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Random Quote: My buddy took me to his "SECRET SPOT". It was too secret, the fish didnt even know about it !!!!!!
Headed to Ley Largo area with my family and friends in a few weeks. My last and only trip to the Keys was 6-8 years ago. What memories. Stayed at Bahia Honda State Park and fished the terpon bite all week long. Witnessed and fished the worm hatch between the bridges! I hadn't even heard of this until I witnessed it. Only after I researched it did I understand what a miracle we had fished in. Great week, good times. Anyways, we just purchased a 25' Kencraft CC. It was love at first sight and we cant wait to try her out! Looking for some firendly advice on a plan of attack for fishing and diving the area. I think the house we are staying at is at mile marker 90? Thanks in advance for any help!
I have been to the Tavernier area several times in the last few years.
Based on reports I have seen it looks like the offshore dolphin bite is starting to heat up again.
If it was me I would get up early a couple days with the hardcore fisher people in the group and head out to the humps at first light. Watch for birds, weeds, bait, usual offshore stuff... Keep an eye on the floridasportsman forum for pretty accurate keys fishing reports.
If everybody says the bite is dead offshore they are probably right and you might want to save the gas.
There are great reefs straight out from Tavernier. I was there July 4th for a few days and we did good fishing for yellowtails on the drop off in about 60 feet. Caught a real nice mutton too. Great family fun.
For Yellowtails/ reef fish in general... anchor upstream of your desired structure and put out a chum bag or 2 and wait for the fish to start showing up. Buy a bunch of yellow tail jig in various weights from a local tackle shop. freeline the jigs with a silverside on it back with the chum until it gets hit. Adjust the weight according to current and fish light line. (I prefer 10 - 12 lb test or even less.)
Fish the same way at night for mangroves.
Good luck should be a blast.
I you want a really nice dinner go to Bentleys. MM 82 I think. You won't be disappointed.
Get a Upper Keys Topspot fishing Chart from West marine.(about $20.) You will be staying near JohnPennycamp state park. Some of the best diving around. Yes,check www.Floridasportsman.com then go to Keys fishing reports.
Several years ago, we had a condo in Tavernier. One of my favorite places to fish was just off of the Tavernier Creek channel on the ocean side. Grab a local map of the area and look for a place on the map called: the rocks. At the last channel marker going out of Tavernier Creek oceanside, hand a 90 degree right turn. Heading south now. From there just a short way to the rocks. Grouper and who knows what else there.
Hi You are in the Tavernier area not John Pennycamp area as someonne mentioned. You can get a chart and fuel, bait,tackle, Ice ect. at Tavernier Marina next to the bridge. As far as fishing still Dolphin, Tuna and Wahoo around you can try like everyone else the Islamorada Hump areas for a start. Have a safe and good time leave the drinking on shore.
In Tavernier now at mile marker 88, smack on the Atlantic. Was checking on the report and to see if anyone had some advice for fishing in the area. Luckily found this! Really fishing blind, plan on heading out till we see the weed line and some deep water to troll. Heard 150ft is where it's at right now. Picked up several different rigs to test out. Will let you know how it goes.
We've been diving the past two days in some ledges we've found from 70-90ft. Seen small hogs and some decent grouper.
If you see a navy blue 23 regulator out, that's us.
If anyone else has some advice please don't hesitate! Thanks!
The weather called for 2-4s. 4-5s would be more like it. Went out to the 'humps' and it was a considerably wet ride. One bull dolphin after four hours of trolling. Saw many schools of blue fin/skip jack but it was too rough to catch up or get close enough to them. The weed line was broken up due to the chop. Overall pretty pissed with the whole wind situation.. Thankfully brought the bigger boat, but even with it we're all pretty worn out after the ride.
Gonna hit up some shallow reefs to dive tomorrow morning then head to key west for the night due to the sea conditions. Let me know if anyone is in the area and would like to grab a drink!
If putting E-10 fuel in your boat is a concern, look for Marathon Gas stations, they carry no-ethanol fuel. There is one at MM 88.5 on the southside of the road.
As suggeested before, get the Top Chart for the upper keys.
For some family fun, go to Robbies at MM77.5 and feed the Tarpon, accessable by both boat or car. The food is great at the Hungry Tarpon Restaurant next door. If you eat at the restaurant 1st, you don't have to pay to go on the dock at Robbies.
thanks to all for the info. We just got back into town and had a great time albeit the fishing was lukewarm considering my inexperience in the area. We got into some smallish yellowtail and a few grunt. My middle daughter busted off a large cuda beyond the Davis Reef in about 50' of water which turned out to be the fishing story of the trip. By the time she's 16 that story will be the stuff legends are made of. Fished the Rocks. Dove Hens and Chickens, Molasses, Christ of the Abyss. Spent the first 3 days dealing with boat issues. I'll have to say anyone looking for a great outboard mechanic should see Johnny at Strictly Outboards. Super nice guy around mile marker 88, and he'll come to you. Great mechanic and an even better guy. All in all our trip was great. I was the only hardcore fisherman of the 9 of us that were there so I eventually relaxed and learned that it was a family weekend. Robbie's at Islamorada was great once again. It never gets old feeding huge tarpon by hand. The Islamorada Fish House was great as well (next door to World Wide Sportsman, bayside). Excellent food and a really cool venue. We even got to see two Border Patrol boats pull up. 8 Federal agents ate there and we checked out their boats. Each boat was around 35' with quad, yes quad Merc 225s powering. Radar and electronics out the yang with what appeared to be a machine gun mount on the bow. You can also feed the tarpon, sharks and grouper at the outside dining area as well.
On another note, just me and the hardcore fishing buddies are headed back down in a couple weeks. We're pulling out of Key West on the morning of Thurs. Aug. 27th for the Dry Tortugas staying for 1-2 nites and seeing what we can get into. We'd love to make the trek with a buddy boat if anyone is interested. Let me know.
Tough time of the year to make that trip in that size boat if you never did it before. Keep a close watch on the weather this time of the year any small storm can developer pretty fast and make a trip like that a dumb one. Remember those 4 guys last year that set out into the gulf and never returned accept the one hanging onto the bottom of the hull for dear life.
South to Tavernier
