Islamorada isn’t termed the Sport Fishing Capital of the World by accident -warm Gulf Stream waters attract a large variety of game fish toward the islands every year, making the island chain known as the Keys an international popular place for career and amateur fishermen alike. Whether you crave trolling the depths or poling your flats boat in the beautiful backcountry flats, Islamorada has the catch you’ve been dreaming of.

More fishing tournaments are held in the Keys than anywhere else in nationwide and supply a chance to discover other hunters, test your skills, and possibly even seek some fame and fortune. There are sometimes more than ten different tournaments proceding from Key Largo to Key West every month, concentrating on you name it, from tuna to tarpon. Several fishing tournaments are meant for lady anglers or for children, and many profit well-known charitable organizations.

FL Keys flats guides will lead anybody to the best locations for tarpon, permit, and bonefish, all of which are the best for both sport and eating. Offshore charters are the right fashion for big game anglers to hook marlin, mahi mahi, tuna, and sailfish. Several charters have developed overnight trips in boats as much as 50’ with fancy amenities, e.g. sundeck. Reef fishing for grouper and snapper keeps you closer to port and almost ensures you’ll eat well for dinner.

Gearing Up for Your Fishing Adventure

When selecting a charter boat, determine whether you need to handle your own tackle or have it supplied for you, and check on the availability of bait and live well capacities. Assess your capability and personal experience levels and take a captain accordingly, becaue of the fact that you don’t want him handing you a fishing pole and a pail of squid and departing, or taking about basics if you’re a pro. Most captains will by nature manage a range of skill levels, but it’s best to be sure before going out.

Never fail to bring along sunscreen with an spf of at least 15 and a camera so you can catch and release but still illustrate your adventure tales in the years to come. Release anything you won’t eat because over fishing today will deplete the fish supply for future anglers. If you’re not eating your fish, return it to the water as quick as you can; also the more quickly you will reel your catch of a lifetime in (the less time it spends fighting), the healthier it will be when returned to the ocean.

Advice & Tricks

Hunters looking for dolphin need to begin fishing in advance, shoot for nearly one hundred twenty feet of water, and keep an eye out for diving birds or drifts of floating sea grasses. Producing chum lines helps pull in smaller fish, and whilst you’ve got a blue runner or some other tinier fish on your line, leave it on the line since the dolphin will be pulled to it. Dolphin traverse through areas quickly, so it helps to keep an eye out for other boats and constantly troll instead of staying put.

Amberjacks put up a marvelous fight and may take a great portion of your day for even an experienced guide to bring into the boat. Go for large jacks at large sunken ships in more than one hundred feet of water, and smaller ones in the area of the reefs in the winter. Use a leader of 18 to 25 feet and minimum 50 lb. test, and take live bait if you can do it. Don’t slack off on your pole, or you’ll lose it when they strike.

Most guides say the quickest way to try for a barracuda is with a tube lure in about fifteen to 25 feet of water, and to keep the lure going through the water or the catch of a lifetime will become suspicious and wary. While barracuda are a smashing sport fish because they’ll put up a great fight, they’re by and large not good to eat. Virtually all of the fleshier fish (over 5 lbs.) have become poisonous to people because of their diet of reef algae. Ciguatera poisoning is seldom calamitous, but never desirable. Small barracuda can be fileted into steaks and eaten.

The Florida Keys Lobster

The spiny lobster mini-season draws lobster-lovers from across the world, so be certain that you make your reservations and list of things to do ahead of time. These lobsters live in the areas from Brazil to Bermuda, but a majority of them lives the Keys area regions. When you get one, be sure your net or bag is handy before they scoot away, because these lobsters get away by jetting backwards through the water. Bring your crawfish to most Key West restaurants and they’ll serve it up for you, or get theirs and experience the taste without the toil. Key Largo lobster are very similar in taste and texture to Maine lobster, only tinier. They’re first-rate boiled, steamed, or grilled, and sold whole, as tails, and as meat in many local grocery stores.

The two-day Sport Lobster Season goes on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July, beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday and ending Thursday at midnight. Upcoming dates are:

• July 27 - 28, 2005
• July 26 - 27, 2006
• July 25 - 26, 2007

During this time, there’s a ban on diving and snorkeling within 300 feet of marinas, canals, and private shorelines to prevent harm done by overzealous lobster hunters. They instill bag limits, restricted areas, and equipment rules. For complete and up to date laws, please get in touch with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission at 850-488-4676 .

The commercial lobster season happens from August to March. Only commercial license holders may trap lobster & stone crabs, and Florida no longer sells commercial licenses. Existing licenses must be sought out from another angler.