8/16/17 August Islamorada offshore fishing report

We've had some incredible catches of mahi the first couple weeks of August! The crowds are thinning out so the next month or two may be the time you want to come down and fish at Bud n' Mary's Marina. Most of the boats have been averaging 20 - 40 mahi on full day trips. We've seen a lot of "schoolies" in the 3 - 6 lb range, a fair amount of gaffers in the 8 - 15 lb range and some nice bulls in the 30 lb class as well. The bite wont last forever so come down and get in on the action! 

 

The blackfin tuna bite has been fair, mostly ''footballs" in the 3 - 6 lb range but we did get a 25 lber on a popper one day which was exciting. There's been a few tripletail caught on floating debris as well. Down deep on the humps there's still a few ambjerjack and almaco jack. The Reel McCoy had a really nice wahoo one day weighing in at 47 lbs and there was a sailfish released amongst the fleet too.

 

A handful of boats have been getting in on the deep drop bottom action while the season is still open for most species till the end August, and we've seen a few big snowy grouper, a lot of blueline tilefish, a couple yellowedge grouper, rosefish, and a few barrelfish. Back on the reef there's been a decent bite of yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, and a couple mutton snapper. 

 

Way offshore we have been swordfishing a fair amount. Last week was slow but the bite picked up this week. We managed two fish yesterday including a big 273 lber, an 80 lber the trip before that, and we tagged and released a 40 lber a few days ago. The next few months are prime time to try for swordfish, so if it's a bucket list fish or something you might want to try let us know! 

 

Give the marina office a call at 305 664 2461 when you're ready to book your next Islamorada Offshore Fishing Charter and we'll set you up with a great boat. 

Tight Lines, 

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

 

8/15/17 August Backcountry Fishin' Report

August is rolling by quickly and the fishing has been about as hot as the weather!  We've had a very good late season tarpon bite especially back in the everglades.  A good number of fairly large fish too which is nice to see this late in the year... not the monsters we get in the spring, but fish up in the 100 lb range anyways.  I've had very good fishing this month I think only one day have we not gotten a tarpon to the boat (though we had a shot and we missed him), and most other days we've caught 2 or more.  If you'd like to follow my daily tarpon fishing reports please check my blog here.  The weather has been nice and stable with light winds out of the southeasterly direction and a few flat calm days.  There has been some triple tails floating around too we had some very nice size ones a couple weeks ago, and the last week they got a little tougher though today we put some time in and caught a couple and saw a few more.  With the pots not loaded out in the gulf there isn't much structure to look for them around, so we are finding them just drifting around and under beds of dead grass that is floating.  Capt. John Johansen has also been getting into some tarpon and big sharks in the backcountry.  Capt. Jim Willcox has reported some snook off the beaches and creeks in the backcountry, and some big jacks in the channels which has provided good rod bending action.  In the bays Capt. Jeff Oughton had some nice trout and snappers over the weekend for some table fare.  Fishing can still be very good the next couple months here even though business slows down.  Last year we had some of the best tarpon fishing we had all year in September and October, but this year overall has been much better than last.  It's a good time to come down and fish you can avoid the crowds and really have the place to yourself, plus the winds are usually light which gives us great conditions.  Give us a call at 305-664-2461 and we'll hook you up!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
@richardstanczyk

7/31/17 Late July Deep Sea Fishing Report

July flew by here in Islamorada this year. It's been a very good season overall on mahi, especially compared to 2016. We had a few slow days last week but this week was pretty steady each day. Sure there were a few boats that just had a handful of fish but overall the offshore charter boats have been average 15 - 30 fish. Most fish in the 4 -15 lb range, with a few slammers over 20 lbs in the mix. Hopefully the mahi bite remains steady for August. 

 

Other offshore action has inlcuded plenty of football size blackfin tuna and there's been a couple wahoo caught while trolling. The gon fishin v had a 45 lb wahoo the other morning. The gimme jimmy caught a monster 17.4 lb tripletail off a pallet the other day too! The deep drop bottom fishing has provided a mixture of tilefish, grouper, barrelfish, and rosefish. Also check out this longtail bass aboard the Indigenous. 

 

On the Reef There's been a decent bite of snapper inlcuding mangrove and yellowtail, with the occasional mutton in the mix. Also some barracuda and a few sharks. Further offshore the swordfish bite picked up a little the last few trips. We had a few trips without any bites last but we managed 1 fish on each of our last 3 trips on the Broad Minded. The smallest fish was 40 lbs and the biggest 160 lbs. The next few months are as good as bet as here to try for a swordfish, so if you dont mind fishing all day for a quality fish you may want to give it a shot this summer or fall! 

Tight Lines

Capt Nick Stanczyk 

7/25/17 July Backcountry Fishin' Report

July is rolling by and we are in the midst of summer time in Islamorada.  Fishing has been great for the most part all around which is nice to see.  We've had much more normal summe time weather - calm, hot, with passing rain showers.  Unlike last year where it was much windier than normal, and not a great direction lots of southwest wind.  This year has been more light easterly breezes which we like.  Tarpon have been a top priority still and there has still been a good number of tarpon around.  Locally there have been some fish and the evening fishing has still been pretty good.  Capt. Vinnie Biondoletti and Capt. John Johansen have reported a good evening tarpon bite.  I've been fishing the backcountry mostly and we've had good fishing back there too.  June was incredible for me I think we were averaging over 2 fish a trip, and July has been close to that as well though I haven't fished quite as much as I've been out of town a couple times.  The tarpon fishing can stay good through October, last year we actually had some of the best fishing of the year for them in September and October.  Some days you get in on the hungry packs of fish, and you may get quite a few shots at them.  Other days they aren't biting as well, or you have to take time looking for them, so may only get a shot or two.  Though what I like about the summer is typically the conditions are very good and stay relatively the same, unlike the spring when it is blowing often and the wind direction is changing as well as the tempearture if we get a cold front.  So don't think you've missed the window for catching tarpon August is still a great month to try!  Other than tarpon, some guys have been getting into some other things.  We've had good trout and snapper fishing in the bays if you want action and some dinner.  Capt. Jim Willcox and Capt. Mike bassett has been reporting decent snook action fishing the shorelines and creeks of the everglades.  Just be ready with the bug spray as the bugs have been a little over the top this year with all the rain we had in the last month.  Some areas aren't so bad, but if you get out of the wind and in the trees they can get annoying.  A few redfish have been mixed in back there as well.  Capt. Bill Bassett had some days earlier this month in the gulf catching permit that were unbeleivable.  He had double digits on permit several days, and quite a few on fly some of those days as well.  It was just the perfect conditions with some big masses of fish pushing through.  Though the big pushes of them seem to have gone through, it's definitely still a possibility if you are willing to devote the day to looking for them and OK with taking the gamble.  Capt. Mike Venezia reported a nice tarpon yesterday in the backcountry as well as Capt. Gunner Guthrie a few days ago fishing locally.  I had the last few days off though last week I had Brad and David out for 3 days, we landed tarpon every day as well as getting multiple fish one day.  Also got a bunch of nice trout, and a few snook on a couple of those days too.  Also got a few cobia on artificials one day in the gulf which was lots of fun.  I'm back to work this week during the mini season, though August we have plenty of availability.  Give us a shout if you are wanting to get out on the water!  305-664-2461

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

 

7-24-17 Islamorada Offshore Fishing report Mid July

We've had some great weather the past ten days here in Islamorada. It's been a little warm so make sure you bring plenty of water to drink.  The mahi bite was great in the middle of the month with all the boats getting in on the action, but it slowed down for a few days late last week. Half the boats found mahi and half didn't for a few days, but the good news is it picked up again yesterday and we saw some nice fish caught. The biggest fish last week was a monster bull on the Predator weighing in at 48 lbs and there was a 35 lber caught yesterday on a private boat at the marina. Most of the fish been in the 4 - 12 lb range. 

 

In addition to the mahi offshore there's been a lot of football blackfin tuna on the humps as well as some skipjack tuna. Down deep there's a few amberjack still around, so if you want a big pull ask about that! The gon fishin v was trolling the other day and caught a really nice wahoo at 42 lbs as well. The deep drop bottom fishing last week was good with tilefish, snowy grouper, barrelfish, rosefish, and a couple yellowedge grouper. The current really picked up the past few days though and it made it much tougher. A few boats have been staying on the reef, especially on half day trips. The snapper bite has been decent overall but a couple days when the current was slow the fishing was too. It's been a mix with a few mutton snapper, mangrove snapper, and yellowtail snapper. Also a couple black grouper. There was a few permit caught on the wrecks last week but the school of fish has got really small now. 

 

Way offshore the swordfish bite has been on and off. We had fish on 3 of our last 6 trips. One real nice fish at 254 lbs and the others were 50 and 90 lbs. Hopefully they turn back on this week.

 

Give the marina office a call at 305 664 2461 when you're ready to book your next fishing charter in Islamorada! Remember we have hotel rooms at the marina as well! The Deli at the marina shut down this month so make sure to bring food with you. 

Tight Lines, 

Capt. Nick Stanczyk