Florida Keys Backcountry Fishing Report June 18-24, 2012

Posted on 6/19/2012

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Florida Keys backcountry fishing report June 22-24

I love fishing in the Florida Keys! The fishing opportunities are endless no matter what the weather throws at you. There are plenty of spots in Florida Bay and the Everglades National Park to hide from the wind and make a fishing day one to remember. The winds are forecast to come down a bit for the weekend but scattered showers might be present. The Snook and Redfish bite on the Everglades National is on fire. The flats, Island moats, channels and runoffs around Flamingo and the northern mainland areas are all holding fish. Artificial baits like Berkley Gulp shrimp and jerk baits are all getting there fair amount of bites. The Trout bite remains good on the same areas, find the Mullet muds and you will be in the action. The deeper channels around Flamingo are a great place right now to fish some dead bait on the bottom for Sharks and Tarpon. While you wait for the bottom baits to get eaten bounce some Gulp Shrimp on a ¼ oz jig to the sides of the boat for great rod bending action. The beaches and shorelines from East Cape to Middle Cape are still holding some schools of Snook and Redfish. The trick is to cover some ground and finding the fish.
Tarpon fishing has been good around local bridges and channels. The key is to have lots of live bait, pilchards or Mullet preferably. As it gets dark switch to medium size Crabs and drift them on the bridge channels for the best bite. The boats staking out on the Ocean side edges of the flats have been having multiple shots at schools of traveling Tarpon. Once you set up wait and sooner or later the fish are going to show up. The Permit are still making their regular appearance all throughout the Keys the problem this week has been the windy and overcast weather conditions. Your best shot at catching one when the weather doesn’t cooperate is casting Small crabs on a ¼ oz jig head on the bridge pilings when the tide slows down, slacks and turn. If the weather cooperates Bonefish will be good on the beginning of the incoming tide, early morning, or late afternoon. Hope the weather gets better for the weekend and we all get to go fishing!
Capt Juan Garcia