Florida keys 2016

RidgeRunner

RidgeRunner

God
Fishing report--Islamorada - One week ain't enough gentleman. We as a family, my wife and daughter spent several days beating around on the Gulf side, snorkeling and Tarpon fishing bridges as the wind was blowing 15 to 20kts. I had one nice Tarpon blow up on a mullet at Whale Harbor Channel, no hook-up. After 2 hours waiting on a bite it gets boring. Plenty of small fish action at the bridges. Nice couple of jack crevalle to give me a pull. Caught a Moray EEL off the dock. Then the real fishing begins... Just me as the girls get seasick and don't like to fish like I do..
Alligator Reef (Trip #1 5 pm- 10pm after a storm passed it laid down so I could go to the ocean side comfortably. Little to no current. 60 to 80 feet seemed to be the sweet spot)- Hogfish, Yellowtail Snapper, Speckled Hind and Gray Snapper (Trip#2 Friday the day before leaving the wind lays down so we hit the reef for snorkeling action, Hens and Chickens Reef, and a couple others then I dropped the girls off and fished from 2pm to 6pm, same spots as trip #1 only more current) 18" Mangrove Snapper(my personal best), more Speckled Hind, a short Grouper, Gray Triggers, Hogfish, Grunts Galore and 4 breakoffs. 80lb braid 100 lb leader fishing with dead bait,(mullet and Whoo plugs) probably shark... Pictures to follow.
Fun was had all around. Despite the weather.

Nothing further offshore. I saw some kings chasing bait on the surface just beyond my casting range with a spoon, I was anchored up and on the fish so... No dolphin offshore trip, nor tuna. Too little time and it is a bit exhausting to troll four lines by yourself. Burned 30 gallons of fuel all week, went approx 120 miles and used a gallon of 2-stroke oil. LOL!
 
Great report Ridge. Was down there back in November. For some reason I can never see your pics, site acts like I'm not logged in, maybe this time. We did a bunch of snorkeling at Alligator and Cheeca Rocks. Stayed at a place called White Gate Court. Free boat dockage and trailer parking up to 26 feet, dog friendly, waterfront bayside on Matecumbe bight about a mile down from Robbie's Marina. Y'all who go to the Keys should check it out.
 
We were in the same spot Bradford only about a mile this side of World Wide Sportsman. Bayside Keys Kottage, docking for up to 26' a compound with multiple units.

Yes Bgreene except I didn't use the big prop. It only runs 56 with the 21P Thunderbolt on the limiter, full of fuel, water, fishing equipment, tools, spare prop,well you get the picture...
I did get to race a little RIB inflatable lady cop with a 300 Yamaha.
She was going about 20MPH on plane in the channel leading up to TeaTable cut and it was too narrow to pass there IMO.. She let it off plane to check out a guy that was way up in the shallows of Florida Bay using her binoculars. I pulled up beside her and told her how slow she was going. The rib is on plane at 20 MPH and I thought that was kinda neat. I told her my boat likes 40 mph in that smooth water. She said she didn't see me there???? But it will go a little faster. That is all she had to say. We had a "Spirited Run" from TeaTable through the mangrove channels all the way to Founders Park. There are a couple hairpin turns to anyone that has taken the route, especially the one where you enter Whale Harbor Channel thru the unmarked cut, then sharp left and no water either side of the boat.. She didn't have me on speed, but she didn't say she was WFO either. Girls and their toys. Ummm that didn't come out right, OH Geez I'm outta here. Good thing she didn't check my fishbox... I did not do the proper thing on those Speckled Hind. Only allowed one a person and it counts toward the Grouper Aggregate. I will still post it up. They aren't dated.. I try to uphold the American Tradition of Being Law Abiding Citizen yada,yada,yada....V
 
Sounds like a fun trip Ridge! We're gonna be down there in November over thanksgiving weekend! Can't wait. It's been two years since I've had the boat down there.
 
IMG_0623.jpgI know the overall catch is kinda pathetic looking.

IMG_0658.jpg Better than a good day at work...And only one fisherman..

IMG_0626.jpg Da boat Bgreene.

IMG_0621.jpg A 5" fish with the right camera angle
 
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bradford said:
Great report Ridge. Was down there back in November. For some reason I can never see your pics, site acts like I'm not logged in, maybe this time. We did a bunch of snorkeling at Alligator and Cheeca Rocks. Stayed at a place called White Gate Court. Free boat dockage and trailer parking up to 26 feet, dog friendly, waterfront bayside on Matecumbe bight about a mile down from Robbie's Marina. Y'all who go to the Keys should check it out.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation. It looks nice! Would like to try it out.
 
I don't think I would recommend our place.
Monday was manual laborers with pick axe and shovels digging trenches for irrigation through the limerock covered coral rock. 7:00 start
Tuesday was tree trimming, and I mean a pile of men and equipment with three bucket trucks, one small portable and two chippers behind enclosed box trucks. 8:00 start Two problems seem obvious. 1. Access is already limited the driveway is narrow so there was no getting in or out 2. Three chainsaws screaming in such close proximity to our cottage is three too many for any vacation.
Honestly, the coconuts had to be removed before someone got killed. 60' tree with a 6 lb bowling ball hurling toward mother earth. I was hesitant to sit on the back porch for fear of the damn things falling when we first arrived, especially with the wind blowing a steady 15 to 20.. Oh yeah, the back porch was pavers, some cheap chairs and a table. Some of the pavers were not yet installed, so one day the workers spent some time finishing the back porch.
Thurs. mid afternoon was yard service day which included a pile more trimming, cutting and cleaning of the compound... I Started to feel like John Candy in Summer Rental... I literally dropped the girls off at the dock, turned the boat around, bought some bait and went to the reef. That was my night trip.

You make the best of it, especially when you book as late as we did...
 
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