2/2/13 February islamorada fishing report

February fishing Islamorada is well under way here now on 2/2/13.  The water temperatures in the backcountry are still pretty chilly in the mid 60s this morning, but we are starting back on a warming trend.  A good possibility once the temps get back in the mid-70s the tarpon will show up and bite good.  This is the time of year they do begin to show, often back in the backcountry channels and around the cape area.  Also Capt. Ken Cohan reported some 'sea monster' action a.k.a. mud marlin last week here fishing florida keys in february when the water temp was in the low 70s right after the full moon, time to bring the big guns!  As for today, Capt. John Johansen fished a full day and started out front on the patches.  They braved the rough water as the winds were more northeast and not due north, but it paid off... Not much going on with the regular suspects, but they did get a nice 20 lb permit!  They later went into the backcountry and the trout bite was good when the water warmed up with the lower water levels.  Capt. Clyde Upchurch reported the same, keys backcountry fishing  did not get going till later in the day... but eventually they did get some nice big trout.  Again as things continue to warm up we should be getting into much more of our spring time fisheries, which is just about everything you can catch here in fishing in the florida keys.  Call and book your 2013 tarpon trips now as many desirable dates are filling up fast.  305-664-2461

2/1/13 Another cold front but still good keys backcountry fishing!

Well yesterday afternoon another cold front hit us here for our first february florida keys fishing day, and looks to be chilly for another couple of days.  It was blowing hard 20-25mph out of the north/northeast this morning making for a chilly/bumpy ride into the backcountry but several guides made the journey.  It proved to be a pretty decent day fishing the backcountry of islamorada.  Capt. Rick Stanczyk reported a good mix of redfish, black drum, sheepshead, trout, and snapper at east and middle cape.  They also caught some nice trout and a baby goliath grouper on the way home.  The waters were very low in the backcountry with the hard north wind which should hold through tomorrow.  Capt. Bill Bassett had part of the same party, they stuck in east cape and poled some of the shallow runoffs, also catching a mix of redfish, black drum, and even a handful of snook.  Remember Bud n' Mary's can accommodate islamorada group fishing parties of several dozen people!  Capt. Perry Scuderi reported a similar bite.  Capt. Dave Sisung stayed closer to home, they got this nice snook as well nearby february islamorada fishing.  So if your wondering yes there was some good fishing today if you could brave the ride, always options here when backcountry fishing florida keys!

2/19/12 Backcountry fishing florida keys february.

Well the wind kicked up out of the southwest this morning and by the end of the day was howling for islamorada fishing in february.  This really churned up the water in a lot of the backcountry.  We weren't able to do anything on the edge of the gulf or back at the cape, so stuck around flamingo.  Caught plenty of ladyfish and trout in several spots.  Shark fished for a while and caught a nice 80 lb blacktip.  Saw a few tarpon rolling but they were not biting.  As the tide died we moved, lots more trout and ladyfish and a few pompano and jacks.  Water was incoming now and we decided to try some redfish spots.  Hit the right spot first and spent our last hour catching about a dozen reds, several slot size fish 20+ inches.  Also caught a big black drum and a smaller one, and a sting ray.  Good finish to the day.  Capt. Bob Reineman reported catching several redfish poling and casting.  Capt. Jim Willcox reported some good action with snappers, trout, and ladyfish, and lots of small blacktips and a big 100 lber further out west for his day of february florida keys fishing.  -- Capt. Rick Stanczyk

2/14/12 + 2/15/12 Post cold front Islamorada backcountry fishing report!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk fished the last few days after our recent cold front in the Florida Keys backcountry, from west of flamingo out around the cape area and further northwest.  It's quite a run for an islamorada fishing charter taking over an hour to get to.  The recent front we had chilled the water down considerably, but pushed many fish out from the gulf and further up north into some of the creeks and canals in search of deeper warmer water.  On 2/14/12 I fished Nilson and his wife from Sweden.  We caught 10 snook and lost a couple nicer ones.  Lots of redfish too about 2 dozen, and even caught a baby goliath grouper which I have not seen any of those since the cold snap of 2010 that killed them off along with many of the snook.  We ended the day catching trout on artificial GULPs.  Today I fished the Levor's who have fished out of Bud n' Mary's for many years, mostly with Capt. Paul Ross on the Relentless.  We did the same thing, but today the snook were much bigger!  We caught 5, some nice fish 10 lbs and a little over, lots of fun on light spin.  Had almost 2 hours of incoming tide today, whereas yesterday we didn't have any, arriving at roughly the same time.  We last about 5 others that we pulled hooks on, cut lines on, and lost in the trees.  But that's snook fishing!  The bait of choice was a large horn hooked shrimp, though the big ones are scarce.  We also caught a couple off of pinfish on the bottom.  We caught several redfish as well, and a small lemon shark.  Had a big 200 lb lemon inside one creek eat one of our reds, and pulled another one away from him before he got it.  Got some decent slot size fish today and saved a couple for dinner.  Caught a flounder as well, plus several mangrove snappers and jacks in another creek, and again ended the day with some trout.  Great news for our Islamorada flats fishing. 

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

Capt. Paul Ross had several nice mutton snappers up to 15 lbs today as well on the offshore side!

2/3/12 Great fishing in the everglades despite the wind!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk fished with Carlo and his brother down from Canada today on 2/3/12 for a full day islamorada fishing charter.  The winds were howling, a steady 20+mph all day with gusts over 25!  Luckily it is coming from the eastern quadrant which is not too bad in the everglades.  We skated the edges of the banks and channels towards flamingo, arriving early at 8:00 am.  Caught the end of the falling tide.. first boat there luckily.  Fishing was red hot, we used primarily shrimp.  Lots of redfish, a handful of slot fish mixed in with lots of puppy drum.  We caught a couple nice snook early too, one with a horn hooked shrimp on a jig, the other off a pinfish on the bottom.  Several black drum were in there too with one nice size one, as well as half a dozen slot trout which we kept!  We fished for a few hours catching close to 50 fish, through the slack tide and the in tide.  After things slowed a bit, we moved to some channels a little further west for some florida keys shark fishing.  Lots of trout in there mixed in with jacks, no pompanos today.  We saved some stuff for bait, and after we ran out of shrimp, moved deeper in the channel for some shark fishing.  We caught probably 8 black tips, mostly little ones, and this nice 90 lb bull shark.  No tarpon today though the hard winds and bit of chill in the air likely has shut them off again.  Last bait of the day we hooked something big... ran us down to the mono backing on our BG 90 while I threw the anchor ball.  We chased the big sea monster around for 25 minutes or so, but unfortunately while pulling on him he got the wind-on leader wrapped around his sharp toothy bill and cut us off!  We then headed home, the boys are fishing offshore tomorrow and staying on one of Bud n' Mary's houseboats tonight!

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