3/29/13 Florida Keys Backcountry Fishing Report

Well the backcountry fishing in Islamorada has been on the slow side the past several days.  We had another extreme late cold front and the nightly lows were in the low 50s, bringing some of the water temperatures in the everglades down to the high 50s making things very sluggish back there.  Even the local islamorada bay waters were down in the low 60s though are now climbing back up.  The islamorada patch reef fishing has been the hot ticket the last several days.  We had action with a variety of fish out there including lots of mangrove snappers, yellowtails, porgies, grunts, and blue runners.  We caught occasional nice hogfish, some various smaller groupers, and even a few small sharks and such.  Some guides that did fish in the backcountry that in the afternoon a few fish did bite.  Capt. Bill Bassett was able to find a handful of mackerels and snappers mixed in with lots of jacks and such.  Capt. Jack Backus did get a nice trout bite in the backcountry yesterday afternoon as well.  Capt. Mark Hlis was able to find some redfish poling in the afternoon too.  Today lots of guides were fishing the patch reefs and most had good action and a good mix of fish for dinner.  I had Andrew and son Alex Lee, they caught a mess of fish including some nice mangrove snappers, a couple hogfish, a few porgies, yellowtails, and a few small bonnet head and reef sharks.  The tarpon fishing the last few nights was very slow as the water temperatures were still below 70, that should be improving the next few nights and we do have some ideal tidal situations the next several nights, if the water warms up enough the next few days the tarpon fishing will likely improve tremendously.  Last night we saw plenty of fish rolling in 3 different spots we fished though none wanted to take a bait, live or dead.  April islamorada tarpon fishing is usually much more consistent and fish are here, so make your plans now as guides are booking up fast and this is one of the busiest spring seasons we have ever had!

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

1/1/12 Islamorada Fishing in January 2012

Happy New Year everyone, gorgeous weather today here fishing in islamorada!  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti was out the other day and John Gray fishing along with his dad John Gray caught some nice Hogfish for dinner. They fished a full day in the backcountry. We released lots of nice trout and ladyfish. In the afternoon the winds dropped  off and we headed out to the shallow reef. Lots of action out there on barjacks and other hard fighting bottom dwellers.  Capt. Rick Stanczyk also fished Richard Cromwell and his son Luke, who are fishing with his brother Nick today offshore.  We caught a couple dozen reds, very beautiful fish way back in the everglades.  Also caught snappers, sheepshead, ladyfish, and jacks.  In the afternoon we ran out to some structure in the gulf and had a 35 lb cobia swim up but couldn't get him to eat.  Then we ended the day catching big trout in some channels and headed home!  Capt. John Johnsen fished the bay and ocean side as well yesterday... similar report mackerels, ladyfish, snapper in the back and lost a big goliath grouper at the boat.  Then caught hogfish and grouper oceanside and a nice cobia on fly rod!  Hope your out on the water today for your florida keys fishing in january!

Update on Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 06:41PM by Capt. Nick Stanczyk

Out on the Reef the New Year started out great as well. It was a beautiful day and Luke fished on the BNM and caught and released 2 sailfish, as well as keeping a couple of mahi, kingfish and yellow jacks. The Sugaree also had a limit of kingfish and a sailfish release.

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!

12/17/11 Action packed reef and gulf fishing islamorada!

Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti fished Jerry Fontain his daughter Melanie and Mike Plonian. They went out to the patches this morning.  They caught lots of nice porgy, Hogfish and bar jacks along with some throw back grouper.  Lots of action fishing the islamorada patch reefs!  Capt. Rick Stanczyk fished this afternoon and reported a good spanish mackerel bite close to home in the bay behind Channel #2 and #5.  Mix of jacks, trout, ladyfish, and snapper in there as well.  The sharks were swarming too, caught a nice 60 lb blacktip and jumped a few others.  Further out offshore the offshore boats had a good bite of king mackerel and handful of sailfish bites though not real red hot.  The florida keys reef fishing was good however, the party fishing boat Miss Islamorada had tons of yellowtail - great dinner! 

11/9/11 Islamorada Offshore & Backcountry Report

Fishing was good all around today here in Islamorada Florida Keys.  In the backcountry Capt. Rick Stanczyk reported hooking double digit snook and catching 8 or so.  Redfishing around flamingo was not so hot just a few small rats.  Capt. Mike Bassett caught a real nice size fish on a half day back there as well.  Capt. Jim Willcox ran deep into the backcountry and caught some snook, redfish, and a baby tarpon.  Capt. Skip Nielsen did say he got a few nice size reds out to the west.  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti fished the patches and caught several nice size hogfish - great eating!  Also plenty of porgies and other fish.  Offshore Capt. Nick Stanczyk on the BnM got into several nice mahi, great to see them this time of year.  They also caught 2 sailfish.  The gulf edge got a little nasty this afternoon, Capt. Rick reported it started blowing out of the west shutting a lot of fishing down out there this afternoon, we did catch some nice jacks and found a big goliath grouper on some structure.  Unfortunately we hooked him about 6 times and could not pull him out of it with the rod we had, must of been a very big fish!!!  Great fun still though to feel them pull!