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WFFG Florida Keys Radio:
Fish Monster Fishing Report
I sure would like a chance to thaw out a little and I bet the fish feel the same way. Cold is a relative term but is a fair description of the past two months. This cool weather can fire up certain types of fishing while slamming the door shut on others. Look for March fishing to heat up even if the temperature does not.
Offshore fishing this month is often the best of the year. Look for everything to moving through the Keys and to be hungry. Distinct color changes mark a highway of fish. Sailfish are still king offshore but tuna and dolphin are welcome distractions. Drifting live baits and trolling both produce fish but always have a few pitch baits ready. Cobia can occasionally be found swimming down the reef so keep an eye out.
Reef fishing will remain strong with plenty of yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper and kingfish. There will also be a lot of grouper so do you best to release them unharmed. Rig a light spinner with a long length of 20lb fluorocarbon and float back just about any bait for the yellowtails. Use a heavier rod, wire leader and a whole ballyhoo to put kingfish boat side. Live baits and long lengths of 30-40lb fluorocarbon will work for the muttons. To keep the action red hot have a live well full of pilchards to chum with.
A steady stream of cobia are working there way into gulf side waters. Live pinfish and buck tail jigs work but for a little more fun break out a fly rod. Any large baitfish pattern or popper will do the job. Carry a few crabs just in a school of permit happen by. Look for schools of jacks, spanish mackerel and bluefish to keep you busy between cobia bites.
Permit fishing should be excellent as they gorge themselves in preparation for the spawn. This is one time where a little wind can be on your side. Shallow water sight fishing permit can be a frustrating endeavor on light wind days. The slightest sound or movement will send them running for deep water. Having some wind and wave action helps mask your presence. For spin fishermen live quarter sized crabs are the bait of choice but big shrimp will often work.
Look for the first waves of migratory tarpon to be arriving this month. These fish can be found in deep channels, around bridges and cruising oceanside flats. Live pinfish and large shrimp are my favorite baits for early season tarpon. Flats tarpon get a lot of pressure and I try to use fly rod only for sight fishing.
Image: Jessica with a fall bonefish
Image: mutton snapper
Wind and cool weather have been the only constant this past week. We would spend a day hiding out oceanside one day and then spend the next in the gulf. This is not necessarily a bad thing this time of year. With a lot going on on both sides it is fun to break things up.
I was a little surprised the sail fishing was not better with the cool weather and north winds. Look for the sailfish to pick up on North wind days. There have been some tuna, and a few dolphin offshore. Thick schools of bonita would find you as soon as a scoop of pilchards went over the side. Kingfish have also been around in good numbers as well as cero mackerel. Try using a long shank hook before going to wire leader to keep the tuna biting. If I do have to rig with wire I like just a short trace of flexible cable.
There were some decent sized yellowtails on the reef but they were a little shy. When the tails were not biting we stayed busy by floating back whole ballyhoo for kings. Grouper became almost a little frustrating while looking for the muttons.
Flats fishing has been a little difficult with the cool water temps. Even the cudas have not been around in there usual winter numbers. If we get a little warmer weather things should light up. I keep one cuda rod and one permit rod on deck this time of year just in case. Shark fishing was the best bet on the flats this past week. A butterflied bonito will bring plenty into casting range.
Sea trout and ladyfish have been showing up on gulf side grass flats north of big pine. Buck tail jigs tipped with shrimp have made for some fast and fun fishing. If pinfish become a headache try a Berkley gulp to cut down on how much time you spend reaching into your live well. Spanish mackerel have been showing up in good numbers. Try a top water plug and light spinning outfit for ultimate excitement. Good luck and good fishing.
Image: Black grouper and a mutton snapper caught on pinfish
Image: bonefish release
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