There
are many varieties of fish in the shallow waters around
Islamorada, and the Everglades National Park. This is
a general look at them, and hopefully it will give you
a basic idea of the shallow water game fish in the Florida
Keys. There are other fish we try to catch, however
I've limited the list to the most common.
To understand some of
the local fishing backcountry fishing terms better,
I've described a few and they are located near the bottom
of this page for you.
 Bonefish
are a highly sought after fish of the shallows. They
are my favorite of favorites! Often seen tailing, these
are the speedsters of the flats. The average size is
between 7 to 10 pounds, with fish often reaching 12
pounds or more. These are the largest Bonefish in the
World! A large fish hooked will easily run 500 feet
on it's initial run! Not easy to catch, but a fish of
a lifetime. You will never forget your first Islamorada
Bonefish! Sight casting to Bonefish can be done with
either a spinning rod, or fly rod. They are available
all year, with the best months being June, through November.
 Permit
are the elusive fish of the flats. A beautiful fish
weighing from 15 to 40 pounds that makes long runs,
and pull hard. They are sometimes hard to find, but
the thrill of catching one will last forever! When fishing
the flats, they are normally spotted tailing or swimming
while looking for Bonefish. They can be taken on a spinning
rod, and fly rod (not easy), or caught in the channels
while fishing for Tarpon. The best months for these
fish are the warmer ones. Permit will sometimes appear
in great numbers for a few days, then be sparse for
a period of time. I usually always target another species,
but always consider the Permit a welcomed bonus when
he shows up!
 Well
known for the "freight train" type runs, spectacular
leaps, and long fighting times, the Tarpon
is always a thrill for everyone! They are fished in
the channels, and are also taken on fly rods in shallower
waters. These fish are big! It is common to catch fish
that range in weight between 75 and 150 pounds! They
can wear out even the heartiest angler, and are very
exciting! Small (10-25 pound) Tarpon are usually found
in the winter months, with the large ones arriving in
March. Best months for channel fishing are April, May,
June, and July. Fly rodder's should aim at May and June,
however March and April can be good depending on the
movement of the fish and weather patterns. If you plan
to fish with bait, do yourself a favor if you're fishing
with me. Book a morning and/ or evening trip instead
of an all day excursion! They bite better on average
during the lower light levels.
 One
of my favorites on the flats when it comes to shallow
water fishing. The Redfish is a great
choice for people learning to fly fish. They are often
seen tailing or cruising the shallows, and can be more
tolerant with casters than the other fish. They average
between 5 to 10 pounds, and have a "Bulldog"
fight. I love 'em! They can be cast to with spinning
rods also, and sometimes are taken in the large ditches
far in the Everglades. They live here all year, with
the best months being between June and December. A super
fish on the flats!
 A
friend of everyone, the Seatrout a.k.a.
Speck, and Trout, is a cousin of the Weakfish which
is found in the Northeastern states. Trout are normally
easy to catch, and are great fun on light tackle. They
range in size from a foot long to 4 pounds, with most
coming in at 14" to 20" size. They eat flies,
jigs, live bait, and can make a slow day of fishing
into a busy day of taking fish off the hook! Another
great fish to learn how to fly fish with. Best fished
for between October and April.
 Snook
are a game fish that is normally found along the mangrove
islands, and in the numerous ditches located in the
Back Country. The battle is usually a tug of war, with
some good runs, and sometimes a leap or two! Occasionally
they'll hang out on the flats, and are great on a spinning
or fly rod. Average size of these fish are 5 to 10 pounds,
with some larger ones being tricked into biting a live
bait in the ditches. Best months are November through
February.
 I'm
really getting into catching big Sharks in
the shallow backcountry water. Sharks in the shallow
water include Bull, Blacktip, Spinner, Lemon, Great
Hammerhead, Scalloped Hammerhead, and Tiger. These
are real sharks with real teeth and range on an average
day from 50 to over 250 pounds! The largest I have
caught was a Tiger that was over 10 feet long, and
weighed an estimated 450 pounds. Although I hooked
an 18 foot Great Hammerhead last year, we pulled the
hook on it after a short battle. Some of these sharks
jump, and they all pull as good as a tarpon of similar
size. It's one of my favorite things to do, and if
you haven't tried it you don't know what you're missing.
 Spanish
and cero Mackerel are here in the
late fall through spring. These hard fighting speedsters
get over six pounds, and are a real blast to fight
on my little six pound rods! There initial runs are
lightning fast, and very imppressive for their size.
Many people thing of mackerel as an oily fish,but
the Spanish and Cero have a light colored meat, and
are actually very mild and great to eat.
 For
the bottom fishin the shallow water there are several
species we catch. The Snapper is
the most common and to many their favorite eating
fish. We also catch Grouper, which doesn't need an
in introduction at the dinner table! All the bottom
fish are very mild, and even a guy that doesn't eat
too much fish as me likes snapper and grouper.
Here's
some local fishing terms to help you out...
Flats
- Large areas of shallow water with a grassy marl
bottom, where sight casting for game fish occur. The
depth is usually a foot to three feet deep.
Sight
casting - This is usually done in shallow
water where the angler and guide actually see the
fish before casting. The angler stands on the bow
of the boat armed with a spinning outfit, or fly rod,
while the guides poles from the back. Both look for
fish that are "tailing" in very shallow
water, or swimming in a few feet of water eating,
or "mudding".
Tailing
- Commonly used to describe a feeding fish in very
shallow water. When a fish finds a potential meal
on the bottom, it dips it's head down, exposing his
tail above the surface of the water. Looking for "tailers"
is a very popular and exciting way of stalking bonefish,
and redfish.
Mudding
- Mudding fish are ones eating in depths too deep
to see their tails. We look for the puffs of mud from
where the fish has stirred up the bottom. These depths
can range from two feet, up to five feet of water.
Channels
- This is an area of water ranging from ten to fifteen
feet in depth, where we fish for tarpon. This technique
includes anchoring or drifting while having live baits
in a likely area where the fish should be. Conventional
rods and reels are normally used doing this.
Backcountry
- A common term used to describe the vast area of
the Everglades National Park. A lot of fishing is
done very close to Islamorada, but some runs to the
fishing grounds can cover thirty miles. Look at the
"Ladies Page" if your female friiend is
concerned about a ladies room. It's a beautiful shallow
water area dotted with islands, several types of birds,
and sometimes even dolphin swim by.
Skunked
- A word I'm not too fond of and it means going out
fishing, and returning to the dock without catching
a fish. Does that ever happen? Yes it does, and unfortunately
that's part of the fishing game.
I
hope this helped you understand our great fish, some
terminology, and fishing here in Islamorada.
If
all this fish mumbo jumo talk has you confused...
don't worry! Give me a call and I'll let you know
what your best shot at catching whatever fish(s) it
is you want. 305-664-2456
Bar
Jack - Lane Snapper - Redfish
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