Last reef fishing report for 2015! Happy New Year for 2016!

It was a busy week here after Christmas while fishing in December in Islamorada. We had fairly high winds at 15 - 20 knots, but it didn't stop everyone from catching fish! Most of the boats have been averaging 1-3 sailfish releases the past week. A couple boats had 4-5 releases but of course it's always fishing some boats haven't been as lucky. Making your bites count is the difference. Sailfishing takes patience, but after hours of waiting you could hook up and have a sailfish running 50 mph jumping all over the ocean on light tackle. Also remember the best pictures are in the water of sailfish to insure a healthy release (so you can catch them again). 

When you have live baits our anything can eat them, so there's been other fish besides just sailfish being caught. There's been a handful of king mackerel, a few wahoo, a couple tuna, and a couple mahi still.

December 31st was the last day of grouper season, so a few boats got in on the action before season closed. Shallow water grouper season is closed January - April, so we'll be releasing the ones we catch. There's also been yellowjack, african pompano, and amberjack while bottom fish on the wrecks. While anchored on the reef it's been a pick for yellowtail snapper with a few mutton and mangrove snapper mixed in. 

We have boats open this coming week so give the marina office a call at 305 664 2461 and we'll set up a trip with a great boat/captain for you. Happy New Year and let's hope we catch as many fishin 2016 as we did in 2015! 

Tight Lines

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

12/24/15 Offshore fishing report

It's a Christmas Eve fishing report and there's been quite a few fish caught here the past week fishing offshore in Islamorada. The boats have been fishing outside the edge of the reef with live baits using kites as well as slow trolling, and also dropping around some of the wrecks. The bottom fishing on the edge of the reef as well as inside on the "patch reefs" has been active too. It has been on the windy side, but it hasn't stopped the boats from getting out. If you're worried about getting sea sick try taking original formula dramimine the night before, as well as again in the morning. Last weekend was the Islamorada Junior Sailfish Tournament and we had a couple teams from Bud n' Mary's in it. Capt. Aaron on the Buzz On fished his kids and a couple of their friends and over the 2 days they released 6 sailfish and finished in 2nd place. It was also their first ever sailfish so congrats!! The Kalex also caught a couple sailfish during the event and his young angler took home biggest tuna and biggest kingfish! Congrats!! 

The boats have been averaging 1 - 4 sailfish bites per trip the last few days, and really just making your bites count is the biggest factor. A couple days some of the boats haven't had bites, but there's been other fish like blackfin tuna, king mackerel, a couple mahi mahi, bonito, cero mackerel, etc. while waiting for the sailfish. 

On the reef and inside on the "patch reefs" theres been a good bite of yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, a couple grouper, cero mackerel, and porgys. Fishing the patch reefs is a great alternative for when it's windy and rough, so always keep that in mind. The patch reefs are only a couple miles from shore and in 15 - 25' of water, so it's a little calmer there compared to edge of the reef when it's windy. Fish the conditions you have on the particular day and you'll enjoy it! Here's also a pic of a big barracuda a young angler caught on the Miss Islamorada Party boat on a recent trip. We've got a super busy week here after Christmas, but there's still a few options to go fishing, so give us a call at 305 664 2461 and we will do our best to set you up with a fishing trip! 

 

Tight Lines and Merry Christmas, 

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

12/21/15 December backcountry fishing report

The warm winter continues to march on here in the Florida Keys as is the case throughout the whole US east coast.  Over the weekend we had a mild front though it didn't get as cold as we hoped, barely down into the high 60s maybe at night.  The winds were cranking though we had a couple days of it blowing 25-30 mph, but looks to be letting up some starting tomorrow and will be more of a southeast breeze.  Fishing before, during, and after the front has held up pretty good luckily most of our winter time fishing has been decent even though it hasn't been cold.  Capt. Rick Stanczyk had reported good fishing before the front running into the gulf and the everglades.  He had good mackerel fishing out west, with some tripletails on many of the crab pot bouys mid day, and then finished several afternoon days with a good catch of snook and a few redfish.  It was a good routine for several days while the tides were right for it.  During the front he made it out to the patches and caught some good eating porgy, hogfish, and snapper, and even got his anglers on a nice 15 lb permit!  Today they fished the gulf on a half day and he reported red hot mackerel action with some nice mangrove snappers mixed in.  Capt. Jim Willcox has been getting deep into the glades and the wind hasn't bothered him once back there.  He has reported a mixed bite of redfish, black drum, and snook.  Having to work around a bit, the fish aren't stacked up in the winter time holes since it hasn't been cold, but they are back there.  Capt. Bill Bassett reported a good day with some nice reds and a couple snook way back in the 'glades a little over a week ago.  He also has had some good action with the mackerels in the near gulf.  Capt. Mike Bassett reported a few snook around the mainland creeks and also got a nice black drum and 40 lb tarpon the other day.  They had to head in early due to weather chasing them back but made a good day of it.  Capt. Perry Scuderi had some good action fishing out on the patches last week too before it got windy.  He reported some nice hogfish, bar jacks, porgies, and various other species great for the table.  Capt. Clyde Upchurch was able to get out during the wind over the weekend they stayed close to not get beat up and were able to catch a variety of thing including plenty of mangrove snapper for dinner.  The weather for christmas week looks to be very warm and a slight southeast breeze which won't be too bad at all in the backcountry.  Fishing should remain good.  We may have a very early start to the tarpon season if this warm weather holds out through January.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

Islamorada Reef Fishing Report for Mid December

I just got back into town so here's an updated report of the recent fishing in Islamorada. December 4th - 6th was the 52nd annual Islamorada Sailfish Tournamen and weather onditions were tough with lots of rain and storms, but it didn't stop our guys from finding some sails. Capt. Paul Ross on the Relentless put his team on 12 sailfish releases over the 3 days which put them in 2nd place overall. Great Job Guys!

 

Most of our other boats had between 4 - 8 releases over the 3 day event. There's been a few sailfish releases the last couple days, but it sounds like some dirty water moved in and the current really let up. I think once the current picks back up and we get some blue water they bite will turn back on, especially with the cold front coming later this week. There's still been a few wahoo, blackfin tuna, and mahi in the mix as well.

 The Kalex also had a big african pompano the other day while fishing a wreck. Anchored down on the reef we've seen some black grouper, mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, and mangrove snapper. There's also been some really nice cero mackerel mixed in on the patch reefs and the edge of the reef. We should start seeing some more cobia moving through inside the reef. Some boats have had fun with barracudas and a few sharks lately as well. 

Give the marina office a call at 305 664 2461 when you're ready to book your fishing charter charter and we'll set you up!! 

Tight Lines,

Capt. Nick Stanczyk 

12/9/15 Mid December Backcountry Fishing Report

December is rolling by and we are still having some warm weather patterns in South Florida.  The last week we had torrential rain which we lost a few fishing days too.  The others have been fishable though windy and patchier rain.  But the El Nino is keeping things warm, windy, and wet so far.  We have yet to have a good cold front so many of the typical winter options have not been consistent yet.  Before the crazy rain days Capt. Jim Willcox had some decent fishing way in the everglades.  They were able to catch some quality fish while not lots of numbers including some nice size snook, redfish, and black drum.  He reported many of the fish are still way up super shallow due to the warm weather, not yet in the typical 'winter time holes.'  Capt. Bill Bassett, Capt. Mike Bassett Capt. Rick Stanczyk reported decent mackerel action in the gulf last week.  Not a red hot bite but if you worked at it you can put together a catch in the double digits.  Capt. Bill also got a few on fly with one anglers, and a bonefish on bait yesterday too.  Capt. Rick repoted some nice blacktip sharks in the channels too.  The other day Capt. Skip Nielsen had Rick Pepper out in the backcountry.  Fishing wasn't easy but he happened upon a good school of juvenile 'razor belly' pilchards and found the snook and reds close by.  They got a few reds on fly as well.  The fish were tough to find especially with the previous days of hard rain changing the salinity of the water so things have been tough to figure ou day by day.  Capt. Rick Stanczyk reported 3 nice size snook that day and struggled to find much else but finished the day with a few trout, jacks, and ladyfish.  Today Capt. Bill Bassett reported a good bite out on the patch reefs.  Lots of porgy, bar jacks, a few cero mackerel and hogfish.  It was gorgeous today and looks to remain that way through the weekend.  Not cold but at least it is pretty out!  Things will be getting very busy around christmas but there are plenty of guides available to go fishing if you are here before then.  Give us a call at 305-664-2461 to book something!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk