Any Advice on FF Key Largo?

[icyguides]

It was kind of spur of the moment so i haven't had time to really plan much or get things together, but my fiance and I booked a trip to key largo for next weekend. It's not a fishing trip so i don't plan on hiring a guide, but i will be bringing my 8wt to fish when possible. Does anyone have any advice or locations i should try? I'm not expecting much because i realize i'm unprepared. I think we are going to rent a canoe or kayaks one day from John Pennekamp SP and do some paddling/exploring. I just planned to tossing clousers around some likely looking spots and hoping i get lucky.

 

[Fishidiot]

icyguides wrote:
I think we are going to rent a canoe or kayaks one day from John Pennekamp SP and do some paddling/exploring. I just planned to tossing clousers around some likely looking spots and hoping i get lucky.

This is a good plan for DYI in the immediate KL area. There isn't a lot of publicly accessible flats around there that are hard bottomed enough for wading. If you drive down to the Matecumbe Key area there are a couple more options. PM me for directions etc.

If you're willing to fish spin gear or bait you greatly up the chances of catching fish, esp this time of year. A spin rod with a tube lure is easy to use from a kayak and can produce some great fun with cudas (I love cudas - an absolute blast in shallow water!). Glamor fish like bonefish on a fly are a lot harder to catch, esp without a guide.

 

[Fredrick]

I want to see pics

 

[icyguides]

I'll be sure to take pics and post them. Hopefully a few of them have fish in them.

 

[gfoledc]

I spent January in the Keys, Dave is right baracuda are lots of fun this time of year. Worldwide Sportsman (Bass Pro) in Islamarada has good baracuda flies. A board member gave me some very effective flies but they are a secret. Like Dave said a spinning rod and Cuda tubes work real good

 

[icyguides]

Got back to PA late last night. The fishing was disappointing but I really can't complain because it was a great vacation. I didn't catch much but it was nice just being somewhere warm and swinging an 8wt again.

On our first day there after getting on the beach and walking not even 5 minutes i saw a big cuda. I had a shrimp fly on with no bite tippet so i opted to just move on assuming that seeing one right away meant i would see more and could change tactics if cudas were all that were around. I was wrong. That turned out to be the only fish I saw on the flats the whole time except for needlefish.

I spoke with a guide at the saltwater angler in key west and he kind of confirmed i was screwed for flats fishing. With the "cold front", which was like high 60's low 70's with low 60's and high 50's at night, he said i probably wouldn't have much luck on the flats and advised i tried the bridges at morning for a shot at resident tarpon.

I tried around a bridge in the morning but nothing was happening. 3 other guys with spinning rods were there too and didn't catch anything so i didn't feel so bad getting skunked.

I rented a kayak at John Pennekamp SP and paddled through the mangroves. Didn't see much there either but eventually got into a real skinny spot where i found a school of mangrove snappers that saved me from the overall trip skunk. Nothing big but caught a few nice little snappers that pulled surprisingly hard.

I will post pics tonight.

 

[icyguides]

here are some pics.

 

[icyguides]

a few more

 

[Fredrick]

Looks like you still had a good time despite the poor fishing. Those snappers ab be a good time . They have some nasty teeth on them dont they .

 

[gfoledc]

Fish or no fish The Keys are a great place to be when it's winter in Pa

 

[codym21]

Snappers are a good time and will put a nice bend in the rod for their size. Looks like you had a good trip icy

 

[codym21]

Snappers are a good time and will put a nice bend in the rod for their size. Looks like you had a good trip icy