Backcountry Fishing Reports

2/20/13 February Fishing in Islamorada Backcountry

Well lots of half days this week, we are so busy it is making my head spin! Double half days every day which is a good thing! Today on our february islamorada fishing charter we fished a bit further in the backcountry. Yesterday fishing was tough locally around islamorada, with the cold water temperatures from the cold front that passed over the weekend. Though we did catch what we needed and the afternoon picked up quite a bit as it warmed. Today was good all around. This morning first thing we got into a mess of nice pompano which I’ve only been catching a handful of through the winter. We got about 15 or so pompano fishing in islamorada. Also some nice big drag pulling ladyfish kept mom and son entertained! Next somebody hit the switch and the trout started biting one right after another. Nothing spectacular size wise but it was fun, getting them on shrimp, gulp, artificial, popping cork – you name it! In the afternoon we did the same thing… no pompano this time, but a lot of trout again plus ladyfish and jacks. My same anglers from yesterday afternoon loved it and still had plenty of fresh mangrove snapper we caught yesterday for dinner. All anglers reported sore arms which I like to hear!!! Look for the florida keys fishing in february to pick up and with that hopefully being our last front of the year, tarpon can be just knocking on the door. The water temps did break 70 this afternoon, a few more degrees and the tarpon should be much happier and willing to feed. Well thats all for this february islamorada fishing report.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@fishingislamorada.com

islamorada pompano

February 20, 2013 by Capt. Rick Stanczyk Backcountry Fishing Reports Fishing Reports

2/15/13 Backcountry Fishing Islamorada Report

Well today February fishing islamorada in the backcountry we had shots at several different types of fish. Tarpon, redfish, snook, trout, cobia, tripletail, and more! That’s all possible when you go fishing in the florida keys, especially out of Islamorada. We caught most of them too, unfortunately the snook we broke off and cobia we had some hook pullage. But several, nice 22-24 inch reds in some creeks plus a juvenile tarpon which ate a big lively shrimp on a jig. We found some nice slowly falling water with some tanic water coming out of a side creek which usually spells F-I-S-H. We hit the gulf after that escapade and had our cobia bite, unfortunately no others and the conditions did look good plus we caught the tide change which usually is a sure bet for decent cobia fishing in islamorada – perhaps the incoming front had thrown them off. We hit the trap lines on the way back, lots of triple tail which I’m happy to report, we caught plenty plus one for dinner. Also got into a mess of trout on the way home and some keepers as well. After this weekends front, fishing should continue to improve as we enter the spring time. You know what is on the agenda then – big tarpon! We’ve been seeing plenty showing up and after the cold weekend they will likely be in feed mode, so be ready! Until our next february fishing report islamorada.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@fishingislamorada.com

: gulf triple tail

: tarpon islamorada

February 15, 2013 by Capt. Rick Stanczyk Backcountry Fishing Reports Fishing Reports

1/26/2013 Great islamorada backcountry fishing in the winter!

We’re still having some great islamorada winter backcountry fishing in january here! The young boys today and dad had lots of fun catching puppy drum. We caught 30 or so in total jigging shrimp back at the cape. The colder water this time of year has fish in many of the creeks and such back there and on low tide they can only be in so many places! We also got some nice big black drum, one cut us off unfortunately after we chased him down, but did boat a large double digit one! Conrad also got a snook which we had been wanting to catch january fishing islamorada. We also caught plenty of sheepshead, ladyfish, jacks, and a few trout. All fish today caught on plain old jigs and shrimp, worked slowly on the bottom. The water at the cape is nice in certain places, though you must work around and find the corners and such that look good. A nice slow moving current and lightly cloudy green water is what you need to look for florida keys backcountry fishing at the cape.

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@fishingislamorada.com

: sheepshead florida keys

: snook florida keys

: black drum islamorada

January 26, 2013 by Capt. Rick Stanczyk Backcountry Fishing Reports Fishing Reports

1/20/13 January Islamorada Fishing Report in the Gulf.

Had Rich and Luke Cromwell, regular customers of my brother and myself, today in the backcountry and gulf of islamorada fishing january. We started out near the cape and hit a spot on the way out to the gulf looking for some snooks. The action wasn’t hot and heavy and after no bites at the first spot, moved a little further in a creek and ended up pulling a couple snook out, one medium size and one little guy. Luke caught his first snook and was happy on this islamorada snook fishing charter. We then decided to move out into the gulf as the wind was dying out and tide was about to start falling in a bit, a great time to be out there for cobia fishing florida keys. We stopped on a bit of structure on the way out looking for some cobia or big redfish. Casted a couple of pinfish out and let them sit, but nothing happened. We pulled anchor and continued our trek west. As we drove we scoured the crab buoys in search of tripletail. We ended up finding plenty and catching 6 in total including 3 keepers – great for dinner! Triple tail fishing islamorada is great when it is calm. Luke was happy with his first triple tail and did all the work, casting shrimp on a small hook with a bobber up current of the buoys and letting them drift back to the fish – WHAM! He is on! Had a nice permit surprise us and swim under the boat while boating one fish, however we weren’t ready in time and he swam off into the gulf. Never no what will happen on a january islamorada fishing report! We made our way to the wreck just as the tide changed. Put a few pinfish out and in no time had a big cobia on of 15+ lbs. Luke fought him for a while and he didn’t want to give up but we finally got him, lip gaffed for a picture, and released. Again Luke is happy with his first cobia – what a great day! We caught 3 more cobia, as well as plenty of jacks. Some cobia we sight casted too which was fun. Had one goliath bite on a live bait on the bottom but unfortunately missed him, and then a shark stole the bait. We then ran back to the islamorada everglades fishing in search of some trout. We ended the day in some runoffs and caught a handful of nice size trout, islamorada trout fishing is good in the channel run offs in the winter time. Great end to a spectacular day, Luke and Rich cannot wait to come back to the florida keys fishing!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@fishingislamorada.com

: gulf of mexico cobia

: triple tail gulf of mexico

January 20, 2013 by Capt. Rick Stanczyk Backcountry Fishing Reports Fishing Reports

1/13/12 January islamorada fishing report gulf/backcountry

We’ve had a gusty east wind the last several days however we didn’t let that put a damper on the islamorada fishing charters. The last few days we’ve hit the edge of the gulf of mexico for the spanish mackerel. Yesterday fishing was red hot, today was ok we caught about a dozen or so plus a nice 8 lb kingfish (king mackerel). A good mix of mangrove snapper off a wreck out there too plus plenty of jacks and blue runners. We’ve also caught some big bruiser blacktip sharks which are lots of fun. They jump, spin, bite, do everything they can to try and get off the hook and they are a challenge! The specimen pictured here was one of the biggest caught and close to 70 lbs! January fishing islamorada is a often good in the gulf here. We even had a big 300+ lb goliath grouper try to eat one of the smaller blacktips the other day which was exciting to watch him lurking underneath thinking about it! Yesterday we also went back into the park as we had a full day and fished several run-off ditches for trout, ladyfish, etc… Some of the trout were very nice size which have not been easy to find the last several months. January fishing the florida keys continues to be productive even with the howling winds and unusually warm weather. If your looking to get out on the water this winter fishing islamorada give us a call we’ll put you on the fish!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
rick@fishingislamorada.com