Home Forums Fishing Saltwater In shore Florida Keys

I'll be spending the first week of February in the keys. No real schedule yet, just want to look around a bit and fish a lot. I'd like to charter with light tackle for a couple of days and maybe do some wading on my own. Any info you on charter skippers would be appreciated.

Suggest you focus on Islamorada/Marathon area for most inshore species, Key West for Permit. I'd suggest a guide or two but it's been half a dozen years or so. Not sure what's hot in Feb. I've never fished there at that time of year. I'm sure some of the Florida members can help out.

i lived in the marathon area for quite awhile. i left there
almost 4 years ago. i now live further north in vero beach.
i am a captain and chartered my boat out of the hawks cay marina on duck key for a few years.
there are several types of inshore fishing.
one would be mainly for flats species like bonefish
and permit for example. that would require a specialized boat called a flats skiff for the shollow water. the guides would be known as flats guides.
the other inshore fishing would be mainly reef fishing for the snappers, grouper, and mackeral among others. boats would be larger and deeper uaually of center console or cutty cabin design.
you could very easily encounter sailfish on reef trips that time of year.
florida bay on the gulf side is another option and is fished by both flats and reef guides.
be aware that its very possible to spend a week in the keys during the winter and not get out fishing. the wind can howl
there for a week of more that time of year. and frankly theres
not many places to hide from it. there is no shortage of good
guides in the keys. the very good ones are usually booked well
ahead with repeat customers.
i would not be heading to the keys expecting to be catching
a bonefish or permit in february. your best bet would be with
a good inshore/reef guide. there is none better in the middle
keys than buddy lapointe. fishing buddy charters on grassey key
near marathon. if he's booked he could no doubt help you with another captain.
good luck and good fishing.

Thanks for the info. I will send an inquiry to Buddy lapointe. If you have any more tips or leads, please let me know. This is going to be a special trip for us. My wife and I will be celebrating our 50th, and she loves to fish as much as I do! We are in St. Pete for the winter, so the keys are just a days drive.

well congratulations on a very special event.
i lost my wife after 49 years and 2 months. she lost her balance on a 2 step stool and struck her head on the ceramic
tile floor. thats why i moved from the keys. i just couldnt walk across that spot. we lived in bucks co pa all our lives
till we moved there.
in many respects it is a very isolated place. but it is very
beautiful in many respects also.
be sure to spend a day at bahia honda park just below big pine.
also walk out on the old 7 mile bridge on the lower end of marathon to watch the sunset. there is no better place in the keys.
most tackle shops either are or are connected with guides also.

There is a guy out of Homestead that charters inshore and offshore. He has a 32'contender center console for offshore and a 24'flatsboat for inshore. He generally leaves out of Flamingo in the Everglades for flats fishing but may meet you in the upper keys. His name is Tim Kressley and his website is Fishfirstlight.com. First class captain. Good luck. Yobuck gave you some good advice. This time of year I would head out on the reef and fish light tackle for yellowtail snapper. Tim can chum them right to the back of the boat.

Capt Benny Blanco if you want to fish Florida Bay. The run from Islamorada to Flamingo is really nice in Feb and the fishing can be hot.

http://www.fishingflamingo.com/

the "conch republic" is a very beautiful and different place...eat at the Castaway...just this side of 7 mile bridge on the left...conch fritters appetizer, and get the stuffed hogfish and split it with your wife....hope you have a great time....

Are you driving from Miami? If so, I can give you something to do about every 2 miles.

Thanks to all for the info. We fished out of Marathon on the 13th. Over 100 fish (13 species, mostly grouper and snapper with the odd porgy & mack, in the boat in 6 hours! We fished small reef structures with jigs and live bait. My arms are sore!
Finished the day with stuffed hogfish and coconut shrimp washed down with Sam Adams winter brew at the Castaway. back in St. Pete now, waiting for the cold front to pass. Again, thanks for your help.

Yellowtail snapper is a beautiful little fish and EXCELLENT eating! I caught a few on a 1/2 day boat out of Key West a few years ago, plus plenty of grunts, other snappers, and a nurse shark (released). We would get to the boat right at "time to go," dicker with the captain for "cheap seats to fill up the boat," and take off. My kids still talk about it.

glad everything worked out well. next time will be easier.
ill be heading down myself in late april. ill be targeting
tarpon at the bridges mainly bahia honda. but some reef
fishing also. by then the mahi mahi will be starting also.

well congratulations on a very special event.

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Marathon kicks butt. I've spent many days along the 7 mile bridge. And you can get to the GS really fast. Two summers ago we caught well over 100 chickens and a ton of grouper over 2 days. My best catch was a trophy tuna that took about 20 minutes to get in the boat. Sucker went straight to the bottom and must have ballooned up like a giant puffer. Too bad it was an assisted catch. But we were awarded a citation.

Glad you reeled 'em in.