I am getting ready to spend about a week on a 38 ft. catamaran(bareboat) in the florida keys. Although I fish the coastal carolinas I need some help for fishing the keys. Here's my situation. I want to do some lazy fishing from the back of the boat with my two sons both trolling and anchored. Any tips on the best way to maximize the experience and productivity would be helpful. I'm kinda looking for any edible fish but yellowtail snapper, mahi, etc. would be great. Don't want to get too serious though. Just have fun.
Mahi/Tuna - Run and Run until you find birds and/or weedlines....Some days you might have to run further out.....Also, troll any rips or debree in water.
Wahoo - High speed troll the deeper part of outer reef.
Sails- 120-180 ft is a good range.....kite fish or slow troll live bait
Snapper, Grouper and YT - Anchor up on good bottom...60-100 ft on reef. Chum, chum and chum.....Also, make up a 5 gallon bucket of sand, chum and oats....Use sand balls for YT and Snapper.
The big flag YT will come in your chum line....they are finiky during the day so use light line and small hook....no weight, just present your bait...free flowing with you chum slick.
Night bottom fishing is best......fish your chum slick or on the bottom with weight...you can use heavier tackle at night.
Thanks for the info. Not sure where we will be going. Any good ideas let me know. Leaving Stock Island and maybe Marqueses Keys for a 2 day trip. From there, nothing definite, but back to Key West and down to Marathon area. One thing, does mahi ever get into Hawk Channel and does Hawk Channel continue to the marqueses keys? This is a relaxing trip so anything goes. We will be doing some diving as well, but once again keeping it simple and easy. Actually, I am a fish carver and do a number of game fish. I need a few weeks of R & R before heading back into the studio, so this is a chance to regroup enjoy one of my favorite places on earth.
Docksisle the Hawk channel is pretty much an inshore (inside the reef)
path down the oceanside of the keys. Watch yourself it can get tricky.
But there are a gazzilion patch reefs along the channel and early summer is the time of year when the muttons invade these areas. Anchor about
30 feet up tide from the patches and put out a block of frozen chum.
It will take about thirty seconds for grunts and undersized yellowtails to
invade the slick. Now you want FRESH ballyhoo cut in 1/3rds for bait.
Med spin tackle, 30#dacron line, 30" 50# flourocarbon leader,4/0 live
bait or Gam.octapus hook burryied in the bally chunk. 1 to 2 oz egg
sinker in the line ahead of a spro swivel. (key is using jut enough wieght to
hold bottom which is only abot 12 feet) Now the trick is to just drop
straight down from the boat. IGNORE all the taps and tugs. Wait till
something is moving off with the bait, bow to him and let it come tight
(no Jimmy Houston shit).
I have caught Mangrove (Grey) snappers up to 6# and muttons well
over 15# fishing the shallow patches in the early summer months. Try
to get on it at the crack of dawn and dont be suprised if you see some
huge (150# +) tarpon while you are at it. Also you will likely have schools
ballyhoo and speedos (scad) come in the slick. They can be caught with
hair hooks and tiny pieces of shrimp. Great live bait on the edge for sails
kings, blackfins etc.
]
Have a great time and check the lobster regs you might be just in time.
Ther is a lobster mini season in I think the last or first thursday in july, Then regular season starts August 6th. New restrictions in place! No lobstering withing 100 yards of any residence or buisness, or canals. New bag limits. Check your bag limits and size limits for all species. They will bust your ass in a heartbeat. You can Go to www.myfwc.com I think that is it, I'll check. But they have a print out for all slots and bag limits, and closed and open season's.
Al
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