Islamorada Offshore Report
Yellowtail snapper are still biting well on the edge of the reef. It’s best to fish for them early mornings to avoid the heat. Yellowtails up to four pounds have been common in 90 feet of water off Islamorada. Lots of chum still seems to be the common denominator for catching a limit of tails quickly. Offshore the mahi mahi have been moving through in good sized schools from 800 feet and beyond. The size of the fish may be different from school to school. However by the end of your fishing day you should be able to catch enough legal sized fish to make you happy.
On a recent fishing trip a client asked me, “Whatever became of the first mate that ate my lunch a few years ago?” I explained he had to explore other fishing options. This particular mate was known for eating the clients sandwiches when they weren’t looking so one day we pulled a prank on him to teach him a lesson. We made four ham and cheese sandwiches. Each sandwich had a 4x4 square piece of cotton towel saturated with mayo placed between the lettuce and the meat. The cooler with the sandwiches was purposely placed near the transom of the boat so everyone could observe this mate helping himself. Shortly after leaving the harbor he made his move and grabbed a sandwich. He brought it up to the bridge to hide from the clients. I asked him if he had asked them for permission to eat one? He replied “They won’t miss it”. It was the most entertaining sight to watch him bite into that sandwich. For a few seconds he tried to bite through it and with no success. With a gentle tug he had the whole rag in his mouth but could not break it down. Finally he spit it out and said “That ham had too much gristle, cheap ham”. He never figured it out! Shame on me.
Offshore Forecast:
More mahi offshore for months to come, probably further out near and around 1000 feet of water. Look for birds, current edges, and floating debris. Deep drop fishing will continue to improve as we get closer to the end of summer.
Backcountry Fishing Report:
Snook, redfish and tarpon are the big three in the Florida Bay area. Great fishing reports from the backcountry guides in Whale Harbor. Captains Fred, Jeremy, Rusty, David and John have reported outstanding days in the Gulf, at the Cape and around Snake Bite.
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