Islamorada isn’t called the Sport Fishing Capital of the World by coincidence -warm Gulf Stream waters attract a wide variety of game fish toward the islands yearly, making the Florida Keys an international gateway for award-winning and amateur hunters alike. Whether you yearn for trolling the deeper water or hunting in the shallow backcountry flats, Islamorada has the experience you’ve been anticipating.

More fishing tournaments are held in the Keys than anywhere else in the USA and provide a venue to hang out with other hunters, test your methods, and who knows even win some fame and fortune. There are often at least ten different tourneys proceding from Key Largo to Key West monthly, concentrating on you name it, from tuna to tarpon. Multiple fishing tournaments are meant for women or for youngsters, and many work for familiar charities.

FL Keys flats guides have the skills to lead anybody to the richest positions for tarpon, permit, and bonefish, all of which are just great for both game and dinner. Offshore charters are the right method for big game fishermen to fish marlin, mahi mahi, tuna, and sailfish. Occasionally charters present overnight charters in boats as big as fifty feet with luxury creature comforts, like global response center. Reef fishing for grouper and snapper keeps you closer to shore and absolutely ensures you’ll eat well later that day.

Gearing Up for Your FL Keys Fishing Escapade

When choosing a charter company, know whether you want to bring your own tackle or have it provided for you, and learn about the status of bait and live well capacities. Measure your skill and personal experience levels and use a captain accordingly, since you don’t want your captain giving you a hand line and a lump of squid and wandering off, or outlining basics if you’re a pro. Most captains will naturally address a range of experience levels, but it’s best to be sure before hiring someone.

Never fail to take sunscreen with an spf of at least 15 and a camera so you can catch and release but still prove your adventure tales when the vacation is over. Release everything you won^t be eating because over fishing nowadays will use up the regions for future fishermen. If you’re not eating your catch, return him to the water as readily as possible; likewise the faster you might wind your catch in (the less time it spends struggling), the healthier it will be when returned to the ocean.

Advice & Tricks

Anglers going for dolphin should get started early, head for just about 120’ of water, and search for diving birds or drifts of floating sea grasses. Setting out chum slicks helps bring little fish, and once you’ve got a blue runner or some other smaller fish on your line, leave it on the hook since the dolphin will be attracted to it. Dolphin cross through areas fast, so it helps to search for other boats and constantly troll rather than staying put.

Amberjacks put up a wonderful fight and might take much of your day for even an experienced fisherman to pull in. Keep an eye out for big big Jacks at prominent wrecks in upwards of one hundred^ of water, and yound amberjacks in the reefs between November and March. Use a leader of 18 to 25 feet and some 50 lb. test, and get live bait if you could. Don’t ease up on your rod, or you’ll lose it when they strike.

Many people will say the best way to go for a barracuda is with a tube lure in just about fifteen to 25 feet of water, and to keep the tube in motion or the catch will become leery and wary. While barracuda are a great sport fish because they’ll put up a strong fight, they’re typically not consumed. So many of of the larger fish (over 5 lbs.) have ended up being toxic to eat because of their diet of reef algae. Ciguatera poisoning is rarely calamitous, but never desirable. Little barracuda can be cut up into steaks and eaten.

The Florida Keys Lobster

The spiny lobster mini-season attracts lobster-lovers from all over the globe, so you^d better get your reservations and plans ahead of time. These lobsters move in the regions from Brazil to Bermuda, though a majority of them winds up in the FL Keys ocean. Once you trap one, see that your net or bag is close by before they escape, because these creatures get away by jetting backwards through the water. Bring your critter to most FL Keys restaurants and they’ll prepare it for you, or just order theirs and have the taste without the effort. Florida lobster are very similar in taste and texture to Maine lobster, only littler. They’re dandy boiled, steamed, or grilled, and sold whole, as tails, and as meat in many neighborhood groceries.

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. The newest dates are:

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

During this period, there’s a ban on diving and snorkeling within 300 feet of marinas, canals, and private shorelines to prevent damage done by fanatic lobster hunters. They instill bag limits, restricted areas, and equipment ordinances. For thorough and new laws, please contact 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 fisherman.