Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Boatless Fishing Reports for Monroe County, Florida Keys
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jvor24
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by jvor24 »

strizile wrote:Well you had fun though
yes I did and I would have kept one of those cudas for the grill they are yummy
Hi im jvor24 and im an addict

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chris21
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by chris21 »

not too familiar with keys bridges, where is it good to fish the 7 mile bridge for tarpon and snapper?? what bridge you talking about in long key??
There's no such thing as too much bait!!

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PhishingPhanatic
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by PhishingPhanatic »

The only spot you can fish on 7 mile bridge is the south end of the bridge, there is about a mile section you can walk out on. The bridge in Long Key that people refer to is Long Key Bridge, at MM 62 or so, it is 3 miles long.
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GrillN
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by GrillN »

Just fished somewhere between MM88 and MM 50 :cheers: and caught our limit of mangroves. We threw back anything under 12 inches. No need for 10 inch keepers. Also caught a nice little strawberry, threw it back in. No real big hits. Just solid snapper fishing. The fish are out there, just gotta find em. Tight lines.
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PhishingPhanatic
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by PhishingPhanatic »

Thanks for the report, this is a good time of year for mangroves from the bridges, you just have to move around until you find them.
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GrillN
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by GrillN »

PhishingPhanatic wrote:Thanks for the report, this is a good time of year for mangroves from the bridges, you just have to move around until you find them.
Yea it is. Had a nice 20 incher hit a live pinfish. Taste great on the BBQ! :pistols:
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jth3rd
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by jth3rd »

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
1/28 - fished about an hour right before they closed, using pilchards. A few bites, that was about it.

1/29 - started around 9:30 AM, finished about 6:20 PM (two weddings going on, so the park stayed open a little later than usual).

Used pilchards, a few ballyhoo, shrimp and a small grunt that I had caught. Two other guys were also fishing the entire day, the other two caught and released a large stingray each (one on a live pilchard, the other on a half-ballyhoo). I had a large fish-of-undetermined origin on the line for about 10-15 minutes on a half ballyhoo, but it ultimately broke off. I'm suspecting a stingray.

Bahia Honda

Spent about 2 1/2 hours fishing this afternoon, at the base of the bridge (gulf side) using shrimp, pilchards, and finger mullet. No luck on the pilchards or mullet. Used a small piece of shrimp to pick off a small pinfish, and then launched that out for about 30 minutes. No luck on that either.

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Miamipescador
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by Miamipescador »

I fished the 7 mile on 1/29/11. The snappers were gone until the incoming tide started coming in. There were plenty of snook about halfway through the bridge, caught and relesed 1. Their really finicky and would not hit large live shrimp but somehow i got one on a lure. Once the incoming rolled in the snapper action was constant, although most of them werent anything monstruous as ive caught before there. Most snappers were around 12 inches with 1 that went 14, all on live shrimp under the pilings about 100 feet into the pier.
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brushfly
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by brushfly »

We fished Bahia Honda last Sunday. It was our first trip to the Keys and had a great time. We didn't catch much, a small Ladyfish on the fly and some small snappers for my son on Spinning on the bay side. I also caught some small silver fish on the fly that had some wicked spiked fins behind his dorsal that nailed me pretty good when I went to take the hook off.

On Monday we hired a guide and did great in the Lakes Passages but boat fish don't count I guess. Great time and an unbelievable fishery you have down there.

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Green Tide
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by Green Tide »

sounds like you got what i call the leather back. i don't know if that is the correct name or not. but they will sting with them lower fins.
they look like great bait but i have always heard not much will eat them. most pelicans will even turn them down.
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ravirobin
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by ravirobin »

hello all,

I am from Maryland. I will be travelling to Lower Keys from 3/23 - 3/26. I will be staying at Either Bahia Honda or Sugarloaf Key KOA. Since I am tight on budget, I will try to fish everyday for dinner or lunch. Here are couple of questions-

1. What are the good fishes for grilling?
2. What areas are good for fishing at Bahia Honda, Sugarloaf Key, and Surrounding area.
3. Since I am tight on budget, I don't wanna spend too much money on bait. What can I use for bait. Should I fish first for bait fish, and then fish for real fish.

I am still a novice on fishing, so please help.

Ravi.

brushfly
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by brushfly »

Now that I'm back I'm hooked on the Bahia Honda Cam. RIght now 5:48PM, I think there's a few Goliath hanging around but can't make out any scale to determine if they are Goliath or just black groupers. This morning two really nice snook cruised by.

As a northerner, just went to a chart to look at them in detail. Goliath they are as their tails were rounded and not like a gag or black. Also looking up that Leatherback...thank you.

brushfly
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by brushfly »

King Mackeral: Looking it up on the internet it is indeed a leatherjacket fish and ouch, those fins did hurt like a brother trucker! Got three into me.

Miami_Chris
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by Miami_Chris »

ravirobin wrote:hello all,

I am from Maryland. I will be travelling to Lower Keys from 3/23 - 3/26. I will be staying at Either Bahia Honda or Sugarloaf Key KOA. Since I am tight on budget, I will try to fish everyday for dinner or lunch. Here are couple of questions-

1. What are the good fishes for grilling?
2. What areas are good for fishing at Bahia Honda, Sugarloaf Key, and Surrounding area.
3. Since I am tight on budget, I don't wanna spend too much money on bait. What can I use for bait. Should I fish first for bait fish, and then fish for real fish.

I am still a novice on fishing, so please help.

Ravi.
the fish you wanna go after if your trying to eat is mangrove snapper. pick up some live shrimp (usually about 3 bucks a dozen), and fish them on knocker rig. they have to be 10 in to keep and can only keep 5 per day, so make sure to have a ruler of some sort. if the snapper dont cooperate, toss out some squid (also very cheap) and stack up on grunts. they may not be very big, but they taste pretty good and there is no size limit on them that i am aware of. dont overlook tossing out a cut up grunt on a bigger rod for anything bigger lurking around. have fun dude, and post a report when you get back 8) :reeling:

Albacized
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by Albacized »

ravirobin wrote:hello all,

I am from Maryland. I will be travelling to Lower Keys from 3/23 - 3/26. I will be staying at Either Bahia Honda or Sugarloaf Key KOA. Since I am tight on budget, I will try to fish everyday for dinner or lunch. Here are couple of questions-

1. What are the good fishes for grilling?
2. What areas are good for fishing at Bahia Honda, Sugarloaf Key, and Surrounding area.
3. Since I am tight on budget, I don't wanna spend too much money on bait. What can I use for bait. Should I fish first for bait fish, and then fish for real fish.

I am still a novice on fishing, so please help.

Ravi.

Catching your own bait is a good idea - but one thing I found down there is that pilchards, pinfish, live shrimp, etc aren't very hardy if you don't 1) have a small aerator for your bucket or 2) have one of those buckets with holes so that you can leave it in the water and hence, naturally circulates.

For the baitfish, if you buy yourself a sabiki rig for a buck or two (the one with the smallest hooks (I think size 12 or smaller hooks)...without tipping them with any bait, you'll catch the pilchards...if you tip the small hooks with a small amount of bait, you'll get the pinfish (for live shimp, you'll most likely have to purchase them)...and you can purchase live pinfish too...but there's no need if you're willing to fish for your bait.

ravirobin
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by ravirobin »

Hey guys,

Finally decided. Going to Stay at Bahia Honda Starting This Tuesday, 3/15/11 For 3 - 5 days.

Thanks for all the good info. I'll definitely look into bringing a bucket for bait and keeping an aerator. You guys replied on how to fish, but I am still confused about where to fish if I am staying at bahia honda.

Should I fish from old broken bridge? fish from the shore? take a kayak and fish from under the bridge? I can drive to nearby places as well. So any other spots that will be good? What time of the day will be good for fishing, night time or early morning or afternoon?

Besides grilling, I might make fish stew also. What other fishes will be good for eating other than Mangrove Snapper and Grunt?

Since I will be fishing alone (wife can't eat fish if she catches it) from 3/16 - 3/18, I would definitely like if someone can join me for fishing. I always fished with my dad, so it will be weird fishing alone. I am flexible on the hours.

Thanks a million guys.
Ravi.

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bolo
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by bolo »

You can only fish on the shoreline near the bridge. The broken bridge is off limits. You can fish with your kayak during slack tide. When the tide starts going I would be careful. That is one of the deepest channel in the Keys. There are some big sharks and big snapper, grouper, tarpon, snook, and permit.
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fairweather
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by fairweather »

Fished from my yak for the first few days of March while camping at Bahia Honda. I found it kind of tough fishing. At least while I was there, I didn't find much action on the flats. Had the best luck fishing for grovers near the pilings under the new bridge. I have a lot of experience fishing from the yak, but found it a little challenging at the park, between the current and the wind. At times the wind was howling and the current was ripping in the opposite direction. Much of the time my anchor wouldn't hold and I spent too much time trying to hold position. If the wind is down, you should have good luck there. Even with all of the challenges, I would do it again in a heartbeat. It's a beautiful park.

PeirRat1985
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by PeirRat1985 »

I gotta question if you where going to fish from land their where would be the best place? It has my interest cause its the deepest bridge in the keys.

ravirobin
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by ravirobin »

Thanks for replies guys. I appreciate it.

Where else can I fish around Bahia Honda other than Under the bridge and shoreline. I don't mind if it's 0-10 miles away from the park as long as it's good fishing spot.

Can't wait to fish on Wednesday.

Ravi.

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fairweather
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by fairweather »

Pier rat, you can wade the flats, for one. They're shallow enough to wade pretty far out. You really can't get to the deep water without a boat as the old bridge is closed and fishing isn't permitted on the new bridge either. You can cast to the first set of pilings on the old bridge from the seawall. Hopefully you like grunts and a lot of company in a small amount of space. :)

Ravi, you can fish the west end of seven mile bridge. The deepest water is actually right after you step onto the pier. I was fishing in what seemed like a gale the day I went, and all I caught was a couple of blowfish. I wished I had fished the bridge at Big Pine Key instead. I think that might have been better. Take a trip down to Jigs Bait and Tackle in Big Pine Key and buy some stuff, and ask for advice. They post local reports. You need to get bait and tackle anyway.

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Boca Jetty Rat
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by Boca Jetty Rat »

That is alot of info on the keys brah!! :toast: That about sums it up for anything. If your local then you get it, if not then it might be a little more difficult. In my experience with the keys its very well traveled and not as remote as a tourist might think. The keys are still way fun and worth the trip. I recomend hot weather cuz I'm local and I like it hot. So fun in the keys. :toast: Can't wait to get out of this funk ane get back there.
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Green Tide
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by Green Tide »

rare
thanks for all the tips and such a good read. that guy knows how to right and give good detales
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fairweather
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by fairweather »

Hey ravirobin, got a report for us? I'm interested to know how it went.

wavygravy
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by wavygravy »

Ill be down there in a couple weeks and going all out for the feeshes. Ill give up to date reports if Ive got the internet available. The kayak will be the main form of transportation. Ill be staying about 30 miles N of Key West.

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Green Tide
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Re: Lower Keys Fishing Reports

Post by Green Tide »

tried fishing the lower keys saturday night before the cleanup, went to spot that produces good grovers in the day so i figured i would do at least as good at night but that didn't happen.
got there and caught some pinners then started sending them out around 530. The tide was going out and i knew i had at least 4 hours until it was gonna change again but i have done well on the outgoing so i put the spread out .
had some hits on ballyhoo but no takers just tasters.Kept the pinfish down on a couple of rods but not much was going on. I lowered my leader to 20# and hung a few but got cut off . decided to get some rest around 12-1 since i was gonna have to leave around 4 to get to ch 2 by five to start the tournament.
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