Fishing Reports for Upper Florida Keys

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                  Dog Days Of Summer

It has been a great Spring and Summer fishing aboard "Tails Up TOO"

This past Spring & Summer the fishing in the Gulf Of Mexico and the Atlantic side of the Keys has been some of the best fishing all Season. Although the Flats fishing in the Bay and Ocean Flats was tough with the high winds daily I was able to find several good size Tarpon  along with several tailing Bonefish but the were not in the eating with the full moon tides. With  strong Spring windy days this year most of the days I was able to take the anglers to spots with the "Tails Up Too" boat. In March I fished with in the Gulf of Mexico one day with Bill Walsh Grounds GM of Cheeca Lodge and Croft Upchurch both of Islamorada. We had a full day of fishing catching large Yellowtail Jack 10 lbs and Goliath Grouper up to 40 lbs. But the best catches of the day came later in the day when we moved off Middle Cape of Florida and found some birds working on top water bait. After anchoring up right away we were into our first fish and it was a 23 lb Red Fish Caught by Bill on live Ballyhoo. Right after that Croft was hooked up with another 23 lb Red Fish. They were both catching Red Fish one after another and all these Red Fish when weighed were over 23 lbs and the biggest was 34 lbs. Along with the Red Fish Croft was able to hook up and land 2 Tarpon one 70 lbs and another 140lbs. All in total for that spot we landed 24 Red Fish 23 to 34 lbs and 2 Tarpon 70 lbs & 140 lbs. From what Bill said to me this was his best day fishing in the 30 some years that he has lived in the Keys, Mine also

The Gulf area was a good producer for many different types of fish this season and one day my Anglers from NYC had a visit from a Sea Gull on the stern of the boat. Kevin an avid Bird watcher and Audubon member had more fun with our visitor than the nice fish he had caught.

May was a busy month with the winds dieing down and making it a lot easier to get off shore to the areas where we were able to get some Tuna and Dolphin for my anglers. Most of the large Dolphin this season have been staying off around the 30 mile area from Islamorada and the smaller Dolphin were in close on lots of floating grass. On one of my charters my Angler Allan came prepared to catch some Dolphin Fish on a Fly. After 2 days of strong winds we were able to get out to the 409 Hump and find some patches of floating grass. As we passed by with our "Tails Up Lures" out Allan was able to get a few hook ups and land these great leaping fish. They are so colorful to see and a great table food. Fly fishing in the off shore for Tuna, Dolphin and Marlin is one of the great thrills here in the Florida Keys.

The biggest catch in the month of May was the marriage I performed for my anglers Buddy and his new wife Kathy on the stern of the "Tails Up Too" at Sun Set. After a day of Fishing Off Shore for Tuna and Dolphin. Buddy a professional off shore tournament fisherman from New Jersey recently fished in the East vs West Shark tournament that was televised here in the United States. I guess Kathy was the biggest catch in his life so far. Good Luck to Buddy & Kathy. One Year Later both Buddy and Kathy are having the time of there life with a New 31' Contender Prime Coat Fishing Team.

All the best to Buddy and Kathy and hope to see them again soon.

On to more catches and this one might be the next really big one. My friend and Angler Tony from the UK came over this season with his new friend Caroline, it was Caroline's first visit to the Keys and her first time on a boat fishing. This wasn't Tony's first time fishing with me he has been a regular angler with me for over 12 years and I have fish all his children also in the backcountry with a lot of great catches. Caroline was a complete stranger to fishing so I brought out Tomoko with me to soften the edges and make her feel right at home. Caroline caught on right away and as things go she gave Tony a run for his money with all her catches for there trip. They had a wonderful time and I look forward to there next visit also.

With a few days in May of howling winds my Angler Steve from Toronto Canada made it down for some Tarpon on Fly days. The only problem was the weather it just would not stop blowing for him it was a steady 25 to 35 kts all 3 days. Trying my best to get Steve out on the water all I could do is have him  Fly cast from the stern of the "Tails Up Too" and spot for them from the tower. With 3 days of tough fishing Steve was able to get a few good casts up into the wind at a couple really big fish. I know that most backcountry guides in the area had a much tougher time just to find areas they could stake out. We did manage to get out into the Gulf of Mexico area one day but with the waters being rough and clean water, we moved off to around Marathon banks and found clear water. Steve was a real angler to give it such a tough try with the conditions but he didn't want the trip down this year be one of looking at the water from a Hotel room as he told me. Fly used cloudy water conditions was my Black dredge Fly with a sinking line.

With June coming to a close one of my anglers Sue that I hadn't seen since the day of 911, 2001 came over from the UK to try out the "Tails Up Too" with her friend Peter. Back on that day that will live with us for ever Sue had one of her best days ever fishing with me and I'm sure that fishing day still lives with her also. I was hoping that this trip also would be one for her to remember for a long time to come also. Peter never fished the Keys before and this side of the Atlantic was ready for everything I could throw at him. The first day we adventured out into the Gulf of Mexico and caught several large Yellow Tail Jacks in the 10 to 15 lb size along with a few Jew Fish and Sharks. We had a couple shots at Permit but they were tough sighting for a first time angler in this area. The next day we gave it a try on the Atlantic side and did well with Dolphin and Tuna. We caught several in the early morning then it seemed to ease off until late afternoon and some birds started to show up to point them out for us. We were onto a nice school so I cut the engine and started to drift with the school, Sue and Peter were picking them off one after another with just a bare "Tails Up" Buck tail jig. They just would not refuse one every time it hit the water. At one time we had them jumping out of the water as it was ready to hit the water. Peter was thrilled with the few days fishing and was ready to give it another try come Sail Fish Season. Sue and Peter are proud new owners of an Inn in the UK called Cheneyhollow. www.cheneyhollow.co.uk a nice country Inn with a 10 minute walk to the beach and Village shops and Pubs. Lovely hope we can get over there soon.

Our Fall Fishing Package and Off Season Rates

We have come up with a nice Fishing and Lodging package for my anglers and have lowered the charter rates for the period of August thru December 15th. I have made arrangements with 3 of the resorts in the Islamorada area to give us a break on there rates to help out making it a reasonable time of the year to enjoy some great fishing and quiet time in the area. My trips are for 3 days fishing and a 4 night stay for 2 anglers. And I can take up to 4 anglers on the "Tails Up Too".  

August 1 Thru December 15, 2007

So if this gets you thinking what to do with that free time in the Late Summer and Fall give me a call or drop me an e-mail and I can give you more information.

The "Tails Up Too" is all geared up this year with new rods and reels and Outriggers for anything that comes our way and what ever your pleasure to fish for the day might be.  And if you want to try your hand at Fly Fishing for the Sailfish Now is the time to Book those days. Sail fishing is generally good all the way into February then slacks off for the Dolphin and Tuna fishing that heats up when the water Temperature starts to rise again. 

New City Hall and Fisher Mans Park In Islamorada

On a greater note that Park Project that I have been working on for the Village has gotten a New Light on it. With the hiring of a New Village Manager the first thing that he wanted to address was the us of the South Winds Park. When he heard that there was a group that was trying to make it into a Fisher mans Park, I was called in to meet with him. At the meeting we discussed the idea of also having a City Hall there also on the grounds and having the idea of the fisher mans Park as the entrance to the building along with a Museum for artifacts. It has gone to the City Council and approved and now awaiting the State of Florida to give us an approval also. I have also been appointed to the Parks and Recreation Citizens' Advisory Committee by the previous Mayor. It is going to be a garden  park setting in which people will be able to buy engraved bricks that will be a walk way to the City Hall. Also we are going to have a life size Bronze statute of a Older man and boy and girl learning about fishing. It will be a non profit corp. to raise money for the statute and signs that will be on display about fishing in the Keys. We hope also to have a area that will honor some of the special people that have fished the Islamorada area also. I'll keep an up date on the project as it come on line.

Call soon or e-mail me with any dates you might want to reserve  for this up coming season aboard the "Tails Up" or Tails Up Too"

Tight Loops,

Capt. Len Roberts