Got out for a fun fishing trip with my pal Capt. Bill Bassett. We wanted to explore some areas we hadn’t been in a while, and fish a few things neither of us had been too before. It’s funny that living down here there are still areas that we haven’t fished with decades of fishing experience between us, but the Keys and Everglades are that vast and you get dialed in to your routine areas so it happens. Anyways pilchards were nice and easy we found a load on the ocean side. We stopped to try a secret snook spot out on the Atlantic side, and we did find a few and boated one nice one and lost another! That was cool to see and those spots come in handy once in a while when we are fishing close to home. We jetted back into the bay towards the flamingo area of the everglades. We fished some islands that we hadn’t been to in a while. Ones that are tough to get in that I usually don’t take my boat in as it can get very skinny on the wrong tides. Though today I think I could’ve made it and I may try when we have higher water. Anyways we worked around and found a good load of nice snook there as well as one redfish. It was fun catching them in an area I don’t fish often as I said. After that we tried another island that neither of us had fished in a while. Years ago it was very good though in recent times it hasn’t produced much. Unfortunately it didn’t produce much today but maybe one day it’ll get good again. After that we hit another island neither of us had ever been too. It looked pretty with nice flowing water. We found loads of baby barracudas and mangrove snappers, as well as some lemon sharks swimming around. It looked very lively, but no snook or reds which were were hoping for. After that we called it a morning and headed home. We found another load of pilchards in the bay on the way home and decided to fill the well so we could put bait in our pens. With the impending cold front tomorrow night, we may not need them for a while as when the water temperatures get into the 60s and below, most fish are eating shrimp better than anything especially in the backcountry. But it’ll be nice to have them when things warm back up. Looks to stay cold for at least 4 days though, and the water may take a few days after that to get back to the 70 degree range. But I think we are in store for a great week of fishing once things stabilize. I’ll be out Monday and Tuesday so will hopefully have good reports. I am available Sunday if anyone wants to go as of now, though had a party possibly interested.
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing
