L'Attitudes Restaurant Review

Since I didn't fish today I decided to do some restaurant reviewing. I don't know how qualified I am but with my girth I suspect I rank up there. The place I reviewed today was L'Attitudes at Sombrero Resort. They have been around for a while but have new management starting about six weeks ago. Pizza and Pasta is their forte.

As a fisherman though I don't review restaurants on their main items as much as how well they do bait. Calamari, squid, is one thing that I feel sets a want a be from the real deal in the restaurant business.

Chef Tony knows his stuff. I have to say it was probably the best I have ever had. Tony knows his stuff without a doubt. L'Attitudea has a short but quality menu if you are in the mood for Italian. Definitely worth a visit and the prices are pretty dang reasonable.

They also have a pool and outside bar if you just want to hang out. Put it on your to do list.

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

Chappy's Restaurant Opened Today

Great looking place with a great view of the Seven Mile Bridge. The place was packed as everyone wanted to check it out. I didn't do lunch, but had a couple of cocktails and shot the breeze with some folks. I will do a food review in a couple months once they settle in.

Didn't fish today so no fishing report.

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

Updating Local Information as the Wind Blows

Since the the wind is still over 20 knots and I am still under the weather I may as well update some of the blog. There are a few motels and charters that are no longer in business and a few new businesses starting up.

Chappy's is a new tiki restaurant that will be open very soon. It is located down by Knights Key campground. It looks like it will be a happening place. Harbor Point Marine now has boats for rent. L'Attitudes restaurant is now open under new management and doing pretty well.

On the down side, Hidden Harbor is not going to reopen. The Turtle hospital is still open though.

I stopped by Harbor Point and spoke with Janis Short about their boat rentals. They have three boats available for daily rentals ranging from $150 a day for a 20 foot Bayliner to $265 per day for a 23 foot Seacraft. For weekly rentals prices range from $1100 a week for the 20 footer to $2900 a week for a 32 foot Seacraft with twin 275 HP Mercury Verados DT's. They also have a pair of Cat hulls listed for cat fans.

The 32 foot Seacrafts are a lot of boat. So don't expect to get the keys and take off on your own right away. Captains Bill or Donny will have to ride along to verify your boating skills before you get the keys. For anyone wanting to rent a boat it is a good idea to get a safe boating card. Most states offer the course to get safe boating cards, Florida's can be found here online. There are other approved boating courses and the fees vary, so shop around. Having proof of boat ownership also helps the rental company verify your experience. Still boating in the Keys is a little different so having a captain or guide for a half day or day to show you around is always a good thing.

While on the subject of boating here are a few things that drive rental companies nuts:

Sneaking the boat in gear. That wears the clutch dogs. Put the boat in gear don't get sneaky.

Turn the helm before changing gear. If you are going to make a left hand turn, turn the wheel hard left before shifting into forward.

Don't turn the engines off approaching a dock. The only brakes a boat has is reverse. The breaks don't work with the engine off.

Learn how to tie a cleat hitch and why it is tied that way. Handling lines and ground tackle is an important part of boating.

Don't talk fishing while you are getting checked out on the boat. I don't care how much experience you have every boat is different, listen to the dock master then ask questions.

Other happenings are Main Attraction II is moving back to Key Colony Beach the first of April and Sea Squared Charters is moving to the 7 Mile Marina. Captain Howard Kelly is running Fin Chaser Charters out of the 7 Mile Marina.

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

Fishing Report March 25th

Lovely day on the water! Winds out of the East at 26 knots gusting to 29. We coward behind the bridge because we couldn't hold anchor in the open. The morning bite started strong and fizzled. Same thing in the afternoon after the tide finally changed.

Because of the client's schedule we couldn't roll back to better weather this weekend so we had to do what we could do. Despite the nasty weather and slower than normal bite, they caught fish and took plenty of photos. I just wish they had gotten one day of decent weather to truly experience the Keys.

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

Wish I had Something to Post.

The wind has been up and my health has been down. Hopefully, whatever kind of bug I have is about ready to run its course. I had to turn over two trips to Dave. Well, I probably could have fished today, but since I can't talk and have chills I opted for more chicken soup and the couch.

Fishing in this East wind has been tough. Dave managed some Mangrove snapper with one nice Lane snapper at the bridge. Bobby Brown tried offshore yesterday. He brought back a few nice Yellowtails and a soaked crew.

Tomorrow I am going to try some semi flats fishing sheltered by the bridge for mainly sharks and 'cudas but will have my eyes open for a few tarpon and the usual suspects.

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

A Quick Tip About Pirrana Composite Props

Now that we are getting into prime time offshore season here is a little tip for guys renting boats with composite props. First the composite props save you and the rental company big bucks. Second composite props can get over flexed by boat drivers that don't have a clue. That would be a large percentage of rental customers.

To minimize your problems here are the tips. Ease up on plane. Most of the props break when you shove it in the corner. Don't over work the prop in rough seas. As in slow down instead of trying to beat your brains out. Finally, troll. Most rental boats have range limits. If you are going to push the envelop, trolling speed only if outside the range limit.

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

Beautiful Weather Weird Bite.

We got off shore today, first time in a while given the weather and wishes of my crew. Weird though offshore. No birds to speak of at all. We found plenty of good size black fin tuna that had lock jaw. Tuna every where and we only get a couple of bone heads and a peanut dolphin. The rain storm drove us back in so we hit some yellowtails. Caught all we wanted on one block of chum. Good size, no flags but a dozen fourteen to sixteen inchers.

Then the current and wind got weird. Everything was up the anchor line. Even the 'Cudas wouldn't bite for us. Wind against the current sucks. So we will try again tomorrow to get Mr. Big. Still, the crew had a great time and will eat well for a few days.

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

Kid Trips

I kinda hate posting these trips because the big game guys are't impressed. But I have had a few pretty short anglers the last two days. Eight to ten year old kids. So nothing that will blow wind up your skirts, but happy kids. Just a part of life guys, put the kids on fish, don't worry about size and don't freak them out so the never want to fish saltwater again.

The kids had a ball. The catch was less than impressive. Job one though is to make sure the kids had a fun trip. I did that and still caught dinner. Fishing younger kids is tough for many captains. I enjoy teaching them how to cast and how to fight fish. It is kinda cool that they listen while dad normally doesn't.

Nate, my junior angler today, is a much improved caster and caught fish. He learned not to wind against the drag and acquitted himself quite well as a salt water fisherman.

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

The Weather is Calming Down and the Customers are Picking Up

This is my favorite time of the year. With calm weather I can do anything I want. The little boat can slip offshore and make the big boats look bad. I love it! Time to make the big guys eat some crow. Let's post some great reports. I am booked all this week so time to kick some butt.

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

Fun Day, No Pay, But Fun Day

I didn't have a trip and the dock was slow as all hell so I wandered down to the Seven mile Marina to see what's up. No boats out at all. Deads ville. Captain Larry Bell was there with a cold beer so we hung out shooting the breeze. Larry's buddy Captain Gary Wood was in town for a visit. Captain Gary is a big time blue water guy that fishes all over the world for marlin. He had some awesome stories. His boss has a Lear jet and several boats around the globe for fishing. Nice job if you can get it. Captain Gary can man the pit on a schoolie dolphin bite then change the oil in a white suit without a single stain. I would look like a homeless guy after a knife fight that never heard of the Salvation Army.

Anywho, it was nice chatting with a guy that has three fish species over a 1000 pounds to his credit on the rod.

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

Shark Tournament out of Seven Mile Marina

Just found out about this today. The Seven Mile Marina is set to start a shark fish tourney that sounds like fun. Five species of sharks, Tiger, Hammer head, Bull, Blacktip and Lemon are the target species. Points for each species are five for tiger down to one for lemon. The top prize is for the most points. It is a catch and release only tourney that will have a provide camera for verification of catch.

It is also a boat tourney so you can have as many anglers as you like. Boats with more than four anglers will have to chip in a little extra for grub at the captain's and awards meetings. Right now $250 per boat is the estimated entry fee. Grace Jones is the beneficiary of the tournament and will get a half share.

Along with the total points prizes, there will be a hard luck prize and probably a best excuse prize. Lines in at 8 AM and lines out at 3 PM so there will be more time for alcohol consumption and comradery.

So if you are going to be in the Marathon area around April 25 think about hooking up with a contestant to enjoy the fun. Clothing is optional on most participating vessels.

Some of the details may be tweaked, but this is the current plan. ETA: the date has been changed to the 25th of April.

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

Another fishing 101 on Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th! Of course the bait well pump dies during bait catching 101. We lost more big fish than we caught. And the bite was slower than normal. As I have said before a slow bite for me is awesome to most. My guys from Montreal were fairly savvy fishermen hooked on braid of course. Braid really complicates things with my style of fishing.

Anywho, they caught dinner and a good variety. We should have cleaned some clock, but with the bait well issue it was hard to stick to my normal game plan. Lots of tourista stuff, porpoises, sea turtles, manatees and sharks swimming under the boat. Live ballyhoo were getting nailed as soon as they hit the water, but we couldn't keep the fish buttoned. Why? Braid has no stretch so it is not forgiving of angler mistakes. Mono is forgiving, that stretch cuts you some slack fighting fast fish. They caught tons of fish, but the ones that got away hurt.

Please if you are coming to fish with me leave the braid at home unless you are some friggin' pro getting sponsored by a braid manufaturer. Keep it simple with 15 or 20 pound clear mono.

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

Night Time Is the Right Time

I did a quick interview with Captain Jeff Knapp of Beckoning Charters. Jeff's specialty is night tarpon trips. The reason I interviewed Jeff is because I fish in the day and drink at night. So for night fishing techniques who better to go to than Count Knappula.

The gear Jeff uses are 25# spinning outfits and 40# conventional outfits. Jeff doesn't endorse products unless the manufacturer gives them to him. He does have one exception. His conventional reels are Shimano TLD 20s.

His line choice is Ande Envy. He likes Envy because it has no memory and glows in the spotlight. You lose a little chafe protection because it is so soft, but the other advantages more than make up for that. Rigging is about five feet of double line made using a Bimini Twist. Leader he said should be as long as the fish size you are targeting. The length and strength of his leader material changes with the fish showing. In the early season the fish are smaller so five to six feet of 40# leader is normal early in the year. As the big girls start showing, Jeff moves up to 80# or 100# material with eight to ten foot length.

Baits also vary with the season. Pinfish are good all season long but tend to work much better in February and early March and then again in May to the end of the season. Mullet are best from the second week of April to the end of May or when the water warm up. Crabs are best in the deep warmer water after May.

For artificial lures the Bomber Long A is Captain Knapps favorite. He modifies the Long A lure by removing the center hook and replacing the front and rear hook with Size 1 VMC or red coated Penn trebles. He works these lures very slowly, often just letting them swim in the current with the rod in the rod holder. The lures are most effective just outside of the bridge shadow when there is a bright enough moon.

Lure colors change with light conditions. Natural colors are best on a bright moon. Pink has the edge just before or just after dark. Chartreuse works well in low light conditions. When sight casting a lure or natural bait to a group of tarpon do not cast into the middle of them. Try to place your bait about five feet outside the group to avoid spooking them.

Which tide is best depends on water temperature and available bait. Early in the season, February through about the second week of April, the incoming tide is the ticket. With warmer water, the outgoing is the better producer.

Because you will have to chase fish fast to keep them from fouling your line on bridge piers use a cut away anchor with ball float to allow you to get after fish fast. If you don't have a anchor ball don't be surprised if a local captain tosses you a Clorox bottle.

Boating etiquette is important especially during night tarpon fishing. When heading out or back stay up current of the boats fishing to avoid spooking fish. Idle speed near boats fishing is of course always appreciated.

"The difference between night and day tarpon fishing is night and day", Captain Jeff Knapp. His biggest fish weighed in at 185 pounds and the most fish in a single night was seventeen.

Captain Jeff Knapp fishes out of Captain Pips Marina mile marker 47.5 and be can be reached by calling (305) 849-0548 or check him out online at www.captainjeffknapp.iwarp.com.

Captain Knapp has a variety of trips to suit your budget. $250 for a two hour trip, $350 for a three hour, $400 for a four hour and $450 for a five hour. Mention that you heard about him from my blog and he won't charge you much more.

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

Little Bayside and Bridge Day

I had a good crew today for a Bayside and Bridge trip. Lots of mackerel, blue runners and mangroves plus had some fun with a 8 to 10 foot hammerhead shark. Bait was very plentiful. The photo above is of pinfish eating out of the chum bag. Lots of balleyhoo as well. So I used the bait tank dip net to get all we wanted, pinfish that is. The Bayside bite petered out for some reason around noon. May have been due to the large predators.

We hit the South side of the bridge and played with some Jack Crevalle on 10 pound test then hit the bridge chumming for enough snapper for dinner. For a full moon it was not a bad bite. Now I know most of you don't want to mess with Jack Crevalle, but my crew had a ball. Offshore was slow for the guys that gave it a shot. Very few dolphin and a handful of medium sized Blackfin Tuna.

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

Flawed Science

This may or not be over the head of my usual following,but it needs to be said. There are a lot of scientific types spouting scientific sounding stuff that sounds scientific but is pure rubbish. I am a pretty nice guy but I don't suffer fools. This article attempts to make a scientific conclusion based on photographic evidence of past catch photos.

I can dig up hundreds of old photos of Tarpon hanging from signs from the same period. Are tarpon endangered? No they are fine and as a catch and release fishery getting better. I can dig up old photos of Sailfish hanging under signs. Are they endangered? No, they are doing quite fine. Are there fish species that are in trouble? Yes, because the protected Goliath Grouper is overly abundant in some areas causing problems and some are over fished commercially.

Review the article linked and think how stupid it is to not factor in changes in regulations. Not the sharpest tack in the box they are, but they get press.

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

General Non sense but a grouper update.

I had to go to Key Weird today to get my TWIC card. Pain in the butt, but I did see a few guys I haven't seen in a while. I timed the trip perfect for some fresh fried gizzards at Dion's in Big Pine.

When I got back to Marathon a crew that I took out five or six years ago were singing the blues about not catching. They wanted Grouper and big snapper. So I am going to do a quickie for fishing basics.

There are a few wrecks that grouper have not been over harvested in the Marathon area. There is no way in hell I am giving you those numbers. Honey holes are what save my butt from time to time and I would be stupid to give my numbers to the masses.

I do teach how to find your own honey holes. Generally, when you fish for long lived species like Grouper, you need to find a place less fished by man. So instead of fishing a Top Spots number, just take a look at how it looks on the bottom machine. Throw a plug out to troll and search for similar bottom structure and give it a shot. Then if you are smart, take one keeper and move on to another.

The Middle Keys bottom fishing gets a lot of pressure. If you take all the brood fish off a spot it may take years to rebuild. Hunt and peck may be more work, but it produces and will continue to produce in the future.

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

Happy Days are Here Again!

Finally, there appears to be a break in the winds for nearly a whole week to come! Woo Who! Now maybe I can get some money in my clothes. Any of you South Florida guys that can play hooky from work keep your eyes on the weather forecast and my blog. With the Gulf Stream still in close offshore may kick butt and the 'tails have been chewing with any current. Looking good!

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

Daylight Saving Time Vs Biological Clock

Now that Daylight Saving Time (DST) has taken effect the clock in my truck will be correct again. The clock on my computer is correct. The clock on the newer GPS units will be correct. But my biological clock will be running slow for a while.

For you guys with normal jobs that is no big deal. Fishing center consoles with no head this may be problematic. The troops are on a very tight schedule and are not subject to move on command.

Fishing wise, I have never caught a fish wearing a watch. So should the delayed troop movement be eminent, do not be surprised if you hear a very rational explanation of why timing the tidal currents is extremely critical for the next few days. I may even resort to graphs and charts for a truly detailed class on Keys tidal currents until a visit to the Tajma Potty is finally required.

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

More about Captain Pips Rental Boats

Now back to the boat choices at Captain Pips. The newest boats in the fleet are 19 and 21 foot Cape Horns with full electronics tee tops and four stroke Yamaha engines (except for one that has an Evenrude, fuel efficient and great power). These boats all make good fishing platforms. The large live well in the stern, thirty gallons I believe, is perfect for Keys fishing.

Larger boats are the 23 foot Cobia with Yamaha HPDI two cycle power, full electronics, tee top and large live well. Surprisingly good riding boat and fishing platform. It is also one of the less expensive up grades.

23 foot Mako with four stroke and the rest. The live well is below deck but good sized. Stable fishing and a good ride.

24 foot Parker with four stroke and the rest. Parkers are wide open fishing boats. The live well is a oval 20 plus gallon that can be taken out of the boat. This boat does not have fish boxes so if you want to keep a lot of fish you should bring a large cooler. The boat is very stable and has probably the best ride in the fleet. For divers, the Parker has the highest payload and the most space for tanks and gear.

24 foot Cape Horn with twin 150HP four strokes and the rest plus tee top mounted outriggers. Probably the best choice for offshore pelagic fishing. Huge fish box and live well.

24 foot Hurricane deck boat with four stroke power and huge Bimini top. This is definitely not a fishing boat but a party barge and good dive boat in calm weather. It has ten cups holders and plenty of seating.

There is no such thing as a perfect boat for every activity. The 19 and 21 Cape Horns come close, but due to their size weather conditions limit their offshore window. Twenty knot winds are the maximum recommended for offshore and that can be a stretch depending on the current. Their ride and handling in confused seas is a little different. They don't like a head sea and will tend to porpoise if you don't feather back the power. There are some tricks that die hard offshore guys can use. First are deep diving trolling lures. Instead of beating yourself silly, troll to the edge. Second, head out from Vaca Cut instead of the Seven Mile bridge and troll with the wind. Then quarter back in at the Seven Mile or Bahia Honda bridge.

Regardless of the size of the boat, know your limitations and don't push the limit. Keys seas tend to be a lot more confused than most places I have fished. The object is to have fun so plan your trip around the weather. And contrary to the belief of some, there is very good fishing in Hawk Channel, the Bayside and the bridges that can extend your time on the water in nearly any wind.

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

Charter Boat Price War

Things in the charter boat world down here are heating up a bit. Right now there is a lot of jockeying for prime dock locations and a price war being waged. Captain Pips joined the price war fray with their own round of price cuts. Good through March, the following rates for charters are in effect.

For the Pips 36 foot Brull, it is $800 for a full day, $700 for a three quarter day and $550 for a half day of fishing. Papa Pips, the 29 foot Topaz has been cut to $750 for a full, 650 for a 3/4 and $500 for a half. Pretty good prices.

To add to the charter price war, if you book during March, the price is good through the end of the year. So you guys looking for slammer dolphin and tasty tuna can get a pretty nice price break. Mention my blog and there are also discounts on lodging and boat rentals. Right now the discount is 10 percent. You can also look for discounts on the charter plus lodging packages and three day get away specials.

On the fishing side of things, the sailfish bite lit up yesterday. How long it will last, who knows, but it is a nice sign. The yellowtail fishing has been pretty hot and there are plenty of King Mackerel to stretch your line. There have been a few more Cobia caught in the bay this week. That I sure hope lasts for a while. So price wise and catching wise, things are looking up.

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

Rum Bums Restaurant Grand Opening

Rum Bums, the restaurant at Seven Mile Marina, has picked St. Patrick's Day for their Grand Opening. They are open now and tweaking the menu. Beer and wine only, but they have plans to increase seating capacity to get a full liquor license.

I talked to Lisa, one of the owners, today about their cook your catch plans. Since their grill is pretty small, cook your catch will probably be beer battered, blackened and broiled. They have a variety of sides to choose from to go with your meal.

Rum Bums is open air dining so smokers are welcome. Located at the marina, they have a good water front view and atmosphere. The second story and roof top offer very good sunset views. They have plenty of parking, but it is easy to miss the turn into the parking lot. The turn is actually in front of the old Turnkey Marina location. If you miss it, you will need to go to Knight's Key RV to turn around or you will be touring the Seven Mile Bridge.

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