Sport Fishing Capital to the World; Islamorada And Angling The Florida Keys

THE BEST OF THREE WORLDS:

THE GULF OF MEXICO, FLORIDA BAY AND THE ATLANTIC OCEAN;

A COCKTAIL OF FISH TO CATCH,

THE MIGHTY GULF STREAM!

Starting from Key Largo, the overseas highway crosses some fifty bridges before ending up in “Papa’s” town, Key West Florida. Key West is the last island in the Florida chain and has the distinction of being the southernmost point of the continental United States. Every Key has its own distinction and flavor but for angling in style, Islamorada is but the Sport Fishing Capital to the World and one of my favorites in catching a great time while angling the Florida Keys. At the southern most tip of Florida, located between the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and Florida Bay are a string of islands known as the Florida Keys. Great for vacationing, with breathtaking scenery, sandy beaches, and clear waters but known for its abundance of game fish that inhabit the warm currents called ‘The Gulf Stream’. These varieties of fish species ranges from Kingfish to Permit, Tuna to Marlin and Tarpon to Wahoo, with everything else in-between. You can go offshore angling for the big game such as Tuna and Marlin or hang in the skinnies of the flats for Bonefish to Tarpon. Islamorada is located in the Upper Keys and is the Sport Fishing Capital to the World because it has more IGFA record-breaking fish recorded anywhere else in the world. This is most likely because the Atlantic Ocean intertwines with the currents of the Gulf Stream, flowing together in a cocktail of fishing favorites. Offshore favorites in the blue-green waters of Islamorada will produce such as Sailfish, Dolphinfish, Marlins, Kingfish, Yellowtail, and Wahoo, Snappers, Cobia, Groupers, Wahoo and sharks. While angling the backcountry bays, one finds Redfish, Snook, Sea Trout, Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit, small sharks and a variety of baitfish.

Islamorada is a match made in heaven but before casting off, you will want to decide what type of fishing appeals to you. Two areas of angling with options open to your imagination; the skinnies or back country waters of Florida Bay or The Gulf Stream; deep sea fishing. The Back Country can be approached via your own vehicle in the form of a boat or swimming trunks and rod in had to paddling the mangroves in your kayak; an awesome way to traverse open skinny waters and catch a variety of fishes or hire one of the many and experienced Charter Captains. Hiring a Guide is not as expensive as one may think when backcountry fishing and they can target you what you are angling for. Deep sea (Charter Captains) to Party Boat excursions (Head boats), are your best bets offshore with the difference being in a more affordable price to take out the entire family or for the novice fishermen looking for a chance to reel in the big one, also not as heavy on the pocketbook. With serious fishing in mind, deep-sea angling is what you are looking for in hiring out a Captain and chartering to the Gulf Stream, providing you with more challenging and exciting fishing, at depths of 100 to 2,000 feet. Seasoned anglers will delight in the hunt for Dolphinfish, Marlin, Sailfish, big Shark, Tuna’s and Wahoo.

For those of you with your own boat or wish to rent your own while angling the Florida Keys, Dolphin catches have become very good off the Upper Keys. Chicken to Bull Dolphinfish are most abundant this time of the year with catches of blue marlin and mackerels to snapper off the reefs throughout the upper keys. Finding structure, any structure in the gulf including markers will hold permit and across the bays, sea trout, mangrove and pompano are simply just ravenous. Fishing is the name with Tarpon the game through most of the keys this month, techniques used to catch tarpon include fly fishing to live baiting with mullet, crabs, ladyfish or even chunking out cut bait which can also be a productive method too but it also can hook it up on a shark. Where there are Poons, there is sure to be a set of Jaws not far behind! For more information on everything from accommodations to the Keys ecology be sure and visit the Florida Keys online before you get there, for planning ahead is sure to land you what your angling for.

When angling the waters of Islamorada, one will find a variety of fish year round but there are certain seasons when specific fish are most abundant. In the springtime, the best bets are Blue Marlin, Dolphin, Snapper, Tarpon, Yellowtail, Wahoo, moving over to Blue Marlin, Dolphin, Snapper, Tarpon, Yellowtail, Wahoo as the waters warm in the summer. Fall brings in a bite of Wahoo, Kingfish, Grouper, Bonefish and Snook, with winter filling the bag with Cobia, Grouper, Kingfish, Sailfish, Tuna and sharks; remembering, again, that you can catch all of theses fish throughout the year, the different seasons coincide with spawning to migratory movements to when certain species are more abundant than others.

If you are not of mind in that of wading or surf fishing and are not in possession of a boat, there are many a charters, boat rental or guide found there through one of the local marinas offering everything from flats to offshore. Wither it be of a Bed and Breakfast to a Waterfront Retreat, the best place to find a place to stay or fish would be the Islamorada Chamber or if your into the free lodging and don’t mind the drive for concessions, try camping out on Seven Mile Bridge, about thirty miles to the south with access to Pigeon Key.

“FISH ON!”