1/11/13 January backcountry fishing Islamorada

Well the wind continued to howl from the east again today here on 1/11/13 however that didn't prevent us from making a good day of it!  January Islamorada Fishing has had a little bit of everything going on in the backcountry, however with the high wind and mudded up water, there are only so many realistic options.  Today we ran way back in the 'glades fishing cape sable.  The water near flamingo all the way to east cape look like choclate milk.  However once we got around past middle cape, the water was very pretty and clean up to northwest cape.  We caught the very start of the in-tide, first stop the bugs ate us alive so we moved quickly. Luckily as the sun came up they subsided.  Next stop we got into a little flurry of snook and redfish.  A few medium size ones mixed with some little guys, plus plenty of jacks and ladyfish.    We later hit some more structure, downed trees, run-offs, etc...  However not much luck aside from snapper, jacks, and ladyfish.  We moved back to another set of creeks and hit some nicer snook and redfish right off the bat, again a little flurry then it quitted down.  Moved further in but alas only jacks, ladyfish, and snapper for this time flats fishing islamorada.  Caught maybe a dozen or so snook and a dozen reds, plus 10 sheepshead.  Hit a few more high-tide snook spots on the way home, however not much luck fishing the pinfish.  A good backcountry mixed back for this january islamorada fishing report.  On the way home made a stop in a channel and caught about 20 trout, several nice slot size ones too.  Not a bad way to spend the day given the conditions!

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

12/24/12 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 

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!

1/20/12 Monster Black Drum in the Everglades!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk fished John again for his last day here on 1/20/12.  Did another full day back in the 'glades for some more january islamorada fishing.  The water temperatures had warmed up considerably, however there was another mass of cold air all the way up from north florida that made it a chilly ride back there.  The fish didn't seem to mind though, we fished some deep canals and run-offs.  Lots of black drum with a few ladyfish and jacks mixed in at first.  Shrimps on jigs were working as they usually do on our florida keys fishing charters, but the best bet was a shrimp on the bottom with a 1 oz lead and circle hook.  As the tied slowed the fishing got a little better, and before we left we had slow heavy bite on the bottom rod.  John picked it up and wound tight as the rod bent over and drag started slowly peeling off.  Didn't know if we were gonna stop the fish, finally turned him and he started thumping very hard.  Came up to the surface half a dozen times, creating some major turbulance as he went back down.  Finally boated him after 10 minutes, big old black drum, close to 30 lbs!  After that we headed further back up the cape to check out some new scenery, fished a few other creeks and caught some more reds, sheepshead, and a few big trout with the high incoming tide.  Also one nice red drum out of a drain!  Once tied died we ran back home, wind had kicked around out of the east and was pretty snotty, but not too bad of a wind direction for back there.  Beautiful day here for this islamorada fishing guide!  Capt. Mike Bassett reported a similar bite of black drums and reds, they also lost a big snook in the mangroves and caught a couple smaller ones.  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti reported lots of black drum, and Capt. Jim Willcox reported a good bite of reds and some nice trout to end his day.