 Only in the Keys
With a season of great weather and not a Tropical Storm in sight the fishing doesn't get much better down herein the Southern most area of the USA.
Fishing in the Florida Keys is at it’s all time best now.. When one species isn’t biting, another one is. When conditions are unfavorable offshore in the Atlantic, there are always fish to catch in the Gulf and Florida Bay. And when the summertime pelagics begin their exodus to warmer waters, the wintertime fish swim in and give us an entire new group of exciting game fish to target.
The winter pelagics, such as the sailfish and large kingfish, have yet to arrive in steady numbers. However, a slight drop in water temperature has forced the dolphin (mahi mahi) into the shallows as they move towards the west chasing large schools of Ballyhoo, Pilchards and Sardines and Tails Up Lures.
Over the past week dolphin have been in as close as 25 to 150-feet of water spraying bait up and down the reef and we’ve been able to land a few gaffers in the 8 to 15-pound class.
Pursuing inshore dolphin is some of the best fishing because you not only get to search for and chase after the fish, but you also get to fight them on much lighter tackle then you would frequently use offshore.
I use 12 to15-pound spinning gear with a splice of 30 Florocarbon-pound leader. Often the dolphin will be much more acrobatic when caught on this lighter line and will provide an entertaining aerial display and quite the challenge for my anglers.
For those of you interested in heading offshore, the tuna fishing is fantastic at the Islamorada and 409 humps. Inshore, the tarpon bite has been exceptional, with fish up to 50-pounds actively feeding on sardines and other baitfish that have congregated around the beaches, channels and cuts. On the flats, we continue to hear good reports of bonefish and permit being caught in the mornings and evenings, with the falling tide often being the best time to pursue them.
Capt. Len Roberts | 
