2/12/13 Islamorada backcountry fishing!
Capt. Richard Stanczyk
February 12, 2013
Islamorada - Saltwater Fishing Report
Well the backcountry fishing in Islamorada has been producing a mixed bag of just about everything we catch here in the florida keys everglades. Today we were after meat fish, we were going to try out front on the patch reefs but with a south wind which produces big swells, it is too rough even with winds of 8-10 mph for boats under 20 foot. So we went in the backcountry and went for plan B. This proved a good move, we found some nice big lunker trout which have been kind of hit or miss through the winter, it hasn't been cold enough to have alot of these guys hold up in their usual run-offs, but we did find some nice 16-22 inchers today and got our limit. We also picked a handful of redfish on the bottom of the tide, surprisingly with the south wind the flats did get pretty dry which usually isn't the case with that condition. After that we had seen some tarpon busting, so we tried tarpon/shark fishing for an hour. Saw a few right near the boat which we tried pitching pinfish too, as well as dead baits on the bottom, alas no action from them - but good to know they are around that is a definite possibility in February when the water is warm... often 75 degree water temps seems to be the magic number for them to really go off, but anything above 70 and you have a shot if you run into them! After that we went around some mangrove islands and got our limit of mangrove snappers, as well as some small barracudas which were a blast on light tackle!
There has still been a mix of redfish, black drum, sheepshead, snook, trout, and more around the cape and many of the normal 'winter time' areas we fish in the 'glades. The action hasn't been red hot with the warmer temperatures, you've got to move around quite a bit, but definitely some fish there. Reds on the flats along with some snook in the potholes if your poling is a good bet too. Also cobias have been in the gulf with some tripletail on the buoys, and of course permit/tarpon are a good possibility especially if it stays warm!
Capt. Rick Stanczyk
305-747-6903
[email protected]
http://www.fishingislamorada.com
Islamorada Fishing Forecast:
Should have good fishing through the week, this weekend another cold front... but this could be a final light-up for spanish macks in the gulf, as well as the redfish/snook/sheepshead/drum around the cape.
Target Species:
Redfish, snook, tarpon, trout
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