BONEFISH SPORT FISHING:
ISLAMORADA
FISHING CHARTERS FLORIDA KEYS
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Bonefish Sport Fishing PHOTO GALLERY:
Islamorada Fishing Charters Florida Keys
Sport
fishing for bonefish in Islamorada Florida Keys I consider the best in the fall. I enjoy taking my anglers "sight
fishing" for bonefish, permit, tarpon, redfish, snook, big sharks, and barracudas. I enjoy
teaching the angler the skills needed to catch these fish whether on fly rod or
spinning rod. Tailing bonefish are a thrill – where their “backs are out of water” - and I have one of the
few skiffs that can get into that shallow of water here in Islamorada, Florida
Keys.
We have the biggest and "bad-est" bonefish in
the world. If you catch one of our big bonefish, you’ll never forget it. It
will drag a dozen Central American or Bahamian bonefish ass backwards for a
hundred yards. How’s that? Our bonefish average 8 – 10 lbs.,
and 11 to 13 pounders are caught almost regularly. A
few bonefish of 14 or more pounds are caught every year here in Islamorada. We
have the largest bonefish in the world as an average size, even larger than
Lower Keys and Key West. Our bonefish are freight trains by comparison.
As
an angler you must be ready for the challenge, " the hunt." When you do
hook-up that big bonefish and it runs 150 to 200 yards across the flat and you finally
bring the bonefish to the side of the boat, now you have made a "significant catch."
Beware, you just might
be hooked for life. Now
these big bonefish are no dummies. Our bonefish fishing is like the “Major
Leagues,” and when you fish the flats immediately around Islamorada, called the “down town” flats which coincidentally have most of the big
bonefish, this is like stepping into the “World Series.” These bonefish are
the toughest to catch in the world. They can sense every mistake. They can see
you turn your head 40 feet away – and they are gone! This may be frustrating
to most anglers, but very challenging to others. It is not impossible though.
And, if you get away from the monster bonefish on the "down tow
flats," and fish the flats further away the bonefish are more approachable.
A friend and I
once caught on fly rods in a ¾ day 6 bonefish, 1 permit, and 1 tarpon (60
lbs.), which was my first “Grand Slam” on fly. This
is why I like fishing the "fall." The flats are practically
vacant of anglers and angling pressure. I not only have my pick of almost any
flat, but the bonefish take on a whole new character. The bonefish are
calmer because there are only 10% of the people out there fishing for them. Now
you have a much better chance of hooking up one of these great fish. One day a
client caught 7 bonefish on bait. They were not the monsters of the "down
town flats," but they were nice bonefish for our area. Islamorada
is the prime flats destination of the Keys if not the world. It has the largest average size bonefish (7 - 13 lbs.), permit (15 – 40
lbs.) and tarpon (60 - 180 lbs.), and there are great numbers of these fish so
one can get countless shots on an average day of fishing. Islamorada also has an
expansive area, from the ocean side flats of Key Largo south to Long Key and back north to Flamingo in the Everglades National Park.
Back in the "Park" is where we fish for redfish and snook which average 4 - 12 lbs.
My
boat is a 17-foot, stable skiff which draws a “measured” 9.5 inches with
three big men in it. It is one of 22 boats made by the company "the
Stalker", which was designed by a famous fly fisherman, the deceased John
Emory Jr., good friend of Flip Pallot of Walker's
Cay Chronicles.