Buggers for Bugs!

The mini-season for Florida Lobster is this week! The Keys will be invaded by many thousands of Florida Lobster fans searching everywhere for the bugs as they are called. I normally stay out of the madness during mini-season. There are way too many people in, on and under the water. That normally means that a few people perish hunting bugs. Not a good thing.

As a reminder for the mini-season visitors, Florida Lobster are tasty but not to die for. So play nice and don't do anything stupid. Make sure you have your diver down flag up when your divers are down and not vice versa. Even if you don't see a flag, pretend you do and slow down just in case. Stay in your limits or you may be down on a lobster vacation and going back on probation. Before you shoot that grouper with a spear gun make sure you know what kind and how big first.

Also remember that seawalls are off limits. There are a lot of locals that don't take from their seawalls, canals and boat basins because it is kinda neat seeing all the critters that like to live there if you don't kill everything. So respect the no fishing, swimming or diving signs, please.

Have fun, catch bugs and stay safe.

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

Florida Sportsman Fishing Forum

The Florida Sportsman Fishing Forum has undergone quite a few changes. Unfortunately, it looks like they lost most of the information for the Florida Keys they had built up over the years. Drastic changes, but it looks like it is back up for a while, anyway.

Since the changes all of the old links to stuff on the forum not longer work on this blog. Shame, plenty of good stuff lost. At least my blog is still kicking, so some of the information is alive here.

August looks like a mess with five groups coming and none of them setting a firm schedule. The family will get their trips and one of my regulars will have his four days, but everyone else will just have to hope that I am free. I have several other guides I can recommend, but they are subject to be booked and one is heading up north on vacation. So I will just have to deal with it the best I can.

The Bus is looking nice. I still have a list of things I want to do, but nothing that has to be done right now. That's a good thing! The new location is across the street from the Seven Mile Marina. One of the Captains there has me boat sitting the first week of August and has another boat that he wants me to run. I am still thinking about that, but the boat looks pretty 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

Dolphin Mugging

I didn't try to edit this video of Cole and father Clint getting mugged by dolphin. I think it is pretty funny.

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

Saved by the Girls!

Just when I was forcing myself to climb on top of the bus and start mopping white elastopolymeric roofing membrane Clint called for a fishing half day with the rest of his crew. Clint and son Cole had a ball offshore chasing dolphin. Now it was the girl's turn. Wife Kim wanted to fish but Mia was a bit more into jet skiing. So I too them to the kiddy pool for mangrove snapper and fish petting.

That's right fish petting. The midnight blue parrot fish at this spot are so tame that you can actually pet them while they munch at the chum bag. The mangroves were legal but not very big today and we missed a few larger fish, but when you have entertain a mixed audience, some times the kiddy pool is just the ticket.

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 Consultant

P.S. Since someone called be condescending and insulting I combined the two, now I am into consulting. :)

The Big Move!

The off season in the Keys is known for craziness. Not that sanity reigns the rest of the year, just more weird stuff happens in the off season. This off season my land lord decided to piss of the code enforcement lady from the city. He did a remarkable job! Now he is evicted, the old neighborhood is in turmoil and the bus has a new home until things get back to normal.

Above is a picture of the bus. The bus has been enjoying life under a large ficus tree since November of 2005. Since she was sitting a while, it took a little work to convince her that she needed to move. Most of the convincing was typical repair of belts and hoses. She threw in a new wrinkle this time wanting a new custom made drive shaft. I have never built a drive shaft before, but I can no longer say that.

So while playing mechanic I have not been posting much. I did fish last week and today. The photo above is our catch today with Clint and son Cole. Cole is 6 years old and a pleasure to fish with. The tuna bite was a little disappointing today but the freezer filling size dolphin were thick once we hit the wall. We kept these, released a few on purpose and a bunch more because we had more fish on than anglers. Cole and dad had a great time. I may get in another half day tomorrow, then back to bus pampering.

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