11/4/12 November Islamorada Fishing Report - gulf turns on!

Well the mud and nastiness from hurricane sandy has finally started to clear in the gulf and bays in the backcountry this islamorada fishing in november trip on 11/4/12.  We headed out west looking for spanish mackerel this morning as they start to show up this time of year.  Shrimp, pinfish, and some fresh pilchards were easy to obtain this morning and would prove great baits to have!  We hit a wreck that was loaded with various fish.  Some big mangrove snappers, lots of bluefish, jacks, ladyfish...  After 45 minutes or so a few mackerel started making there way in, we caught about half a dozen mostly decent sized fish and broke off a few others backcountry fishing florida keys.  In a few more weeks and after some more cold weather this fishery should improve.  Fishing the gulf of mexico can be a great option before the water gets down below 70 degrees. After we had our share of that, we headed further out into the gulf.  The water on the way was looking much better than previous days, we did hit a few muddy strips but once we got out further it was decent looking.  The tide was still falling and we hit another wreck 40 or so miles out from home.  Saw a school of islamorada permit as we pulled up, we set the anchor and put out some pinfish and a big rod on the bottom.  Had a couple more shots at permit, one swam into the boat and spooked and another would not eat he was laying on the surface though with a big chunk out of his back - must have almost been shark food!  We then had shots at cobias, catching 4 and one nice on of about 20 lbs on light tackle.  We also caught a small goliath grouper and about a 100 lb goliath, as well as a 250 lb bull shark that gave us a real fight!  After the tide quit things slowed down, so we looked for a few triple tail on the way in, saw a couple caught 1 and had another one eat, spit, and get spooked.  Anyways great day fishing the florida keys in november, we should have great tides and weather hopefully through the end of the week, so it's a great time for cobia fishing in islamorada as well as the rest of the gulf!  Capt. Jim Willcox and Capt. Perry Scuderi also had a group trip, both reported a couple cobias, mackerels, bluefish, snappers, and some big sharks - lots of action for their customers.  Capt. Ken Cohan had similar a simlar catch as well including two goliath groupers.

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

10/25/12 Islamorada bonefish report!

Well we had tropical storm force wind warnings due to the formation of a late season hurricane out in the atlantic.  You know what that means... good bonefishing in islamorada weather!  The changes in pressure, overcast skies, wind, and rain can really give you a good opportunity to catch them.  Traditionally many people think of poling the flats with light winds, having to cast in a specific spot that seems like a mile away - it doesn't have to be that hard!  This is catching a bonefish for the average joe, and the nice thing is even in these sometimes dangerous conditions, there are great flats to fish within less than a mile of Bud n' Mary's Marina in perfect safety.  You fish multiple rods with some big live shrimp and just let 'em sit and wait - you never know what you might get.  Watching that rod bend over and drag scream when a lunker bone grabs it is very exciting! Capt. Jim Willcox and Capt. Rick Stanczyk both snuck out today to squeeze a half day in.  We each caught a florida keys bonefish, as well as several bonnet head sharks, atlantic sharpnose sharks, and some other various 'picker fish.' We did get chased in an hour early due to intense winds/feeder bands coming in, however being close to home it was no big deal and we got back safely, just a little wet!  Absolutely beats sitting in a hotel room watching it rain!  In the next few months continue to look for opportunities to exist such as this - often before a cold front or any storm bonefish, among other species, can go nuts and go on a feeding frenzy.  Bonefishing in October is something to keep in the back of your mind!

10/24/12 Wind continues to blow, doesn't bother the fish!

It continued to howl today here as we draw closer to fishing in islamorada november on 10/24/12.  We went fishing in the everglades back at the cape area, not a bad ride over though it started cranking mid-day.  We picked around hitting several banks, run-offs, and creek mouths.  Got into a decent snook bite first thing in the AM, catching a few and losing a few nicer ones unfortunately.  These were biting large shrimp on the jigs.  Later we worked are way further back and got into more snook and a few redfish, snapper, and sheepshead.  Lots of glass minnows and small pilchards and feeding frenzies going on.  Later when the tide quit we worked are way back to the big canal, and had a couple other bites snook fishing and medium sized sawfish.  We ended up with around 8-10 snook total which is a good day on an islamorada fishing trip.  The sawfish were fun to battle though we weren't able to get them up this time!  The wind was honking now and ran up the shoreline towards flamingo, making one final stop on the way which paid off.  Got a nice juvenile goliath, a decent redfish for dinner, and a few other baby redfish and some mangrove snappers.  Capt. Jim Willcox also ran deep in the glades even furhter back today.  He reported a decent bite of redfish and some snook as well back there.  If your think about florida keys fishing in november then these species are what you'll have to look forward to, as well as the spanish mackerel, pompano, bluefish, and cobia in the gulf..  Carefully ran home and it wasn't too bad, however tomorrow is suppose to be even more windy so we will see what happens!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

Also some pictures from a few days ago, including a redfish and a spotted eagle ray we snagged on accident!

10/23/12 Excellent Islamorada Backcountry Fishing despite windy weather!

Well it was blowing as forecast today here in Islamorada fishing on 10/23/12.  However that didn't stop boats from getting out into the florida keys backcountry fishing.  Capt. Jim Willcox and Capt. Rick Stanczyk both fished near the mainland of florida.  The ride was not too bad a few short bumpy areas but for the most part you can run the banks/islands and stay in the calm water, and once near shore and in many of the areas we fish back there, you forgot it was even windy out!!  Capt. Jim reported some nice size redfish and some snook which starts getting good here in october fishing islamorada.  Lots of neat wild life too including a bald eagle/croc Capt. Jim got photos of, plus plenty of white pelicans and spoonbills starting to show up for the winter here in islamorada florida.  Capt. Rick had a good bite of snook this morning with regulars Jim and Gwen, we only managed one snook to the boat but missed/broke off/jumped off at least another 10 - just wasn't are day but that's why they call it fishing not catching!  Also got one nice redfish and jack crevalle, plus a 50 lb sawfish on light tackle which was exciting!  Jim was thrilled to get his first snook and sawfish.  Later we hit some runoffs and caught plenty of trout and mangrove snapper on the way home.  Capt. Bill Bassett fished closer to flamingo fishing and reported a mix bag of snapper, trout, ladyfish, jacks, and picked at half a dozen reds around some islands.  So remember when your here florida keys fishing in october and the wind is honking, the nice thing about islamorada is there are so many options to fish and much protected water - you can still get out there and have a great day!

10/8/12 October Fishing in the Florida Keys

Well over the past weekend here, islamorada fishing in october has continued to prove it's a great time of year to come down and fish.  Shots at all kinds of fish are possible, there's much less boat traffic on the water, and for the most part conditions have been good with light winds and a tad less heat than a few months ago.  In the backcountry fishing florida keys Capt. Jim Willcox had some fabulous fishing.  They had a tarpon on fly first thing in the morning, then some monster redfish on fly!  Pretty impressive size red drum for down here fishing islamorada.  They also had multiple big jacks and some cobias, which have still been around both in the gulf as well as offshore which is unusual for this time of year.  On the offshore side there has been some sailfishing in Islamorada starting to happen.  Both Sugaree and Strictly Business has sailfish releases as well as some good catches of king mackerel (kingfish).  The Strictly business also had a decent catch of yellowtail snapper.  On Friday the Relentless had a good catch of mahi and blackfin tuna further offshore.  Great to still have some islamorada dolphin fishing going on!  Weather looks fairly calm and stable this week with winds out of the northeast which is the norm entering the fall, which should be good for fishing this time of year!