The waters of the Middle Keys are offering up plenty of nice size dolphin these days.
Gaffer size dolphin are being caught on weed lines 15 to 25 miles off Marathon, with some five- to ten-pound blackfin tuna mixed in. Find a floater and you may be rewarded with one-stop-shopping for your limit of dolphin and perhaps a small wahoo.
Action on the reef and wrecks
Fish in 40 feet of water on the reef and you’ll be dining on yellowtail snapper. There are mangrove snapper on the shallower reef edge as well as the patch reefs.
Cero mackerel are also making a nice showing on the reef. They make delicious ceviche. Net up or hair hook the ballyhoo in your chum slick as you’re yellowtailing and you’ll be all set.
The wrecks are offering up amberjack, jack crevalle, the occasional mutton snapper and the very occasional grouper plus scattered small to midsize kingfish.
Lobster season
It’s lobster-palooza in Florida Bay! Recreational lobster hunting has been quite productive, with some hefty bugs coming back to the dock. We’ve heard of many reports of lobster up to three pounds or so.
Exercise caution as there is a large amount of commercial lobster gear in the water this year. Stay down wind and down tide of the buoys to prevent getting tangled up in the lines that may be trailing on the surface.
Mangrove snapper in Florida Bay
If the breeze is blowing a bit, or if you’d just like a quick fix, head to Florida Bay for mangrove snapper fishing. There are lots of 12- to 15-inch mangroves there for the taking. But, don’t be fooled. Mangrove snappers are incredibly hard-fighting fish for their size, but well worth the effort to get them to your dinner plate.
Shark fishing
Shallow-water fishing for sharks in the Bay and Gulf areas continues to provide exciting outings. Catch-and-release shark fishing presents the opportunity to experience the exhilaration of big game sport fishing closer to shore and easier on your budget.
The week’s best catches
Summer is winding down and families from near and far are getting in their last shots at vacation time.
The SeaSquared hosted families for snapper fishing on the reef, dolphin fishing offshore and catch-and-release shark fishing in Florida Bay.
Click here to read all the reports. Click on the links for more information and pictures.
Until next week … tight lines!
Capt. Chris and Christy Johnson SeaSquared Charters Marathon Florida Keys 305-743-5305 SeaSquared@bellsouth.netClick to be redirected to our handy CONTACT FORM …
Our websites: SeaSquared Charters Marathon Family Fishing Marathon Shark Fishing Hooked On Marathon Vacation Marathon Sunset Cruise
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