|
The annual spring tarpon migration is happening right now! For the next couple of months and into summer schools of large tarpon will cruise down the oceanside flats heading toward Key West and eastward. As we get into summer and the migration starts to wane, we will find more resident tarpon around the flats and backcountry waters. Late spring and summer is also a great time to be fishing the flats for bonefish and permit. So, come on down and get your shot at a flats Grand Slam!!!
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A NEW WEBSITE!! Slowly. If you wish to contact me please email, text or call using the email address or number at the top of the page. My contact form is not currently working properly and I apologize for this inconvenience. Thank you.
Fly fishing for tarpon is one of the most popular sport fishing venues in the Florida Keys and Key West. A tarpons shear mass and aerial acrobatics make it the most exciting big game species in saltwater. There is nothing more exhilarating than watching a 100 plus pound tarpon eat your fly, then taking to the air upon being hooked.
Tarpon trigger something primal in all of us, the need to go one-on-one with a creature that can reach eight feet in lenght and grow to well over 300 pounds. Tarpons large silver scales, huge eyes and iridescent hues make them one of the most beautiful fish that swims.
Though fly fishing for tarpon is very popular and the preferred form of angling, tarpon can be taken on a wide variety of live baits and artificial lures. Tarpon can be found all through the Florida Keys and Key West, from the deep water harbors and bridges to shallow grass flats. Fishing for tarpon at night can be a great experience as they are nocturnal and are most active at night and during the low light hours of the day.
For more up to date fishing reports please check my blog The Key West Flats Angler at http://www.keywestfishingblog.com/.
Welcome to Key West, FL, the end of the road in the Continental United States. This 100 mile stretch of mangrove islands and shallow flats, splitting the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, is home to the most elusive sport fish in all of angling. Known simply as the Backcountry, these calm, crystal clear waters are home of the famous Grand Slam trio of tarpon, permit and bonefish. This is shallow water sight fishing at its finest. No trip to Americas southernmost city is complete until you've picked up a rod and reel and gone head to head with the best that saltwater angling has to offer.
The highlight of our fishing season is the annual spring tarpon migration. Schools of large tarpon begin to show up in our shallow waters in March and will continue to push through the Keys through early July. The height of the tarpon migration occurs in May and June when schools of tarpon, at times numbering in the hundreds, travel down the oceanside flats of the Florida Keys. Several special events occur during the full and new moons at this time, such as the palolo worm hatch, that attract large numbers of tarpon to certain areas to feed and many anglers to catch that fish of a lifetime.
The waters I fish are part of the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, from the Content Keys to the Marquesas. Along with the famous Grand Slam species, you will also encounter sharks, barracudas, jacks, redfish and cobia, depending on the season. Above the waterline this area is home to countless marine birds, ospreys, pelicans, egrets, and even a few nesting bald eagles. Many other birds of prey make stops here during their winter migrations. Dolphins, manatee, and sea turtles are also common sights as we quietly push along these silent shallows.
These waters are the last piece of the Florida Keys that were made famous by writers from Ernest Hemingway to Jimmy Buffet. Stepping off of Duval Street and into the Backcountry is the best way for a visitor to connect to one of the last pristine parts of Old Florida. Whether you're a rabid fly angler or simply a curious tourist, my boat is waiting at the dock and I'm always ready to get you out there.
|