Capt. Rick Stanczyk's Fishing Islamorada

Got out with Nolan, Olivia, and Shane today for a full day of fishing this November in Islamorada.  Nolan really wanted to try and catch a tarpon, and of course a couple days ago my last day out we had caught several, not even really trying for them.  I was able to sneak out yesterday morning and caught some different types of bait, so we were geared up for anything.  We left early and headed out back.  Winds were light but got a little more when we got in the backcountry, nothing crazy but a good 12 mph out of the north.  We found a bunch of tarpon on the last of the falling tide early.  Busting on little minnows and finger mullets.  They were not really responsive for us though, we tried various types of bait, and moved around several times.  Did get a big blacktip shark and a nurse shark though.  We then hit the creeks when the tide switched and came in, getting high enough to get in some of those areas.  Today though it was not much action in there, we got one snook, a snapper, missed a couple other snook, and then nothing much in a couple other spots.  We then ran further back to try some other shoreline areas.  We did get into a good little bite here, catching several snook and a couple redfish.  It was a nice little flurry of action, but after that it was over.  We then bailed and I ran to my ‘honey hole’ area as of late.  The honey was there and we bailed the redfish, catching them two and three at a time for a good bit.  Also several more snook here as well.  Really a day saver when I needed it!  I gave it some extra time and we checked a few more channels for some larger tarpon.  Nothing in the first couple, but all the way at the end of the last one we did see some signs of a few.  We spun around and set up and then did see a fish roll.  We set up and saw a few more in the next 30 minutes, but no bites unfortunately.  We gave it a hard try but the tarpon eluded us today.  Thankfully we had a good backup plan.  Some times you really have to go all in on those silver kings and there isn’t always an easy plan B, but today we made it happen.  Back at it tomorrow!

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

Great day with return customer Jeff and his buddy Bob. We had a little breeze early 15 mph out of the north. Bait was a little trickier than yesterday but we got what we needed and brought our trust shrimp along too. We hit the creeks again and it was fairly similar to yesterday. Picked away a few fish on each spot, and Bob got a real nice one early of 12 or 13 lbs! We picked a few more here and there. Then Jeff got a nice tarpon! He also got a pretty good snook later on close to 10 lbs. We didn’t catch many redfish but we did get a few in our last stop for a Slam for Jeff. After that we were running home and came across a nice mullet mud along the shoreline. Next thing you know we were doubled up on nice reds! We hit them good for a bit and a few snook as well. Then a few tarpon started to roll as the wind laid out. We rigged up for them and drifted and cast and Bob got to catch a couple tarpon! The boys each jumped one more. Then some big jacks showed up and we had a little fun with them before heading home. Wow what a great day! Off tomorrow I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Still have some days open the next few weeks, and fishings been red hot!

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

Great day with return clients David and Kathy today!  We headed out into the backcountry towards Flamingo with some shrimp.  Caught some pilchards on the way, it was slick calm and the bait finally showed back up heavily after disappearing since the last cold front.  We loaded up and hit the creeks.  Bottom of the tide with a nice incoming current.  We picked around, catching a few fish off each spot.  Nice way to fish as it keeps it interesting, picking and moving.  We never got into any big rally of fish, as we’d been finding tons of little redfish the last several trips back there.  But today just a handful in each spot as I said, and they were larger fish too!  We made out good catching about 2 dozen fish in there altogether plus a baby goliath grouper.  After the tide got higher and we had a little time left, we decided to run out and try a spot on the way home.  Found some more redfish here and a couple more snook as well.  Topped our day out with about 30 fish, just fantastic fishing so nice to see.  It’s been really good and I think will continue to be.  I have some days open after Thanksgiving weekend, and plenty in the first couple weeks of December too.  It’s a great time to come as it’s still offseason so you get the place to yourself as oppose to being here in season when it’s busy.  Give me a shout if you want to get out on the water!

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

Got out with Joey and Casey for a full day today.  We headed out into the backcountry early with our shrimp.  Things warmed up a bit from the last couple days though still a little chilly in the AM.  The first couple spots we did not find much, and one of those spots the no-see-ums ate us alive!  Yesterday we had good fishing there but today it just warmed up a little too much and we were in the lee of the wind, so it was buggy.  We ran and checked out a different area, and did well.  Slow pick to start but eventually it was almost every cast with redfish and a few snook mixed in.  We found reds in several more areas, and all of them same thing once they got going it was all the action you wanted.  We tried a spot out in the gulf offshore for some mackerels later in the afternoon, but did not have any luck with that.  Though we did get some jack crevelles and blue runners out there.  We caught one more snook on our way in.  All in all another good day, back at it tomorrow with a half day shark trip.  I’m busy through next weekend, but have some openings next week and then plenty of days available in December.  Give me a shout the everglades backcountry fishing in Islamorada is really good and should stay that way.

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

Great day with Mark and Emily! Back on the water after a week off, fished a half day yesterday and had some good patch reef fishing. Today we hit the backcountry. Things cooled off a bit with a cold front the night before. It was definitely feeling like winter time for us. We had a great day catching fish every where we went. Lots of redfish which has been the case, but some decent size ones today. A handful of black drum and sheepshead too which are more of our cold weather friends. Snook weren’t quite as prevelant though we did get a good handful, along with Emily’s largest! Though the icing on the cake was some good little tarpon for both Mark and Emily, and also a trout for the honest backcountry slam! Fishing has been really good back there and nice to see it didn’t slow down a lick the last week I had off. We will be getting more into winter mode if we continue getting these fronts, but just because the weather is cold doesn’t mean the fishings not hot! Really some of my favorite fishing all year.

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