1/4/13 Backcountry and Gulf Florida Keys Fishing Report

Had Sue Cocking down from the Miami Herald today on 1/4/13 for a little fishing story for the outdoors section of the Herald.  There was a last minute cancellation to her original plans and we set something up the day before.  We decided to go for a backcountry islamorada fishing trip and to showcase a variety of fish, as that is one of the special things about fishing in the florida keys.  We started out near flamingo, fishing some high-water spots near some mangroves for redfish.  We caught about a half dozen or so, as well as a few black drum and sheepshead.  We later moved to some deeper moats on the change of the tide to look for some snook.  We did hook one nice one that broke us off near the boat, and ended up catching a few more black drum and sheepshead.  Later we moved to some other channels where there had been some nice muds with a good mix of fish.  Trout, ladyfish, pompano, and a baby permit were to be had.  All fish to this point were caught on simple shrimp and jigs whilst islamorada fishing.  We started to use some tiny ladyfish pieces to catch pinfish,  and we mohawked them catching a couple dozen while bending the rod with other stuff!  We then headed out into the gulf of mexico fishing as the weather was slick calm and looked too pretty not to try.  We found several tripletail on the way out, and caught several keeping 3 for dinner.  Casting shrimp on a bare hook with tiny float was effective, and we even caught a few on light jigs as some were staying down a little deeper.  We then went gulf wreck fishing and caught several cobias up to 15 lbs, as well as another permit, and a large 100 lb goliath grouper!  Cobias were all caught on our fresh pinfish.  We then wanted to try to catch some mackerel, so we headed back towards sprigger bank and fished a few miles out from there.  On the way we came across something very unusual - several large packs of bonitas in the 8 - 12 lb range feeding on something very small.  We didn't get any bites out of them, but were able to drive right on top to confirm what they were!  As soon as we anchored and casted in our mackerel area we had fish on, we put a little chum out and caught about a dozen spanish mackerel as well as a few bluefishfish and snappers.  We then headed home, another beautiful day here and fun to be had in all areas, not just islamorada flats fishing in the backcountry!  Capt. Vic Gaspeny has reported excellent water and temperature conditions for tarpon fishing in islamorada.  They caught 9 in early morning trips as well as a 30 lb permit.

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

12/28/12 Islamorada Winter Fishing Report

December Florida keys fishing been great here in Islamorada so far this christmas week!  The florida keys winter fishing is providing lots of action.  Today we were on the hunt for some snook and the fishing was better than expected!  We started out around flamingo with the falling tide, luckily the tide wasn't ripping even with the full moon just a good steady push.  We were throwing big shrimp on jigs around some bushes and got several nice size snook and lost a couple pigs as well!  We also caught some redfish which were in many of the deeper runoffs and channels with the colder water.  Islamorada backcountry fishing is fun for everyone!  Later we ran out west, tried a couple spots for cobia near the start of the incoming tide but no luck there.  Headed back into east cape canal after that which was pretty busy with boat traffic!  Cape sable snook fishing was pretty good too.  We caught one nice snook in the canal, and then worked our way back a little further.  Near lake inghram we found a little spot that had several smaller snook, plus plenty of redfish and a few black drum and sheepshead.  A couple of the reds were nice slot size fish.  You don't have to catch them islamorada flats fishing style this time of year, which makes it easy for young kids as well as adults.  All in all a great day with about a dozen snook, 2 dozen reds, and a few other various species!  

On the offshore side... Some sailfish around each day, one or two boats doing great and the rest are picking a few off, which happens in sailfishing quite a bit. Last two days the reel McCoy has been in fire releasing 7 fish each trip, the catch 22 released 5 yesterday and 3 today. The relentless had a sail yesterday and 3 today. The BnM had 2 sails today and a nice 32 lb wahoo for a great surprise. Both the strictly business and Gon Fishin V got in on some king mackerel action, including some nice smokers (20+ lbs), the Gon Fishin had a 42 lber today. The finnster has caught some great eating fish the past two days, including porgy yellow eye snapper tilefish and a big hogfish, as well as a sail today. The predator released 2 sails today , the could nine had a sail and a bucket off yellowtail snapper and a few cero mackerel. The fearless released a sail today. He also had a good patch reef fishing trip a couple days so with cero mackerel, yellowtail, mangrove, and a mutton snapper, which is always great for action especially if its windy since we fish shallower water. 

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

Update on Friday, December 28, 2012 at 05:45PM by Capt. Nick Stanczyk

12/25/12 Christmas Day Florida Keys Fishing Report

Hello and happy holidays to all!  Today on 12/25/12 we had a gorgeous day here in islamorada florida keys.  The water is still fairly cool though warmed up considerably, got to about 67 degrees in the everglades today.  I went fun fishing with my dad and friend Ron Modra, we ran back to east cape and middle cape.  Fishing was fair, not a whole lot of action in any one spot, though we picked a few fish from just about everywhere.  Mostly fishing shrimp still with the cooler water december fishing islamorada.  We caught a cobia and nice red off some structure in the near gulf on the change of the tide.  When the tide started in worked some areas in east cape.  Caught a few more reds, some black drum, pulled the hook on one nice snook.  Then headed back to lake inghram for more december florida keys fishing and caught a few trout and reds in there jigging shrimp.  Saw 3 crocdiles sunning out on the banks, pretty cool small, medium, and large all next to each other within a few hundred feet!  Then back to middle cape.  Worked a few treelines and caught one snook, and pulled another nice fatty off.  This time we were casting bucktails and working them a bit faster to avoid snags.  Got a mix of jacks and ladyfish out there as well.  By now tide was high and still trickling in, we hit a few more creeks but not too much action inside any of them.  Finished the day back at east cape and got into a little rally of snooks, caught 3 more and a couple nice ones at that, plus a few trout and snappers.  A great way to end the day backcountry islamorada fishing especially after the hurt of losing a couple nice snooks!

On the other side islamorada offshore fishing december my brother Capt. Nick Stanczyk took our friend Woody Woods who is down for the xmas holidays fishing as well.  They caught 3 sails in just a couple hours early in the morning plus a nice blackfin tuna!  The Strictly Business also caught a sail, and Kalex had a nice wahoo yesterday.  The islamorada sailfish should be biting good with the winds kicking up a bit the next several days!

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

12/24/12 Backcountry December Islamorada Fishing Report

Well the winds have switched around a bit and things are starting to warm up a bit here on 12/24/12.  The water temperatures in the backcountry are still pretty cold, low 60s, however should have a chance to start warming now as the wind turns to southeast.  Today we did a half day islamorada backcountry fishing trip and started around flamingo.  Caught a few reds but not real red hot for us so I ran further west, however lots of boats on the water.  I ended up running all the way to east cape which I normally don't do on a half day, but hoped with the cooler water some fish would be piled in there.  We ended up catching a handful of black drum, sheepshead, and redfish, maybe 15 in total while florida keys inshore fishing. Though one nice size black drum which made the trip!  We had low tide early at flamingo and incoming current at the cape by then.  Capt. Bob reineman reported getting into a couple dozen redfish early while working some runoffs islamorada flats fishing though once the tide quit so did the fish.  Capt. Jeff Beeler reported a slow pick of fish throughout the full day back at east and middle cape... redfish, black drum, sheeps head, snook... but did catch a few quality fish including this nice snook - and some trout on the way hom!  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti and Capt. Jim Willcox reported mixed bags on the islamorada patch reefs including snapper, mackerel, small grouper, and porgy.  Overall not too bad of a day, the fish will hopefully get acclimated to this cooler water hopefully since it looks like more cold weather will be arriving in another week or so.  That's it for the islamorada fishing report for december!  Christmas week is here and this next week is looking slammed, if your interested in fishing make your reservations ASAP or you might miss out!  Looks to be a gorgeous week with light southeast winds.

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

12/10/12 December Islamorada Fishing Report

Well today was fairly windy and warm for december fishing in islamorada.  Had a southeast breeze of 10-15 mph, unusual for this time of year.  Most of the time we are getting northerly breeze bringing down the cooler air in the winter.  Saturday and today I had Mike Traut fishing the florida keys backcountry.  On saturday we fished near flamingo, had the incoming tide all morning.  The water levels have not been fluctuating much this week due to unusual tidal influences, similar to the neap tide.  We picked around some islands at redfish that day, moving from spot to spot, finally did get into a decent mess of them catching 25 or so in all.  Finished that day with a snook in around a deeper island moat.  Flamingo fishing has been decent overall as the weather had not mixed the water up too bad back there.  Today on 12/10/12 we ran back to the cape, however the water out near east cape was fairly mixed up.  We caught the last of the falling tide in some of the creek runoffs there, and picked at redfish, jacks, and ladyfish.  I ran back to middle cape in search of cleaner water for our islamorada fishing trip and we did find some, however not much in the way of fish.  Did find a couple snook on one corner which looked very fishy but not much else, and caught some jacks and ladyfish on the shorelines.  So we ran back towards home and hit some spots on the way to the spanish mackerel fishing grounds, and did catch another dozen reds and a couple more snook.  We ended the day mackerel fishing, the chum didn't last long as the pinfish tore it up though luckily we didn't need much, within 15 minutes we were getting a mackerel bite every cast.  Caught maybe a dozen, plus a mix of bluefish, blue runners, and jacks.  Was good to see as the water temperature was warm about 77 degrees and incoming tide - not usually a good bet for spanish mackerel but I had a report from yesterday they were swarming which held true!  Had a very large shark that I don't think was a blacktip eat a mackerel right next to the boat which was pretty exciting too!  Shark fishing islamorada can be good this time of year when out mackerel fishing for the large blacktips!  Capt. Jim Willcox reported similar snook/redfish action today.  Capt.  Bill Bassett and Capt. Clyde Upchurch reported good spanish mackerel fishing yesterday on a half day as well.  Great time to be december fishing in the florida keys!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@fishingislamorada.com