Summer Bonefishing

Capt. Dexter Simmons
August 23, 2016
Key West - Saltwater Fishing Report

Summer bonefishing has been good lately in the Lower Keys during the morning hours on the backcountry flats. The numerous tide corrections for different locations make it tricky to find the bonefish on the shallow sand or grass flats. You really need to study each location based on the stated high or low tide time, depth, and correction in hours and minutes. For instance, based on the stated low tide time for Key West Harbor, you may need to add 3 hours and 15 minutes for a certain location on the Gulf side flats. This becomes critical information when planning your day in terms of where you want to fish and when you want to arrive there. Bonefish typically will not feed when there is no current, so you will want to arrive before the time of dead low or high flood. In addition, there are certain flats where the Bonefish will show only at a certain stage of the flood or ebb tide. Figuring out the timing for each location and the habits of the Bonefish for each location is a trial and error "time on the water" activity.

During the process of learning each flat location, there are many hours spent hunting. It helps to keep a detailed log of your hunting grounds for each flat according to the tides, water temperatures, wind direction and speed, and barometric pressure. Eventually you will narrow down the best timing for each location based on the tide and weather variables that present themselves.

Good luck and TIGHT LINES!!!

Key West Fishing Forecast:

Good for Bonefish, Baby Tarpon, Permit

Target Species:

Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit

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