Islamorada Fishing Report

By Capt. Russ Pellow
Reported on: Feb 13, 2007
Offshore to backcountry from Islamoradasportfishing.com

Offshore:

The first nice day of the week was Wednesday and there was a catch of Dolphin to report! Capt. John on the Suzanne and Capt. Don on the Sea Horse from Whale Harbor Marina both had "double racked" school Dolphin at days end. Both boats boxed about twenty-five 4 to 5 pound Mahi caught "a little off the Hump".

Reefs:

Capt. Rob Corradi on the Southern Comfort from Whale Harbor Marina had a very active and exciting day recently. When the smoke cleared, Rob's anglers released two out of eight Sailfish (at one time they had four hooked at once). As the mate was winding up baits after a Sail was hooked a Wahoo that was estimated at forty pound charged and inhaled the ballyhoo nearly running into the transom of the boat! Of course the monofilament line was cut and the big Wahoo swam away into the sunset!

All in all, Sailfishing has been pretty good!

Gulf and Bay:

Broken record time and the tune is that the Spanish Mackerel are chewing the bottom out of the boat! Capt. Lou Brubaker had a couple from Texas out on a 1/2 day recently. The female counterpart of the duo reportedly could not fish any longer as her wrist and arm hurting too much from battling the four to six pound Mackerel. Tripletail action has heated up too. On the calmer days many guides are cruising the buoy lines in the Gulf and although there are many small "Trips" there are some nice ones too.

A Tripletail must be 15" or better to keep, with a daily bag limit of two per angler. Reports indicate it was an off week on the Cobia probably due to the cool water temperatures and the cloudy water coming out of Florida Bay.

Flats, Backcountry and Flamingo:

A Bonefish report comes from Capt. Dave on the No Politics skiff from Whale Harbor Marina. Dave reports on a mid week trip that his angler released a Bonefish estimated at 13 pounds. Concerned with the health and wellbeing of the fish he catches, Dave does not lift the Bonefish onto a scale or use a tape to calculate the weight, a quick estimate and a quick release is the best way to treat any fought-out fish! The action in the Flamingo area is off and on with the rapidly changing conditions caused by the frequent fronts moving through the upper Keys. Mainly cool water temperatures just after a front subdues the activity.

Good catches of Snook, Redfish, Black Drum and Trout will be had on the balmier days.