TOURNAMENT TIME

The competitive spring-summer fishing season kicked off this past weekend with the 3^rd Annual Offshore Bull & Cow Dolphin Tournament.  Anglers from around the Keys gathered in Marathon to pursue the largest combined weight for a bull and cow dolphin over the two-day event.

I would like to congratulate this year's overall winners, team Reel Conch, for catching a tournament record 53-pound bull on Sunday, and matching it up with a quality 36-pound cow for a combined weight of 89 pounds.

I would also like to congratulate Big Time Bait & Tackle owners Biff Goss and Jack Carlson, as well as their staff and friends, for putting together such a wonderful event yet again. This year's success further solidifies the Bull & Cow as being the Key's premier dolphin fishing tournament.

I had the opportunity to fish the event with my father, Mike Long, as well as a few of my close friends- Matt and Carolyn Anthony, owners of Sparky's Landing in Key Colony Beach, and Bobby Sanders, golf cart extraordinaire from parts unknown.

While the Best Bet team wasn't able to pull out the top honor, we did claim prizes for catching the largest tripletail and second largest wahoo, and we didn't do too bad with the dolphin either; catching several fish over twenty pounds.

If you're planning to head offshore this week, look for the dolphin to be out in 250 to 700 feet of water. There are plenty of quality schoolies around with 8 to 12 pound gaffers in the mix as well. The big slammers aren't here in full force yet, but there are big fish to be found as was evident by the impressive dolphin caught in last week's tournament.

Early morning has been the best time to locate the schools, and as always, keep an eye out for frigate birds, weed lines, current edges, and debris while dolphin fishing offshore.  Also, don't forget that dolphin season is just getting underway and that things will only continue to heat up as we move further into the summer months.

Out on the reef, the yellowtail snapper have begun their spawn and have been quite aggressive. Now is a great time to anchor up in 60 to 80 feet of water and practice your light tackle skills while also bringing home delicious fillets. Over the past few weeks it hasn't been uncommon to load the box with tails all over 20 inches.

Elsewhere, on the wrecks and at the edge of the reef, the permit are continuing to spawn. If you're looking for an unmatched light tackle battle with one of the Keys' best fighting fish, I suggest trying to hook up with one. Live crabs on a jig head should produce best.

Another fishing season that is in full swing right now is the Florida Keys tarpon season. The tarpon fishing has been superb around the bridges and channels as well as in the back country and on the flats. Good numbers of quality fish in excess of 100 pounds are now abundant in the waters up and down the Keys, and the tarpon fishing should only get better as more and more fish continue their push down the islands.

Your Best Bet for the Week Ahead: Have a Happy Mother's Day!

Be sure to visit TryCharterFishing.com to read next week's Florida Keys fishing report.