12/13/2008 07:33 AM

(For all prior fish reports, click on All Florida Keys Fishing Reports)

DECEMBER, 2008

(My column in the magazine, "WOODS 'N WATER")

December is the month all the offshore fishermen are waiting for. “It is sailfish season!” Winter has arrived with strong cold fronts. Temperatures can drop in to the low fifties and the winds can be more than 25 knots for a couple days or more. Conversely, this is not the season the flats fishermen are looking forward to. If I decide to make a run for it, I will have a full ski mask and gloves on over my heavy foul weather gear. We have no protection from the wind in our skiffs and often we are running right into it at 30 to 40 knots. That is more than 55 knots of wind. I do not know what the wind chill factor is, but it is damn cold especially after running 45 minutes into the back country. Then you take a shot of spray a couple times - burr! Do not forget to dress appropriately is my point, because the fish are still biting.

About the foul weather conditions on the water, I’m going to paraphrase a little what I wrote last month:

Offshore these winds are N.N.W. to E.N.E which are essentially an offshore wind and the chop will be 1 to 3 feet on the deep side of the reef (70’ to 200’) where we are sailfish fishing. When the wind pulls around to the E. to S.E. that is when it becomes an onshore wind and the seas build to 4’ to 6’ with a 20 knot wind. It is sporty, but still very fishable depending on your experience. These are the winds that drive the bait down the E. coast and up against the reef. Right behind the bait are the sailfish, “late-late season” dolphin, black fin tuna, kingfish, and wahoo. When it lays down to 10 knots out of the S.E., it is nice fishing the edge of the reef. Big grouper and mutton snapper fishing is very good on the wrecks and along the reef. Calmer conditions are needed to get the baits down on the wrecks. The fishing on the patch reefs starts to really turn on too.

In between the cold fronts we can have beautiful “spring like” days. If we get one of these cold fronts with strong winds do not let it detour you. Getting to the fish in the back country is no real problem with the waves. We just run the lee side of the flats and islands to get to areas that are sheltered by the trees on the islands or mainland shoreline. I’ve been out there catching fish with 30 knot winds blowing over the tops of the trees and virtually no wind affecting us, while fishing!

OFFSHORE FISHING:

This is it, sailfish season is here! This is when the sailfish are ambushing the ballyhoo on the reef into 20 feet of water. You can see over 500 ballyhoo fleeing across the water as sailfish are chasing them down, numerous times a day. They call it “showers” of ballyhoo, and it is a sight to see. We will run up to 300 yards with live ballyhoo, cigar minnows, or pilchards ready to throw at the slashing sailfish. Hopefully there are more than 6 sailfish in the melee where we have a good chance to get multiple hook-ups and rack up the releases.

This is a very exciting way to fish for sailfish, and everyone has to be on their toes to get it done. An accurate cast with a very fresh bait is often the rule. Sailfish will refuse a perfect cast with a tired bait, or a perfect bait cast off target. Then by the time you’re ready for the second cast, the sailfish might have sensed the boat. They’ll settle down a little, stop chasing the bait, and definitely refuse your bait. This is why you have to monopolize your chances while the sailfish are in the heat of the moment.

Believe me this is the “Heat of the Moment” in the boat too. There can be “overly excited directions” being vocalized by the “captain in the tower” to the mates and anglers in the cockpit, that can be heard over a hundred yards away. This can make for some great bar stool stories for years to come, and I’ve got some classics. One of my favorites is the “Reel Circles, not Squares!” story which happened while I was a mate for one of Islamorada’s great captains.

The Islamorada charter boats are experts in fishing the “ballyhoo showers” and can catch up to 20 sailfish in a day, and a few have even caught more than 20 sailfish. Now do not be intimidated by my extreme portrayal of “the heat of the moment” coaching by the captain to the team in the cockpit. Typically everyone is very professional, it’s just at times we got to yell over the wind and roar of the engines so all can hear exactly where the fish are to cast at. If it seems “a little over the top” let me give you a tip, refrain from making comparisons to Nick Saban down here in S. Florida.  ;-)

If the sailfish are not pushing the ballyhoo schools, we will be slow trolling live baits or flying a fishing kite and drifting. While we are fishing for sailfish we can catch black fin tuna, kingfish, dolphin, cobia, wahoo, cero mackerel, and even big barracudas while we are slow trolling or kite fishing with live baits. What I like about kite fishing is we are fishing for sailfish and the other fish on the surface with the kite and flat lines, and fishing for snapper and grouper on the bottom with a bottom rod or a deep jig or both.

If the sailfish are showering the ballyhoo we will be slow trolling live baits so we can quickly charge over to the melee of sailfish without having to bring the kite in. The cero mackerel also shower the ballyhoo and are quite fun to catch while waiting for the next group of sailfish. They slash and boil on the live bait we are trolling on the surface. If we get in a good school of them we can cast lures on #10 spinners or fly rods and have some sporty fun. They can be over 10 lbs. and are great eating.

More detail on the techniques and description of sailfish fishing is in my web site www.fish-killgore.com under the link: SAILFISH

Wahoo show up strong in December. Wahoo are found by mostly fast trolling with lures, plugs, or rigged ballyhoo behind big cigar leads just outside the reef line from 180 to 300 feet deep. If you know spots where they concentrate, you can fish for them with big speedos or blue runners by slow trolling. Wahoo up to 50 plus pounds are caught every year, but most of the wahoo are 25 to 35 lbs.

Trolling for grouper is also a good way to catch them in the winter if the water is clear. Big lipped magnum plugs, bonita lures, heavy skirted lures, and rigged de-boned ballyhoos are favorite riggs. They are trolled with wire lines or heavy braided lines with either heavy cigar leads or big planners to get the bait down to where the grouper will dare to leave their lair to eat a bait trolled by.

The patch reefs come alive this time of year too. You could make a living fishing these spots during the winter season. What a variety of fish you can catch there. The targets are decent size mutton snapper from 5 to 15 lbs. and keeper size groupers: blacks, gags, and red groupers. We also catch hog fish, mackerel (cero and Spanish), snappers (yellowtail, mangroves, and lane snappers), jacks, barracudas, and sharks for a fun rod bending experience. You can also get a nice cooler of fish fillets to take home or to a local restaurant for a smorgasbord of a meal. Usually they will prepared the fish three different ways.

INSHORE FISHING

We can still have some spring like days in between the cold fronts. These days are good for flats fishing for bonefish, permit, barracudas, and sharks on the ocean side flats. And back in the back country the redfish, snook, sea trout, jacks, and sharks will be on the flats too. But after a cold front we have to change our strategy, and fish deeper water where these fish will be seeking warmer water. The water temperature changes quickly on the shallow flats where the strong, cold wind cools the water fast, like a radiator. So all the flats fish will be in the channels, creeks, deeper basins, or deep water edges of these flats.

In these conditions bonefish will be mudding and cruising in areas three to five feet deep. We can pole the edges of the flats looking into the deeper areas for schools of bonefish mudding or schools cruising by, then pole out to intercept them with a cast. Some guides like to soak shrimp on three to five rods in areas where they are known to cruise by. This can be very effective in catching winter bonefish and a multitude of other flats fish for a rod bending fun day. Other guides like to throw handfuls of chop shrimp in the area then bind cast a shrimp tipped jig through the area. This is also a great way to catch cold water bonefish along with the other rod benders.

A great fish to sight cast to on the flats in the winter when the bonefish and permit are looking for warmer water are the barracuda. They often will be laid up on the white spots or hanging down current of sea fans, gorgonians, or Sargasso weed strings attached to the bottom. Cast a tube lure or a lure close by and crank it back fast. Hold on for a spectacular bite if you can fool them. Get ready for a couple short burning runs and a few nice jumps.  

The redfish, snook, baby tarpon, sea trout, ladyfish, jacks, and sharks will congregate in the deep channels and creeks when the water gets chilled by a cold front. There can be some bang up fishing when the fish pack it in there. Sometimes it can be as fast as you can put a bait in the water. Pilchards, pinfish, and shrimp tipped jigs are used. Keep in mind that snook season is closed Dec. – Feb.

Sea trout, ladyfish, and jacks will school up in the mullet muds in numerous basins around Flamingo. This is always a fun rod bending time. Kids love to do this. Remember, trout season is closed until the first of the year.

The Spanish mackerel will be hot and heavy just west of the inter-coastal waterway within 5 miles out. Take a few blocks of chum, live shrimp, pompano jigs, pilchards, spoons, lures, and flies – they will eat it all once you got them chummed up behind the boat. Often you will get mangrove snapper chummed up to, along with the sharks, blue fish, and be ready for a cobia to show up too.

Capt. Rick Killgore,

305 - 852 – 1131 or  800 – 698 - 5773.

NOVEMBER, 2008

(My column in the magazine, OUTDOOR FLORIDA)

November is a great time to get out fishing here in Islamorada, both inshore and offshore. In between the early season cold fronts we have beautiful “spring like” days. If we get one of those early season cold fronts with strong winds and overcast “drizzly” rainy days, do not let it detour you. These conditions can turn certain species on. Getting to the fish in the back country is no problem. We just run the lee side of the flats and islands to get to areas that are sheltered by the trees on the islands or mainland shoreline. I’ve been out there catching fish with 30 knot winds blowing over the tops of the trees and virtually no wind affecting us.

Offshore these winds are N.N.W. to E.N.E which are essentially an offshore wind and the chop will be 1 to 3 feet on the deep side of the reef (70’ to 200’) where we are sailfish fishing. When the wind pulls around to the E. to S.E. that is when it becomes an onshore wind and the seas build to 4’ to 6’ with a 20 knot wind. It is sporty, but still very fishable depending on your experience. These are the winds that drive the bait down the E. coast and up against the reef. Right behind the bait are the “early season” sailfish, “late season” dolphin, blackfin tuna, kingfish, and wahoo. When it lays down to 10 knots out of the S.E., it is nice fishing the edge of the reef. Big grouper and mutton snapper fishing is very good on the wrecks and along the reef. Calmer conditions are needed to get the baits down on the wrecks.

INSHORE FISHING

SNOOK:

The "fall" is my favorite time to fish for snook, and my favorite place is the back country of the Everglades National Park in the "dense mangrove creeks", island motes, shorelines, and points. I have had days were we have caught more than 20 snook of all sizes. A good day is catching 8 to 10 snook, along with a few tarpon and mixed bag of other sporty fish like redfish, jacks, sea trout, jewfish, snapper, ladyfish, and maybe even a big shark which can account to catching more than 25 to 50 fish for the day.

Typically we use live bait to bang away at them and have a good "rod bending blast". My favorite live baits are pilchards, finger mullet, shrimp, and pinfish. We look for terns or pelicans diving on pilchards and mullet then catch them with a cast net. We can also cast lures and flies at these snook, tarpon, and other fish if that is what you like to do. They will eat top water lures and flies which is always a blast. On those overcast days they can hit top water lures like it’s dawn, sometimes all day. However, I do not recommend this for the novice, the action often is not as good as using live bait and we will miss more fish on top water too. For top water I like Zara Spooks (large and Jr. size), Bagley’s finger mullet, and Storm’s Chug Bug. Good colors are red and white; white, silver or copper and black back; and chartreuse. Any plug that “walks the dog,” and is in the size range of the others will work. For flies I like a deer hair sliders or small poppers in the same colors as the plugs, but I do have yellow and brown back sliders too. A little red is always good to have in the fly at the throat or nose. They will eat all types of hard crank baits, soft baits, and jigs typically more readily than top water lures.

We can also fish for snook on the flats as we are fishing for redfish in the back country. Often they will be hanging in the white pot holes, and will attack top water flies or lures - sometimes two at a time! There can be nice snook up to 12 lbs. They can also be cruising the flats and are also quite spooky, but if you get your lure in front of them before they spook, they will eat it. And what a nice run they make in shallow water, sometimes up to 75 yards. Then they come up shaking their head and you pray: “don’t shake that hook, please just don’t shake that hook.”

TARPON:

The big tarpon have moved on, but the juveniles stay to grow. We catch lots of tarpon in the 5 – 30 lbs. range with the occasional 50 – 80 lbs. tarpon. Again, the Everglades National Park is one of my favorite places to fish for baby tarpon back in the mangrove creeks, island motes, shorelines, and points. Quite often you can see these tarpon rolling and busting on bait a hundred yards away. Typically we catch a few mixed in with the snook we a fishing for. If you just want to target tarpon, we could do that all day and really bang away at them.

We also fish around the bridges for baby tarpon, especially if we are going to do a little bonefish and permit fishing that day. This can be hot fishing. We can catch up to 6 or more tarpon in a half day. We'll do about half a day each so the angler can experience both 1) the hunt for very challenging fish of the bonefish and permit, and 2) bend a rod at a bridge on tarpon, snook, jacks, barracudas, snapper, grouper, and cero mackerel with live bait. Typically we'll fish the bridges after catching bait first thing in the morning. Almost every time we're having so much fun fishing the bridges, the anglers do not want to leave. Then we'll take an hour or two to fish the flats for bonefish and permit. I cannot do the reverse because it's very hard to pole with my bait wells filled with 30 gallons of water and bait.

BONEFISH:

Some of the biggest bonefish are caught this time of year too, because there is a minor fall spawn. Our average bonefish is 8 – 10 lbs. with fish getting into the 13 lbs. range. Record size bones of 14 plus lbs. can be caught.

In November we can still find lots of “tailing and mudding bonefish” as long as the water temperature does not have a significant drop by a cold front. Do not get frustrated by overcast days, this is when we can chase tailing bonefish all day. The low light is like early morning which they like for tailing in very shallow water. We also focus on tailing bonefish in this low light because it is very hard to see them in the deeper water. If it is windy, this is an advantage if you are a good caster. It allows us to get closer to the bonefish with the bait or the fly. I have had excellent days with 20 knots out of the E. One memorable day a friend and I caught 6 bonefish on fly on the ocean side flats in 20 knot winds. If you really want to do something very exciting – that will put you on the edge of anticipation – try hunting these tailing bonefish with a fishing rod. (A couple of years ago, a client confessed that he had fished 5 days in the Bahamas and never saw a tailing bonefish, only cruising and mudding fish. What a shame.) 

We have some high tides this time of year so we fish our shallowest flats to get into tailing fish. If it is overcast and we have to fish cruising and mudding bonefish, I look for areas that will have dark clouds in the background. This cuts the glare of diffused light from an overcast day allowing us to see the cruising fish. Also I look for areas that have lighter bottom or small white spots where you can see the bonefish crossing these light areas.

PERMIT: There is very good fishing for permit into November, as long as we have good weather with high sun and good visibility. We find them right on the edges of the flats in schools of 10 to 20 permit. We can see 50 permit in a day while we are bonefish fishing. If we strictly permit fish all day, we could see a 100 permit or more on a good day. These fish average 15 – 30 lbs., and the largest we have caught was 39 ½ lbs.  Every year I see some very big permit in that +40 lbs. size. Any permit over 25 pounds is a big permit. I have caught quite a few permit on fly too, 5 here in Islamorada (9 total). If you want to catch a permit on fly, I can help you with the “nuances” of hooking a permit on fly.

Redfish: It is a good time of the year for “sight casting” to redfish. As the waters start to cool off, big schools of redfish are found up on the middle of the flats in north Florida Bay. Schools of 6 to 50 plus fish can be found and they average between 5 – 8 lbs, and we have caught them up to 12 lbs.  

As we “sight cast” to these redfish on the flats, I like to use artificial lures like jigs, soft baits, or plugs. Bait can be used, like shrimp or a shrimp tipped jig, but I do not find it necessary. Redfish are very aggressive once they see your lure, and will quite often hit your lure more than once if you do not get the hooks in him the first time. Keep your eye on the fish and lure, and strike him when he eats it, not when you feel him. A redfish can eat your lure with out you feeling it, by lunging forward and creating a moment of slack line then spitting it out.

Barracudas:  The big barracudas start to show up on the flats in November. As the run of fall mullet arrive on our ocean side flats, the big barracudas are right behind them, literally. When that big barracuda attacks your lure 20 feet from the boat as you’re cranking it in, it’s a real jaw dropper! In shallow water, they fight hard and jump well. These barracudas are 15 to 30 pounds. I always keep a barracuda rod rigged up while we are fishing the flats for bonefish and permit. When we see a barracuda, we are ready to cast at it if we want. If we come across a school of them we can rig another rod so both anglers can cast to them, sometimes getting a double header on.

Catching barracudas on live bait is a lot of fun too. It's a surface bite - an attack! We do this mostly to catch bait for shark fishing, but often we spend a little more time because the clients are really enjoying the barracuda fishing.

sharks: Big lemon sharks, black tips, and bull sharks are plentiful this time of year. We usually fish for them by chumming with big barracudas, which are fun to catch on the way out on light tackle. Once we anchor and start chumming we can get up to six or more sharks (up to 300 lbs.) cruising around right behind the boat in the chum line looking for our baits. It does not take long for them to find it, and they will take you for a good fight. Their size, power, aggression, and snapping jaws at the boat when releasing them, is impressive.

I also like using a fishing kite and live baits, if we have enough wind. Watching a shark chase down a live bait on the surface is awesome - they often explode on it. We caught a 230 lbs. bull shark this year off the kite. That was exciting, and it attacked the boat three times. At first I thought it felt trapped up on the flat and we just happened to be in the way of it trying to get off the flat. But the third time, we were in a channel about 7' deep. It was pulling on us at a perpendicular direction, like circling. Then it turned straight at us and charged, hitting us with its head or back and lifting the boat out of water a little! I got it on video! That's how I can see the boat jump up, and everyone is yelling and laughing, "he hit the boat!... he hit the boat!" That will be one of the videos I put up this year in my web site.

While we are fishing the flats for bonefish, permit, or redfish, we can cast plugs or bait to a passing shark. They are fun to cast to and they fight very hard. Fooling them on a big plug can be exciting. We can catch big ones on 30 lbs. spin (from 50 to 200 lbs.), or small ones on 10lbs. spin.

SPANISH MACKEREL: Look for the first waves of Spanish mackerel to come down the gulf coast with the first cold fronts of the year. These fish are good family fun. The kids really have fun catching them.

OFFSHORE FISHING:

SAILFISH: With the first cold fronts of November the sailfish start to push down the coast, and catching a few sails or more is possible. Sailfish fishing on the edge of the reef just 3 ½ miles offshore with live baits is a very pleasant way to fish. If we are drifting and fishing with a kite, we can fish for sailfish on the surface with the kite and flat lines, and fish for snapper and grouper on the bottom with a bottom rod or a deep jig or both. Also we can catch black fin tuna, kingfish, dolphin, cobia, wahoo, cero mackerel, and even big barracudas while we are drifting or even slow trolling. If the sailfish are showering the ballyhoo we will be slow trolling live baits so we can quickly charge over to the melee of sailfish without having to bring the kite in. More detail on the techniques and description of sailfish fishing is in my web site www.fish-killgore.com under the link: SAILFISH

SNAPPERS and GROUPERS: Snapper and grouper fishing on the Atlantic wrecks and reefs starts to get very good in the fall. Big mutton snapper, and nice gag and black groupers move back into these areas now. As we get to the end of fall they will start to move into shallower spots along the reef and even into the patch reefs.

While we are sailfish fishing we can fish for big mutton snappers and grouper by dropping a live bait down to the bottom or deep jigging. If you want to just catch big muttons and grouper, we’ll drop baits down on specific wrecks can catch some nice fish.

KINGFISH, WAHOO, and CERO MACKEREL: This is the time of year that that fishing gets good for them too. We catch them while we are sailfish fishing along the edge of the reef. Kingfish can be constant action and fish up to 30 pounds. They are mostly 10 to 20 lbs., but great fighters. When you find the cero mackerel (a great eating fish), the action can be so good you can cast out lures and get surface strikes right around the boat. Most of the time we locate them by trolling live ballyhoo on top of the reef in quite shallow, and we still catch sailfish in there too. Wahoo are found by mostly fast trolling just outside the reef line with lure, plugs, or rigged ballyhoo. If you know spots where they concentrate, you can fish for them with big speedos or blue runners by slow trolling.

BLACK FIN TUNA: There can be good numbers of them out on the humps, with the typical good tuna being 10 to maybe 20 pounds. As winter approaches, they will start to run just outside the reef line along with the big bonitas. We will occasionally catch them on the deep wrecks too. These are great fighting fish and excellent table fare for taking to the local restaurants or even sushi bars for a discount on the meal.

DOLPHIN "the fish" (Mahi Mahi): There can be some dolphin in November with fish in the 10 to 20 pound range, coming down the reef line following the bait down the coast. It is more of an incidental catch this late in the fall while we are fishing for sailfish, but always a welcomed sport fish

Capt. Rick Killgore,

305 - 852 – 1131 or 800 – 698 - 5773.

OCTOBER, 2008

(My column in the magazine, OUTDOOR FLORIDA)

INSHORE FISHING in October is the peak of the fall season for excellent back country fishing. The water starts to cool because of cooler and shorter days, giving a break to those hot days of August and September. Any cold fronts that come through will typically not be cold enough chase the fish off the flats, like in November if we get an early strong front. The crowns of the flats will see more bonefish and redfish throughout the day. Permit are back on the flats, and on those high fall tides they also will get up on the crowns of the flats depending on the size of the permit and depth of the water. Also keep an eye on the edges of the flats for their black sickle tail as you are bonefish fishing. Sharks and nice size barracudas will start to show up on the flats anticipating the fall mullet run and approaching cold fronts of winter. They make for some fun sight casting and fish fighting on the flats too.

The fall mullet run will be here now, so big tarpon fishing back in the main channels, canals, and river mouths can be great. Tarpon up to 150 pounds can be caught, and you can see them blasting mullet some times up to 300 yards away. Talk about exciting fishing. I love when big tarpon are blasting live mullet. There can be big snook and sharks in there too. Around the bridges there will also be some nice schools of baby tarpon 10 - 30 pounders with occasional 50 plus pounders around. This can be an action packed day too, often catching half dozen tarpon, missing just as many, and catching a bunch of other fish like jacks, snappers, mackerel, and even snook.

The snook fishing is now in full swing, back in the Everglades National Park. They are also around the bridges and main creeks between the Keys down A1A, but these guys are tougher to fool than those back in the park. Most likely, because there are more people fishing the bridges, but also probably because there are less fish and the water is clear most of the time. To maximize your catch rate, I prefer fishing live baits. The techniques and aspects of snook fishing I wrote about last month, so I’ll paraphrase that here if you missed it.

Be ready for some big fish. If you are fishing some tight creeks, tight drags and #12 to #15 test are best. A lot of guides use braided line, but I still use a hard finished monofilament. We do not loose many fish if you play your cards right, and I like to be able to easily see if the line is chaffed by the snags. Pilchards, shrimp, pinfish, and small finger mullet are the standard baits of choice. If you see them hitting bait on the surface, I like throwing top water plugs or flies to get a strike – real fun surface strikes! However, typically you will not hook as many snook on artificials as with bait. Even if you do not see them working bait on the surface, you can still get lots of shots on top water if you are persistent and confident.

Also while snook fishing there is a good variety of other fish we catch which can make for an action packed day. Baby tarpon most always will be around and readily take live baits. You got to be lucky because their jumps might take you right up into the mangrove branches breaking you off. Redfish can also be mixed in which can make for that “back county slam.” Jacks are hard hitting and hard fighting sport fish, and always get the blood pumping. Little goliath groupers up to 15 lb. are also tough brutes digging hard for those mangrove roots. Big sea trout might also show up, along with lady fish, and sometimes some decent “keeper” sized mangrove snapper. I’ve had some days where we have caught over 20 snook and up to 50 fish including tarpon and redfish.

 In addition, shark fishing back in the flats is also a very fun adventure. There can be some very big sharks up to 250 lb, and often we can get a half dozen swimming around in the chum line in 3 – 5 feet of water right behind the boat. Hooking up two at a time is common. Catching big lemons, black tips, and bull sharks are what we are targeting. Catching the barracudas for chum and bait is also more fun than most people expect. They attack the bait ferociously and fight good, jumping occasionally. Kids really enjoy this day of fishing too.

Offshore fishing in October is the middle period of fall fishing, and a transition to winter fishing. You can still have some calm September like conditions, but we might get a weak cold front sending cooler, long awaited, north winds. These conditions will push the fall bait down the coasts and they might arrive in the Keys, and the fall fish might respond. Also a weak front can also push dolphin back south, catching nice size fish in the 20 pound range.

The sailfish will start to show up a little more, especially after a cold front or two, but it will not really start to get reliable until mid to late November when the cold fronts start to come through every week or so. The Florida Keys and especially Islamorada area has a good little small sailfish season in late fall, so be ready for some sailfish in the 10 – 20 pound range. These sailfish have a hard time eating big baits, so try to get a bunch of pilchards or small ballyhoo. Light rods are the ticket for casting these light baits, 12 – 15 test is ideal where 20 pound spinners might be too heavy for a long cast especially into the wind. Kingfish will start to show up too, and they are always fun to catch while you are fishing the edge of the reef for sailfish. I like to put a bait or two down below the surface while I am fishing for sailfish for hopefully a big kingfish.

Some of the time the weather will be calm and like in September, so I amended some of what I wrote for the September forecast. The indented text is what I wrote for last month’s forecast, but it is applicable to October. 

Dolphin are still around if we got those calm August type days or a good S.E wind especially a few days after a cold front comes through. Catching those “slammers” (dolphin over 25 lbs.), and the “gaffers” (12 – 20 lbs.) is not as likely as the spring. But if a front comes through it can push the dolphin back down our way, and when the wind goes to E., S.E., or S, the dolphin will start to ride the waves looking for bait like in the spring. There can be some nice catches of dolphin up to 20 pound range. This can be a hit or miss deal though. The conditions might be right, but the fish are not moving through. If the wind is calm finding debris and big carpets of Sargasso weed might have some bigger fish down deep under the smaller fish. During these calm conditions, most of the dolphin are “heavy lifters” (5 – 10 lbs.), “schoolies” (3 – 5 lbs.) and “shakers” (do I have too describe?), but keep a big live bait or two ready for that big dolphin or two that shows up. Small wahoo will also be down under these floating habitats too. If the wind picks up and if there are any bigger dolphin around, they will go back to tailing and chasing flying fish while surfing the waves going down sea. Look for the birds trying to snatch the fliers out of the air, and you will find the dolphin.  

Be ready for the triple tail under the floating debris. This is an added bonus to a cooler of dolphin, because they taste like a snapper. Do not gaff them! You have to net them. It is illegal to gaff them because years ago it was a common practice to gaff them when they would not take a bait. If you get stopped by law enforcement, and there is a gaff hole in a triple tail you are going to have a lot of explaining to do. 

During the calm days you can get out swordfish fishing on a consistent basis for night time and day time fishing. Swordfish fishing can be a nice interlude during the day while looking for dolphin. You must be out in the 1500 to 2000 feet of water during the day, which might take you out beyond where the dolphin are. But if you find yourself having to go out 25 to 30 miles offshore looking for dolphin, you might as well be rigged up for making a few drifts for swordfish. You can also fish till just before dark for dolphin and blue marlin, then switch over to swordfish on the surface as sunset approaches. A lot of guys feel there is a good bite right at dark, and many have hooked swordfish right at sunset before dark. They feel the best action is the first few hours after dark, so doing a half day of trolling and a half day of swordfish fishing is a good trip. Getting back at the dock around midnight does not mess with your internal clock that much, which is nice. 

Wreck fishing just offshore of the reef line gets good for black and gag grouper, big mutton snapper, yellow jacks, almaco jacks, and even small amber jacks. Hitting a few wrecks then spending some time fishing the reef is a fun day of fishing. Sailfish might even start to show up, especially if a front or two move through, so always keep a surface bait or two out while you are fishing a wreck or the edge of the reef. Yellowtail snapper are also good if you have good current along with cero mackerel, kingfish, mutton snapper, and grouper that will come up into your chum line. 

DIVING AND SPEAR FISHING in October is also great on the reef, and we still have many days with gin clear water. The groupers are starting to migrate back to the wrecks and also to the reefs. So seeing more of them will be getting better every day as we get into fall. Big yellow jacks are a great target too. Typically a long shot is required, and boy do they fight well if you do not stone them right away. Of course there are hogfish, mangrove, and mutton snappers to spear too.  

Yellow jacks are good eating of course, but a lot of people never heard of them. I like them better than dolphin. They have a clear white meat that is firm with finer grain and flakier than dolphin, and better tasting in my opinion. We cook it anyway you want: bake, broil, fry, or sauté. 

In between dives I’ll anchor up on the reef and chum up some fish. We’ll catch some ballyhoo and use them for yellowtail, mangrove, and mutton snapper, cero and king mackerel, and grouper. At the end of the day after the second dive, we’ll slow troll live ballyhoo for cero mackerel, yellow jacks, kingfish, even nice dolphin, and hopefully a sailfish. We have also caught big yellowtails (3 - 4 lbs.) while trolling like this, and lost other fish to the reef after eating a live ballyhoo on the surface on the troll. I’d like to know what they were.  

This makes for a fun all around day out on the reef. If you want to do a day of spear fishing, whether we’re scuba diving or free diving, we can mix it up a little by fishing on the reef. I’m doing these trips too. I have A.B. Biller spear guns and Hawaiian slings if you do not have that gear. All you need is your skin diving or scuba diving gear.

Capt. Rick Killgore

SEPTEMBER, 2008

(My column in the magazine, OUTDOOR FLORIDA)

INSHORE FISHING in September is one of the back country fishermen’s favorite months. Snook season opens. We are waiting for exciting fishing back in the mangroves and putting sweet tasting snook fillets on our dinner plates. Be ready for some big fish. If you are fishing some tight creeks, tight drags and #12 to #15 test are best. A lot of guides use braided line, but I still use a hard finished monofilament. We do not loose many fish if you play your cards right, and I like to be able to easily see if the line is chaffed by the snags. Pilchards, shrimp, pinfish, and small finger mullet are the standard baits of choice. If you see them hitting bait on the surface, I like throwing top water plugs or flies to get a strike – real fun surface strikes! However, typically you will not hook as many snook on artificials as with bait. Even if you do not see them working bait on the surface, you can still get lots of shots on top water if you are persistent and confident.

Also while snook fishing there is a good variety of other fish we catch which can make for an action packed day. Baby tarpon most always will be around and readily take live baits. You got to be lucky because their jumps might take you right up into the mangrove branches breaking you off. Redfish can also be mixed in which can make for that “back county slam.” Jacks are hard hitting and hard fighting sport fish, and always get the blood pumping. Little goliath groupers up to 15 lb. are also tough brutes digging hard for those mangrove roots. Big sea trout might also show up, along with lady fish, and sometimes some decent “keeper” sized mangrove snapper. I’ve had some days where we have caught over 20 snook and up to 50 fish including tarpon and redfish.

Now keep in mind the fall mullet run can show up as early as late September. Right with them are the big tarpon (up to +100 pounds), and this is real fun fishing.

Of course, the bonefish and permit fishing will be getting into full fall stride as the water starts to cool. This will bring the bonefish back up onto the crowns of the flats, after those dog days of summer subside to the progressively shorter days of September. Take advantage of this fishing because it is going to be the last two months of consistent fishing for bonefish and permit, because once we get into November the greater chance of having a early cold front push these fish off the flats and into deep water for a day or two which can spoil a weekend for you weekend warriors.

Shark fishing back in the flats is also a very fun adventure. There can be some very big sharks up to 250 lb, and often we can get a half dozen swimming around in the chum line in 3 – 5 feet of water right behind the boat. Hooking up two at a time is common. Catching big lemons, black tips, and bull sharks are what we are targeting. Catching the barracudas for chum and bait is also more fun than most people expect. They attack the bait ferociously and fight good, jumping occasionally. Kids really enjoy this day of fishing too.

Offshore fishing in September starts to get to the transitional period of fall fishing. You can still have some calm August like conditions, but we might get a weak cold front sending cooler, long awaited, north winds. These conditions will start to push the fall bait down the coasts and they might arrive in the Keys, and the fall fish might respond. Also an early front can also push dolphin back south, catching nice size fish in the 20 pound range. However, most of the time the weather will be calm and hot like August, so I amended some of what I wrote for the August forecast. The indented text is what I wrote for last month’s forecast, but it is applicable to September.

Dolphin are still around if we got those calm August type days or if a cold front comes through. Catching those “slammers” (dolphin over 25 lbs.), and the “gaffers” (12 – 20 lbs.) is not as likely as the spring. But if a front comes through, it can push the dolphin back down our way and there can be some nice catches of dolphin in the 20 pound range. This can be a hit or miss deal though. The conditions might be right, but the fish are not moving through. If the wind is calm and the surface water heats up, the dolphin stay deep. Finding debris and big carpets of Sargasso weed might have some bigger fish down deep under the smaller fish. During these calm conditions, most of the dolphin are “heavy lifters” (5 – 10 lbs.), “schoolies” (3 – 5 lbs.) and “shakers” (do I have too describe?), but keep a big live bait or two ready for that big dolphin or two that shows up. Small wahoo will also be down under these floating habitats too. If the wind picks up and if there are any bigger dolphin around, they will go back to tailing and chasing flying fish while surfing the waves going down sea. Look for the birds trying to snatch the fliers out of the air, and you will find the dolphin.

Be ready for the triple tail under the floating debris. This is an added bonus to a cooler of dolphin, because they taste like a snapper. Do not gaff them! You have to net them. It is illegal to gaff them because years ago it was a common practice to gaff them when they would not take a bait. If you get stopped by law enforcement, and there is a gaff hole in a triple tail you are going to have a lot of explaining to do.

Blue marlin can still be around. It’s the end of summer season, so it pays to be ready. If you are trolling, put out a rod or two rigged for blue marlin. If you get into the schoolies, throw a couple over live and slow troll around the school or use one to keep the school at the boat while you are catching them. If a blue marlin shows up, you will be ready. Give the blue a good drop back, but not enough to gut hook it. Typically wait for a hesitation, then a second run and after a count of three, throw it in strike and reel fast to come tight. The hesitation is when the billfish turns the bait around in its mouth to swallow it head first, when it starts swimming again and with a short count you will most likely hook it in the mouth. If you see the blue swallow the bait immediately on the take, do not wait for the hesitation, count to three and reel. If you pull the hook and the bait is still on the hook, sometimes the blue will come back and eat the bait, give it a little longer drop back after the hesitation or the inhalation of the bait. But be very cautious not to drop back too long.

If you count more than 5 seconds, you have a greater percentage of hooking the fish deep like in the gills, throat, or stomach. There is nothing worse than bringing in a hurt billfish for release, it takes the excitement right out of the significance of the catch. That is why most sailfish tournaments have gone to circle hooks, to keep overeager anglers from gut hooking or “gigging” as we used to call it criticizing that type of angling decades ago. This was seen as an inexperienced maneuver to do anything to catch a billfish, really looked down on then. But as money prizes got bigger, this practice became more accepted, so the use of circle hooks came into being in tournament. Good for them, “gigging” is despicable.

During the calm days you can get out swordfish fishing on a consistent basis for night time and day time fishing. Swordfish fishing can be a nice interlude during the day while looking for dolphin. You must be out in the 1500 to 2000 feet of water during the day, which might take you out beyond where the dolphin are. But if you find yourself having to go out 25 to 30 miles offshore looking for dolphin, you might as well be rigged up for making a few drifts for swordfish. You can also fish till just before dark for dolphin and blue marlin, then switch over to swordfish on the surface as sunset approaches. A lot of guys feel there is a good bite right at dark, and many have hooked swordfish right at sunset before dark. They feel the best action is the first few hours after dark, so doing a half day of trolling and a half day of swordfish fishing is a good trip. Getting back at the dock around midnight does not mess with your internal clock that much, which is nice.

Wreck fishing just offshore of the reef line gets good for black and gag grouper, big mutton snapper, yellow jacks, almaco jacks, and even small amber jacks. Hitting a few wrecks then spending some time fishing the reef is a fun day of fishing. Sailfish might even start to show up, especially if a front or two move through, so always keep a surface bait or two out while you are fishing a wreck or the edge of the reef. Yellowtail snapper are also good if you have good current along with cero mackerel, kingfish, mutton snapper, and grouper that will come up into your chum line.

DIVING AND SPEAR FISHING in September is also great on the reef, and we still have many days with gin clear water. The groupers are starting to migrate back to the wrecks and also to the reefs. So seeing more of them will be getting better every day as we approach the fall. Big yellow jacks are a great target too. Typically a long shot is required, and boy do they fight well if you do not stone them right away. Of course there are hogfish, mangrove, and mutton snappers to spear too.

I shot about a 15 lb. yellow jack last weekend along with 4 nice hogfish. I had to chase the jack down the mono line and grab hold the throat latch. Pinning it to the reef to kill it with my knife - kicking and burying the knife into it's spine to paralyze it. Now that is a thrill, at 90', all alone, sucking compressed air, and looking over your shoulder. I was pumped with adrenaline. 

Yellow jacks are good eating of course, but a lot of people never heard of them. I like them better than dolphin. They have a clear white meat that is firm with finer grain and flakier than dolphin, and better tasting in my opinion. We cook it anyway you want: bake, broil, fry, or sauté.

In between dives I’ll anchor up on the reef and chum up some fish. We’ll catch some ballyhoo and use them for yellowtail, mangrove, and mutton snapper, cero and king mackerel, and grouper. At the end of the day after the second dive, we’ll slow troll live ballyhoo for cero mackerel, yellow jacks, kingfish, even nice dolphin, and hopefully a sailfish. We have also caught big yellowtails (3 - 4 lbs.) while trolling like this, and lost other fish to the reef after eating a live ballyhoo on the surface on the troll. I’d like to know what they were. 

This makes for a fun all around day out on the reef. If you want to do a day of spear fishing, whether we’re scuba diving or free diving, we can mix it up a little by fishing on the reef. I’m doing these trips too. I have A.B. Biller spear guns and Hawaiian slings if you do not have that gear. All you need is your skin diving or scuba diving gear.

Capt. Rick Killgore 

305 – 852 – 1131, or 800 – 698 – 5773  

AUGUST, 2008

(My column in the magazine, OUTDOOR FLORIDA)

August is one of my favorite months. I dream of crystal clear waters on the reef, drifting down to the drop off ledges, sipping compressed air, losing myself in the maze of fish and corals, hunting for hidden groupers and snappers with my spear gun in hand. Just the other day we had 110’ visibility. I’m not exaggerating, because I jumped in to look for a wreck I fish and see exactly what it is, a small sailboat. Now diving on days like this is spectacular, and August calm days bring lots of clear calm water. It is just what we need for finding those big lobsters under the ledges on the patch reefs.

In between dives I’ll anchor up on the reef and chum up some fish. We’ll catch some ballyhoo and use them for yellowtail, mangrove, and mutton snapper, cero and king mackerel, and grouper. At the end of the day after the second dive, we’ll slow troll live ballyhoo for cero mackerel, yellow jacks, kingfish, even nice dolphin, and hopefully a sailfish. We have also caught big yellowtails (3 - 4 lbs.) while trolling like this, and lost other fish to the reef after eating a live ballyhoo on the surface on the troll. I’d like to know what they were.

This makes for a fun all around day out on the reef. If you want to do a day of spear fishing, whether we’re scuba diving or free diving, we can mix it up a little by fishing on the reef.

Offshore fishing in August has much calmer weather, so you can get out swordfish fishing on a consistent basis for night time and day time fishing. Swordfish fishing can be a nice interlude during the day while looking for dolphin. You must be out in the 1500 to 2000 feet of water during the day, which might take you out beyond where the dolphin are. But if you find yourself having to go out 25 to 30 miles offshore looking for dolphin, you might as well be rigged up for making a few drifts for swordfish. You can also fish till just before dark for dolphin and blue marlin, then switch over to swordfish on the surface as sunset approaches. A lot of guys feel there is a good bite right at dark, and many have hooked swordfish right at sunset before dark. They feel the best action is the first few hours after dark, so doing a half day of trolling and a half day of swordfish fishing is a good trip. Getting back at the dock around midnight does not mess with your internal clock that much, which is nice.

Also the wreck fishing just offshore of the reef line gets good for big muttons, yellow jacks, almaco jacks, and the grouper will start to show up anticipating the fall move into the wrecks. Hitting a few wrecks then spending some time fishing the reef is a fun day of fishing.

The mangrove snapper are out on the reef spawning into August, so it is one of the best months to catch big mangroves at night and during the day. Yellowtail snapper are also good if you have good current along with cero mackerel, kingfish, mutton snapper and grouper that will come up into your chum line.

Offshore fishing is pretty much the same as the July forecast, so here is a slightly abridged edition of what I wrote last month

DOLPHIN are still the go to fish for August offshore. Catching those “slammers” (dolphin over 25 lbs.), and the “gaffers” (12 – 20 lbs.) is tougher. As the wind calms and the surfaces water heats up the dolphin stay deep. Finding debris and big carpets of Sargasso weed might have some bigger fish down deep under the smaller fish. During these calm conditions, most of the dolphin are “heavy lifters” (5 – 10 lbs.), “schoolies” (3 – 5 lbs.) and “shakers” (do I have too describe?), but keep a big live bait or two ready for that big dolphin or two that shows up. Small wahoo will also be down under these floating habitats too. If the wind picks up and if there are any bigger dolphin around, they will go back to tailing and chasing flying fish while surfing the waves going down sea. Look for the birds trying to snatch the fliers out of the air, and you will find the dolphin.

BLUE MARLIN are around. It’s the middle of summer season, so it pays to be ready. If you are trolling, put out a rod or two rigged for blue marlin. If you get into the schoolies, throw a couple over live and slow troll around the school or use one to keep the school at the boat while you are catching them. If a blue marlin shows up, you will be ready. Give the blue a good drop back, but not enough to gut hook it. Typically wait for a hesitation, then a second run and after a count of three, that is when to throw it in strike and reel fast to come tight. The hesitation is when the billfish turns the bait around in its mouth to swallow it head first, when it starts swimming again and with a short count you will most likely hook it in the mouth. If you see the blue swallow the bait immediately on the take, do not wait for the hesitation, count to three and reel. If you pull the hook and the bait is still on the hook, sometimes the blue will come back and eat the bait, give it a little longer drop back after the hesitation or the inhalation of the bait. But be very cautious not to drop back too long.

 If you count more than 5 seconds, you have a greater percentage of hooking the fish deep like in the gills, throat, or stomach. There is nothing worse than bringing in a hurt billfish for release, it takes the excitement right out of the significance of the catch. That is why most sailfish tournaments have gone to circle hooks, to keep overeager anglers from gut hooking or “gigging” as we used to call it criticizing that type of angling decades ago. This was seen as an inexperienced maneuver to do anything to catch a billfish, really looked down on then. But as money prizes got bigger, this practice became more accepted, so the use of circle hooks came into being in tournament. Good for them, “gigging” is despicable.

Be ready for the triple tail under the floating debris. This is an added bonus to a cooler of dolphin, because they taste like a snapper. Do not gaff them! You have to net them. It is illegal to gaff them because years ago it was a common practice to gaff them when they would not take a bait. If you get stopped by law enforcement, and there is a gaff hole in a triple tail you are going to have a lot of explaining to do.

Now inshore fishing, the flats around Islamorada can be good for bonefish and permit, and even a straggler tarpon cruising up the edge of the flats. If there is minimal wind, do your fishing early and late in the day for cooler water temperatures on the flats. It can get too hot for these fish, 92 degrees is around the threshold for tailing bonefish. Permit can tolerate a little warmer temperature, but not much. They will be on the edges of the flats too, accessing deeper cooler water with a couple kicks of the tail. But look for them tailing on the shallow edges if the current is rolling good. That big, black, sickle tail is a dead give away.

Redfish and snook fishing in the backcountry of Flamingo can be “red hot,” in more ways than one. I like to make sure there is going to be a breeze if I’m going there. The snook fishing can be good in the creeks, if we do not have a stretch of very hot, windless days heating up the water a lot. However, if it is raining in the glades and pushing cool fresh water out, that can counter that situation. Pilchards, shrimp, and small pinfish work great. Do not forget the bug spray. Even a head net can keep you from breathing them in - I just spit them out!

As you get closer to the end of August more anglers will be out in all the popular spots honing up for opening of snook season. So be courteous! Idle by if someone is fishing the shore of a big creek. If you’re going up a small creek, ask them if it’s ok to pass by. Or if someone is fishing the spot you want to fish, but it can hold another boat, ask them if it’s OK to fish but in a way not to encroach. It’s better to ask instead of assume. An ugly encounter just spoils the day for both boats, believe me. Even I’m still learning that as I mellow with age. However, my wife and some friends still say I got a lot to learn in that department.

Shark fishing back in the flats is also a very fun adventure. There can be some very big sharks up to 250 lb, and often we can get a half dozen swimming around in the chum line in 3 – 5 feet of water right behind the boat. Hooking up two at a time is common. Catching big lemons, black tips, and bull sharks are what we are targeting. Catching the barracudas for chum and bait is also more fun than most people expect. They attack the bait ferociously and fight good, jumping occasionally. Kids really enjoy this day of fishing too.

Capt. Rick Killgore

305 – 852 – 1131, or 800 – 698 – 5773

JULY, 2008

(My column in the magazine, OUTDOOR FLORIDA)

As I’m writing this (June 20th), I got one more week of hard core fishing before I take my long awaited “week off vacation (July 1 - 7).” As I was watching the NASCAR race yesterday, my good friend calls me up to give me another trip at the end of the week – great, thanks a lot, no… really! And what the hell was Kevin Harvick thinking running into, who was that, McMurray and Tony Stewart through the turn at Sonoma? That Kyle Busch is kicking butt, and it was good to see Montoya run a clean race too!

Yeah, been thinking about this little vacation, and I just decided I’m going to stay here and enjoy all the things we take clients out to do. My wife and I will be fishing and diving for the week. A little tarpon fishing with the fly rod, a little bonefish fishing, snook fishing, wreck fishing, reef fishing and spear fishing. That is what I’m looking forward to, spear fishing down the reef – nice cool water and hopefully some shots at some good fish: groupers, hogs, and muttons. But it is just nice to get in the water too, and make a dive. What ever comes our way is a bonus. 

OFFSHORE FISHING:

In July, BLUE MARLIN are around. It’s the middle of summer season, so it pays to be ready. If you are trolling, put out a rod or two rigged for blue marlin. If you get into the schoolies, throw a couple over live and slow troll around the school or use one to keep the school at the boat while you are catching them. If a blue marlin shows up, you will be ready. Give the blue a good drop back, but not enough to gut hook it. Typically wait for a hesitation, then a second run and after a count of three, that is when to throw it in strike and reel fast to come tight. The hesitation is when the billfish turns the bait around in its mouth to swallow it head first, when it starts swimming again and with a short count you will most likely hook it in the mouth. If you see the blue swallow the bait immediately on the take, do not wait for the hesitation, count to three and reel. If you pull the hook and the bait is still on the hook, sometimes the blue will come back and eat the bait, give it a little longer drop back after the hesitation or the inhalation of the bait. But be very cautious not to drop back too long.

If you count more than 5 seconds, you have a greater percentage of hooking the fish deep like in the gills, throat, or stomach. There is nothing worse than bringing in a hurt billfish for release, it takes the excitement right out of the significance of the catch. That is why most sailfish tournaments have gone to circle hooks, to keep overeager anglers from gut hooking or “gigging” as we used to call it criticizing that type of angling decades ago. This was seen as an inexperienced maneuver to do anything to catch a billfish, really looked down on then. But as money prizes got bigger, this practice became more accepted, so the use of circle hooks came into being in tournament. Good for them, “gigging” is despicable.

DOLPHIN are still the go to fish for July. Catching those “slammers” (dolphin over 25 lbs.), and the “gaffers” (12 – 20 lbs.) can get a little tougher. As the wind calms and the surfaces water heats up the dolphin stay deep. Finding debris and big carpets of Sargasso weed might have some bigger fish down deep under the smaller fish. During these calm conditions, most of the dolphin are “heavy lifters” (5 – 10 lbs.), “schoolies” (3 – 5 lbs.) and “shakers” (do I have too describe?), but keep a big live bait or two ready for that big dolphin or two that shows up. Small wahoo will also be down under these floating habitats too. If the wind picks up, the bigger dolphin will go back to tailing and chasing flying fish while surfing the waves going down sea. Look for the birds trying to snatch the fliers out of the air, and you will find the dolphin.

Be ready for the triple tail under the floating debris. This is an added bonus to a cooler of dolphin, because they taste like a snapper. Do not gaff them! You have to net them. It is illegal to gaff them because years ago it was a common practice to gaff them when they would not take a bait. If you get stopped by law enforcement, and there is a gaff hole in a triple tail you are going to have a lot of explaining to do.

The mangrove snapper are out on the reef spawning, so July is one of the best months to catch big mangroves at night. The mutton snapper can be good on the wrecks too this time of year.

INSHORE FISHING:

the TARPON are still around. Some years are better than other as far as how many tarpon are around. A few years ago on July 14^th we release 10 tarpon that day, one of three double digit release days on tarpon we’ve had here in Islamorada. If you want to catch a tarpon, give me a call. This can also be a good time to catch a big one on fly. You will not see as many, but those you do cast at will be more interested in eating the fly.

Of course the bonefish, redfish, and snook (now close to keeping them) are still biting excellent on the flats and in the back country creeks, along with all the other rod bender critters like jacks, trout, ladyfish, little goliath grouper and big sharks.

The PERMIT are moving back to the flats after their spawn out on the wrecks. They tolerate hotter water than bonefish, so after bonefish fishing in the morning you can fish for permit in the late morning before you head back to the AC for lunch.

You can still find permit out on the wrecks too. This is when you can still hook double and maybe triple headers, and at least catch a couple or a few between the break offs in the wrecks or to the sharks.

SPEAR FISHING:

This is a great time of year for spear fishing. The winds start to calm, and water clears for a beautiful dive. Anyone wanting to do a spear fishing trip, I am doing these charters. We can do scuba or free diving spear fishing for hog fish, groupers, snappers, black margates, yellow jacks, and cero mackerels.

Capt. Rick Killgore

JUNE, 2008

(My column in the magazine, OUTDOOR FLORIDA)

We wait all year long for tarpon season, now we can not wait until it is over. My hands hurt from all the line cuts, mullet spine infections, and fatigue from lifting heavy cast nets, handling big fish and hauling anchors. These are long days of full day trips (8.5 hours), and then going out for your “sunset tarpon trip” (4.5 hours). When you account for preparing for fishing and then washing down tackle and boat at end of the day, it is almost a 16 hour day for me on the boat. At the end of the week on my one day off, every muscle, every tendon, every joint, and every bone ache from tarpon.

Every year I wonder, can I keep going… and going, and going? You “betchya,” after days like yesterday. We had 14 tarpon crashing our mullets some four and five times before getting hooked up. We hooked up 7 tarpon and released 4 big tarpon all between 120 to 100 pounds. We also hand fed two big hammerhead sharks that were 650 – 800 pounds. Unfortunately, the first shark got one of the tarpon.

After the shark ate off the tarpon’s tail, I quickly gaffed the mortally injured tarpon. “Now let’s have s