Well the cold fronts just don’t want to stop coming… it’s been a late winter as I’m sure a lot of people are well aware. In recent years we’ve often had warm spring highs in the 80s by the 1st week of February, with maybe only a light front or two coming through the rest of the spring. This year though hold up – it’s been front after front since late January and many dropping down into the mid 50s. Which isn’t a bad thing always it’s good for the winter time fishing snook, drum, redfish, trout, etc… however for tarpon not so much. And tarpon is often our bread and butter and what we push the most but just have to remember we’ve always said February is early and this is why! I did get out with my dad yesterday and we had a fun time. Just fished for trophies… looking for large snook, drum, or redfish. Didn’t find much early on with the fallling tide and cold water. The water was in the high 50s the lowest we saw it, and mid 60s offshore in the backcountry. But when the tide started rolling in the water cleared up a good bit. We got one decent drum in one area then one of our last stops we got into a good school and caught another 4 or 5. Not monster fish but good 12 to 16 lbers good fighters and great to see. Overall our winter fishing has been a little tough the numbers of snook, reds, and drum is just not what it was a few years ago. So that’s another reason we’re really ready for the tarpon to get here. We’re catching them but you do have to put in some time and often pick a fish or two on a spot and move and hope for the same. But I think the tarpon fishing will be very strong through spring and hopefully early summer, at least with the later start it should be better for the later season in that late May/June timeframe.
We still have availability through season with the Islamorada Tarpon Fishing team, and I myself have days personally still in June. Give me a shout and let’s set something up!
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing
YouTube: Bud n’ Mary’s Marina
