Keys Fishing after Irma

Happy Holidays Everyone,

 

Here is a quick update on fishing and recovery in the Keys after Hurricane Irma.  The Islamorada and Key Largo areas are starting to clean up.  A lot of the debris that was piled up on the roadside has been removed.  Most of the smaller Hotel/Motels are up and running and a few larger ones.  My boat is still in the shop and the new completion date is "sometime next week" fingers crossed.  I've been renting a boat for the few trips I've had.  Business is normally slow this time of year..but it's slower then normal for everyone.  We are coming up on the Holiday season and I have several trips booked already around Christmas and New Years.   Fishing has been good.

 

I fished a couple regular clients on Wednesday and Thursday (Bob and Sandy).  They had a great time as usual catching lots of fish.  Wednessday we concentrated on snook, reds, black drum and snapper.  We caught 4 snook, a black drum, lots of snapper and jacks and Sandy hauled in a big Bull Shark.  Thursday we hit the Gulf for some spanish mackerel and the variety pack.  We spent the whole day reeling in fish.  They were catching a fish every 3rd or 4th cast and sometimes every cast.  We enjoyed the variety pack...spanish mackerel up to about 6 pounds, lots of jacks, speckeled sea trout, mangrove snapper, yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, small sharks, blue runners, ladyfish and a few others.  We went "catching" that day!  They kept a few big mangrove snapper and a mackerel for dinner...yum!

 

If you are planning a trip to the Keys I urge you to make your reservations well in advance.  Call your favorite Hotel/Motel or rental property and find out about their status.  Feel free to give me a call or email for recommedations.

 

With limited pressure fishing should continue to get better and better.  Cooler weather is coming and that will bring in more black drum, sheepshead, spanish mackerel and it will concentrate the schools of reds and snook.  I'm looking forward to some great fishing over the next few months.  Come down and enjoy it with me!

 

Thanks and Happy Holidays,

Captain Steve Murray

Phone: (305) 393-1641

Email: stevemurray126@att.net

Web Page: www.tarponheadquarters.com

 

 

 

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Fishing in the Keys 2018

Hello Everyone,

 

I just got back to the Keys last week from 3 months in Montana.  I thought I would write a quick note about what's going on here.

 

Everyone knows we got hit by a hurricane (Irma) in September.  There is still a lot of cleanup going on but most businesses are up and running in Islamorada, Tavernier and Key Largo.  The oceanside of the Keys got hit the hardest.  Most of the Resorts on the oceanside are closed and will remain closed for another 4 months to a year.  Much of the work is being done by outside agencies.  Many are commuting from the mainland back and forth and many are staying in the Keys...renting whatever is available.

 

My boat was damaged and is still in the repair shop. It is supposed to be finished by next week.  I'm having a high quality fiberglass repair shop working on it (Glasser Boat Works).  When the boat is done it will be a custom boat...better then new!  I'm looking forward to getting it back......in the meantime I am borrowing a boat to fish some of my regular clients on Thurday and Friday.  So, I will be sure to get a fishing report out to you next week. My circle of guide friends are telling me the fishing is PRETTY GOOD!

 

If you are planning a trip down here within the next Year....I would suggest making plans and room reservations as far in advance as possible.  Most of the Major Hotels are closed, some for up to a year.  Once Season starts (February through June and the Christmas Holidays) it may be difficult to find a place to rent.  Here are some of the major Hotels that are closed....Cheeca Lodge, PostCard Inn, Amara Cay Resort, Pelican Cove, Chesapeak Resort and many more.  There are many smaller Hotels and Motels open and most Hotels/Motels on the Bayside are open.  But with the number of people who normally visit the Keys in our "season" there will be limited rentals.

 

I believe the fishing will be excellent this year.  There is/and will be much less fishing pressure and usually after a storm the snook and redfish populations explode.  I'll keep you posted.

 

Make your room reservations early this year!

 

Thanks,

Captain Steve Murray

Phone: (305) 393-1641

Email: stevemurray126@att.net

Web Page: www.tarponheadquarters.com

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