The summer months in the Florida Keys brings us hot weather, hot water and hotter fishing on the flats! June through October is my favorite time of the year to be fishing the flats. Summer time is also your best opportunity to get a flats Grand Slam - that is catching and releasing a bonefish, tarpon and permit in the same day.
Bonefish are most prolific in our area during the summer months. They can be found just about anywhere and in good numbers. It is common to catch several bonefish in just a few hours in a small area. Bonefish in the Lower Keys vary in size from the little 'dinks' of 2 - 3 pounds to the larger fish of 7 - 9 pounds with the occassional double digit fish showing up at times. But most of the fish we find are in the mid-range of 4 -6 pounds. Generally speaking the area we fish will dictate the size of bonefish we encounter. Some areas will hold mostly large numbers of small bonefish, while other areas are better for bigger bonefish. Where we fish for bonefish in given day is determined by the tides and weather.
Tarpon? Yes, we still have tarpon in the Lower Keys, all year round in fact. Most of the tarpon in the area outside of the spring migration are resident fish. These tarpon range in size from small baby tarpon up to about 70 pounds. And we still manage to find big tarpon exceeding 100 pounds. These tarpon are not in a travel mode like a lot of the fish we find moving through in the spring. Thus they are very willing and eager to eat. If we get the right weather and the right tides, we can find tarpon actively feeding on what we call a 'hatch'. Though not a true hatch like on a trout stream, rather these are events that occur at specific times. The 'hatch' can be large schools of small baitfish or small crabs and shrimp being washed out to sea with the tide.
Permit fishing is very good all through the year with March and the summer months being the best times. Permit like bonefish can be found just about anywhere and will be found in those same areas where we are looking for bonefish or tarpon. So it is very important to always have a rod rigged and ready with a crab for when one shows up.
There are a couple of other reasons why I consider the summer months my favorite time of year. Typically the weather is great with gentle breezes and a sunny sky, ideal conditions for sight fishing. There are very few boats on the water. Most days I will have a huge area to myself and maybe only see a couple of boats throughout the day. And last but not least, this is when I get to spend some time on the pointy end of the boat.
Welcome to Key West, FL, the end of the road in the Continental United States. This 100 mile stretch of mangrove islands and shallow flats, splitting the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, is home to the most elusive sport fish in all of angling. Known simply as the Backcountry, these calm, crystal clear waters are home of the famous Grand Slam trio of tarpon, permit and bonefish. This is shallow water sight fishing at its finest. No trip to Americas southernmost city is complete until you've picked up a rod and reel and gone head to head with the best that saltwater angling has to offer.
The highlight of our fishing season is the annual spring tarpon migration. Schools of large tarpon begin to show up in our shallow waters in March and will continue to push through the Keys through early July. The height of the tarpon migration occurs in May and June when schools of tarpon, at times numbering in the hundreds, travel down the oceanside flats of the Florida Keys. Several special events occur during the full and new moons at this time, such as the palolo worm hatch, that attract large numbers of tarpon to certain areas to feed and many anglers to catch that fish of a lifetime.
The waters I fish are part of the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, from the Content Keys to the Marquesas. Along with the famous Grand Slam species, you will also encounter sharks, barracudas, jacks, redfish and cobia, depending on the season. Above the waterline this area is home to countless marine birds, ospreys, pelicans, egrets, and even a few nesting bald eagles. Many other birds of prey make stops here during their winter migrations. Dolphins, manatee, and sea turtles are also common sights as we quietly push along these silent shallows.
These waters are the last piece of the Florida Keys that were made famous by writers from Ernest Hemingway to Jimmy Buffet. Stepping off of Duval Street and into the Backcountry is the best way for a visitor to connect to one of the last pristine parts of Old Florida. Whether you're a rabid fly angler or simply a curious tourist, my boat is waiting at the dock and I'm always ready to get you out there.
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