sheepshead

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

12/28/12 December Backcountry Islamorada Fishing Report

Another fabulous day fishing in islamorada!  The snooks were biting near flamingo as well as east cape.  Large shrimp hooked through the horn on 3/8 oz jigs were getting the good bites!  Caught half a dozen nice snook and lost a few nicer ones around a few islands early in the morning.  The pup drum were also biting pretty good in the deeper water as well, which is normal this time of year when the water temps drop below 70.  We had fun for a few hours in one spot not having to move!  Later in the day we hit the deeper big canal at east cape.  We worked our way through the major number of boats, caught one decent snook.  Then went around the bend towards the big open lake.  Here we found an area where the current was not running quite so hard, and set up for some fun islamorada backcountry fishing.  Lots of redfish as well as some juvenile snook, black drum, and sheepshead here.  We were fishing 1 oz weights with a 4/0 circle hook with just big chunks of shrimp, letting it sit on the bottom for the most part.  I love fishing islamorada in december.

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

December Backcountry Fishing Islamorada

Hello and Merry Christmas everyone from Fishing Islamorada!  Today I fished a half day in the islamorada backcountry charter boat, the seacraft!  The water is still very cold, low 60s, from the recent front we had a few days ago, though things will be warming up throughou the week for some good christmas week fishing.  Winds were northeast this morning, and east by this afternoon.    Fished around flamingo this morning but did not have much luck, picked a few redfish.  Decided to make a move fairly early further out west towards east cape, unfortunately many of the spots I wanted to hit had boats sitting at them – so I just bit the bullet and went all the way to the big canal.  Not something I normally do on a half day islamorada fishing charter, but when the water is this chilly it can be a very good area to fish.  We had the end of falling current at flamingo, and start of incoming at the cape which is ideal.  We fished in the deeper water and just picked at fish, but got a mix of redfish, black drum, and sheepshead.  Likely another 15 fish or so in total, including a couple nice black drum and sheepshead which made the day!  All fish were taken on live shrimp, about the best and only bait to use when the water is that chilly during a december islamorada fishing trip.  Well looks like a very busy christmas week here as usual in Islamorada, Florida Keys.  I don’t have any time available except for a few afternoon half days, so if you want to get out on the water give me a call ASAP – those slots will likely fill up quick!  Happy holidays, and hopefully your enjoying december florida keys fishing!

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