Tarpon Time in Islamorada

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

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

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

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

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

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

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