cold front should only last a couple days and hopefully a few days after that things will warm right back up.  Tarpon have been around we saw several again on the way home near Bud n' Mary's, and Capt. Vic Gaspeny did report catching some in the early morning hours before daylight.  The islamorada fishing forecast will be calling for tarpon, tarpon, tarpon as we enter the spring!

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