Key Largo Fishing Help?

[TexasDan]

Taking the family down to Key Largo next month for a long weekend and thinking about taking the kayak. We have stayed there before. It was before my kayak fishing days.

The hotel we are staying at is on the gulf side and they have a launch area at the hotel.

Any suggestions?

[krash]

depends on your target,and experience.. main suggestion, bring bug-spray, and more bug spray.

I'd look, check GE before even driving down and asking this question, launch.. head for mangroves and start casting top-water early, soft plastics after the sun is bright overhead..

[Wuluf]

As stated above, bring lots of skeeter juice. It gets really bad down here. I stop someplace before my launch point to cover myself with repellant because the Mosquitos are so brutal they will eat you alive while you are putting your boat in the water. They will also follow you out for a little ways.

Another suggestion is to simply rent a kayak at Florida Bay Outfitters in Key Largo. They have a great rental fleet. I bought my Tarpon 160 from them as they are a great kayak store. You can launch behind FBO and fish Blackwater Sound / Dusenberry Creek. You could also take the boat over to John Pennecamp to launch, then go straight across to El Radabob Key for Bonefish, etc..

I launch out of Garden Cove Marina and fish around Rattlesnake Key all the time. There are Tarpon there, but probably more Barracuda. There is a small submerged barge in the no motor zone which holds small Grouper, Cudas, and Snapper.

Wherever you go bring some heavy leader material or fine wire for a bite tippet / bite leader. I get bit off with 15 or 20#, but 30# or more seems to work.

[TexasDan]

Thanks for the help guys.

[krash]

I think if you rent from FBO they will also drop and pick-up at Garden Cove.. they used to anyhow.