Last week my roommate and I headed down to Florida to spend spring break the only way we know how, and that meant fishing. A few members on here were looking for some Keys information and reports, so I figured I would write one up.
Well, early Saturday the 12th, we left good ole SC and drove the car loaded down with fishing gear, camping gear and two yaks all the way to the KOA on Sugarloaf Key. We left at 6:30am, and arrived around 11:30pm. We unpacked the car and quickly setup camp, then we started fishing even though it was the middle of the night. It didn’t take long to find plenty of grunts and undersized snapper on a Carolina rig with shrimp. Some unfortunate grunts would become bait.
Sunday was a “get ready and rig” day. Spent lots of time rigging kayaks, rods, and making rigs. We went to explore a few places to look for bait. Pilchards were the target but we didn’t have much luck finding them. We paid the day fee and went into Bahia Honda State park to see if we could find any pilchards close to shore that we could cast net, but no luck. There was bait there for sure, and I have caught pilchards in the past there, but this time they were too far out for us to get. To salvage the trip into the park, we quickly put the yaks in the water at the boat ramp and headed for the new bridge. The current was ripping but we tied off under the bridge about a 1/3 the way out and put down some shrimp which quickly turned into small yellowtail and lots of grunts. We took a few grunts and put them out for sharks on some bigger tackle and came tight within minutes. Landed a few small four foot sharks (lemons), etc. But got wrecked by a couple big ones on my TLD. If the current is moving it does not take long to find a tug at all.
Monday- The weather (wind wise) was improving each day, so we figured
2nd what PeaPod said, and I was thinking as well…yakking bridge tarpon at night…big balls! Those 10 ft hammerheads around, yikes!
Great report, and real nice peacock and snook as well.
this is one of the best reads I’ve had on here in a while…college dudes taking week to go fishing, epic move…you guys will cherish that week for many years…thanks for sharing…
Thanks everyone! It was a great trip and had a fantastic time. Good luck when yall go down let me know how you do. Saw tons of big bugs while kayaking at night in shallow water. But thankfully no hammerheads!
Awesome report! Thanks for all the pictures and info. My buddies and I did it once and it’s now a yearly thing – I have a feeling it will be the same way for y’all! Once again, great report! I’m heading down near there at the beginning of May and will definitely use the info from you guys.
Thanks! I really appreciate that. The canal fishing was a great way to end the trip, I have a new love for peacock bass and had never caught a snook before.
Welcome! You are right about that, already planning next years trip back to the keys! Thanks! Glad I could help, let me know how you do.
Great Report! Is the drive to the Keys that long or did you dabble along the way? I am heading down in June to Marathon and was thinking it was a 12-13 hour jaunt? Glad you went before me!
Thanks everyone! Glad you enjoyed it J Ford hoping to get back down soon.
Flat Bottom, we stopped more than we should have, went in a few stores in the keys and a bunch of breaks along the way. Depending on traffic and where exactly in the Keys your going you can do it in around 12 hours with minimal stops. Totally worth the drive!
What a awesome report and trip! I will deffently use this info on our trip next week. I will be heading down to the Marathon staying at Knights RV Resort and Marina, towing my 234 sea hunt. First time ever towing a boat to fish in the keys and really hoping to show my family a good time like you guys had. We hoping to catch lots of species to like yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snapper and I really want to catch some hog fish. Now you have me wanting to try those tarpon out,Lol! Did y’all by any chance catch any hog fish or grouper? Thanks for taking the time and sharing your trip with us …
Have a place at the Galleon in ole Key West. Kids catch 50-100lb tarpon off the private deck/point while we old folks laugh drinking and listening to the entertainment at the Tiki Hut bar and grill…
Hand lined a buck 25 poon by myself last year… Had help but wouldn’t accept it, that’s my style… Ernest Hemingway.
What a awesome report and trip! I will deffently use this info on our trip next week. I will be heading down to the Marathon staying at Knights RV Resort and Marina, towing my 234 sea hunt. First time ever towing a boat to fish in the keys and really hoping to show my family a good time like you guys had. We hoping to catch lots of species to like yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snapper and I really want to catch some hog fish. Now you have me wanting to try those tarpon out,Lol! Did y’all by any chance catch any hog fish or grouper? Thanks for taking the time and sharing your trip with us …
Sea Hunt 234/250
Thanks Simperfish! Hope the info helps you get on some fish. Having a boat will be nice and help find fish for sure. The is a boat ramp at Bahia Honda you could put in at, there are snapper off the beach there for sure. We didn't catch any grouper this trip, but we have caught small black grouper off the beach at Bahia before. You don't have to go to far until you start finding reds, blacks, and gags. They are around with the snapper. You can always find a goliath under the bridges or in the mangroves as well and they cant resist a nice pinfish or pilchard. I personally have never caught a hogfish so I'm not much help there, but maybe someone else looking at the thread might have some guidance there. Good luck, get some dinner one day and a tarpon the next!
