March 2015

3/22/15 March Tarpon Fishing in Islamorada is in full swing

March is rolling on and we are officially in the thick of ‘tarpon season’ here in Islamorada, Florida Keys.  The islamorada tarpon fishing has been fantastic the last week as we’ve had flat calm weather and lots of fish have pushed in from the gulf all the way from cape sable in the everglades, the mid-florida bay, and locally around Islamorada and throughout the rest of the Florida Keys.  The weather look to stay fairly calm the next several days at least and the fish should stay happy.  We’ve been catching live mullet in good numbers and the spring mullet run is a very good time to tarpon fish, it’s the most exciting form of bait fishing for tarpon there is.  There is nothing quite like watching a live mullet run, jump, and panic for his life as a big 100 lb tarpon tries to devour him.  We’ve had action with tarpon since the beginning of March just about every day though with the calm weather the last week is when it’s really heated up.  We caught fish the last couple days on half day trips fishing close by on live bait.  We were also able to mix it up with some patch reef fishing today and caught some islamorada hogfish for dinner.  As we get into April and May that is usually ‘prime time’ for bait tarpon fishing in Islamorada.  I’m fairly booked up though we have a second boat that will be captained by a local offshore fisherman for night trips.  If your looking to get out tarpon fishing during the prime evening hours he is your man, let us know!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk

3/3/15 March Islamorada Fishing Report

Well March is here and so are the big tarpon in Islamorada.  We had a late winter so it held off some of the normal ‘early arrivals’ that we catch in February.  Though the last week or more it’s been very warm and tarpon are starting to show up in droves.  The last 5 days we’ve caught at least one tarpon every day.  The last two days however they really have started biting well.  We had a total of 9 bites and landed 5 fish in the last 2 days.  Yesterday they were eating the live mullet well, we weren’t able to stick any though were able to catch one on dead bait in the afternoon.  A big slob of 150 lbs, biggest fish this year so far!  Today we went 4 for 4 in the everglades, fish of 60 to 90 lbs.  It should get better and better, and since it is just not starting I think our fishing later in the season should be better.  The last few years fish have shown up way early and often by end of May/June we would have some ‘dry spells’ where there were not many fish or they wouldn’t bite, likely due to too many showing up too early.  Anyways tarpon is what I am focusing on from now on through the Summer.  Of course we sometimes break it up and fish for other things.  I am booked up fairly solid through May, however we are going to be having another very good hard working young captain run a 2nd skiff for us.  If your looking to get out for some good tarpon fishing the next few months, he will be available for evening trips during ‘prime time.’  Drop me a line and let’s catch you that silver king of a lifetime!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk