Middle Keys Fishing Reports

[Rare]

when are we going bridge fishing again tho? my friends been catching permits out there on channel 5, isn't permit season closed right now?

It's been closed since May 1 untill July 31. Im more off shore than inshore for now. If not, its solo trips or just with the buds when they have time. Too many things going on to make a trips like before. You didn't give this fish away to others? Im not putting you down but i will trade all of your fish for 1 of israelmachado247. Congrats on the catch. Its no different from when i catch red grouper. I will trade for muttons or other fish. On 1 trip, i traded, Rob 2 reds for one of his big fat porgy.! Hit a few spots on long key and you will bring them up all day if they are there that size.

[k5523915]

Lol Nelson no sir not that time,, it was an old picture i kept them all until i found out there are better tasting fish to keep.. yeah i feel you, i''d trade 10 yellowjaks for one Porgy and even a snapper.. YJ are fun to catch, sometimes they eat my crabs and those are the really big ones pushing 15,20 lbs.

but that sucks man, i wish we do another trip, i am 5 years away from doing offshore trips need to save some money lol

[Averring]

Whatsup, I'm new here. Just went to the long key bridge last night with a good friend from about 1am to 5am and the fish there were very pleased, we fed them live shrimp, cold spanish sardines and squid. we caught and released 2 small grunts, a small mangrove snapper and a yellowtail. I wonder if nighttime is usually a good time to fish? the moonlight was not shining and we were wearing lights on our heads so i wonder if that scared the big ones. they were biting all night tho, but i guess it was the lil ones. all in all, i realize that its not about catching fish but about being out there and enjoying the moment. although i dont think ill be doing any more night trips cause im exhausted.

[buddyg125]

Whatsup, I'm new here. Just went to the long key bridge last night with a good friend from about 1am to 5am and the fish there were very pleased, we fed them live shrimp, cold spanish sardines and squid. we caught and released 2 small grunts, a small mangrove snapper and a yellowtail. I wonder if nighttime is usually a good time to fish? the moonlight was not shining and we were wearing lights on our heads so i wonder if that scared the big ones. they were biting all night tho, but i guess it was the lil ones. all in all, i realize that its not about catching fish but about being out there and enjoying the moment. although i dont think ill be doing any more night trips cause im exhausted.

First guys great catch I want to get out there


I don't know about the others but I prefer nights, but in a full moon or half, the lights shouldn't matter, another reason is that you get to hide from the sun and heat, try to catch some sleep when the bite is down, I have caught myself sleeping on traffic light on my way back home, i live in Miami so the drive is long, best thing to do is to take a nap before leaving

[Hititfromthebank]

Whats up fellow anglers! I'm fishing channel 2 this Saturday morning, thinking of arriving right before day break. What bait should I take? I was thinking of taking a few crabs, pin fish and some shrimp. I'm looking to test out some new gear I just got, what do you guys recommend I do? I've never fished this bridge before. Thanks!

[clarence2society]

i dj at woodys al weekend at night. i may pop in to see ya.. i didnt bring bridge gear this time... i just have rods bucket net and whatever tackle is in my backpack but enoughto snapper or YJ fish.... maybe ill come meet you for a bit.. hell i dont even have my bridge cart and one cooler full of food only lol

[clarence2society]

not much sense in dipping crabs yet if you ask me.. permit season is over til the first... live shrimp. troll rites and some lead heavy enough for bottom....4-10 ounce sometimes heavier on 2 it rips hard. also squid is always good. chum bag and sabiki for live baits. of course bait well

[Averring]

Whatsup, I'm new here. Just went to the long key bridge last night with a good friend from about 1am to 5am and the fish there were very pleased, we fed them live shrimp, cold spanish sardines and squid. we caught and released 2 small grunts, a small mangrove snapper and a yellowtail. I wonder if nighttime is usually a good time to fish? the moonlight was not shining and we were wearing lights on our heads so i wonder if that scared the big ones. they were biting all night tho, but i guess it was the lil ones. all in all, i realize that its not about catching fish but about being out there and enjoying the moment. although i dont think ill be doing any more night trips cause im exhausted.

First guys great catch I want to get out there


I don't know about the others but I prefer nights, but in a full moon or half, the lights shouldn't matter, another reason is that you get to hide from the sun and heat, try to catch some sleep when the bite is down, I have caught myself sleeping on traffic light on my way back home, i live in Miami so the drive is long, best thing to do is to take a nap before leaving

thanks for the tip brother. yeah i live in miami as well and its definitely dangerous to be half asleep.

[fishnfool73]

Whats up fellow anglers! I'm fishing channel 2 this Saturday morning, thinking of arriving right before day break. What bait should I take? I was thinking of taking a few crabs, pin fish and some shrimp. I'm looking to test out some new gear I just got, what do you guys recommend I do? I've never fished this bridge before. Thanks!

Live shrimp if and that's a big if you can find them big enough to use jig head or split shot and fish then at first light for yellow jacks. Sabikis in # 3 red and green as well. Hit the pilings you see the thread fins for bait. Other than the threadies may be ballyhoo or small jacks around for bait. Leave the chum and squid as home in my opinion. Squid is only good for grunts tropicals and short snapper. The current is too fast for chum and is a waste unless you know the tide and channels to target keeper ytails. Tube lure worked on slack tide works for cudas.

[clarence2society]

most of my keeper muttons have been on squid.... its strange but true... on the drift boat, at the pier, and on the bridges... just seems to work.

[fishnfool73]

Maybe for you not for me.its like BOLO says if you have confidence in a bait or technique that works for you go with it but if you don't have confidence it will never work for you. I've caught hundreds if not thousands of muttons and can't recall more than a handful being on squid. I'll stick with gogs and ballyhoo.

[k5523915]

i've always caught my muttons with live shrimps and dead sardines...... i've also heard many people caught them with squids and hoos especially down in the keys...

[clarence2society]

i use both and im not arguing the point.. just sharing that i have caught most of my keepers on squid... its weird i know but its true.... hell now doesnt matter much since they have to be 18 heh.. ill be fishing for them from the new boat offshore:)

[zpunancy]

funny you guys talk about baits for muttons . There use to be this guy who fished long key ( could have been someone from the forum for all I know ) and he would use live pin fish and he would cut off the dorsal fin and then he would scale his pin fish yes scale them and he fished it on a super long fish finder and he would do really well on mutts . Super weird but it worked for him

[anas473]

I'm a huge believer in squid. If I'm cheap for the day I bring out a box of squid and I floss tie a whole squid to a circle on a long leader and I do very well with them on the muttons, very very well. That being said I usually prefer a fresher bait because they last longer but I wouldn't ever hesitate putting a whole squid on a long leader

[fishnfool73]

I fish the same baits on the bridges for muttons as I do in the Tortugas whole ballyhoo whole thread fin whole or half gogs but then I don't have to measure the ones I catch

[clarence2society]

hmmmmmmmmmmmm how do you rig your ballyhoos?

[GetFish]

Heading out to Long Key tonight if anyone's going out there. It'll be my first time out there, hoping I figure it out.

[clarence2society]

lk is overwhelming so much ground to cover... bring a cart and toilet paper and extra bucket hahah

[permitchaser]

the Permssss are on LKey

[kblue]

Nice Raul!!!

Here we go MR. permit chaser!!!

[Snapperfanatic1828]

Now, those r 2 perfect eating perms! Nice raul!!!

[clarence2society]

ill be going out this weekend a little bit after work...

[Miami_Chris]

the Permssss are on LKey

Awesome!

[clarence2society]

anyone fishing in the morning?? im gonna head out around 6 after work for a couple hours

[clarence2society]

no permit this weekend but hey ill take these.... also missed a monster that popped my 30lb flouro lol.... but hey it was a good weekend

[clarence2society]

dinner with lobster mac for two... and then lunch and then dinner again ... fish tacos baby

[Snapperfanatic1828]

Awesome....id take that menu anytime!!! Nice yj's tho!

[clarence2society]

if i had a partner i coulda had one more he came up with the second one and by time i rerigged sabiki they were moved out... but yeah ill take those.. had to be 5 lbers not sure but i got a lot of meat... other than that it was dead out there 7 til 2pm

[permitchaser]

thank you boyz


nice mix bag Jerry for d tacos chiuwawuaaa