Key Largo to Key West
Includes Islamorada and Marathon

Nov. 20-22

I’m back at the keyboard this week after spending some time with the Florida Sportsman editors and other writers at the La Siesta Resort and Marina in Islamorada. I was lucky enough to attend a product showcase by manufactures such as Rapala, Flying Fisherman, Flambeau, and more. The event was capped off by a day and a half of fishing with local guides from the Islamorada area to test the new gear.

Conditions have changed since then, so we’ll focus on what we have coming up this weekend and leading into the Thanksgiving Holiday.

Winds will be favorable for hitting the Upper Keys backcountry and Florida Bay through the weekend. Cooler water means more activity as the fish will be on the move chasing baits schools, so watch for bait showers in the distance to help guide your way to the fish. Snook will be feeding on marauding schools of mullet near the mangrove roots, so expect good action with live bait or smaller twitch baits worked in these areas. Trout and Mackerel have been flooding the deeper areas in between backcountry mangrove stands.

Back country in the Middle Keys has been red hot. I had the chance to fish with Capt Rich Smith last week on his 17’ Action Craft which gave me some quality time in the Islamorada backcountry. There’s a wonderfully diverse fishery in that area right now. Just North of La Siesta Resort is a large flat that has non-stop action for Spanish Mackerel and ladyfish. Once you decide to catch something different, it’s a short ride to the twins to hunt snook and mangrove snapper.

Action in the Bay and Gulf out of Islamorada and Marathon has seen some great catches of cobia which will be well within reach of just about everyone this weekend. Look to target the wrecks and any “secret” rock piles for plenty of action.

Last week I fish with Capt Alex Adler on the Kalex for some close to shore action over the reef. The hot spot for us was in 65-80’ off Alligator Reef and action was fast and furious. No live bait? No problem! We worked the area with Rapala X-Raps in various sizes and managed a solid catch of Yellowtail Snapper (yes, on trolled artificial baits), Cero and King Mackerel. When we anchored up and added chum we increased the species count to include Black Grouper, Red Grouper, Muttons and Cobia.

Sailfish action in the Middle Keys continues to be better than in the Lower Keys. The Gulfstream is making a North bound leg bringing it closer to the reef in the Middle Keys and that is helping hold the Sails in the area. With the calmer wind/seas for this weekend you can also expect action to continue on the Humps.

Offshore of the Lower Keys is seeing most action on the reef where you’ll find Flag Yellowtails eager to take a bait flatlined in your chum line. While working on the Yellowtails you can also drift ballyhoo in the spread for Mackerel. Don’t forget to put some baits on the bottom, the cooler water has Mutton Snapper and Grouper moving out of the deep areas and into the shallows.

Cobia have been thick on the near-shore wrecks. There’s mostly smaller Cobia but if you work at it you’ll get them to 40 lbs. More consistent action for the bigger Cobia has been found on the Gulf wrecks. While in the Gulf, make sure to take some wire for Kingfish that are moving in ahead of cooler waters North of us.

Catch’em Up!

By Captain Rob Harris
conchyjoe2000@msn.com | www.conchyjoeskw.com

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