dcathey Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 We have a large group headed down to Marathon for Memorial Day. I know the boat traffic down there will be nuts but we are going to tarpon fish and possibly try to get offshore if it’s slick. Will fishing the channels near the bridges be miserable due to the boat traffic or is it bearable? Do the areas up around Teakettle and East or West Bahia Honda hold any tarpon that late in the year? I’d like to have some reasonable shots at fish without fighting a million boaters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsnookyrd Posted May 3, 2019 Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 I will be down there on Conch Key 5/25 to 6/2. I don't usually play with the Tarpon, mostly snapper and trout, but there are still Tarpon around the Long Key Viaduct at that time. I am sure the other bridges will have some also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2019 Thanks man, I’m assuming crabs or mullet for long Key? I’ve only snapper fished and trolled offshore down there so this is all a new thing for us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsnookyrd Posted May 4, 2019 Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 16 hours ago, dcathey said: Thanks man, I’m assuming crabs or mullet for long Key? I’ve only snapper fished and trolled offshore down there so this is all a new thing for us Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2019 Where are some typical go to spots to find mullet ? Is Beachside better for finding the big schools of them? We are going to try to go the first afternoon and it would be sweet to load up on bait for the next morning as well. Our house is in the back of sister creek so we can come out the creek beachside or out of the harbor and run the backside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsnookyrd Posted May 6, 2019 Report Share Posted May 6, 2019 Honestly I haven't been down in a year due to unforeseen problems, but I can say I have had my best luck on the gulf side. Mullet tend to move around as you know, if you want you can PM me and I can give you my cell # so I can pass along any info I might come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 We are a week away, i looked at the way too early forecast and it’s looking like east winds 10-15 the whole time we are there. Are the reefs enjoyable in an east wind like that out of a 22? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSN651 Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 It's going to be a crapfest down there on that weekend. Be careful and watch out for drunk/high googans. Chuck 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSN651 Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 2 hours ago, dcathey said: We are a week away, i looked at the way too early forecast and it’s looking like east winds 10-15 the whole time we are there. Are the reefs enjoyable in an east wind like that out of a 22? As long as you have a 8+ second period, it should be good. Chuck 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 Thanks Chuck. I’ll start watching when the seas forecast gets closer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 Everything I’m seeing is 2-3 at around 4 seconds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clink Posted May 17, 2019 Report Share Posted May 17, 2019 May can grab some crabs to fish bahia honda, I think Capt Hooks and Big time near vaca cut have them at times. The few years we went down we always found mullet in the canals or on flats. The big harbor, sombrero maybe, near the start of 7 miles usually had mullet but its a grind to get a dozen. Usually a mullet man down there that you might be able to buy a few from for the afternoons, it will be late when he calls and don't expect great quality after servicing his every day clients but its an option. Also be careful with crabs in hot canal water, we killed all of ours one day stopping for lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2019 Good call on the crabs, I need to use the recirc and throw a little ice in if we stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC_UF_ITK Posted May 20, 2019 Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 I’m heading to Islamorada on Friday for 8 nights. I’m hoping the wind will settle at some point! If not, we will probably be fishing the bridges as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2019 Fri and Saturday look pretty bad. How rough is it bayside and around bridges on a honking east wind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JC_UF_ITK Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 Looking bad Fri-Sun as of now. Fingers crossed it’ll lay down at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 23, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 Not looking like its going to lay down at all. How nasty does the gulf side of seven mile bridge get? Doable in a 22 Pathy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
localangler Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 I go down in June with the 22 Pathfinder, you can always find a bridge out of the wind but I'm further south around Big Pine. Even in June there's still Tarpon around the bridges, not the big numbers that are there earlier but enough to make it worth your time. This year I hope to find some mangrove areas to fish on the gulf side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapor Trail Posted May 23, 2019 Report Share Posted May 23, 2019 I didn't see any at seven mile last week but plenty at long key. They only hit mullet there from my experience. There are plenty of people there in those tiny flats boats so I would think a Pathfinder would be comfortable compared to that. It's very difficult to keep mullet overnight so the best option is to get up at daybreak and throw a heavy cast net with a large opening so it sinks fast. I did ok in the canals but it's hard where the water is very deep. Caught two sharks in the net as well. I never saw any on the flats or looked there much. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishmanjj Posted May 24, 2019 Report Share Posted May 24, 2019 11 hours ago, dcathey said: Not looking like its going to lay down at all. How nasty does the gulf side of seven mile bridge get? Doable in a 22 Pathy? Yes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcathey Posted May 29, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2019 We had a blast down there despite the winds. Piddled around a rock pile on the bayside and caught a variety of small bottom fish. We tried crabs at various bridge pilings from knight key to Moser Channel with zero luck. Finally scored some mullet and caught a Goliath and jumped a tarpon yesterday morning. Left and went to lunch and hit the sandbar afterwards. I put some lines out there and jumped 2 more poons and had one get off about 8’ from the boat. He was on our last bait and my brother(who was the bachelor for the bachelor party) got to fight him in. Awesome trip with a great group of guys. DADE7D3A-7223-4E6A-8FFB-22C32C7C7905.MP4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.