Florida Keys backcountry fishing report Nov 1-6, 2012

Posted on 11/01/2012
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Florida Keys Backcountry fishing report  Nov 2-4, 2012
 
Well everything should be getting back to normal for the weekend in the Florida Keys Backcountry. The bay was really ruff and dirty all week thanks to our close call with Hurricane Sandy. Most of the boats that venture out  in the park got most of the action fishing the creeks and deeper protected channels with a mix bag of Redfish, Snook, Trout and Snappers. As we enjoy our first strong cold front of the season the drop in water temperatures should spike up the fishing in the gulf waters of the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park boundaries. Schools of Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish and Cobia are making their way to our area, a good supply of live shrimp and Chum will get you in the action. Anchor up in the areas west of Sprigger bank and start chumming, I like to start with a long shank 1/4 oz jig, brake the tail of the shrimp off and put the hook thru the hole so it comes out thru the shell. Cast out in the chum slick and bounce the shrimp back to the boat, try different retrieves to see how the fish are acting. Once you get them going your in for treat. If they get fired up and keep cutting you off add a couple of inches of light wire to your jig, try to stay away from swivels or bulky connections since it will trigger the mackerels to attack it and cut you off. I like to connect my leader to the wire with an Albright knot, it's really easy to tie and keeps your rig more stealthy.
   Once the water cleans up the fishing in the flamingo area should get going. Fish the deeper channels, runoffs and island moats for a mix bag of Redfish, Snook, Trout and Blackdrum. A 1/4 oz jig head and Shrimp combo bounced slowly on the bottom will get the bites. The areas around Sandy Key and Schooner bank have a great bite of Trout, Snappers, Mackerel and Bluefish with many other rod benders as well. Drifting in between banks with a jig and popping cork combo will get the bites, a white bucktail jig bounced on the bottom is also deadly.
 
The Bonefishing through out the Florida Keys will get good with the drop of water temperatures. Look for tailing fish in the lower stages of the tides around Oceanside flats, as the water rises look for mudding fish in the same area. There were some great catches of Bonefish reported during the windy conditions we experience through out the week as some guides stacked out close to shore around Oceanside flats using the chumming technique with shrimp. The pilchards are easily available and fishing the local creeks and channels with a live well full of them have been proven very successful with our resident Tarpon with Snappers, Jacks and some nice Snook as well. So get out on the water and enjoy the great fishing opportunities the cooler temperatures bring to the Florida Keys

Captain Juan Garcia