Capt. Bo Sellers got this permit on a merkin...

Had the last two days off..  Fished yesterday with my friend Capt. Tom Morgan..  We found some bonefish on the gulf side in the morning then switched to tarpon..  Fished two spots with lots of glass minnows and tarpon..  Tom fed several nice tarpon..  The interesting thing is the tarpon are swimming though the bait to eat the fly..  It is a good fly!!

Met Bo at the dock at 6:00 am this morning..  Glassy smooth, incoming tide.. looked for tailing bonefish on what can be a very good bonefish flat..  Well it wasn't this morning..  Switched gears and checked out some tarpon spots..  We found some big tarpon crashing glass minnows..  Bo poled me into one and I had her on for several jumps before the line parted..  That's tarpon fishing..  The tide topped out and the action slowed down..  Ran to the back country to get ahead of the tide..  Found some permit pushing down an edge...  Bo made a great cast and we put one in the boat!! 

Check out the video....

I love mornings like this!!

Fished with Tony and Chip the last two days..  Day one we worked to find bone fish on the atlantic side..  good tides,, good conditions.. good spots...  Some how the bone fish did not get the memo..  We did get shots at a couple of fish, but I was hoping for more..  Conditions were right and these guys could put the fly were it needed to be..  When the tide got high we switched gears and looked for juvenile tarpon..  Checked several spots.. we either found none or LOTS..  Even got a couple of shots at lost permit in tarpon spots..

The second day we started before dawn..  Found rolling juvie tarpon in the first spot..  Tony jumped one on a gurgler..  later in the day we switched gears and decided to swing for the bleachers,,  Checked out  a place were there was a chance of getting a shot a full size tarpon.. 

Tony hooked up with  a 6 footer... she ate the toad fly right near the boat...  COOL EAT!!

Dawn Patrol

Not every morning is like this... but the ones that are, can be epic....

Flat calm mornings are a great time to find rolling juvenile tarpon and tailing bonefish.   This morning I found both!! 

Temperatures have been in the mid to high 80's..  with light winds out of the south east..

Just got back from a two week vacation in Montana...   Great to see my friends, the mountains and the river..  Oh and the fish are big this year!!

Kevin Guerin with a Brown trout..  Kevin guides in Montana and the Keys..

Great to be back!!

Fished the last few days with friends...  It has been fun..  Up early and out on the water before dawn.  We have been finding rolling juvenile tarpon as the sun comes up..  then have been targeting permit and bones on the incoming gulf edge tide... then when the tide tops out and the water gets too warm..  ocean side for big tarpon...  Most of the big tarpon have moved on...  But there are still enough left to keep it interesting..  Had one go way out of its way to eat my fly today..

Like I said It is great to back!

Oil Spill????

Currently, for south Florida and the Keys, there is a very low risk of impact in the near future, due to the separation of the Loop Current, NOAA officials said.

"Any oil reaching this area (South Florida and the Keys) would have spent considerable time degrading and dispersing and would be in the form of scattered tar balls and not a large surface slick of oil," the NOAA study said, echoing previous statements made by the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and local officials.

For more information....         http://www.fla-keys.com/oilspill/   

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Nov. 14th....

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Our first major cold front of the year has arrived. Just after that we had some horrendous fishing conditions when Ida was passing though... 30+ mph winds and solid cloud cover. My friend Luke Andrews, a Montana Fly Fishing Outfitter was also passing though as well. So we went even though conditions were awful. It worked out, we fished leeward shore lines and had a blast. We got into baby tarpon, snook and redfish. Luke even tempted a blacktip shark to eat a crab fly..

Thankfully the winds and clouds associated with Tropical Storm Ida have past... I fished with my Friend Capt. Derrrin Doop today.. Blue skies, light winds out of the NE... water temps in the mid to low 70's.. We found a bunch of redfish in the first spot and a surprising amount of bonefish later in the day.. Also lots of BIG barracuda in the 4 to 5 foot size..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Nov. 14th....

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Our first major cold front of the year has arrived. Just after that we had some horrendous fishing conditions when Ida was passing though... 30+ mph winds and solid cloud cover. My friend Luke Andrews, a Montana Fly Fishing Outfitter was also passing though as well. So we went even though conditions were awful. It worked out, we fished leeward shore lines and had a blast. We got into baby tarpon, snook and redfish. Luke even tempted a blacktip shark to eat a crab fly..

Thankfully the winds and clouds associated with Tropical Storm Ida have past... I fished with my Friend Capt. Derrrin Doop today.. Blue skies, light winds out of the NE... water temps in the mid to low 70's.. We found a bunch of redfish in the first spot and a surprising amount of bonefish later in the day.. Also lots of BIG barracuda in the 4 to 5 foot size..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Sept. 29th,,,

Bonefish?? Tarpon?? Permit???
It is a tough choice some times... Yesterday we focused on tarpon..It was glassy smooth and cloudy, We lucked out and found large mat of floating grass covering several acres. In and around that grass was 3 foot tarpon feeding attaching shrimp on the surface..
Today light winds out of the NW blew the clouds away and we had excellent visibility to sight fish. That and a falling tide on the gulf side made for a fun day with lots of shots at bonefish and permit.

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Sept. 23rd...

The very best months to fish to fish for bonefish in the lower Florida Keys begin with S. Once again this September has been very good for bonefish. Early mornings on the bottom of tide have been a blast!

LOW WATER + LOW LIGHT = TAILING BONEFISH

Fall is a great time to fish the Florida Keys.. It is "Off Season." No tourists, discounted rooms and rental cars.. Nobody on the flats.. Well, that is nobody except tailing permit, bonefish and rolling baby tarpon.

I have finaly finished my new promo video. No sun sets, birds, people talking, etc.. Just lots of fishing action... Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P15RPsehZbs

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Sept. 16th...

We are having some huge tides. An approaching new moonand lunar perigee (when the moon is
closest to the Earth) are contributing to tide levels higher
than normally seen in the Florida Keys.
What this means is lots of flow. Been finding very happy tailing bonefish feeding into the current, the last several hours of the falling tide. Juvenile tarpon and permit fishing has been very good as well.

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: June 15th...

The weather and the fishing have both been HOT!!
Almost zero wind for the last several days. The ocean has been glassy smooth..

Take your pick! Large migratory tarpon are traveling the ocean side flats.. Baby tarpon are rolling in the back country.. Bonefish and permit are on the flats until water temperatures get too warm.... It has been warm..

How ever we did find permit in some 94 degree baby tarpon water yesterday...

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: May 17th..

Weather has been an issue lately. We had several windy days this last week. Looks like the wind will lay down this week, but we may have some cloudy days.. I hope not..

Tarpon are still moving on the ocean side flats and will continue to do so for another 6 weeks or so.. I have some open days in June. Come on down and put some big fish in the air!

How ever the bone fish have been on the flats in very good numbers.. I am usually targeting tarpon this time of year, but spent several days last week getting bones. Ten year old Kenny Cubberly not only got his first bonefish , he hooked 3 more.. He was nice enough to let his dad get some too... Way to go Kenny!!!

We are also finding some permit on the flats as well..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: May 6th..

It Is Tarpon Season Here In The Keys!!!!

My very favorite time of year. Schools of tarpon have begun migrating up and down the ocean side flats and channel edges. They can also still be found in some of the back country basins. For some reason they seam more eager to eat the fly this year! But it is probably the weather. Water temperatures are in the mid 80's and the winds have been very light out of the south east.

I have not been looking for them, but my friends that have, are finding good numbers of bone fish.
also there are still some permit around on the flats as well..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: April 26th

Wind, wind and more wind..
I gave my anglers the option not to go today and they pounced on it.. One of the advantages of fishing here in the Keys with a guide instead of a lodge.. With a lodge you pay and take your chances on the weather. Here if it is unfishable, you can take the money you would have spent on the charter and play in Key West.

However.. I called my friend Bruce Chard and asked him if he wanted to go for lunch.. He was out on charter, they had already boated a redfish and had shots at bones and permit.. Way to go Bruce! The lower Florida Keys has lots of lee ward shore lines to fish out of the wind.. Here is a picture of a permit Mark Raisler boated on a 25 mph wind day.

Prior to the last 4 days the tarpon fishing had been very good. Water temps were in the low 80s. Nice sized schools of tarpon had started traveling the ocean side flats. We did very well in some of the back country basins on big tarpon and juveniles. If you can find them in the basins they will generally eat better then the ocean side travelers.. I have been concentrating mainly on tarpon the last couple of weeks, but have also been finding some permit and bone fish..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Feb.13th

The cold front that hit over a week ago is finally over.. Cooler weather in the 50;s and 60;s lower the water temperatures, which sends permmit, tarpon and bonefish into deeper and warmer water.

Temperatures are back in the upper 70's with light winds. looks like it will be that way for a while.
The last two days we have been finding good numbers of happy tailing permit on the flats, some bonefish and rolling baby tarpon.
Yesterday day Mark R. from Montana got 3 juvenile tarpon to eat a toad fly.

Weird day today,,,,, FOG... Impenetrable New England fog... Steven King fog.. Rolling in from the Gulf side. Went fishing with two other guide friends. We made our way into the back with a lot of help from the GPS.. thought even thought the tides were all wrong.. that the baby tarpon would have to roll in the twilight... well they proved us wrong..

After checking multiple spots we finally left the fog and headed back ocean side. Seen a couple schools of small bones and finished up looking for tarpon. Found some 6 footers on top in 76 degree water... Could not get the right angle or cast on them,, but I tried... not good enough... tomorrow.. Love throwing flies at those big fish..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Jan. 30th

So much for my New Years Resolution of keeping current with fishing reports.. It has been 3 weeks.. Since my last report. Sorry...

The weather and the fishing was outstanding the first two weeks of January. We were finding tailing permit, rolling tarpon and bonefish on the in coming tides.. Then as is typical for this time of year we received a cold front, which dropped temperatures into the low 60's and even the 50's. Well, it is winter even in the Florida Keys..

A week later(felt like a lot longer then that) it warmed back up.. Just in time to take Pat and his girl friend fishing.. I was still wearing fleece, but they were from Alaska and were in shorts and tee shirts.. Water was still cool, fishing was tough, but we had fun with cudas, sharks and jacks. Pat hooked a permit off a coral head and a big goliath grouper on the flats next to the mangroves.

Later in the week I fished with John and Ed. It warmed up!! We got shots at redfish, snook, bonefish, permit(one ate Ed's live crab) Hooked several baby tarpon and even got some shots at 6 foot tarpon in a winter warm up spot.. Boated tarpon, cudas, sharks and jacks...fun two days. We fished till dark both days, chucking tube lures over a warm up flat full of 4 foot cudas when we lost the light to sight fish... John says he will be back..

Jan 29.... Got a last minute call to take Bruce fishing. A cold front was coming and he wanted to get in a day on the flats before it hit. Good thinking!! Tides and temperature were perfect. But I could not find bonefish... After 3 flats we gave up on bonefish and found permit and tarpon Bruce got 4 baby tarpon to eat a tan toad fly. Nice work Bruce!

Front hit yesterday after noon... but not before I checked out a big tarpon spot with a couple of friends. We got into a BUNCH of laid up 6 foot tarpon in the same warm up spot I took John,, Mark Raisler fed one a tan toad fly, before we had to race the front back to the marina..
That's all the news I have...highs in the mid 60s today... time to tye flies... It will warm back up in a couple of days..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Jan. 8th

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The weather and the fishing continue to be great here in the Florida Keys..

Fly Fishing For Bonefish and Permit In The Florida Keys

Water temperatures are in the mid 70's.. The last several days have been very good for permit in the back country. Lots of permit on the coral heads and on the flats.. The very beginning of the incoming tide has been good for bone fish. Today we hooked 3 on flies. the fly of choice was a #2 white Cracked Crab. Later in the day when the flats near the channels warm up I have been finding some nice schools of baby tarpon and even some 100lbers as well. Earlier in the week we had some extreme low tides in the back country and we also found some snook and red fish..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Nov. 18th

Last Friday and Saturday were epic.. Water temperatures were in the low 80's.. Bonefish were moving onto the flats with the incoming tide along with permit. We found good numbers of tarpon too on the top of the tide later in the day. Fished with Rob from N.J. Friday... Rob hooked 5 tarpon on his new tarpon fly..

It is hard to film and pole while on charter.. While fishing with my girl friend on Saturday we spotted a large school of Jacks on the gulf edge.. It was a blast!!! Jan also got shots at permit, tarpon, bonefish and barracudas..

JACK ATTACK! Sight Fishing For Jacks

Another cold front hit Sunday... Which has given me some time to work on my web site and video reports... Water temps dopped into the 60s.. I fished with Marten and Alice from England. They thought the weather was just fine.. We boated several sharks and snapper and did get some shots at baby tarpon and snook..

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Oct 10th

Fall is typicaly one of the better times to fish for bonefish in the lower Florida Keys. This October has been good. We have been seeing some very large singles pushing up on the flats in some very shallow water on the begining of the incoming tide. Also some large schools of smaller bonefish in some of the back bays...

Permit fishing has been good as well..

Been a little windy and sunny to look for baby tarpon the last several days.. But when the wind lays down and the water smooths out,, you can find them rolling on the surface on cloudy days and early morning,,,

Guides Day Off. Two Florida Keys Guides Fly Fishing For Tailing Bonefish.

Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report: Oct 4th

Fly Fishing for Bonefish in The Florida Keys

I am back in the keys after a nice vacation in Montana. The Rockies are increadable but it is great to be back on the flats again.

October is one of the best months in the lower Keys for bonefish. There are some very big fish prowling the flats in some very thin water. Have also been seeing some large schools of smaller bones which bodes well for the future.
Along with bonefish on the flats are also permit, redfish and baby tarpon.

Fall is "Grand Slam" month in the Florida Keys.