Fishing Reports Archives

Islamorada Fishing Reports – 4-29-2022

May 18, 2022 by Mark

Hello everyone, and welcome back to this week’s report! The winds have finally subsided and it looks like we are going to have a stretch of nice weather for once with NO COLD FRONTS! Pretty amazing that we are finally getting to see some consistency as it has been a LONG winter. Whatever it is we will take it! The fishing this week has been pretty good with a mixed bag of just about everything.

Offshore Fishing is Producing

The offshore has produced some swordfish, mahi, tuna, Amberjacks, and sharks.

Reef & Wreck Fishing... with Bait Comes Fish

The wrecks and deep ledges have been producing some mutton snappers, amberjacks, throwback groupers, permit, bonita, and jack crevalles. On top of that the reef fishing has been really solid with the yellowtail snappers in full spawn. There have still been a few sailfish running around, and even a few wahoo around the reef edge and the wrecks.

Fishing has been pretty good, and a lot of it has to do with the amount of bait around. As soon as the wind died out the pilchards showed their faces and there’s bait all over the shallow patches making the chumming optimal.

On That Note

A lot of opportunity right now, and it should only get better as we swing into summer. Looking forward to this nice break from the wind, and some great fishing! Hope you all get a chance to get out this weekend, and if you do be safe out there!

Islamorada Fishing Report – 10-7-2021

October 7, 2021 by Mark

Hey guys, it’s Captain James Chappell back again this week with a new report! A great week of fishing so far this week with the mahi bite in full swing! Lots of nice mahi’s out there, and plenty of them.

Offshore Fishing is Hot & Fast!!!

The offshore scene this week has been great. They are pretty much in all depths outside 400’, and I don’t’ think any of our boats have spent a minute past 11am to get their limit all week. The tuna bite on the humps remains good with some nicer sized fish this week.

The pilchards have been a little challenging due to the wind, so we have bee deep drifting mostly with cigar minnows, but the yield size has been fantastic! The sharks are still a pain in the butt, but this is just part of the deal. You win some, you lose some, but at the end things seem to work themselves out.

Wreck Fishing with Sharks

Wreck fishing this week has had mostly the same issue where the sharks are concerned. We catch a few, the sharks get fired up and start eating everything, then we make a move and start the process all over again. After 3 to 4 spots you generally have what you need and move on to the next target.

Reef Fishing

Reef fishing has had its ups and downs this week mostly due to the current. It was up the rope a day or two, but using the tide has been beneficial if you time it right. The fish are there, just some challenging conditions.

On That Note

Great fishing all-in-all for this time of year! If you are targeting sails this is picking up and becoming more consistent. A couple few shots each day have been the norm so far, and the wind has helped this out for sure. We are hoping this is the start of a good body of fish moving in early.

Well, that’s it for this week. Be safe out there!

Islamorada Fishing Reports – 05/28/2021

May 28, 2021 by Mark

Hello everyone, and welcome back to this week’s report! It has been a windy week here in the Upper Florida Keys up to the end of the week, but as of Thursday it is pretty awesome out! Looks like it is going to be a beautiful Memorial Day weekend!

Mahi, Tuna, Sailfish, Amberjacks, & Sharks Offshore!!!

The fishing this week has been pretty good, as the mahi bite is picking up as the moon progresses. Not a lot of big ones, but decent numbers of schoolies. The story on the hump is the same with the smaller tunas, sharks, and jacks…plenty of them…..go for it. There’s been a nice edge in 300’ of water, and it has had some sails and bigger tunas, but I don’t think it is going to be around for too long with the weather changing.

Reef Fishing & Wreck Fishing

The reef and wrecks have been decent thus far, but the water is pretty clean so we will see.

On That Note

It is going to be busy out there, I am sure of that with the nice weather, so pick your poison and pick it early. I think anything you want to do will work, at least enough to feel successful or put dinner on the table.

Bait has been the worst of it, but as of this AM there were a few schools showing up down south. Well, that’s it for this week! Have a safe weekend everyone!

Islamorada Fishing Reports – 05/21/2021

May 21, 2021 by Mark

Hey guys and gals, welcome back! What a week of wind we are having her in the upper Florida Keys, and it has had us completely shut down since Wednesday. We are planning on going on Saturday, but the winds are going to remain a bit blustery throughout the weekend, so for those in the smaller boats you may want to stay close to shore, in the bay, or bellied up somewhere with a cold one!

Great Offshore Fishing

The fishing early in the week was really good on the offshore scene as the mahi fishing has been great! I would expect it to be just as good, if not better, than it was before the wind and they should be close. The current is surely going to be in tight after this heavy wind, so fishing should be really good offshore. No doubt the tunas, AJ’s, and sharks will be thick on the humps as well. The deep dropping might be a little tough with the gulf stream current having moved in so close, but may push in far enough that the sword grounds won’t be so bad. We will have to wait and see on Saturday.

Hopefully the bait fishing will be possible, but the offshore fish should be hungry, so I am sure squid and other dead bait will work just fine.

Reef Fishing & Wreck Fishing

As for the reef and wrecks, they were in pretty good shape when we left it with a decent bite of mutton snappers, groupers, and miscellaneous critters, so I would expect that it will still be good when the wind slows. Although, with the current pushed in, if it actually is way in, this could make for a difficult condition.

On That Note

Well, that is it for this week, sorry for the short report. Check back next week and we will see how it all ends up! Be safe!

Islamorada Fishing Reports – 05/14/2021

May 14, 2021 by Mark

Hello everyone, and welcome back to this week’s report! This week has been pretty incredible as the weather has been beautiful, and the fishing has finally found some consistency. Although this has been great, a “but” is coming…..we have another cold front coming through. As welcomed as the cooler temperatures will be, it is pretty crazy that on May 15^th we are getting a cold front. We will see what happens to the fishing, but hopefully it won’t screw things up too bad. If the wind comes around quickly we should be good, so stay tuned. Or, maybe the North wind will spark up the miracle “tailing” condition for the sails? Who knows, but one thing is for sure that it will be what it will be! We are going to get pretty breezy for most of the weekend into next week, so thankfully we have a bunch of troopers on the schedule.

Offshore Mahi Fishing is HOT!!!

As for the fishing, the mahi fishing has been great! Finally we have been able to pretty much catch a limit on both boats every trip if we choose. Even a few nicer fish too, with a couple over 30 pounds and several nice teenagers. Let’s hope this keeps going! The tuna fishing has been pretty good on the humps as well, although they aren’t very big, they are still fun to catch and tasty!

Reef Fishing & Wreck Fishing

The reef and wreck fishing this week has been a little on the slower side, but not terrible. It has been day to day fighting the predators and/or current and water clarity, and the groupers have actually bit pretty well.

On That Note

All-in-all things are pretty good, and they definitely could be a lot worse. Let’s just keep out finger’s crossed and hope this change doesn’t mess up a good thing we got going! Until next week, be safe!