Too Windy??

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

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

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

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

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

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

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