July backcountry fishing in Islamorada is HOT!

[syxxt9]

It's mid july and we are smack in the middle of summer time here in Islamorada, Florida Keys. The fishing has been stellar. July has been very consistent with the tarpon action, most trips we are getting multiple fish and I've only had one trip in the last 16 I've had in July that we have not caught at least one tarpon. The early morning fishing is the ticket in the everglades, mullet have been easily obtained in a couple spots where if you get there early, one throw of the net and you have plenty of bait for 2 days of fishing. Most of these fish are resident fish - no longer the 100+ lbers though more fish in the 30-60 lb range with the occasional brute here and there. Aside from the tarpon I've been doing a good bit of snook fishing which has been great too. Pilchards (white bait) have been in the near-gulf where we can chum them up and throw a net on them. While they don't show up every day, most days they do and while your waiting you can usually catch nice size snapper and trout drifting cut bait. The incoming tides have produced good fishing along the shallow shorelines of the mainland. With the light winds the water is very clean and not too muddy which these fish like. The occasional redfish is mixed in there too giving the opportunity for the backcountry SLAM of tarpon, snook, and redfish. Well that's what I've been up to the last month or so, there is also good fishing in the gulf this time of year for permit and cobia, though I've been sticking to the routine mentioned above because it's just been so good!

Capt. Rick Stanczyk
rick@seethefloridakeys.net
Bonefish Fishing in Islamorada (http://www.bonefishislamorada.com)

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