Backcountry Fishing Reports

Fun day with my dad, bean, and Vic Gaspeny.  We went after the big dogs…  good condition for it with the wind slicking out and colder water temps.  Found ’em good where we left them yesterday.  Big reds and some nice black drums, no snook here though.  Found some more reds in another area, and then one nice snook off another spot.  A few more nice black drums and one more smaller snook.  Then some more reds and drums to finish up the day.  Got some beauties up to 38 inches or so on the red dogs!  Glad to see those fish around.  Off for the weekend then back at it Monday!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Long time customers Jim & Gwen. Crazy fog early and warmed up considerably from the coldest day we’ve had in 10 years! Felt like a crushing situation. Snooks, reds, and drums early on though nothing huge. Tried some spots in hopes of big ones but lots of mud. Lots of smaller snook later on, then we nailed a home run with quite a few big black drum, couple large snook, and Jim’s biggest Red about a 15 lber! Calm days coming up should be some good fishing.  YouTube video will be up in a few days so check out the channel and make sure to subscribe!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Yesterday we found a big school of tarpon in the everglades with the warm, calm weather.  Angler Mark Gregg caught about a 140 lber on light gear.  Almost got eaten by a huge shark but it got away!  We caught it all on video which you can watch below!  We also got about a 60 lb tarpon today for Gentry.  But winds are suppose to kick up to 30 mph tomorrow, and a cold front coming dropping temps into the 50s, so the tarpon thing will likely shut down again.  But I expect a good early season again like last year come February.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Fun 3/4 day with the Nopps, they bid on a charter with me at the benefit for Capt. Chris Barron we had lots of fun with redfish, black drum, snook, and missed a tarpon!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

Got out with Steve, Tommy, Jules, and Taylor today for a 3/4 day.  They were suppose to fish with my brother Nick for swordfish but it had been blowing 25 knots for three days so that was a no-go.  But the nice thing about the backcountry we can always get out back there and do something.  We made a good run into the creeks about 30 miles, and once there it was nice and protected and the ride wasn’t too bad at all for the 25 Contender Bay Boat.  Fishing wasn’t red hot but it wasn’t too bad, we picked a few fish early on the falling tide, get 1 or 2 in a spot after sitting for 20 minutes, then move.  Then when the tide switched we got on to a couple good spots where we caught 6 or 8 fish.  Snook and redfish, nothing real big but a few decent slot reds at least.  We decided to cut it to a 3/4 day, and the ride home wasn’t too bad.  Beats sitting in the hotel room and again the great thing about fishing at a place like Bud n’ Mary’s, there are lots of captains with lots of boats and if the wind is blowing we can still get you out some way or another.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
Instagram: @richardstanczyk
Facebook: Islamorada Tarpon Fishing