New YouTube video is up!
June Flats Fishing in Islamorada
It’s june and the fishing is as hot as the weather! Tarpon have been in full ‘migration’ swing with many large fish still around and plenty of local ‘residents’ showing up in the backcountry everglades channels. Sight fishing for them is optimal this time of year as the winds traditionally subside leaving excellent opportunity for fly fisherman. Even sight fishing with crabs or other live bait can work, or throwing artificial. In the everglades the snook fishing has been productive and there has been some white bait a.k.a pilchards around which makes that much more exciting. We pitch a few freebie live baits into the mangroves and watch for the snook to boil and pop, then slide one over with a hook in it and it is game on! On the flats the redfishing is good early in the mornings before it gets too hot. The reds are in the super skinny for the most part so you need a boat that can get you in a few inches of water this time of year. Out in the gulf there have been some permit and the occasional cobia or tripletail if you find the right structure to fish. The permit are a great sight fishing target, a live crab is a personal favorite of their’s though shrimp can work well too.
May flats fishing Islamorada
May flats fishing Islamorada can be a great time to fish here in the Florida Keys. Tarpon on the fly can be very good this time of year both fishing locally around Islamorada or in the backcountry. If you fancy casting to string of big fish try the local fishery, or if you like to blind cast to ‘rollers’ than the backcountry can be better. Often those fish in the back are more apt to eat as their is less visibility, boat traffic, and hungrier fish! Redfish and snook on the flats can be very good this time of year though you need to be able to get ‘skinny’ to reach them, i’m talking 6-8 inches in many areas! Some of the florida keys flats fishing guides specialize in this type of fishing. While bonefish or permit are also possible and of course members of the ‘big 3’ slam, tarpon are the target of choice in May.
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@flatsfishingislamorada.com
April Flats Fishing Islamorada
Well the april flats fishing islamorada was pretty great. All kinds of fish can be caught at this time of year. The backcountry has warmed up for the most part and many fish are prowling the shallows in search of food instead of ‘holed up’ in the deeper creeks and run-offs trying to stay warm. Redfish, snook, and tarpon are often the sought after fish in the everglades. Trout make their presence known as well and are a blast to catch in shallow water. Locally in Islamorada, the florida keys flats fishing in april will yield some bonefish as well as many tarpon on the edges of the flats. The fly fishermen will line the banks all up and down awaiting their shot at the ‘silver king.’ Often poling is not required as the good local guides know the banks to set up on and you can sit and wait for fish to move by. If your looking for a great islamorada flats fishing guide then give me a call!
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@flatsfishingislamorada.com
March Flats Fishing in Islamorada
Well the march florida keys flats fishing can be a lot of fun. Things are usually starting to warm up which means more and more fish can be found in the shallows of Islamorada and Everglades National Park. Fishing can be hit or miss – if we have late cold fronts the shallow stuff usually will not be quite so good. Also March can be very windy making for difficult poling and such. None the less, the islamorada sight fishing in march can yield a great day. Bonefish, permit, and tarpon are all possible at this time of year and as we get more and more into spring, will be much more plentiful. Make sure to hire a professional full time islamorada flats fishing guide as they know the local waters and are here all year round. The problem with many guides today is they fish here for only a few months a year (especially during tarpon season) and don’t know much of anything else. Also the guys who trailer from miami and other areas can be great fisherman, but again aren’t on these waters day in, day out. On the good fishing days they may do as well as anyone, but on the tough fishing days the local florida keys sight fishing guides will always have the upper hand as they were usually out there the day before. We work with some of the best in the business, so let’s get you out on the water this season and go fish!
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@flatsfishingislamorada.com
February Flats Fishing Islamorada
February flats fishing islamorada can be a good time to target a variety of species here in the Florida Keys. Water temperatures can fluctuate so being ‘in the skinny’ may not always be the best option. However one nice thing especially in the backcountry everglades fishing is there are deeper areas to pole where you can often find redfish, snook, tarpon, trout, and other species. When the water temperatures cool they often go deeper as the air temperature drops the water temperatures especially in the shallows where there is much less moving water. During mid day this may change and that can be the time to look in the usual places. Same is true with the local islamorada flats. Now don’t forget there are also plenty of other fishing options in the florida keys when it is really cold. We often take our anglers around islands and in the creeks and canals that go inside the mainland everglades. What’s nice here is that you can get out of the wind and the weather, and still catch some great fighting fish. These species include redfish, black drum, snook, sheepshead, trout, and more… even occasionally tarpon and big sharks can be in there trying to find the warm water run-off. You can check out a monster black drum caught this past february fishing in some of these deeper water creeks by a young man! February florida keys flats fishing is something you just have to kind of play by ear, if you book a trip with us we will always steer you in the right direction – we don’t want to send you out there to have a bad experience anymore than you want to.
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@flatsfishingislamorada.com
January Flats Fishing Islamorada
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful 2013, and better yet that some flats fishing Islamorada is in your plans for the upcoming year! January is often a little slower months ‘in the skinny.’ As water temperatures have dropped… bonefish, permit, redfish, snook, tarpon – all the islamorada sight fishing targets will be found in deeper water. Middle of the day sometimes can still be a good bet if the water isn’t too cold as this will be the warmest part to try to find them feeding with tails up! Backcountry flats fishing can be a little better as redfish, snook, and trout are much more tolerant of the cold than bonefish, permit, and tarpon. Often you can still pole runoffs and such and blind cast to catch them. Get out on the water for some january flats fishing in Islamorada! Remember it’s still much fun to catch these species in different fashions, and often times it can be much more effective.
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@flatsfishingislamorada.com
December Flats Fishing Islamorada
December Flats Fishing Islamorada can be an excellent choice for those looking to sight fish in the florida keys. The water temperatures will play a big role in this. If it is warm, often bonefish, permit, and perhaps even tarpon may be crusing the downtown flats of islamorada. In the backcountry you may find snook, redfish, trout, and tarpon as well. When things cool down, these fish move to deeper areas. However during a cold front before the water cools you can sometimes get into a ‘feeding frenzy’ where the fish go absolutely nuts trying to eat everything they can to last through the cooling period. Florida keys flats fishing in December may take some willingness to change up your game plan, but fear not, a good captains knows when to do this! Many people love winter time flats fishing due to the comfortable temperatures and the fact that many times, mid-day is the best time to be out on the water. You don’t have to get up super early, or stay super late till in the sun goes down. If the wind is blowing crazy during a cold front, of course sight fishing may not be the best options. At times like these you can stake-up fish for bonefish in the islamorada area. This type of fishing is exciting, you don’t know what will wind up on the end of your line – a big bonefish, bonnet head shark, mutton snapper – it could be anything! Islamorada flats fishing in December can be so much fun!
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@flatsfishingislamorada.com
