Flats Fishing action in Key West, Florida

Report Date: May 10, 2003

Tarpon, season 2003 has blown its way into Key West, Florida. Thus far the first week of May has provided us with great Tarpon action. Despite the strong ridge of high pressure, which has created unusually high winds averaging at 15 to 20 knots, we?ve still managed to find Tarpon and hook Tarpon on a daily basis.

Last Saturday we witnessed a strong push of Migratory Tarpon moving in from the deeper waters in the Atlantic, toward the shallow flats. This provided my customer with hours of action. Large groups of daisy chaining Tarpon slowly swimming down the edge of the flat, this is what Key West Tarpon fishing is all about. By the days end we had compiled a rough estimation that we had seen approximately 150 to 200 Tarpon.

Whether your fly-casting or throwing crabs or plugs with spinning gear the action is quite intense.

Later in the week we had great success with a school of Tarpon that we had found frolicking in a deeper channel off the edge of a flat. Using live pinfish on a circle hook, we managed to hook and jump six Tarpon. We were only able to get one of them to the boat, however, the first five had performed spectacular mid air acrobatics before they had jumped off the line.

A couple of days ago we had great success with our afternoon Permit fishing. On this particular day the Tarpon fishing was a little slow, so we opted out and went looking exclusively for Permit. With a typical blue sky, sunny day we had brilliant visibility. After searching a few small flats we found a couple of tailing Permit giving us just the shot we were looking for. After a few minutes of poling into position for the best shot, we fired, and it was a direct hit. Therefore leading the way to and intense battle of which I?m happy to say my customer was victorious. This Permit was his first and I hope not the last, as I?m sure well enjoy more great days on the water in the future.

As for tomorrow, I can only hope for another great day. The Weather man tells me that our winds are supposed to moderate and back off to less than fifteen knots out of the south east, so I guess were in the hunt for some more great flats fishing in Key West, Florida.

Lets Go Fish!
Capt. Lenny

 

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