Florida Fishing Headquarters (FFH)

Sunny Warm Weather Fishing

2012-01-17T10:10:00.001-08:00

It's January and the weather is in the 70's, it's sunny almost every day and the fish are biting. There aren't too many places in the United States, or most of the world for that matter, where you can make a true statement like that.

The redfish are schooled up big-time right now. Low tide situations are producing large numbers of fish in the channels, run-offs and the deeper cuts along the mangroves. On the really high tides they are schooled up on the flats as well. Mike and Fran Chapin were in from the Chicago area for there annual winter fishing trip. They experienced some intense non-stop action of the powerful, schooled up feeding redfish. We boated more than 50 reds in the 2-6 pound range and some bully black drum up to 7 pounds. The action was fast and furious. Sore arms and smiling faces at days end. There's been a few snook in the mix as well and some real bruisers up to 14 pounds. Very nice to see our snook population coming back from the cold snap we had a few years ago.

The trout bite remains as good as ever. We've been getting some nice fat fish up to 22 inches. These beautiful speckled sea trout are great fun for the whole family. It's not uncommon to catch 80-100 in a 1/2 day trip. The action is fast. Doubles and triple hook-ups when the bite is on. For consistent action it's hard to beat the trout, snapper and spanish mackerel bite this time of year. If you're someone who enjoys bending the rod - fish after fish - these are the species to target. This is a great way to get a kid hooked on fishing.

The shark fishing can be good this time of year - although I do prefer the warmer months for more consistent action. George Luburich is a regular and he's the kind of guy who wants something large on the end of his line. We landed a nice 6 pound snook, several jacks and ladyfish and then it was time to go after Jaws! We cut up the jacks and ladyfish for bait. Baited up the shark rod and let the big man hang on and wait. George boated a big stingray and his brother-in -law landed one of the biggest sharks I've seen in the backcountry - weighing in at a whopping 350 pounds. Happy guys heading back home to the north. George will be back again in the spring for his annual tarpon trip. The big 100-200 pound tarpon will start showing up in March and the peak time will be mid April through June.

If the cold weather is getting you down - pick up the phone, book a trip to the beautiful, warm, sunny Florida Keys and "Lets Go Fishin"!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fishin in the Keys

2011-12-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Fishing in the Keys is great - as usual. This year has been a little on the warm side for early winter. If you are coming from a cold part of the world - I'm sure you won't mind a bit! Even though the waters have been warmer than normal for this time of year - the fish are still in their winter patterns.

The spanish mackerel are "game on" just outside the park. We caught a few nice tripletail and a small cobia along with 25-30 feisty spanish mac's on one of the less windy days last week. The redfish have been good and some really nice size snook have moved in. The reds are averaging 2-5 pounds and last week we boated some great size snook in the 8-12 pound range. It's nice to see the snook population is getting better and better over the last couple years. They are still "no take" and that is helping the fishery tremendously. The trout bite is very good - but they are also "out of season" through December. Nice size fish up to 22 inches and very good numbers. Fun for "catch and release". It you want some "eaters" the mangrove snapper are schooled up in big numbers and make for great table fair. We landed a 25 inch gag grouper in one of my snapper holes on Friday (yum). We are also getting some nice black drum and sheepshead. For you shark fans - the warmer weather has kept some of these "toothy critters" lurking in our shallow waters. We landed two nice lemon sharks in the 80-100 pound range earlier last week.

I've got several trips over the next couple weeks and the fishing should be great.

Happy Holidays everyone! Hope to see you on the water soon.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

The Redfish are Coming! - The Redfish are Coming!

2011-09-26T10:21:00.001-07:00

No, not The Redcoats - "The Redfish"! Ever since the cold blast we had back in January 2010 the redfishing has been excellent. This last weekend it was as good as it gets. My brother was in from Bozeman, Montana and we loaded up the 21 Redfisher and headed to the Flamingo area for some great redfish fishing. We worked hard the first few hours hitting the deeper Island moats. It was tough, we only landed one red and several ladyfish. It was high tide and I figured these fish must be "up on the flats" so we headed for a luscious grass flat with good water flow and as we pulled up slowly with the trolling motor - the water "came alive" - tails, pushes, wakes from redfish everywhere! Quick, get a cast in there! Bam, Bam - two reds on and several following our hooked fish in toward the boat. Then the water really came alive with well over 500 redfish scurrying across the flats. They were working a section of the grass flat about 200 yards long and 50 yards wide. They would move away when we hooked up and after a minute or two they would move back into our range and Bam, Bam hooked up with another double. They were all 2 to 5 pounders and this went on for about an hour. A big thunderstorm moved in on us and we left the reds - still biting. We boated well over 70 fish. It doesn't get any better than that!

Last week we worked the flats up in the Bites (or what is better know as Bays in most areas). The baby tarpon were out in force and we landed 3 for about 7 on jerk baits and swim baits. These baby tarpon were making crazy jumps and headshaking that can toss the hook in a hurry. They were averaging 2 to 8 pounds. Lots of fun on light spinning rods. We also got into a few nice snook and redfish. Snook up to 8 pounds and reds up to 6 pounds. The trout and snapper bite has been excellent as well.

The Fall is always a great time to fish. The high tides pull lots of feeding fish up on the grass flats and when they see a free offering they readily except - usually in a very aggressive manner. The change in the season is right around the corner and these fish will again change there feeding habits - but that's OK - I think I know where they will be.

Come-on down to the Keys for some great fishing!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Hot Hot Hot - Fishin Too

2011-08-05T15:38:00.001-07:00

Temperatures are hot and so is the fishing. We don't expect anything less this time of year. The redfish bite has been red hot. This past Wednesday we got into as many redfish as you wanted to catch. Every cast was a nice red - and most of the fish were in the 20- 27 inch range - and it was literally EVERY CAST! After catching 40-50 beautiful reds - Mike and Roland decided they would like to try something else??? Roland wants to get a shark - so, we left the reds, still biting, and hit one of my red hot shark spots. Roland (from Germany) doesn't get too many sharks where he is from - and getting a huge man-eater shark on film was a big thrill for him - and the film will make a big hit with his buds back in Germany! He battled and caught a nice 100 pound lemon shark and another 150 pound plus bull shark before we headed back home.

Ken and Patty (from Illinois) were in today and also wanted the catch the toothy critter (shark). We hit a big muddy water spot and pulled in some nice tasty shark bait (ladyfish). Then off to the shark spot. In our 1/2 day trip they boated 7 teeth gnashing terrors of the sea! They had a an excellent trip and got some great photos.

The trout are gorging themselves as well. They are getting ready to make a mid summer spawn and some of these trout are big fat gators at 22 inch plus fish. Lots and lots of action with most in the 12-19 inch range. Hot, hot action - great fun for the family and excellent table fair.

The snook are still hit and/or miss - but on the days we are finding them - we are getting some really nice size fish. We landed a beautiful 14 pounder last week, lost one that was easily 16 pound plus and many feisty size fish in the 5-12 pound range. Great fun, always a few drag screaming runs and jumps - and we are finding them in some of the same areas the redfish are frequenting. So, hot action on the reds with some nice snook in the mix.

This is a great time to fish the backcountry. The tides are high - allowing us to get up on some of the flats that are inaccessible in the winter and spring. The water is warm influencing these fish to be more aggressive. They will chase an artificial bait this time of year and eat it "in a heartbeat" - and that's always a huge thrill. Weedless swim baits work great and I love seeing a big red, snook or tarpon "Blast" a fast moving artificial lure! The tides and wind are key - and morning or late afternoon/evening are best. Give me a shout if want to experience some great hot, hot, hot fishing.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Hot Fun in the Summertime

2011-07-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

The fishing in and around the backcountry continues to be great. The trout bite is fantastic with several 30-50 fish half days. The redfish are chomping up the shrimp and gulp shrimp. Catching some nice ones on the gold/silver spoons and several different swim baits. Getting some nice snook in the mix as well. We caught a beautiful 12 pounder last week. For you shark fans - the sharks are as abundant as they can be. Plenty of Bulls, Lemons and a few Black Tips. The Tarpon were killer this year - but the warm weather has caused the big migratory fish to vacate the area a little early this season. We are still getting the local Tarpon around some of the bridges and in the backcountry.

This time of year the water is a little higher and allows us to get up on some of the flats that are not so easily accessible in the winter and spring. For those who like casting swim baits, spoons and even some top water plugs - this is the time to do it. Summer and fall offer the best opportunity to fish these artificials and the warm weather has the fish very aggressive.

The live bait fishing is always good for everything and still the best bet for snapper and tarpon.

The Summer and Fall are excellent times to fish - but it gets a little warm out there. So, a 4 hour or 6 hour trip is the best - either morning, late afternoon or evening trips are the way to go. Give me a shout and lets go fishing!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fish Catchin in the Keys

2011-05-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

It's springtime in the Keys and the fish are right on schedule. The business is great this year. I have been out fishing almost every day since mid February. Lots of happy customers and lots of "not so happy" fish. Although, these fish should be happy - they are getting a free meal, a free workout and some fish even get their picture taken! The "not so lucky ones" get to come back for dinner.

The trout bite continues to be spectacular - with many days producing well over 100 trout per day. Jim and Al were in from Michigan for two days of fishing. They come every year with a group of 10 and we fish a small tournament with 5 boats. Each day rewards most fish per boat and biggest fish per boat. We won "most fish" both days with 250 fish caught and released on day one and well over 100 fish on day 2! The trout, snapper, ladyfish and jacks were very abundant. We released a 13 pound black grouper on day 1 and had a nice 30 pound tarpon day 2 - but one of the other boats had a big barracuda on day 1 and another boat had a 100 pound tarpon on day 2. Loads of fun - everyone had a great time.

The evening tarpon bite is still great and should only get better through June. The bite was a little slow last week. A few trips we only hooked up on 1 to 3 fish a night. That's a pretty slow bite for evening tarpon fishing - but most trips have been producing at least 3 to 5 hookups on the Silver King. A few weeks prior we were hooking 7 and 8 fish a night. These fish have been in the 90-130 pound range and hooking up on more than 5 of these monsters in a night can be a real workout! Nick from Chicago landed his first 100 pounder last Tuesday evening - I've known Nick for many years and I don't think I've ever seen him happier. Almost every evening has produced at least one catch and on the best days we have landed 4 mammoth tarpon - on a 4 hour trip that's a lot of action. Lots of sweat, sore arms and big smiles!!

The bonefishing was good last week. We landed a beautiful 10 pounder on a 4 hour morning trip and had shots at 2 other small schools. The bonefish fishing is very technical and requires patience and a very well placed cast. The fish here are big - averaging 8-11 pounds - and they didn't get to be that big being stupid. The bones are very spooky and if you can make a great cast and place it softly ahead of the grey ghost - you will experience a screaming drag run like you have never imagined.

The weathers been beautiful and typically May has light winds. Just enough wind to keep you comfortable on the water. World class fishing here in the Keys for those who want to chase the fish of a lifetime and exceptionally great numbers of fish for those who just want to bend the rod. Frank Conner - a regular client and good friend - brought the kids down from New York a few weeks ago and young Jake and Ashley showed there friends how it's done with some great trout, jack and ladyfish action. Bring the kids down for the rod bending action - they will be hooked on fishing for life.

Hope to fish with you soon - please call ahead for reservations - I have many bookings through June.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Therrrre Heeeere!

2011-04-10T13:50:00.001-07:00

It Tarpon Time and there are here!!!

The last three evenings have produced 7 tarpon catches. Thursday and Friday evening we fished in some of my "downtown" area spots. These fish were averaging 25-80 pounds. Saturday evening we fished the Monster run and landed 2 - 100 pounders. When these tarpon start showing up in the Monster alley run - that is the sign that our migratory fish have arrived - and they will be here through June and into mid July. So, if you ever wanted to catch "the fish of a lifetime" - a 100 pound plus tarpon - now through mid July is the time to do it! These fish will average 100-150 pounds with a chance to hook-up with a 180-200 pound monster! The tarpon are here to spawn - so this is the heaviest they will be all year.

Phil and Greg fished with me the last 3 days/evenings and they each caught a backcountry slam on Saturday (tarpon, redfish and trout). The trout bite has been outrageous with some of my spots producing a trout on almost every cast - for as long as you want to catch 'em! We got into some redfish yesterday - they guys landed 5 or 6 reds. The evening produced 2 beautiful 100 pound tarpon.

I took the Berge family out last week and 7 year old Connor had the day of his life. He caught all the trout he could handle and was just as excited catching the first one as he was to catch the 40th one.

It's tarpon time - but it's also a great time to get into some nice reds, snook, trout, snapper and a host of others- and if you are a diehard hardcore fisherman it's also a great time to catch a big bonefish or permit. Expect to spend the whole day going after the grey ghost (bonefish) or ever elusive permit. One or two in a day is a very good day. If you like lots of action - trout and snapper are very abundant. The redfish can be hot action too. One of the reasons this is such an amazing place to fish - is the great variety we have. There is always something to target and always something biting. Come on down and catch that fish of a lifetime - the tarpon are here!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Springtime Fishing in the Keys

2011-04-03T15:36:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted a report in a while. March was extremely busy and the fishing was - and still is - fantastic!

The tarpon started showing up a little earlier this year. The water temperature warmed up nicely as the winds were down - for what we normally expect in March. The tarpon bite has been good. We have been averaging 3 to 5 hook-ups on an evening tarpon trip. Most of the fish have been in the 60-80 pound range with some 25-35 pounders caught in some of the "downtown" areas. It's very rare that we don't catch at least one tarpon on an evening trip and I pride myself on consistently producing tarpon on every evening tarpon trip. The big dogs are showing up and it looks like we are going to have another banner tarpon year. Be ready for a workout if you plan on tarpon fishing - it's not for the timid, meek or young children. It truly is a battle intended for the well prepared.

The trout bite has been amazing! We call it a "hole in one" when the cork goes down as soon as it hits the water - and we've had many hole in ones lately. You can catch a trout on almost every cast for as long as you want to - in some of my good spots right now - and there are some really nice fat female "gator trout" in the mix.

The reds have been really good too. But some of the days we've had to work for them. When they are biting - we've put together some 20-30 fish days - with a few snook in the mix as well. The snook bite is hit or miss - but it has been getting better with the warmer spring weather.

For all you shark fans - the shark are showing up strong with this warm weather and Andy and Niki from Michigan had there fill with 3 nice blacktips and two big 100 pound plus bull sharks on a half day trip last week.

Last year was the best tarpon fishing I've seen and I expect this year to be just as good. The best time for tarpon is mid April through mid July. So, if you are planning a trip to the Keys and want to do some great fishing - give me a call. This season is booking up fast - but I still have some openings.

Have a great day - and thanks for reading!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fish Bites

2011-02-21T09:30:00.000-08:00

It may be wintertime in most of North America - but it's basically springtime here in South Florida. Mid to upper 70's during the day and 60's at night - beautiful weather - and the fish are bite-in!!

Andy from Michigan found out the hard way why we call 'em snapper down here. He got his finger a little too close to the mouth of a mangrove snapper and "Ouuuch" this fish Bites!! Yep, Andy - that's why they call 'em snapper.

In the last few weeks we've been catching lot's of redfish, trout and snapper. Some really nice spanish mackerel out west of Everglades National Park with some trout, snapper, pompano and a few triple tail in the mix. The snook fishing has been pretty good the last few trips. Andy from Michigan felt the furry of the savvy snook. He landed 3 or 4 snook up to 5 pounds and lost a couple in the mangroves. They love to scream off the drag and get you into those bushes!

The tarpon season is right around the corner and I've seen a few of the big monsters swimming around lately. They are already starting to show up and I've got the heavy gear all lubed up and ready. The peak time for tarpon is generally mid April through Mid July - but I start catching some nice size fish (30-70 pounders) in the early part of March.

So, if your tired of looking at the snow and ice - or you just want to do some fishing. Come on down to South Florida. The weather is beautiful and the fish are biting!

Subscribe to my blog here http://tarponheadquarters.blogspot.com/

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Reds are Still Rollin

2011-01-18T12:18:00.001-08:00

Is it normal to catch a redfish on almost every cast? The redfish continue to be one of the main target species this winter. Some of my spots are filled with them. Literally hundreds of them and they are hungry! They are eating shrimp, gulp shrimp and yes, they are even eating the fly. Drop a small weighted clouser in the hole and wham - redfish.

The last few days have produced lots and lots of redfish, some good size sheepshead up to 5 pounds and some nice trout. The spanish mackerel bite has been very good out west with some snapper, jacks, ladyfish and trout in the mix.

The redfish are the really big story this year. Last winter was super cold. We had a fish kill worse than anyone had seen in a lifetime. The snook, baby tarpon, bonefish, jacks, snapper, grouper and even some sharks where severely affected. Almost all of these species that got caught in the shallow backcountry waters died. Yes, the shorelines were filled with thousands of dead fish. From Tampa to the Florida Keys, February 2010 will forever be remembered as one of the biggest fish kills in Florida history. But - with every bad comes something good. The redfish can handle the severe temperature drop. They had a normal spawn in 2010 and because there were far less predatory fish (snook, baby tarpon, jacks) to eat the fry and fingerling reds - the population exploded. This last summer of 2010 these newly spawned reds were averaging 12-14 inches. Now they are averaging 15-18 inches. We are still catching some larger reds in the mix - but the big numbers we're catching are from the great spawn last year. By spring 2011, I expect these fish to be 18-22 inches on average and another great spawn to produce even more great redfishing.

The trout also can handle the temperature drop and are still around in great numbers. The majority of our snapper migrated out to the deep water wrecks and reefs. They have returned to the backcountry in good numbers as well. The migratory tarpon were unaffected - as they were in the warmer waters of the Caribbean during the cold snap. In fact, last tarpon season (April- July 2010) was one of the best I have ever seen. We caught tarpon almost every evening with several 3 and 4 fish catches. To catch 3 or 4 -100 pound plus tarpon in a 4 hour evening trip is a great feet. You are pretty much catching a fish from the moment you put a line in until we head back to the dock. I look for this years tarpon season to be as good or better.

Another good thing to come from last years fish kill is - there are more crabs, shrimp, pinfish and all other kinds of baitfish. So, with more bait in the area, the fish have more to eat and will grow faster and stay in feeding areas longer. Bigger fish to come and easier to find. I can't wait for this years upcoming fishing - it should be great! Give me a call and - LETS GO FISHIN!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Cast and You Shall Recieve

2010-12-31T11:09:00.001-08:00

The redfish population has exploded! Yesterday we caught 30-40 redfish in about two hours. Not only were the redfish biting - but mixed in with the reds we landed over 20 big trout, several very nice size mangrove snapper and hooked into 2 drag screaming snook (we landed one 6 pounder and lost an even bigger one)! Wow! All in one spot. It was literally throw the line in the water and catch a fish. Did I mention - we only fished for about 2 hours!

The action had been good all week - but the cold front Sunday had the bite a little slower earlier in the week. Fishing was very good on Monday and Tuesday - Stu and Stu Frazer from Michigan got into 8-10 reds, some nice trout and limited out on some big mangrove snapper on Monday - and it was COLD. The high was around 46 degrees and the wind was 15-25mph. The Robinson family had great fishing Tuesday - duplicating Mondays catch. Wednesday got a little better - Then the weather started to warm up. The water started to warm and the fish turned on - big time - yesterday afternoon. Mike Chapin from the Chicago area caught a fish nearly every cast. He landed his first Backcountry Slam (redfish, trout, snook) and has a soar arm, a permanent smile and some great photos to prove it. Days like this will be remembered for a lifetime.

These fish are in their winter patterns. They are concentrated in the deeper holes, pockets and near the creek mouths and run offs. The run-offs are where the water runs off the flat during a low/falling tide situation and it looks like a small stream running into the main channel. The shrimp run with the falling tide and all predators are waiting for a good shrimp dinner. They ambush the shrimp as they run with the water flow off the flats and into the deeper holes and pockets. If you locate the right spot the action can be hot and heavy all day - hammer time!

The weather looks beautiful here for the next week. Mid 70's and no snow! The fishing should be great. Give me a call and LETS GO FISHIN!!!!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

December Keys Fishing

2010-12-23T09:50:00.001-08:00

The mangrove snapper bite was on fire yesterday. Shelly and Dennis were down from NJ and they slayed the fish. We got into some nice redfish to start the day, then headed out for trout. The speckled sea trout were biting well - with some really good size fish - but the trout are out of season until January 1st. Shelly and Dennis wanted some fish for dinner, so we headed to one of my mangrove snapper holes. The snapper bite was crazy. We couldn't keep a line in the water for more than a few seconds and WHAM another big snapper. These mangrove snapper are real fighters and great fun to catch on light tackle. Not only are they a great fight - but they are one of the best eating fish. The longer we fished the bigger the snapper got. We caught well over 100 fish and kept a limit of some really nice 2-3 pound snapper.

The weather has been beautiful the last few days - sunny, highs around 75 degrees and light wind. The water was like glass as we headed for the backcountry. Cruising deep into Everglades National Park, it was hard to tell where the water ended and sky begins. A perfect day for a boat ride and good rod bending.

We returned just before sunset. I filleted the fish and they headed to their favorite restaurant for a few drinks and a fresh fish dinner. I doesn't get much better than that.

This is a good time of year to target redfish, trout, snapper, black drum, sheepshead, spanish mackerel and the warmest weather in the country. It looks like January is going to be a cold one, but it's warmer in the Keys. Come on down for some fabulous fishin!!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Too Windy??

2010-11-09T08:03:00.001-08:00

Is it too windy to go fishing? I get asked that question a lot. This last weekend was the first big cold front to come through the Keys this fall. It was blowing 25 to 35mph and the temperature went from a balmy 82 degrees to 59 degrees overnight. Yikes!!! All the books I read say - don't even bother fishing today! Well - I say - you don't know until you go!!

We slayed the fish this weekend - over 50 redfish on Saturday, several black drum, some nice mangrove snapper and a few good trout. O.K. this was just the first day of the cold front. The water temperature had only come down about 8 degrees. Sunday will be the real test. The weather was just as bad or worse on Sunday. Still blowing, just as cold and the water temperature was down another 8-10 degrees. We murdered 'em on Sunday. We caught over 30 redfish - several fish in the 4 to 6 pound range. We landed 15 to 20 black drum from 3 to 10 pounds, several big mangrove snapper up to 3 pounds, sheepshead from 2 to 5 pounds and 3 beautiful snook from 4-7 pounds!! Monday the fishing was red hot too. On a half day trip we boated several snook up to 7 pounds, 2 sheepshead in the 5 pound range, about 20 reds and several nice mangrove snapper. Wow! I sure wouldn't want to be the guy who didn't want to go fishing because it was too windy and cold.

In general, when it is windy and cold the fishing can be tough. But in our area, the Florida Bay, the first big cold front of the Fall can mean great fishing. The wind blows strong out of the north and that pushes a large portion of the water out of the Florida Bay. Many of the flats are bone dry (no water) - that pushes all the fish that were previously swimming the flats into the deeper water holes. It concentrates the fish. So, if you can find the hole that these fish have gather in - you can find some great fishing. Another key element during a cold front is the shrimp run. So, we have no water on the flats, fish concentrated in the deep pockets and shrimp running off the flats into the deep pockets - this can equal some of the best fishing you will see all year. Don't let the weather get you turned off fishing. There's only 2 kinds of weather - whether you go fishing or whether you don't.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Tournament Time

2010-10-17T07:40:00.001-07:00

Fall is here and this is Tournament Time for me. Captain Steve Murray and Captain Robert Walczak took 1st Place in the Backwater Series Grand Championship Tournament on Saturday October 16th. This was a two redfish tournament. We brought in the two heaviest "slot size" redfish.

Fishing has been a little slow the last few days. The weather has changed. The humidity is down and the evening temperatures are down too. Usually, when we first get this weather change, the fishing gets a little tough for a short time. That's what happened this weekend. Fortunately for us - we still got on the "right" fish. We covered a lot of ground - fished live bait in the holes and threw 1/4 oz. jigs tipped with gulp shrimp across the mangrove shorelines. We landed almost 30 reds - most of them were shorts (under 18") - but we got two "slot" size (18"-27") reds that were very close to the high end of the slot. We worked hard and the effort paid off.

The Fall is a great time to fish in the Keys. The temperatures are excellent and there are many species available. In addition to the redfish, trout, snapper, shark, tarpon, snook, jacks and ladyfish - this time of year offers some excellent spanish mackerel - the black drum and sheepshead will start showing up in the deep holes and tripletail and cobia out in the gulf.

Tight Lines - hope to see you in the Keys!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fall Fishing in the Keys

2010-09-22T09:51:00.001-07:00

It's near the end of September and the fishing is great. This time of year we get some higher tides. That allows us to fish some of the shallow flats that are not so easily accessible other times of the year. Last Tuesday we hooked two battling tarpon on the flats. We were throwing weedless jerk baits in about 2 feet of water - looking for snook and reds. There was a small group of tarpon working the mullet and they erupted on our jerk baits. The first fish was about 100 pounds and when he felt that hook - the only place he could go was straight up in the air! A few more crazy jumps and an angler who did not "bow to the silver king" was all it took to break off on our 15 pound power pro. We kept working the area and the next one was a little more manageable - a nice 40 pounder landed. It's hard to beat the excitement of hooking a crazy fish like that in shallow water on light tackle.

We had a lot of rain mid week and that brought a lot of fresh water into the Florida Bay. Friday and Saturday were a little tough. We caught plenty of small reds, a couple big 150 pound sharks and lots of mangrove snapper - but the trout, snook and bigger reds were hard to catch. Sunday and Monday the bite was "on" the trout were biting - as many as you want and some really nice big fat ones. We got some nice reds, hooked a nice snook, caught lots of mangrove snapper and hooked up with several tarpon. First time Florida Keys fisher "Ellen" landed her fist tarpon - a 40 pounder. I think she'll be back!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

August Fishing

2010-08-24T13:30:00.001-07:00

The fishing in August has been fantastic - as usual. A little warm in mid day, so we try to plan the trip early in the day or later in the afternoon/evening. The redfish have been abundant. The spawn must have been very successful this year. We are catching large numbers of small fish along with the larger fish. The snook fishing is good - but can be hit or miss. The snook season will stay closed until September 17th due to the fish kill we had in January/February. We can still catch and release - but the fisheries management are going to reevaluate the fall opening of snook season on September 17th. Personally, I prefer they keep it closed for a few years. We have plenty of great fish we can eat here that are very plentiful. Like the trout and snapper. The trout and snapper fishing is as great as ever. It is not uncommon to catch 100 trout and/or 200 snapper in a days fishing. Some of the best fishing trips involve targeting several different species in a day. We can target the trout, then pursue the snapper, then target snook and reds and/or target a big shark or tarpon and/or bones/permit and many others. This is why Islamorada is considered " The Fishing Capital of the World". There are so many options. I enjoy all types of fishing and can satisfy the expert to the amateur. Kids are welcome and this is the best place to introduce a youngster to fishing - because they are sure to stay busy catching fish and have the opportunity to catch the fish of a lifetime.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

August Fishing

2010-08-06T18:32:00.001-07:00

August is here and the summer fishing is in full swing. The mid day is very warm and the best times to "beat the heat" are morning or late afternoon/evening trips.

The trout bite has been great with as many trout as you want to catch. They are so aggressive this time of year we only need to use artificial baits. The mangrove snapper bite is excellent as well. A shrimp on a hook is the best way to hook up with more snapper than you can believe. 100 or 200 fish is a common catch for these abundant species. That is one of the reasons this area is known as the "fishing capital of the world". There are very few places in the world that you can catch 100 plus fish in a half day trip.

If targeting some larger more feisty fish is your gig - the redfish, snook and shark fishing this time of year is also great. Redfish up to 10 pounds, snook up to 15 pounds and shark over 200 pounds.

For the real experienced angler who is up for a true challenge the bones, permit and tarpon are extreme fighters and an excellent catch. For the bones and permit - be prepared for a lot of stalking and when we get "on the fish" you need to make an excellent cast. If you have the patience and the casting ability your chances are very good. Bones average 8-11 pounds and permit averaging 15-25 pounds are common this time of year. The baby tarpon are always around and the evening are the best time to "hook up". The variety of species in our area is another reason that we are know as "the fishing capital of the world". Some of the other species available in the backcountry are - triple tail, cobia, jacks, ladyfish, bluefish, grouper, mackerel, black drum, sheepshead and many others. Come on down for some of the best fishing in the world!!!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Snook, Redfish, Tarpon and Trout

2010-07-09T13:23:00.001-07:00

July is here and the snook, redfish and monster trout are biting. We have been catching some very nice fish on artificials. The redfish are averaging 3 to 8 pounds. The snook are averaging about 3 to 10 pounds and the trout are huge - 18 to 24 inchers! We are catching a mixed bag of reds, snook and big trout up on the flats - throwing artificial lures. Some really great summer action.

The big migratory tarpon are still here and we caught 2 nice fish in the 100-110 pound range a couple evenings ago. These large migratory tarpon are nearing the end of their season here. They will disperse throughout the Florida region over the next couple months and in the fall they will school up for their migratory run to the Caribbean and warmer waters for the winter. We still catch the smaller baby tarpon (5 to 35 pounders) all year. The large migratory fish will return in the spring.

The Keys backcountry fishing in the summer and fall offers many species. The most abundant fish in the area are - redfish, snook, trout, snapper, tripletail and sharks to name a few. For those who want to target what we call the "Glamour Species" - Tarpon, bonefish and permit are good this time of year as well. The bonefish and permit will be targeted in the daylight hours. Sight fishing is generally the most productive way to pursue a catch - and one or two fish caught in a day is good. The bonefish here are some of the largest found in the world (8 to 11 pounds is the average size). The permit range from 10-30 pounds on average size. The tarpon are the easiest of these three to catch - especially if you fish in the evening. It is not uncommon to get multiple tarpon in the evening. If you are looking for a trophy - go for the "Glam Species" If you want to catch lots of fish - I suggest trout, snapper, reds and snook.

Great fishing - hope to see you on the water!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

June Fishing in Islamorada

2010-06-22T10:13:00.001-07:00

The tarpon bite is still going strong. There have been lots of huge tarpon rolling all around the boat the last few evenings and when the dinner bell goes off - hang on. I had a young lady on the boat who landed her first tarpon and it was a whopping 140 pounder. Not bad for a first timer.

The trout and snapper have been great action and also great tablefair. We've been catching some nice snook and redfish in the back. Artificial baits are producing well for those who are good casters and the live bait has been producing around the deep holes.

For those who want to catch JAWS. The shark action is hot and heavy. Bulls and Lemon Sharks up to 300 pounds and lots of them. Hang on! and don't dangle your feet in the water!

Headed out again today on a 3pm-10pm trip. Looks a little windy today - but we will make it work! Tight lines.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

June Fishin in Islamorada

2010-06-12T17:07:00.001-07:00

Ok, here we go - summer weather is here. It's warm and the fish are feeding. The evening tarpon bite was great on Thursday - we caught two nice 110-120 pound fish and lost one other. One thing about that evening tarpon fishing - you don't get cooked by the sun, it's a beautiful sunset trip - and we catch tarpon almost every evening!

Friday we caught some nice mangrove snapper to start - then we located a nice school of trout and hammered them for an hour or so. Got some good fish for the dinner. Then we hit the flats for some redfish and snook action. We boated four nice snook and one 10 pound redfish all on artificial. From there we hit some deeper holes with live bait for 3 more redfish, 4 nice sheepshead and a load of mangrove snapper. Summer weather is here and the fishin is goooood!!!

Tomorrow we fish 3pm-10pm. Afternoon fishing for trout, reds, snook and snapper - then transition into the evening tarpon - life doesn't get any better than this!!

Keep those lines tight! See ya soon.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fishing May/June in Islamorada

2010-06-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't kept up with this blog lately because I've been fishing pretty much every day. So, here is a recap of what has been going on - and what is yet to come.

The later part of May we had some good evening tarpon fishing. Some of the evening trips that took place around the full moon were a little slow. The fish are still averaging 100-150 pounds of pure fury. Lighting fast runs, screaming drags, fantastic jumps with the tarpon crashing into the water like a small car dropping from the sky and the look of amazement on everyone viewing the site. This is something every angler should experience at least once in their lives. We will have plenty of great tarpon action through June and into early July.

The backcountry continues to get better as summer arrives. The trout bite is still great with all the rod bending you want. Mangrove snapper is pretty much the same - all you want to catch and some nice 2-3 pounders showing up. The redfish have been excellent. Several trips I had in the later part of May where we targeted reds - we were catching 10 to 12 nice redfish a day up to 10 pounds. We were having a problem with some huge 200-300 pound sharks eating the redfish before we could get them to the boat. When the sharks show up like that - we either set up the shark rod and battle those big bruisers or we pack up and move to another spot. No sense in feeding those sharks all our nice redfish! On some of the really light wind days we have been getting some nice tripletail out in the Gulf area and a few cobia as well.

There is plenty of great fishing action here in June and July. Come on down and enjoy the fun!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Tarpon Time in Islamorada

2010-05-20T11:04:00.001-07:00

The Tarpon are here and in full force. More fish then ever. We are catching multiple tarpon almost every evening. These fish are averaging 80-150 pounds. Last Friday evening was the slowest bite - we still hooked and lost one huge tarpon before the wind kicked up to 30mph and totally shut the bite down. Saturday evening we landed two big fish - a 90 pounder and a 100 pounder and lost two others. Sunday evening was "game on" with 3 landed - 110, 120 and a 150 pound monster. We lost one other. The trout bite was on early in the day - we caught all the trout we could handle. The guys kept enough for a nice dinner - then we were off for the tarpon action.

The last few days we have targeted the backcountry for trout, reds, snook, snapper and big sharks, The trout bite is constant action. Lots of trout, jacks and ladyfish in the mix. The mangrove snapper are loaded up in all the deep holes and we are catching some nice reds and the snook are starting to show up in some of the shallow water spots for the first time this year. Plenty of big sharks in the backcountry too. Lemons and Bulls mainly - up to 250 pounds.

The next 10 days are booked with afternoon/evening trips and should prove to be some great fishing. These monster tarpon will be here through early July and June is a perfect month to catch your fish of a lifetime!

Tight Lines!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

May Fishing in the Keys

2010-05-12T13:53:00.001-07:00

The tarpon bite is better than I've ever seen. Multiple catches almost every evening. The fish are ranging from 80 to 150 pounds. Lots of sore arms and happy anglers. It's normal to have multiple hook ups - but we are hooking more fish than ever. Some really great tarpon fishing to be had this year and it will last through mid July. If you want to catch the fish of a lifetime - now is the time to come. I have a couple days left open in May and June hasn't filled up yet.

The backcountry is producing some great catches as well. The bonefish were all over the flats yesterday. More fish than I've seen in years. We had several shots on schools of 25-30 fish. We hooked 5 and landed 2 beauties - a 6 pounder and a 9 pounder. The trout and snapper bite has been fabulous with as many as you want to catch - they are great table fair as well. We caught a few snook the other day and the reds are biting too. If big sharks are your thing - they are here and eating - over the last few weeks we have landed several sharks (Bulls and Lemons) ranging from 80 to 250 pounds!

It's "Game On" for fishing this spring. I'm sure the fishing will be great this summer too - if you want to beat the heat - now's the time.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

May Fishing in Islamorada

2010-05-02T16:19:00.001-07:00

The tarpon are here and so is the warm May weather. With warm May weather comes some hot May fishing. The last week produced some excellent fishing. The tarpon were on fire in the evenings. Fish averaging 70-140 pounds. Fisherman with some sore arms. I had an angler early last week who was wore out after landing two - 100 pound plus tarpon. With time left on our trip - he weakly breathed out the words " I'm done, lets go in". He beat two beautiful tarpon - but the tarpon left war wounds on the angler. His arm would be sore for a day or two - and the memories of those huge silver fish leaping and screaming out the drag ingrained in his mind forever. Every evening has produced trophy tarpon and they will be here until mid July. Now is the time to catch your trophy. Fish will average 100-150 pounds. Be ready for intense battle!

The trout and snapper bite has been off the hook during the day. We are catching a few nice reds and good numbers of large 100-200 pound sharks. The bonefish have been good - we boated a nice 9 pounder last week. Sight fishing takes some experience and very good casting. If you want to catch a trophy bonefish - this is the time. But be prepared to make perfect casts and be patient. Bones here average 8-11 pounds.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Tarpon Time

2010-04-23T09:23:00.001-07:00

The tarpon have arrived. We were an amazing 4 for 4 yesterday evening on tarpon. They ranged from 70 to 100 pounds. The fish were rolling all over the place and once the sun got real low in the horizon - bang - the bite started. My two anglers had sore arms after battling those silver kings. The game is on! This is the very beginning of the migratory tarpon run. They will be here in the Keys through mid July.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Latest Fishing Reports from Islamorada

2010-04-14T11:14:00.001-07:00

The tarpon bite has been great. The last two night trips produced 2 caught fish on each night. The first of the two evenings we got a 40 pounder, a 60 pounder and lost two other wild jumpers. The second evening we landed a 50 pounder, a 15 pounder and had three others that threw the hook. It's very common for a tarpon to "throw the hook". They have a very hard mouth and sometimes the hook doesn't catch the softer spots - couple that with a fish that fights like the tazmainian devil and your going to lose a few. We use "circle hooks" for the tarpon because the circle hook design allows the hook to slide over the hard portion of the tarpons mouth and lodge itself into a softer portion. We still lose a few fish with the circle hooks - but the hook to catch ratio is much better than with a standard "J hook". The larger migratory fish are starting to show up - and they should be in full swing by early May. These fish will average 100 to 150 pounds and we usually catch one or two every evening. These are trophy tarpon - if you want to catch a fish of a lifetime - May, June and early July on the "evening trip" is the best time to come to experience the power and beauty of "The Silver King".

The trout bite has been fantastic. All the trout you want to catch - great fun for beginners and those who just like to catch lots of fish. We get a good mix bag when trout fishing - jacks and ladyfish in the mix. The jacks and ladyfish can be used for a shark bait. The sharks are here and biting and there are some big ones out there right now. We landed a 100 pound lemon shark a few days ago and 2 big bull sharks the day before - 100 and 130 pounders. You never know what might eat that shark bait - it's not uncommon to catch a tarpon or even a big shook. Fun stuff, and a good warm up for the tarpon.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Florida Keys Film and Photo Show

2010-04-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

Enjoy this video sent by one of my customers who spent New Year's fishing and enjoying the Keys.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Catchin in the Keys

2010-04-05T17:12:00.001-07:00

The trout bite has been out of this world. We caught and released well over 100 trout a couple days ago and most of them were big fat females (getting ready to spawn). Today we got on the trout as well - many large fish up to 20 inches. We got into some reds and black drum way back in the Everglades and the Big Saltwater Crocks were all over the banks.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fishing and Weather

2010-03-31T09:22:00.001-07:00

We have a saying in the Keys. There are only two types of weather. Whether you are going fishing or whether you are not. We have been going fishing and it has been good. Some of the big tarpon are starting to show up - we got a 100 pounder a couple evenings ago. The bite wasn't red hot - but we hooked two and landed the one. The spanish mackerel have been red hot action with fish up to 6 pounds.. The patch reefs are still holding plenty of variety with porgies, snapper, grouper and a host of others. The backcountry has been good for trout, snapper, some reds, black drum, sharks and of course the jacks and ladyfish. So, even with this wild weather (very cold for this time of year), the fish don't seem to mind - too much!

Hey Doug Horst - if you are reading this - send me that tarpon video you took with me!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fishing Update

2010-03-25T12:46:00.001-07:00

The tarpon fishing is starting to kick in! We have been out the last three evenings in a row and hooked tarpon every night. Fish up to 70-80 pounds - most averaging 10-30 pounds. Mullet are showing up and the bigger tarpon are sure to follow. The fishing throughout our area has been good over the last few days. The trout are big fat and full of eggs as they are getting ready for the first spawn of the year. The speckled sea trout are making their way back into the traditional shallow water spots as the waters warm and every day we are catching more and more of them. The patch reefs are still good with a mix bag of snapper, porgies, mackerel, grouper, etc and yesterday we got a 25 pound cobia. Yum!! The gulf has been great for spanish mackerel and a mix of trout, jacks, ladyfish and some shark action. Warm weather and great fishing - does it get any better????!!!!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Islamorada Tarpon Fishing

2010-03-18T09:23:00.001-07:00

The tarpon are back! The water temps have been in the high 60's early in the day and up to low/mid 70's by afternoon evenings. That's almost 10 degrees cooler than normal for this time of year. The tarpon are here - even though it still is pretty cool for March - and they are eating!! We had 4 tarpon eat and got 2 of them to the boat on an afternoon/evening trip. The two landed fish were in the 30 pound range. Awesome fight on light tackle. This is just the beginning. The evening tarpon fishing will only get better as we get into spring and approach mid summer with warmer temps.

Good Fishing Everyone!!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Islamorada Mid-March Fishing

2010-03-14T14:22:00.001-07:00

It's mid March and the water is finally starting to warm. The fish are reacting well the last few days. Today we had a great catch of redfish, trout, sheepshead and mangrove snapper. We got 5 beautiful reds, 15 or 20 huge speckled sea trout (many fish over 20 inches). These trout are starting to row up for the spring spawn - so, they were real fatties. We bent the rod on as many mangrove snapper as you want to catch and lots of real beauties. We've also been seeing some nice tarpon hanging around the dock - which is a great sign that they are starting to show up. There were 4 tarpon swimming around my boat at the dock today that were 100-150 pounders. Got 2 evening tarpon trips this week - should be good!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fishing

2010-03-11T06:59:00.001-08:00

The last few days have been good for some trout, ladyfish, jacks and lots of snapper. All the snapper you want to catch (almost every cast). We got a nice pompano yesterday. The black drum, sheepshead and reds have been difficult. We had a nice bonefish to the boat on Tuesday and tried some evening tarpon fishing. The water is still a little to cool for the tarpon - as we found out. No bites on the tarpon - but we did see a couple. Hopefully next week the tarpon fishing will start to kick in. It's only a matter of time now!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Good Fishing

2010-03-08T07:01:00.001-08:00

The last few days have been great! Plenty of action in the backcountry. Nice schools of sheepshead and black drum with a few redfish in the mix. The channels are full of trout and ladyfish. Some reds and a few snook showing up on the flats and there have been a few tarpon rolling around the channels and basins.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

March Fishing

2010-03-05T11:47:00.001-08:00

Well the cold fronts just keep on comin! Low 47 today and a high of 60 degrees. But that didn't stop us from fishing yesterday. Lots of snapper, trout, ladyfish and jacks. Plenty of action. We are still waiting for the waters to warm for our snook, redfish, tarpon, bonefish and shark fishing to kick in. Looks like this coming week may be the warming trend we have been waiting for. March, April and May are always great fishing!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Backcountry Fishing

2010-02-20T16:08:00.001-08:00

The black drum were eating like crazy yesterday. Several fish in the 6 to 8 pound range. Great fighters and the smaller ones are good eating. The guys kept their limit of 5 each. We got a few trout and ladyfish in the mix. But the drum are what kept us busy.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

February Fishing

2010-02-16T08:00:00.001-08:00

This weekend was cold and windy - but that didn't discourage my diehard anglers. The patch reefs were on fire with mangrove, yellowtail, mutton and lane snapper. We got a few grouper up to 7 pounds some porgies, reef sharks, hog fish and a few spanish and cero mackerel. It was non stop action.

Yesterday was warm and sunny for a change. The water was still cold from the weekend - but we put together a nice trout bite a few sheepshead and lots of ladyfish in the backcountry. The gulf was good - not great for some nice size spanish mackerel a few trout and some small reef sharks. We finished off on the patch reefs for lots of mangrove snapper, some yellowtail a few porgies, one nice hogfish and a 10 pound reef shark.

The warm weather is on it's way and with it our tarpon will follow.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Fishing in Islamorada

2010-02-03T19:02:00.001-08:00

Yesterday the trout bite was great. Lots of action with several jacks and ladyfish in the mix. The spanish mackerel were biting well in the gulf and lots of lane snapper and mangrove snapper to add to the action. If you like catching lots of fish - this is the fishing for you. Lots and lots of fish - constant action.

Today snook was the target species. We had a snook kill in January with the super cold weather - but today proved that many of the snook made it through the cold spell. Four excellent snook - 16 pounds, 12 pounds, 9 pounds and an 8 pounder. These are some excellent snook and great fighters. We got some nice redfish and 4 bulldog fighter black drum.

The weather is warming the closer we get to spring and the fish are more and more active every day. Soon the migratory tarpon will be in!!! Can't wait!!!!!!

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com

Keys Fishing 1-22-10

2010-01-22T10:34:00.001-08:00

The weather is warming and so are the fish. In the backcountry we are catching some nice redfish up 9 pounds, black drum, trout and ladyfish. The bonefish are feeding well on some of the nearby flats and we hooked one on fly yesterday. The patch reefs are producing some nice mutton and mangrove snapper, porgies, grouper and the occasional hog fish. The fishing is only going to continue to get better with this nice weather.

Thanks,
Captain Steve Murray
Phone: 305 - 393 - 1641
Email: stevemurray126@att.net
Website: www.tarponheadquarters.com