We just got back last weekend from our family trip. Stayed at Indigo Reef and rented a boat for the week from Vacation Boat rentals. Boat wasn’t in great shape but that was somewhat expected given what Irma did to the area. We rented the 24 Sailfish from Mon-Fri and ended up getting a couple of good windless afternoons to fish.
The first day it was my wife and my dad who made the trip out Oceanside. We picked through the yellowtail and all sorts of reef species my wife had never seen. The water was not very clear but the current was strong and the bigger YT’s were way back in the slick. Ended up with a few keepers that were made into Ceviche later.
The next trip was where everything got fun. Unfortunately my wife couldn’t come bc she had to stay back with the baby but both parents, both brothers and their wives made the trip.
Pulled up to the first patch in 40ft and dropped the chum. This was the last trip for the week so I brought all the chum and oats I had left (4 blocks-from Smith Automotice, and a 5 gallon bucket of oats). Not much happening at this patch near Sombrero…the girls started their complaining…”where are the fiiish, lets go sit by the pooool” type nonsense… Did we not say this was a FISHING trip?!? With my dad and brothers’ encouragement I decided to head back to the same reef we went to the first day. Told the complaint gallery on the bow we were headed back to the house, to quiet the noise, and set course for the opposite direction from home…they didn’t even realize it until we stopped at the next spot.
Water was Crystal Clear! 50ft vis. Dropped anchor and chum and it was ON! YUUGE school of YTs… all of a sudden the whining turned to excitement and all of the chicken littles wanted to catch one after I pulled a couple big boys over the side. I only allowed two lines in at once and 10lb fluoro and #4 hooks was all they would touch. Copious amounts of chum and oats kept the school up for close to an hour and a half and through all the missed bites and shaken fish the gir
Nice mangroves! I would love to find some big ones like that – we go to the Keys each year and usually catch a handful of keepers inshore (enough for dinner one night), but I’d love to put out some chum and try to get some larger ones.
Yeah those two were actually caught after the chum was almost gone and the school had gone back down.
My guess is that they were either feeding farther back into the slick and closer to the bottom or our baits just weren’t getting past the YTs for anything else to have time to bite.
We rent a house every year in marathon and absolutely love it. Usually do a few charters each time. 2 back country and 1 offshore. Seriously thinking of taking my boat this year when we go. Even if we aren’t fishing it’d be nice to have it tied up behind the house to go take the kids and wife out whenever. Glad you got the school up. Takes a lot of bait and sounds like you had it down pat!
Yeah it is nice to have the boat parked at the house for good weather days. You’re definitely right about it taking a lot of bait…however much chum and oats you plan on bringing, go ahead and double it for the best results.
We are headed down this Saturday. It will make my second trip and first with taking the boat. It would be great to find some grocery’s from the patch reefs. If anyone has advice on what to look for while riding around and picking spots or numbers for wrecks that might be holding permit it would be much appreciated!!!
spent last nite in Islamorada. ON WAY TO KEY WEST today to try some tarpon fishing this weekend. Also to visit the 2 waterfront lots I sold at the 6 mile marker for $10k each in 1979. I am sure I will cry when I find out their value today:frowning_face:
Hunting, fishing, and poker are my sports. Work when necessary.
We are headed down this Saturday. It will make my second trip and first with taking the boat. It would be great to find some grocery’s from the patch reefs. If anyone has advice on what to look for while riding around and picking spots or numbers for wrecks that might be holding permit it would be much appreciated!!!
Pete
24 Regulator
18 Seacraft
16 Whaler
When searching for a good fishy spot on the patch reef, I like to stay between 70’ - 100’ for the yellowtails. Look for good structure on the bottom, and ledges. You will also see the fish on your depth finder, when looking at the bottom.
When you find a spot, make sure you check to see what the current is doing. If it’s not really moving, I would keep searching. Once you find your spot, anchor and throw out your chum bag along with the chum and oats. Wait about 10mins before you put your lines out in the water, so you get a good chum line and it gets to the floor.
Use a 4000 or 5000 outfit with maybe 15lb mono directly tied to a 12lb flouro leader. small hook, and fresh cut ballyhoo’s. Throw behind the boat, and leave the bail open to make the bait look free flowing. The yellowtails will hit it pretty quick, you just need to get used to hooking them.
I would also put 1 or 2 lines on the bottom with some live bait for grouper and mangrove snapper.
For bait, just chum in an area with good current at the patch reef and you should be able to catch all the live ballyhoo you want. I tend to go to Alligator Reef for live pilchards, and I use sabiki rigs instead of the cast net for them.
Fish the thunderbolt wreck area off marathon. It’s aboit an 8 mile run east of sister creek. There were tons of flags the first week of April. Also a lot of small Kings. That area is about 115’.
I never Fish the Humps until late afternoon when i travel to the keys every Year. We normally leave the house around 3-4 and fish until dark. Most of the people are gone then and you have the place to yourself. Average 2 hour trip out there nets me 10-15 fish. Normally Tuna with Whoos and a few dolphin at times. I fish for the tuna…
Went tarpon fishing yesterday. No tarpon landed:frowning_face:
Plenty of action. Caught a bunch of mangroves. Could have sunk the boat with them. They were swimming all around the boat.
Hooked a big blacktip. He came flying out of the water several times and then bit the hook off.
Short time later, the same thing with a spinner shark.
Next up was a lemon shark that I fought for 30 minutes and he broke the line 40’ from the boat.
Bunch of jacks landed.
Had a few tarpon hit but no hookups.
Then went to Sloppy Joe’s and drank and people watched which was great fun. One guy fell off his barstool. Two guys carried him out, went around the corner and came back without him. I guess they just left him on the sidewalk.
Hunting, fishing, and poker are my sports. Work when necessary.
Wifey and I went in 2005, had 25 knot winds the whole freekin trip!!! Man I was bummed, had all my fishing and dive gear and couldn’t do much on the water… went inshore and it was still rough, no bites. I want to go back but think I’ll fight the bugs later in the summer. Love that area! Can’t wait to get some dives in there.