Key Largo to Key West
Includes Islamorada and Marathon

Nov. 21-23

KE

Keys Wide Summary

While we have had a week of winds that would just not quit, those that did want to go fishing anyway were educated in something that I have been preaching for some time now. I refer to it as “The Dorothy Syndrome.” You know, ‘There’s no place like home!” By that, I am referring to fishing close to your dock or channel. With earlier winds of over 25 knots in the week, there were not too many options available other than that. Even the backcountry or the bay waters were somewhat treacherous for most and holding anchor in the tall grass bottom was almost impossible.

So what was there to do? Well, many found that there are plenty of fish rather close to shore. So much so in fact that at times it seemed almost foolish to even be in a boat although that was a necessity to fish these areas properly. It is amazing how many areas hold fish even though it is not the roughest of bottoms or containing dramatic relief variations.

In an article a few years ago in Fl. Sportsman Magazine on fishing Hawk Channel stated that there are plenty of areas to fish throughout the ‘inside’ waters of the Oceanside of the Keys. Not only that but it is not limited to just the Oceanside. Many bridge channels and holes adjacent to bay flats will provide you with more than enough options to find dinner at least and at times, some of your best ever catches.

In the past few years, I have found that on rougher than desired days, most of the trips consisted of travel no farther than one mile from the shoreline. This was due to the higher than comfortable seas caused by the winter winds. What they did not limit was the variety as well as the sheer number of fish that we have caught on these ‘short’ trips. Legal sized snappers from yellowtail to mangrove to mutton as well as hogfish, mackerel and even several grouper were there for the taking. Most of the time, we were in less than 12 feet of water. So it is not just the outer reef line that you have to fish to find a good supply of dinner fish yet so many just blast past these areas apparently wearing blinders to the opportunities available.

I am going into so much detail about this because we are coming into our windy season where there are more days that you normally would not venture out that those that you would. I am attempting to express the options that you have in the Keys for fishing almost any type of weather. Wind direction will dictate where to go and your location from the Upper Keys through Key West. As the Keys curve around, you will receive different benefits from the locations of landmasses as well as flats and banks from certain wind directions. I am also pointing this out because Keys wide, these inside areas will get loaded with fish with an even more consistent catch rate than the reef many times throughout the winter months.

This weekend is forecast to have some strong breezes. This will limit reef, offshore and most open venues to smaller boaters. Since it has let up in the past day or so, good reports have been coming in from the first mile or two past the reef on sailfish with surface rigs as well as a good number of wahoo on diving plugs. Reports agree that numerous baitfish have been balling along the deep edge of the reef, which has been attracting quite a few bottom fish as well as kings and mackerel. Bay and shallow water action has also been reported quite good in the past day or so as conditions have allowed anglers to try again. It looks good for this weekend for the inshore waters with big schools of baitfish abundant. I know the fish will be hungry along with only mild to moderate tides with the ¼ moon. Let me put it another way; I’m going all weekend!

Captain Dave Navarro is a lifelong resident of Marathon, Owner of the World Class Angler at our new location at 3740 Overseas Highway in Marathon and captain of the charter boat, “Dave’s Dream

By Dave Navarro - wca@terranova.net

Captain Dave Navarro is a lifelong resident of Marathon, Owner of the World Class Angler in Marathon and captain of the charter boat, “Dave’s Dream.”

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