Previous Fishing Reports for the Florida Keys
from Capt. Joe Johansen.

APRIL AND MAY FISHING REPORT

QUITE A FEW TARPON SHOWED UP IN THE MONTH OF APRIL. THESE FISH GAVE GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BOTH LIVE BAIT FISHERMAN AND FLY CASTERS. AS WE WENT INTO MAY THE TARPON FISHING REALLY UPGRADED THE FISH HAVE BEEN MIGRATING BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH ALONG THE BANKS.

YOU FLY FISHERMAN SHOULD START LOOKING FOR YOUR SECRET PATTERN. LIVE BAIT FISHING AT THE BRIDGES AND IN THE LAKES AS BEEN GREAT. MANY LARGE FISH ARE BEING CAUGHT [120# AND UP]

BONEFISHING PICKED UP IN THE END OF APRIL AND ARE DOING FINE AS WE MOVE INTO THE MONTH OF MAY.THE TROUT ,REDFISH AND SNOOK ARE BEING CAUGHT BUT IT'S GETTING VERY HOT BACK THERE IN THE AFTERNOON. THE PERMIT HAVE COME IN CLOSE TO SHORE FROM THE REEF AND CAN BE CAUGHT ALONG WITH THE TARPON AND BONES.

NOW FOR THE OFFSHORE BOATS. OF COARSE THE DOLPHIN FISHING HAS BEEN GREAT. SLAMMERS, GAFFERS AND SCHOOLIES. YELLOWTAIL FISHING AS BEEN SUPER MOST A GOOD SIZE. OTHER CATCHES OF BARRACUDA,TUNA AND
WAHOO ARE ALSO THERE.
GET YOUR TRIPS BOOKED NOW!
CAPT JOE

BUT MARCH ACTED LIKE A LION (OR A BULL OR A BEAR OR BOTH TOGETHER). THE FISHING IN FEBRUARY WAS GREAT.SNOOK SEASON STARTED OFF GOOD THE TROUT AND REDS WERE ABUNDANT.THERE WERE ODD CATCHES OF MACKEREL AND BLUE FISH IN THE PARK ALSO PERMIT AND POMPANO.AS WE ARE GETTING INTO MARCH THE WATER HAS REMAINED IN THE HIGH 70'S AND THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW TARPON AROUND[A LITTLE EARLY I THINK] BONEFISH HAS BEEN HOT AND COLD ONE DAY THEY ARE ALL OVER AND THE NEXT DAY VERY FEW.

OFFSHORE HAS BEEN GREAT SAILFISH IN DOUBLE NUMBERS ARE NOT UNCOMMON.KINGFISH,CEROS, AND DOLPHIN ARE DOING VERY WELL. ON THE REEF PLENTY OF YELLOW TAIL AND SOME NICE GROUPER.

CONTACT www.classactionfishing.com FOR OFFSHORE.

YOUR CAPTAIN
CAPT JOE

ISLAMORADA NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER FISHING REPORT

NOVEMBER WAS AN INTERESTING MONTH.
WE HAD SPANISH MACKEREL TO THE WEST OF EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK. LARGE TROUT AND REDFISH IN WEST SIDE OF THE PARK AND SNOOK IN FLAMINGO AREA. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN SMALL TARPON IN SNAKE BIGHT AND AROUND THE NEAR BY ISLANDS.

THE REDBONE TOURNAMENT WAS POSTPONED BECAUSE OF
A LATE HURRICANE SCARE WHICH WAS SOUTH OF CUBA AND NEVER CAME OUR WAY.SO THE TOURNAMENT WENT FROM NOVEMBER 30 TO DEC 2, AND THE BOYS THAT CATCH THEM DID WELL.

DECEMBER LOOKS LIKE THE SAME ONLY WITH BETTER WEATHER. BONEFISHING HAD IT'S UPS AND DOWNS SOME DAYS THEY WERE ALL OVER AND THEN SOME DAYS VERY FEW. DECEMBER IN MY OPINION WILL BE GOOD BONEFISHING. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU HOLIDAY FISHERMAN.

NOW FOR THE OFFSHORE BOYS.

YELLOW TAIL SNAPPER, MANGROVE SNAPPER, AND KINGFISH HAVE BEEN IN GOOD ABUNDANCE. THE SAILS DIDN'T MOVE TO GOOD IN NOVEMBER BUT THAT PICKS RIGHT UP IN DECEMBER ALONG WITH THE TASTY COBIA.

HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL!

"September brings nice schools of Bonefish and Redfish"

Octobers fishing report

The Mullet run starts soon!

With all the problems going on in the United States and the world, the Bonefish having been putting up a pretty good war of their own! They have been moving both on the Oceanside and the Backcountry in large amounts. The bait shrimp which are normally small this time of the year have been eating size for the unfortunate angler's who miss their cast.
I've been using a couple of new patterns on fly with good success. Bonefishing on the whole has been good.

For the people who like to catch small Tarpon we are waiting for the Mullet run that usually occurs around the 2nd week of October. It can begin early so call me for an update. Let's hope it's a good one. Redfish are coming up on the flats in the backcountry and Trout are in the channels and lakes.

Both Ft. Lauderdale and Miami Airports are on full schedules.

Our prayers go out to all those who lost loved ones on that terrible day of September 11th.

August
FISHING REPORT Islamorada Florida

August & September Fishing Report

In the beginning of August, for you fly fisherman the last of our big Tarpon have migrated north. The smaller fish (10 to 30 lbs) are still around the local areas, and can be caught by flyfishing or live bait. (Mr. Blueclaw being one of my favorites).

When the breeze is up, Trout fishing in the Everglades has been good in the month of August and will be through September. September brings nice schools of Bonefish and Redfish, in the backcountry. Bonefish have been productive in the clear water and Permit are in from the reef.

After the moon, our Mangrove Snapper fishing has been great! I am doing this alot on a half day basis because of the heat.

Now for Off Shore: My son has been doing quite well on the "Class Action" with the new run of large Dolphin and still an occasional Marlin

The off shore Yellowtail and Mangrove Snapper have been plentiful. September can be an exciting time to fish here in the Florida Keys! I look forward to seeing you all in the near future. Come Abord and let's go fishing!

Captain Joe

July

This is the time for the sight casters as you know. Tarpon swim in 3 to 4 feet of water; and of course, Bonefish in even shallower water, " 'till their tails stick out of water."

Casting flies with an assortment of different colors on either floating or intermediate shooting heads; or bait casting on 15lb test spinning outfits is very challenging! This really sharpens your angling ability. The size of the shrimp have been holding up good for fresh bait Bonefishing. The Bonefish have been showing well both out front (Atlantic side) and in the backcountry (Gulf side).The Permit have been mixed in with the schools of Tarpon and Bonefish making for a special treat!

I took some backcountry Trout and Redfish trips earlier in the month. Allot of the Trout were oversized and had to be released, but it's starting to get hot weather wise.

NOW FOR THE OFFSHORE

Dolphin fishing still at a high point, with an occasional Marlin. There are also Kingfish, Wahoo and Grouper.
On the Reef there have been nice Yellowtail and Mangrove Snapper.


Come join the fun and let's go fishing,

CAPT. JOE>

Tarpon and Bonefishing are in full swing in the month of May!

Well it's the middle of April, and the past week we have had abnormally storng wind which made Tarpon and Bonefishing very tufff !!

The bait showed extremely good which brought in large schools of Tarpon in the beginning of the month.  The Bonefish spawned in April allowing catches of 10lbs. to 15lbs. fish. Nice hugh??

In the month of May Tarpon and Bonefishing is in full swing. As for the offshore fishing, the wind kept alot of boats on the reef.  For those who ventured out, dolphin went from schoolies to gaffers.  The sailfish are still up north of the Keys, but will be coming through very soon.

Let's get some trips together.

December

The month of December started off great with Bonefish on the flats, and small Tarpon in the backcountry channels. As the temperature cooled, so did the Bonefishing but it did push the Redfish into the channels by the herds. Trout season was closed for December. On a release basis it was great, (big fish). The end of December, with the cold weather made the Mackeral fishing came into play. The off shore boats had quite a month. Sails were at a peak, the tournaments were a great success. Kingfish, Wahoo, and a few Dolphin are making a nice day.

November started off with a few Tarpon still around after the October Mullet run. The Bonefishing was slow and so was Redfishing.By the middle of November, because of extremely low tides and cool spells, the Redfish filled the channels. It was not uncommon to catch 30 to 40 Redfish in a day. Bonefishing was on a steady climb.By the end of the month, it was at it's normal peak, with some nice weight fish being caught during the George Bush/Cheeca Lodge Bonefish Tournament.Off shore, the month started off with some good Sailfishing, but died in the middle, and didn't pick up until the last week of the month. Schooly Dolphin and Yellowtail filled in the gap.

Captain Joe Johansen
P.O. Box 1166
Islamorada, Florida 33036
(305) 852-3949 - (FAX) (305) 852-7686
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