Florida keys

[gatorreyn]

First trip to the keys is almost here. I’m staying on the bay side of Key largo… Can I catch any fish on the bay side it looks real shallow ? so where do I want to start trolling? Feel free to send me coordinates: Lat ____ Lon ___ (LOL right now I know)… On a serious note this will hopefully be a once a year tripe for me… Im taking my 23 ft center consoles with several friends that know nothing about fishing… So the more fish we catch the more gas I can get them to buy meaning the more I can fish… were also taking our wife’s and I already know they are going to be complaining about our fishing time. I will stay strong and fish on regardless of the bite however I know they will crumble if we have two slow days out of the gate… Were only staying one week and I have bought a Top spot Map and a map card for my Raymarine so I have some basic spots marked… I would love to catch some dolphin and a wahoo and any thing else that swims… Well I would like to leave the barracudas alone. We have plenty of those in Jacksonville… If there are certain secret baits please let me know… Noticed I said secret and not top secret… I’m pretty new to this style fishing so please pile on the advice.

[Prop Blast]

Hi Gator,

First things first. Enjoy your trip to the Keys and realized each subsequent trip will better -- you sort of learn as you go.

The Top Spot Map is a great start point for you. I would also recommend you visit your local tackle shop and buy the Florida Sportsman "Best" series book/DVD on Dolphin. It's full of great info and a steal at $20. You can also buy George Poveromo's DVD on the same topic. Their repective Bottom/Snapper/Grouper videos are also worth buying.

Some other tips:

1. When you're driving in the Keys and trailering, watch your speed -- the Monroe Cty Sherriff's department aggressively enforces speed limits. Make sure your trailer lights and brakes work.

2. Tides are important. If you're reef fishing for snapper/grouper, you want the tide to be moving.

3. Watch for shallows. If you run aground on your boat in the Keys, you WILL pay a big fine.

4. The dolphin bite this time of year is an early bite; so get out early. Don't expect to wake up at 7am, eat a leisurely breakfast and head out on the boat at 9am expecting to tear up the dolphin. Leave the dock NLT 6am or so and be out at first light.

5. For dolphin, if you don't have any good info on where they are, start your trolling at 90-100' and work out to deeper water. Look for current edges, weedlines, and floating debris.

6. As far as baits go; a blue and white Ilander over a ballyhoo is a must have set up. Green and white is also good, as are Moldcraft Chuggers & Wide Ranges.

7. Have two 20lbs spinning rods rigged up and ready to go with 50lbs leader. One should have a 5/0 hook for tossing chunked bait and the other wtih a 1-2oz white bucktail jig.

Good luck,

PB

[gatorreyn]

thats good information PB... I bought the book about six monthes back and I hope it will pay off... As for your advice on the early morning bite thats good to know... I would have been getting out there to late without your advice...

Thanks again JJ

[cgrand]

if you strike out or get discouraged on the trolling, go get some dead bait & some chum and you can re-build your confidence with the yellowtail and mangroves on the reef. just be careful not to fish in any protected areas

[pig sticker]

You can also get buy chum and put a bag of it out around a bridge or marina to catch pinn fish with a tiny gold hook, small float and cut bait. When you get out and find Dolphin feeding and cannot get them to bite anything else, hook a pinn fish on a spinning rod with a 50lb leader and throw it to them. A lot of times this works better than chunk bait or trolling.

[Prop Blast]

Originally Posted by cgrand

if you strike out or get discouraged on the trolling, go get some dead bait & some chum and you can re-build your confidence with the yellowtail and mangroves on the reef. just be careful not to fish in any protected areas

When reef fishing, don't skimp on the chum. Plan on 4-5 blocks per reef fishing trip, using large mesh chum bags. Put two out off each corner in the current (if there's not current -- find something else to do). Let one thaw out in a bucket and mix in some oats. Once thawed, use a scoop to toss the thawed chum out in the slick every 5 min or so.

Once the slick is going, you should be able to cut back to one block in a bag at a time.

PB

[Steve_250]

Buy a can of corn and put a piece on a #12 long shank hook and work the shallows for Pinfish. You can also toss a net at bridge bulkheads for white bait.
Everything likes pins and white bait.
Work the bridges and inlets on the leeward side during tides.
The inlet and rock wall at Duck Key and inlet at Long Key are good.