10/3/12 October Islamorada Fishing Report

Went fun fishing today with fellow captain Mike Bassett for some October fishing in Islamorada.  We headed way back off the mainland deep in the everglades to check things out.  The winds had been fairly wild the last few days, and on the way there I had my doubts as to whether the fishing would be good.  Lots of muddy water, weeds, etc...  We kept chugging back there and luckily found a few areas where the tide falling out of the creeks was very clean looking water.  We fished all over, trying some new spots and fishing some other mouths, runoffs, and sandbars that I've fished the last couple weeks.  Most spots were holding nice snook in islamorada.  We caught probably a dozen in total and missing another 6 or so, as well as 20 redfish, mostly on pinfish and some on shrimp.  Most the reds were slot size though not many bigger than 22 inches or so.  The tide ran out for a very long time, longer than it was suppose too.  The wind also kept it moving out even when the level started to rise, as we could see the muddy water making its way in - very strange!  Also bagged a nice tripletail on the way home for dinner, as well as a bullshark on light tackle.  I also lost a 15+ lb snook on my engine at the end of the day fishing a new spot - but got a good look at him at least!  Great florida keys fishing in october especially for a day when things didn't look so hot to begin with!  On the offshore side Sugaree stayed on the reef catching some close in mahi, yellowtails, and an unexpected cobia.  The relentless and redfish had some more yellowtails, mutton snapper, black grouper, and cero mackerel mixed in.  The Catch 22 had some nice tunas a couple days ago 10-18 lbs, as well as a 90 lb sword.  That's the great thing about fall fishing in Islamorada is that you never know what you might get since we're in a transitional period!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

9/28/12 Islamorada snook fishing in the everglades backcountry!

October fishing in Islamorada is almost upon us being 9/28/12! We've had some very low tides as of late, almost spring-like tides very unusual!  Took my dad, Richard Stanczyk Sr., girlfriend Elizabeth Baxter, and one of the new main men at Bud n' Mary's Steven Byrd out for a day of fun fishing.  Left early again out at 6:00 AM and made the run partially in the dark to the cape for some everglades snook fishing, deep into the everglades up around the bend of the mainland!  Had a load of pinfish and shrimp and caught it just in time for the start of incoming tide.  We worked some of the creeks and channels, when the current got going we got into some good smaller redfish and a few smaller snook as well as a mix of trout, jacks, ladyfish, etc...  Finally just started picking around and would nail a snook or nicer red off the pinfish, one here one there.  Did hit one low-tide spot that was holding some smaller reds which was also good last week.  October fishing florida keys can be great but often you must 'pick and move' as they say!  We jumped around a good 7- 8 times and then ran back down the cape towards home.  The current was ripping, tried a few other spots on the way home but too much water flow.  Finally found a nice hole where the current wasn't moving quite so fast.  Ended up catching 3 nice snook, a nice red, and a juvenile goliath right at the end of our day between 12:30-1:00 which was icing on the cake!  Look for much of this Islamorada backcountry fishing for snook/redfish to pick up as the water temperatures cool more and more - they have already started too slightly and we've had such good off season fishing it's amazing.  With the light/stable winds it's almost been better than much of the spring!!!  That's the great thing about fishing in Islamorada it can be good year round and you never know what your going to find!  Well that's it for this pre October Islamorada Fishing Report, catch 'em up!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

9/23/12 September Islamorada Redfish fishing report

Had Michael down for a surprise birthday trip yesterday on 9/23/12 with Andrea to see if september fishing in islamorada is good?  We left out at 7:00 AM and it looked like the weather might be an issue - massive rain/lightning very early in the morning had woken many people up, the rain had settled but looked like more may be on the way.  We ventured into the backcountry and things were stable, some overcast ominous looking clouds, but nothing in our path.  We ran all the way back around flamingo for a half day flats fishing charter.  Our first stop proved to be the right one , the redfish were out in force on the flood tide up on some flats I can stake my boat up on.  We caught about 15 in the first spot, including a few double headers (and triples with my dead stick rod!).  After that action slowed down, we simply moved a few hundred feet to another muddied section of flat and went back to work islamorada backcountry fishing.  This time it was even better, a double header most every cast for about 15 minutes.  We likely caught close to 40 fish, many slot size fish which all of were released!  Even called another fellow guide over to enjoy the bite.  The overcast skies kept things nice and cool all morning, right around the time the sun peaked out and it starting getting hot, it was time to go - just perfect!  The Islamorada redfish guide is still doing very good and many of the larger fish for our area move in this time of year through October, remember a full day trip is going to be your best shot as you'll have much more time to fish and areas to work with consideration of the tides/conditions.  So if your heading down to the florida keys fishing in september make sure to ask about it!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

9/20/12 Great backcountry september florida keys fishing report!

Had my father Capt. Richard Stanczyk Sr. and friend/photographer Ron Modra out for some september fishing in islamorada for fun today!  We brought some shrimp and a load of pinfish to try deep in the florida everglades fishing.  We left early at 6:00 AM and headed back to cape sable.  We found some rolling tarpon early in the morning though it was tough to get bites out of them.  We drifted pinfish, anchored, alas no luck.  Finally I had one pinfish just hanging behind the transom of the boat, splashing on the surface, and wham a nice 40 lb tarpon ate him right there!  We caught him, very nice fight on light 15lb spin gear!  We then headed further back up the cape and fished some of the runoffs and shorelines.  Tide was still falling and water was very low for florida keys fishing in september, we finally found one area where there were several nice slot redfish and got one small/medium snook, fishing mostly shrimp and some cut bait.  We also got a nice baby goliath grouper and a couple small black drum.  We continued picking away and made are way up the creek as the tide died.  We then tried some other creeks, and as the tide started coming in so did some big snook!  We caught several nice 10-12 lber islamorada snook fishing, likely half a dozen and a couple smaller ones.  We got one nice 10 lb red as well.  Most these fish were eating pinfish.  We then had lunch and looked around a bit more and then made are way back towards middle cape.  We tried one more shoreline area and got into some more big redfish, 10-12 lbers, and got one more nice snook.  Again, pinfish was the ticket as well as some cut bait.  The tide was coming in pretty good now, and the overcast/rainy weather likely helped keeping the water a bit cooler for our islamorada fishing trip.

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

9/16/12 September florida keys fishing report

Backcountry fishing islamorada september has been good as of late.  We've had a fair amount of rain mixed in with some wind which has kept a lot of the bay cooled down which helps the fishing this time of year.  There's been a good mix of trout, snapper, ladyfish, and jacks on the edge of the gulf of mexico.  Great option for getting some dinner fish and having good rod bending action.  Redfish fishing has been productive on the higher water hitting the shorelines and islands.  If your flats fishing islamorada this is a good option as there are plenty of these fish around.  Today we worked much of the cape and it was a slow pick but we caught fish most places.  Early this morning on the falling tide we got into some big snook, we only managed one to the boat but it was a nice 12 lber!  Great fight on light tackle.  Big shrimp have been available due to the cooler water which is what this fish ate.  We also hooked an islamorada tarpon fishing plugs early with the overcast skies, they were happy, though the rain slammed us while we fought him and that killed the bite as it stirred up lots of mud!  Though it was nice to get this good fish for a september florida keys fishing report!  On the ocean side the Kalex had about 15 mahi yesterday, still good islamorada dolphin fishing this late in the year!  Also the reef has had a good bite of snappers, both yellowtail and mangrove!