JANUARY AND FEBRUARY FISHING REPORTS

THE BACKCOUNTRY OF ISLAMORADA IN THE FLORIDA KEYS HAS BEEN VERY MUCH ALIVE WITH GREAT CATCHES OF TROUT. THE REDFISH WERE ALL OVER ON THE FLATS IN DECEMBER AT EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK.THE COLD WEATHER CAME ALONG IN JANUARY AND PUSHED THE REDFISH INTO DEEPER WATER. HERE IT IS THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY AND THE DAYS HAVE GONE TO THE 80'S. BONE FISHING DROPPED OFF WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WENT INTO THE LOW 60'S. THERE COMING UP ON THE FLATS WITH THE TIDE NOW. SHARPEN UP YOUR CASTING AND FISHING TALENTS' CATCHES OF MACKEREL HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE WEST AND WILL MOVE CLOSER TO THE KEYS AND ISLAMORADA AREA. SNOOK SEASON OPENED ON FEBRUARY 1. ALLOT OF CATCH RELEASE WAS DONE IN CLOSED SEASON.THE CAPE SABLE AREA HAS BEEN THE HOTTEST SPOT.

OFF SHORE FISHING FOR SAILFISH IS DRAWING TO IT'S PEEK PRETTY SOON. GROUPER, YELLOW TAIL SNAPPER AND KINGFISHING HAS BEEN GREAT. THE SHALLOW WATER PATCHES WHICH ARE WITH IN A MILE OR TWO OFF ISLAMORADA HAVE BEEN TEAMING WITH GROUPER MANGROVE SNAPPER,YELLOW TAIL SNAPPER, HOG FISH AND PORGIES. GOOD FISHING FOR SMALLER BOATS.

I'M GOING TO PUT TOGETHER SOME HELPFUL HINTS THAT MIGHT HELP SOME OF YOU SNOOK FISHERMEN IN THE BACK COUNTRY AND BONE FISHERMEN AROUND THE ISLAMORADA FLORIDA KEYS AREA.

CATCH UM' UP
johnjohansen0921@yahoo.com

MARCH APRIL AND MAY FISHING REPORT

After a cold winter the weather is starting to break; the water is warming up and the big tarpon are starting to migrate in and show up in numbers. Spring is here, as we move in to April we'll start fishing in the channels as well as in the backcountry for Tarpon. Live and/or dead bait will be the key; this should last us through June. Our permit and bonefishing will continue to increase as our weather stays nice. Dont forget there is still plenty of action in the Everglade National Park as well as in the Gulf for the angler or family that wants to just catch a lot of fish and have a fun day on the water.
and remember tight lines
Capt. John Johansen

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER FISHING REPORT

OUTSIDE OF DODGING A FEW RAIN DROPS, THE TARPON FISHING REMAINED PRETTY GOOD IN THE BACKCOUNTRY. SOME DAYS WERE PHENOMENAL. THE CATCHES OF TROUT IN THE FLAMINGO AREA WERE GOOD BUT THIS TIME OF YEAR THERE ARE ALLOT OF SMALL FISH. AS WE GET INTO THE FALL THE BIG GUYS START COMING INTO SHALLOW WATER. THE REDFISH DO THE SAME.THEY NEED THE FLATS TO COOL DOWN. SEPTEMBER 1ST BROUGHT THE OPENING OF SNOOK SEASON.YOU CAN CATCH A LINESIDER ON ARTIFICIAL AS WELL AS LIVE BAIT PERMIT ARE IN THE LOCAL KEY AREAS. ITS A NICE BREAK DURING A BONEFISH TRIP.I ALWAYS BRING A LITTLE HEAVIER ROD AND SOME CRABS. TAKE A LONG WEEKEND AND LETS GO FISHING.

NOW FOR OFF SHORE FISHING--DOLPHIN HAVE BEEN IN AS CLOSE AS 250 FT. OF WATER. CATCHES OF 10 TO 15 LB DOLPHIN ALONG WITH YELLOWTAIL SNAPPER MAKE A NICE CATCH FOR THE DAY. I HEAR REPORTS OF CATCHES OF SAILFISH AND KINGFISH WHICH MEANS WE MAY GET AN EARLY START ON THE SAILS. I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED ON MY NEXT REPORT.

LETS KEEP THE RODS BOWED AND GOOD LUCK

JUNE AND JULY FISHING REPORT

IT WAS A TUFF TIME FOR THE FLY FISHERMAN FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS. THE WIND BLEW IT WAS OVERCAST AND RAINED, AND THEN RAINED AGAIN. WELL THEY PERSEVERED. THE ONES THAT CAME FROM AFAR MAINLY LIVE BAITED FOR TARPON AND HAD A FEW DAYS OF FLY FISHING. FLY FISHING FOR BONEFISH WENT ABOUT THE SAME WAY. A GIFT: THERE WERE ALLOT MORE PERMIT THAN USUAL. I ALWAYS FELT ON AN EL NINO YEAR FISHING IN THE KEYS WAS BETTER, BUT NOT THIS TIME.

THE TARPON CAUGHT IN JUNE WERE ALL BIG AND HAD NOT SPAWNED YET. THEY WERE HOT AND WILD, WITH ALLOT OF FIGHT! THE TAGGING PROGRAM WITH THE BONEFISH AND TARPON UNLIMITED ORGANIZATION WILL PROVIDE US ALLOT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE FISH. IT SEEMS TO BE COMING ALONG WELL.

WITH THE BAD WEATHER HOPEFULLY BEHIND US, I'M LOOKING FOR SOME GREAT REDFISH, TROUT, BONEFISH AND SMALL TARPON IN THE FALL. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE MANY SMALL TARPON AROUND.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS SOON

THE OFFSHORE FISHING YIELDED QUITE A FEW DOLPHIN FROM 10 TO 30 MILES OUT AND THERE WERE NICE CATCHES OF YELLOWTAIL AND KINGFISH. BY THE WAY, THE BOYS AT NIGHT ARE HAVING GOOD CATCHES OF SWORDFISH, A FISH WE HAVEN'T SEEN MAY OF SINCE THE EARLY 80'S.

BEST OF LUCK AND COME ON DOWN.

Capt. John