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 

2/10/13 February Islamorada Fishing Report Backcountry with wind!

Winds are howling today on 2/10/13.. 20 miles an hour from the east.  One great thing about february fishing in islamorada is when it blows like this as it often does with the changing of the seasons to spring, is that you can always run and hide.  Capt. Jim Willcox and Capt. Mike Bassett both report good fishing back at east cape and beyond cape sable.  On this day fishing in the florida keys in february they had some low water in the morning for several hours.  With this ideal condition the fish are much more congregated as they have no where to go.  Jim reported getting into several large redfish, as well as some more slot size fish, over a dozen or so deep in some creeks.  They also caught 3 snook backcountry islamorada fishing.  Capt. Mike fished Will and Pat down from upstate New York.  He reported a mixed bag of redfish, black drum, sheepshead, and 10 snook!  They also got into a big mess of seatrout.  If your looking for table fare there was some of that too.  Capt. Bill Bassett caught his limit of mangrove snappers and sea trout with his anglers who wanted stuff for dinner.  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti also reported several large bull sharks while he was shark fishing today.  Islamorada fishing in the spring is happening now, water temperatures are approaching 75 and as long as it stays warm, the spring time fishing should be in full swing (meaning tarpon!).  On the offshore side it was very rough, though a handful of sails were caught on the Kalex and Fearless.  Kalex also got a nice mutton snapper.

11/13/12 November Islamorada Fishing in the Everglades

Islamorada fishing in November has been fairly good as of late.  A little bit of everything biting in the florida keys fishing.  Today the spanish mackerels showed up good with tide going into the gulf in the AM.  Capt. Mike Bassett reported good fishing out west near sprigger bank.  Capt. Bill Bassett also reported good bites of mangrove snappers out there and also some good redfishing and a few snook later on the higher water more towards flamingo.  Capt. Jim Willcox ran deep into the everglades fishing islamorada and said fishing took some work, they had a few snook early and after blazing some trails found some redfish hole up.  Our experience was similar we had one nice snook off the bat and not much else, a few trout, jacks, ladyfish, and a black drum, so we took a ride up to shark river to check that out, and caught another nice snook on the way back.  We did see a few tarpon rolling first thing too however they did not seem to want to eat our pinfish, but interesting they are still back there after the cold we had a week or so ago.  We did find some redfish and a few more snook on the high water closer to home which was nice.  Backcountry fishing in Islamorada has such a variety of options and can be different every day which is what we love (and sometimes hate!) about this fishery!  It's a good time of year for flats fishing islamorada so give Bud n' Mary's a call and we can set you up!  Lots of neat bird life/wild life to see as well, check out the great shots from Ron Modra including the spoonbill, and Capt. Jims croc picture!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk