Key West

[fishmaster892]

Left for Key West early Thursday morning had all my fishing gear but was unable to bring the kayak. We arrived around 11am but it took a little while to get are passes to get into the US naval base. We stayed with my dads friend who is a 2 star master Chief of the coast guard. He has an awesome house right on the water. First thing I did after unpacking was tie on a jig and start fishing. First cast with a doa cal I caught a 6lb mangrove snapper. For the next 6 hours this is how it was. Almost every cast I had a hit I caught like 15 species in half a day of fishing including: mangrove snapper, yellow tail snapper, barracuda, cero mackeral, spanish mackeral, Big blue runners, jacks, leather backs, sharks, grunts, black grouper, gag grouper, and another kind of grouper maybe strawberry?


So as it was getting dark I started filleting snapper and mackeral. I got about half way done when I started hearing slurping. I turned around and all I could see in the dock light was tarpon from 15-50lbs. So I picked up a rod with an xrap and boom first cast fish on!!!! It jumped about 10 times before it threw the hook Darn! So I tied on a little mirrolure thing casted without evening working it I was hooked up!!!! HAHAHA Must have jumped 15-20 times before I was able to tame the beast probably only 25lbs but tons of fun.

Got a little messed up because it jumped on and off the dock twice.
After that my dads friend mike caught one on a little white bait I hooked on for him.
I figured I better finish preparing the fish so we could eat.

notice my shirt is all wet from the poon.
So we had a great snapper dinner then we went down town which was a blast for anyone who has been to fantasy fest knows what I'm talking about.

So friday morning I woke up early and fished the morning bite. I used spook and caught tons of cudas, snappa, jacks, and jumped two respectable tarpon. At about 11 Bob the master chief came out and said lets go get some bugs. We snorkeled the edge of a channel that has a 6-8ft edge we both got lobsters but not are limits. Saw lots of big snapper and grouper also one huge moray eel that I got to close to. So we swam home to prepare for the night in Key West. Had another great night downtown.
When we got back around 3 I grabed a rod and start catchin poons. I caught them on about every fifth cast. I had to wait 15 minutes in between fish for them to come back to the light.



Saturday I woke up late because of a long night! So I got up slowly and decide to go snorkel around some docks I found some really cool juvi. french angel fish.

When I got back I was chillin on the dock when I spotted an Iguana in the back yard. I followed him out on the dock when he went for a dive and so did I here are the results.

So we got ready and headed out for the pre parade party. The parade was awesome everyone was begging for beeds!!


The parade was awesome. The girls would do almost anything for beeds lol. Got back around 3 again and caught 3 tarpon 2 on fly and one on white bait.

I got an awesome video of the tarpon slurping down my fly but I havent been able to upload it on PB.

[americanrobster]

Very cool thanks for sharing the pics. I was down there about a month ago and had a blast. I have been to Key West 2 times in less than a year.

[TK]

I hope the woman in orange paid the appropriate toll for the beads.

Sounds like a great trip!

[justabucup]

Great report. Fantasy Fest is good times good times.

[Redfishn'Ale]

ahhh fantasy fest...

nice report, glad to see you got in some poons down there, one way other the other

[BearsFan]

Great report. Looks like a great time.

[mudfish]

I hope the woman in orange paid the appropriate toll for the beads...

You have excellent taste!

[rsieminski]

Orange is my favorite color! She's a doll.