Marathon- Florida Keys Fishing Report: November 21, 2008

FISHING IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON

One of the most rewarding ways to spend quality time with your family during the holiday season is to take them fishing in the rich and bountiful waters of the Florida Keys. The thrill of reeling in a trophy catch, or the anticipation of watching as a sailfish charges aggressively after your bait, will remain with you and your loved ones forever.

Last week I had the privilege of taking my father and a few good friends out for a few hours. We had a great time telling stories and sharing laughs, and even did pretty well in the fishing department. We loaded the box with schoolie dolphin and small gaffers, and would have boated a solid fifteen to twenty pound fish had a certain visitor from Cincinnati not let it ‘get away' (sorry Robin, I couldn't resist). We concluded the day by taking our catch to Sparky's Landing in Key Colony Beach and indulging in an extravagant Mahi Mahi feast served with all the fixings.

It was a memorable day for me and for all on board, and I highly recommend that if you get the same opportunity to fish with your family and friends this holiday season that you take advantage of it. There's no better way to give thanks than to give the gift of fishing, and now is the perfect time to get out on the water.

Offshore at the humps the black fin tuna action has been excellent with quality 15 to 25 pound fish being caught in good numbers. Unfortunately, the silky sharks have also had a healthy appetite of late, and have been devouring many of the fish before we can get them to the boat. On one trip alone last week we lost all but four of 30 blackfins to the toothy critters. But don't let that discourage you- the sharks usually aren't that bad.

Also out in the deep water, the pursuit of daytime swordfish continues to be a popular activity for local anglers and visitors alike. Captain Josh Gilmartin, accompanied and his group recently landed a massive 245-pound swordfish while fishing aboard the Best Bet II. Gilmartin and company hooked and lost two swordfish before locking into the trophy catch and doing battle with it for over two-and-a-half hours.

Fishing on the reefs and wrecks remains solid with nice catches of mutton snapper. Look for the sailfishing to continually improve as we get deeper into the winter months, and the cooling temperatures should also mean that there will be plenty of kingfish around for the smoker.

The yellowtail snapper fishing also remains phenomenal, and don't forget that our first ever closed season for grouper is just around the corner (the 1st of the year). Hurry out now and get some tasty grouper filets while you still can.

Inshore the snook fishing remains the hot bite, with live pilchards continuing to produce the best.

One other topic that I would like to address this week involves the need to avoid jellyfish while out catching bait. Remember that just as jellyfish can cause painful stings to our bodies, they can do the same to fish-killing them instantly.  Make certain that if you're out throwing the cast net on a school of ballyhoo or pilchards, that you remove any jellyfish you accidentally catch in the net.

Last week a tiny and undetected particle made its way into the live well and killed almost all of our ballyhoo in just a few minutes.  Luckily we we're able to catch new bait right away, but you're not always going to be in a position to do so.

Your BEST BET for the week ahead: Enjoy all that the Florida Keys has to Offer.

If bad weather keeps you at the dock and you can't take that fishing trip with your family, don't get discouraged.  There are tons of exciting things you can do in the Keys that doesn't involve heading out to sea. From a fun day of bowling at the Fish Bowl in Islamorada- to an educational and memorable day at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon or the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key- the Keys have something for everyone and every family to enjoy.