The Fish Cleaning Table

Finally, the first fish cleaning table is out of the mold. The table is five feet long and 30 inches deep. It can be mounted in a variety of ways including under a custom tiki hut. The table needs a catchy name though. Aqua Table and Conch Clean are on top of the list. If you can think of a better name leave me a comment. Then come on down here to see how it works.

Marathon in the Florida Keys should be your next fishing vacation destination. Join us for charter fishing, fishing guide trips or our fishing 101 so you can fish on your own with better success.

Tight lines,

Capt. Dallas

Jacob and the Balleyhoo

Thanks to la nina the winds have been abnormal this season. Southeast 20 knot winds in July just ain't fun in a small boat. Most of my die hard client are just a bit miffed. Then along comes Jacob and his sister Megan.

Young kids just want to catch fish. Bait like Pinfish and Balleyhoo are great kid size entertainers that the parents can trade in for something more challenging. Jacob pictured and Megan caught plenty of bait which they and dad traded in for a variety of sharks, barracuda, snapper and mystery fish. Mystery fish being critters that spool your light tackle when you are expecting something smaller. All of the action was within two miles of the dock in sheltered water.

Add a trip to a deserted island with a nice beach to explore and the kids were nearly as impressed as the parents.

Marathon in the Florida Keys should be your next fishing vacation destination. Join us for charter fishing, fishing guide trips or our fishing 101 so you can fish on your own with better success.

Tight lines,

Capt. Dallas

Dolphin and More!

Tons of dolphin offshore and finally the winds are cutting the small boat fishermen some slack. The dolphin were mainly undersized last week with a lot of hunting required to find keepers. Now the school fish are almost all respectable. Big fish are hard to find but, a few slobs are coming to the dock.

The reef which has mainly been closed for me this month due to winds, is turned on with a good current. Plenty of yellow tail snapper though the size is smaller than last month during the spawn. Mangrove should be on the reef to spawn this month so look out for nice fat spawn fish through the full moon.

The bay and bridges have been a little slow due to the mangs moving to spawn and the constant 15 plus knot winds that are finally dieing. Tarpon are still around. Most of the fish I am seeing are in the deeper waters near the flats. I haven't been in the back country for a while but, I hear permit are pretty thick from the Contents through the lower Keys Gulf side islands. As a reminder, if you are trailering a small boat down to the Keys keep it own the trailer so you can hit a few different areas. A good GPS map helps you find some honey holes around the back country islands.

Marathon in the Florida Keys should be your next fishing vacation destination. Join us for charter fishing, fishing guide trips or our fishing 101 so you can fish on your own with better success.

Tight lines,

Capt. Dallas

Quick Marathon Fishing Update

Boy Howdy, there was a cold going around down here that kicked my butt. I am starting to get back to normal so back to posting. Not much to say, the dolphin are the main attraction. The reef is hot if you pick your tide.

Since I have been under the weather I need to catch some fish for dinner. A couple dozen live ballyhoo on the bottom should produce a few grouper, mutton and mangroves. Luckily, I know where to load up on live ballyhoo pretty close. After my small boat guide trip tomorrow, I may have to take a day just to kick some fish butt for the dinner table.

Marathon in the Florida Keys should be your next fishing vacation destination. Join us for charter fishing, fishing guide trips or our fishing 101 so you can fish on your own with better success.

Tight lines,

Capt. Dallas

Big Dolphin Moving In and More!

I have been waiting to post this for over a month. The big slammer dolphin are here and chewing finally! I had been seeing slammers the last few trips but they were in no mood to play. Now that the winds are getting back to normal they are turning on. There have also been quite a few respectable size wahoo caught and the black fin and skip jacks are pretty easy targets.

Inshore the yellowtail are thick, the Big Mangroves are on the reef and the muttons are getting ready to spawn. Big kings are eating some of the 'tails so a balloned 'tail on wire might produce the biggest king you ever hooked into. I have been picking up a good size black grouper or two to spice things up. Speaking of grouper, the FWC is planning a closure from December through March on all grouper. Also starting June there will be a Gulf reef fish gear change. Circle hooks only, venting tool and approved de-hooking device. Ah, will the regulations ever end.

Wreck fishing is almost impossible right now with all the big sharks. If you want to tangle with a bull or hammerhead over 300 pounds now is the time. Tarpon are still thick and even willing to take a fly if you are so inclined. If you like to just relax and catch a nice mess of fish the bay is the place. Nice 2 to four pound mangroves and sea trout.

If you have been waiting for the bite to start it is time to pull the trigger and get your butt down here.

Marathon in the Florida Keys should be your next fishing vacation destination. Join us for charter fishing, fishing guide trips or our fishing 101 so you can fish on your own with better success.

Tight lines,

Capt. Dallas

New Moon in May Fishing the Florida Keys

I have been pretty busy fishing. If the winds stay down it looks like the rest of May will be a great month. With the new moon tides having the wind lay down made fishing more productive and comfortable.

Flats/back country fishing is pretty good. With the big tides and light winds the water is clear and fish easy to spot. Last trip we had shots at six tarpon. Didn't see any permit, but there were some jacks following rays that got our heart going and one Bonefish that spotted us before we spotted him. There was also a gazillion Barracudas and sharks.

Bridge fishing is starting to get hot. Tarpon are everywhere and some of the big Mangrove snapper have start returning from the reef. Permit, pompano and hogfish are being caught near the slack tide. There are plenty of weeds though making the moving tides a challenge to fish.

The reef is hot as fire if you catch the right tide. The last of the outgoing is the tide to catch right now as the incoming is gin clear. The same for the patches and rock pile in Hawk Channel. There are plenty of grouper though most are short. The keepers I have been getting are on isolated heads. Muttons are on any isolated head or bump in the 100 to 130 range waiting for the next full moon to spawn.

Offshore the tuna are still biting and dolphin are out there. There are big slammer dolphin, but they are tricky to find and moving fast. Bill fish, mainly sails are still around which is nice. The bill fish are mainly hitting rigged fresh Balleyhoo, but we had a big sail nail a bullet head fast trolling back from the hump.

Marathon in the Florida Keys should be your next fishing vacation destination. Join us for charter fishing, fishing guide trips or our fishing 101 so you can fish on your own with better success.

Tight lines,

Capt. Dallas