6/20/16 Deep Sea Fishing Report for Islamorada

We had some fantastic weather last week here in Islamorada, Florida Keys. The wind picked up yesterday afternoon some, but most of us think it will only help out with the dolphin fishing. The east wind should stir them up. The past week the dolphin bite was similar to what we've been seeing the past month and a half. It's been decent overall, with some days being better than others, but still a few slow days in the mix. We did see some real quality fish the past week, including a few fish over 40 lbs, a fair amount over 20 lbs, and still the average size of 3 - 10 lbs. The fish have been caught while trolling, finding floating debris, and sight fishing them swimming in the weed lines. They have been spread out from 350' to 2500' of water, so without a doubt a full day charter is really the only realistic option to target them. On average most of the boats have had anywhere from 6 - 18 fish. 

 

We had a nice bite of blackfin tuna on the humps, especially if the boats were able to load the livewell with live pilchards in the morning. The bigger fish in the 15 - 25 lb range were taken on the livies, and still the "footballs" and medium size tuna have been biting the artificials and dead baits. There was also a few sailfish caught and released offshore over the weekend, as well as a couple wahoo and tripletail taken as well. 

 

On the reef there's been a steady bite of yellowtail snappers. If you're patient and fish a bigger bait there has also been a few nice mutton snapper around, and still a couple black and red grouper. Also some amberjack and bonitos too. 

 

Way offshore it was a tough bite for the daytime swordfish. The Bn'M released one broadbill swordfish a couple trips ago, and on the "Broad Minded" we didn't have bites on two of our last three trips, and the other trip we lost what seemed to be a decent fish right when we were getting the windon leader up to the boat. Hopefully the bite improves this week. 

Remember to check out our NEW OUTFITTERS STORE here at Bud n' Mary's Marina with all sorts of items from PELAGIC, YETI, COLUMBIA, XTRATUF, and a bunch more Bud n' Mary's apparel. Give the office a call at 305 664 2461 to set up your next fishing charter in Islamorada, Florida Keys. 

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

6/14/16 Mid June offshore fishing report for Islamorada

We've had some of the nicest weather you could ask for lately. The seas have been very calm and the sun has been out the last few days. The dolphin bite hasn't picked up like everyone has been hoping for, but there's been a few around. A couple boats scored big on some of their recent trips, but overall I would say the boats putting in a full day dolphin fishing have been averaging 2 - 10 fish, with a couple boats having trips with 20 - 30 fish. Everyone still thinks it will turn on any day and everyone will find big schools of fish, but it just hasn't happened yet. We've seen fish of all sizes being caught, anywhere from 3 - 38 lbs, but it just hasn't been the numbers in the years past. 

 

There has been other action to be had offshore, including blackfin tuna, amberjack, almaco jack, grouper, snapper, and tilefish. Boats have been trolling and jigging the tuna, and the other bottom species have been caught while deep dropping. 

 

Way offshore I made it out on a couple daytime swordfish trips, catching 2 fish yesterday, but none a few days before that. With the nice weather the next few days I imagine we'll see a few broadbills caught. 

 

Back on the reef the yellowtail snapper bite has been good. There's also been a few mutton snapper in the mix. The grouper bite has definitely slowed down, as we are well past opening month, but there's still been a couple caught the past week. There has also been some vermillion snapper and triggerfish caught. 

Give the marina office a call at 305 664 2461 to book your next Islamorada fishing charter and let one of our boats show you a good time on the water! 

Tight Lines, 

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

6/8/16 June Backcountry Fishing Report in Islamorada

Tropical storm Colin stayed well to the north of us so we didn't have any major direct impact from the nasty weather the last few days.  However we did get some kicked up winds out of the southwest quadrant, blowing 15-25 mph the last few days which isn't exactly what you want for your summer time fishing here in the Keys.  It definitely made things a little difficult and mudded up many of the areas and bays we like to fish in the backcountry this time of year, though of course there were still some options to fish.  Capt. Mike Bassett today reported a good catch of nice snook and big jacks on a half day up to the east using live pilchards.  Capt. Clyde Upchurch had good tarpon fishing the last few days and a very good day as the first frontal lines came in a couple days ago.  Capt. Rick Stanczyk has also been on the tarpon consistently the last couple weeks today was the first day we unfortuntealy didn't get one.  Capt. Skip Nielsen has been catching some tarpon locally as well, he also reported a good day of snook fishing a few days ago before the weather got real nasty back at cape sable.  Capt. Jeff Beeler had some good snook and baby tarpon action back there a few days ago too.  Capt. John Johansen has had some tarpon action and some nice mangrove snapper fishing around the islands in the backcountry.  Capt. Mike Venezia reported a mixed bag of things while fishing the flats for bonefish today, they didn't find any bones but had just about everything else you could imagine up there.  Capt. Jim Willcox has had some decent fishing way back in the sticks in the everglades, fishing deep in the creeks for redfish and snook.  Things should settle back down the winds have already laid down quite nicely this evening, and the next few days it looks to be 5-10 mph or less, so it should be back to normal summer time conditions.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

6/7/16 Islamorada Deep Sea Fishing report

It was a busy first week fishing in June in Islamorada here at Bud n' Mary's Marina. The majority of the boats have been heading offshore on their full day trips, a couple have stayed on the reef and wrecks, and pretty much all the boats have been spending their half day charters on the reef. The dolphin (mahi) bite was decent about half of the days last week. A few days were really good, and a couple days were very slow for some of the boats. One day multiple boats didn't have any dolpin, but sure enough the next day some of the boats boats had 15 - 25 fish, including some big slammers! It is fishing and there's no guarantees, and no discounts when the fish don't bite. The boats try hard every single trip, and if they aren't having luck with one type of fish you should always be open to trying to fish for another species. 

Big 45 lb "slammer" bull dolphin on the Cloud Nine 

 

Nice Bull on the Buzz On charter boat 

A rack full of mahi for the Indeginous

A couple "gaffer" dolphin on the Broad Minded 

The boats have also been catching some blackfin tuna, tripletail, amberjack, wahoo, and there was a couple sailfish released the past week. Some of the boats have also been doing some deep drop bottom fishing in 400 - 800' of water and we saw a couple queen snapper, snowy grouper, rose porgy, barrelfish, and blueline tilefish brought in. 

With the windy conditions the past couple days the reef was the go to spot for most the boats that fished and the yellowtail snapper bite was decent, and there's still a few grouper and mutton snapper around. 

Further offshore a few of us have been doing some daytime swordfishing. We lost a small swordfish on the leader the last trip, but the trip before that we had a nice surprise. We were deep dropping for swordfish with Glenn and his friends and hooked what we thought was a big swordfish. After 2 hours we go the fish up and it was a 211.5 lb bigeye tuna!! An unheard of catch off Islamorada, Florida Keys. It's the only one ever brought into Bud n' Mary's Marina, so that was pretty cool. We caught one swordfish about 60 lbs the trip before that and one about 75 lbs the other trip earlier in the week.  A couple other boats fished for swords last week as well but the bite was a little slower than the week before and they reported missing a bite or no bites. 

Give the marina office a call at 305 664 2461 if you'd like to book a fishing charter and we'll set you up!! 

Tight Lines, 

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

This weeks fishing report brought to you by YETI! 

6/1/16 Offshore fishing in Islamorada, Florida Keys

May came to an end yesterday and we are already fishing in June here in Islamorada! The mahi bite finally picked up last week for a handful of days, but unfortunely the bite got a little slow again the past few days. A week ago boats were averaging 15 - 30 fish, and the past few days some boats have had just a couple keepers and a few boats have had managed 10 - 15 fish on full day fishing charters. This is why we never recommend a half day ''offshore trip". There has been fish of all sizes, inlcuding two big slammers on the Predator at 48 and 43 lbs back to back days! We've also seen a few in the 15 - 30 lb range and a fair amount in the 3 - 7 lb range. The sargassum weed hasn't been thick off the Key's like it usually is, and I think that is why we've had inconsistent mahi fishing. I do think it will turn on again any day, but the fish haven't been making it easy on us. It's fishing for a reason though, and all the Captains will do their best to put you on some fish! You might not fill you're freezer every trip, but you should almost always catch enough for a few fresh fish dinners. 

Other fish caught offshore the past week inlude blackfin tuna, tripletail, amberjack, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, tilefish, rose porgy, barrelfish, a couple wahoo, a couple sailfish. The Fearless weighed in two monster blackfins caught while kite fishing on the reef at 32 and 34 lbs! 

On the reef the boats have been doing very well on yellowtail snapper most days, and the Miss Islamorada party boat limited out on snapper the past two trips. There's been a couple black grouper caught as well as a few mutton snapper, and the Kalex had suprise African Pompano on a recent trip. The permit bite also picked up and we've seen a number of boats catch a couple of them. 

The swordfish bite has been pretty good too. The Bn'M caught fish on 3 of their last 4 trips, including a 255 lber. On the "Broad Minded" we've managed 1 fish on each of our last couple trips and two fish on one trip before those. Two of the fish were 257 lbs, one was 45 lbs and another 75 lbs. Capt. Travis also had a 100 lb swordfish on his last trip on a private boat. 

Give the marina office a call at 305 664 2461 when you're ready to book you're next Islamorada Fishing Trip and we'll set you up with a great boat and crew!! Also make sure to check out our new Outiffters store with the Largest selection of Pelagic gear in the Florida Keys, a bunch of Yeti products, and some Columbia products! 

Tight Lines, 

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

This weeks fishing report sponsored by YETI!