Season is in the Air

I have been getting a few calls about blog neglect.  I did take a much longer break than normal this year since I have been slow and trying to get some body work done with the VA.  I am still getting around and fishing when someone and the weather cooperates, but not having trips between September and November is not that unusual for me.  The guys with the road frontage and the big ad budgets ahve been doing fair for the off season.  Working at Ponchos I see a few going out now and again plus last month I did a wicked weather lobster guide trip.  Since the winds stirred up the bottom and killed the visibility I turned out to be the lousy weather guy to show the very nice young couple a few sheltered dive spots that actually had a shot at holding bugs.  My diver managed to run a few "huge" bugs off, at least huge by his standards, so it was more of a sight seeing trip than fill the cooler trip.  That's why I didn't write it up, though I should have taken a few photos of his lovely bride and posted anyway. 

Most of the guides in walking distance are doing near shore snapper trips and doing quite well with above average sized mangroves and some very respectable yellow tails.  Even at the docks the large mangroves are thick with my diver jonesing because he couldn't shoot a few because they were near the docks.  Large meaning they are mixed but I have seen a few that are in the five to seven pound range more than happy to finish off some of my breakfast sandwich crumbs at the dock.

For whatever reason, there seems to be about fifty times more resident tarpon patrolling the creek this year than I can remember.  I tend to leave them alone but the kids camping at Knights Key have been having fun.  The lobster and stone crab fishermen are bitching as usual about low prices and big catches after having to run too far while paying too much for fuel this year instead of bitching about high prices but small catches after having to run too far after paying too much for fuel.  So the lobster complaino index is good for the shell fish.

Surprisingly, they lobster guys are not finding as many octopi in their traps this year.  Having Greeks running the Seven Mile Grill I was kind of hoping for some serious Greek Octopus main courses.  I my have to dig around and find some jugs to make octopus traps if that hasn't be regulated so far. 

With the cold front passing through I guess there must be  colder fronts passing through up North inspiring the recent calls.  Early winter tends to be pretty good for my business so knock on wood I may see a few of my regulars that didn't make it down last year. 

I will try to get out on the water here after this blow for a Mangrove trip which should get me in good with the Greeks for a while.  Plus Fonz, the former line cook at the Seven Mile seems to be ready for some catching instead of fishing.

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