Key West Flats Fishing Septembers Looking Good

Report Date: September 19, 2003

  The Flats fishing down here in Key West, has been real good so far this month. Fishing for The Tarpon early in the morning and then heading up high onto the flats to look for Mr. Permit and Mr. Bonehead. Fly fishing or light spinning tackle using live crabs or Merkin patterns. And fishing with shrimp or crazy Charlie patters for the Bones. However at some point during the day there seems to be a stagnate time. I see this every year particularly during the summer month. My thought behind the lack of fish found at high noon is based on a couple of things.

1) High water temperatures
2) Low food source

These two scenarios are symptomatic of each other, and can generate a lack of fish in an area. This time of year the fish seem to feed more actively in the cooler water on the flats in the morning / mid morning. By one o?clock the water temp are pushing high eighties. The result is that the shrimp and crabs have buried themselves far into the sand. So the fish you see might just be cruisers, or passing through the flats. Not necessarily looking to feed are these fish, however, you can bet if you put a crab or shrimp in front of one of these allusive dudes they?re going to consider eat it.

So aside from the little daytime lull in the action the fishing has been pretty good. I?m seeing a fair amount of Bonefish around. I saw a couple the last few times outback that had to go 12lb or better. My Permit fishing has been good, although yesterdays Permit fishing we went 0-4. Four shot and no eats. Later that day I did talk to another guide buddy of mine who could not get a Permit to eat either. This always makes you feel better, when you know it was not just you that could not get a bite. We had a bit of Northeast wind yesterday; perhaps that was a little unsettling for the fish.

Well as it goes in all facets of life some times you win and sometimes you loose. Never the less the fishing has been pretty damn good this summer.

I?m now booking fall dates and winter dates and next years Tarpon dates are starting to fill up, so if your planning a fishing trip to Key West give me a call.

Lets Go Fish!
Capt. Lenny

 

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