Key West Fishing Trip ~ 2008

I have no idea why there is a yellow box around West or how I did it.
 
........So we checked into the trailer we rented on the Navy base.  My buddy used to be in the Air Force, this enabled us to stay at the trailer, with central air, for $65/night.  Quite a bargain in KW, plus we were only 200 yards from the Gulf of Mexico.  That night we ate at Guy Harvey's Island Grill.  The barbecued shrimp was great!
 

 
  Thursday morning was our first day out fishing.  We hired a guide for three split days.  He is a former Air Force buddy of Tom.  He took us out for 5 hours in the mornings and 5 hours in the late afternoon.  This enabled us to beat the heat and catch the tide in an out-going phase.  Our guide, Jeff, uses two different boats a 16 foot flats boat and a 28 foot boat with two 225 motors.  We mainly used the later because of the windy conditions, except Friday morning we fished out of the flats boat. We fished bait all three days because of the wind.  Using a fly rod was very tough to say the least.
 

 
  We started out in Key West Harbor, near Mallory Square, drifting cut bait (herring) behind the boat with the incoming tide.  After catching a few yellow tail snappers and some small mutton snappers we noticed a couple of tarpon rolling.  Our guide continued to chum a bit more and we proceeded to drift our cut bait.  Just then Tom hooked a tarpon.  We were using 6/0 circle hooks, so he started reeling after a short run by the fish.  Fish on!  Just then the tarpon went completely airborne, just 40 feet from the boat.  Yahoo I yelled!  Tom did the proper thing and bowed to the tarpon.  This gives the fish slack line so it doesn't snap the 80# leader.  Tom fought the 100# tarpon for at least another 15 minutes.  The fish rolled a couple of times and on it's third jump the leader broke.  I have most of it all on video.  We also had a live pin fish (4-5 inches) baited under a balloon bobber.  I caught a #18 barracuda with this set-up.
 

 
I'm on the left, guide Jeff on right

 

 
This is what happens to a yellow tail snapper when Mr. barracuda is around

 
Lemon shark I caught

 
Gray snapper

 
......tbe continued
 
 
 
 

After a hearty lunch we headed out to the south (Atlantic Ocean) side of Key West Harbor.  The channel has been dredged to allow cruise ships to pass through after docking at Key West.  We caught more sharks, groupers, blue runners and various snapper, plus a couple of jack cravelle that went 9# each.









Most every day that we were in Key West the high temperature was around 90 with lows around 80 degrees.  It was mostly overcast and the wind was pretty strong every day, so it was very hard to sight fish with the fly rod.

Later that evening we moved to the north end of the harbor in hopes of hooking a tarpon.  About a half an hour before sundown I finally hooked a tarpon myself.  I was using cut bait behind a chum slick our guide threw out.  It took my bait and proceeded to come directly at the boat.   The fish went around our vessel even went under it before streaking out about 120 feet from us.  Just then it leaped completely out of the water.  Yahoo!  Instinctively I lifted my 7 foot med/heavy spin rod upward.  I learned an important lesson.  I should have bowed to the tarpon because it easily snapped the 80# leader.  I thought next time I get a chance I would absolutely bow forward to give slack line.  Our guide estimated the tarpon to be around 100#.

To be continued.......

Some more pictures:
 
Key West Art Gallery

 
Key West Saltwater Angler - flyfishing and apparel

 
Some typical Key West houses:
(notice the blue porch roofs, this repels bugs)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
to be continued......
 
 

Wow! Looks like a heck of a time! Did he land it? I am glad you had fun Gregg.

Greg, wow, nice pics, glad you had a great trip.  Wonder why you're not holding that cuda? 

Looks like you had a blast! Thanks for shareing Greg!
 
Al

Greg,
 
Great pics and looks like you had a great time. Thanks for sharing, much appreciated. I haven't been down there to fish since I was in my early twenties....when I had money!
 
71

We headed out to Key West harbor early Saturday morning.  It was quite breezy and mostly overcast again.
Our guide anchored the boat in the same spot as Wednesday where both Tom and I fought a tarpon each......unsuccessfully.  Again we were drifting cut bait in the current.  It's much like drifting an egg pattern on Elk Creek, except it's close to 90 degrees and you're in a boat.  After about an hour of catching various fish, most less than 5# (bonnet head sharks, yellow tail snappers, and barracuda)  I was starting to get restless.  Just then we all noticed a tarpon rolling about 150 feet out from the boat.  I noticed it a second time, then it was gone.
Over the next half hour we observed 4 or 5 other tarpon in the harbor rolling.  All of a sudden something took my cut bait and started towards our boat.  It was at least 200 feet out.  We were using circled hooks, so as instructed by Jeff, I pointed the spin rod (7 ft., 15-30 lb rated) towards the water and reeled.  I had the fish hooked so I raised the rod tip and wham...reset the hook.  I couldn't tell what I had on because it was at least 20-30 feet deep where we were.  I thought maybe a shark or a tarpon.  Eventually it was under the boat and then it spooked away (still hooked) and made about a 100 foot run.  Oh my god it was a tarpon, as it rolled on the ocean's surface.  I almost ****ed my pants from it's shear size and from the shock that I was hooked up again to a tarpon.  All I thought was, bow to the tarpon when he jumps.  I didn't want to make the same mistake I made Wednesday.  I'm told the reason they roll on the water's surface to to take in air for their swim bladder.  This gives them much more strength.  To make a long story short I fought this tarpon for over 45 minutes.  He only jumped one time and I did bow, giving him slack line.  The fish never came unhooked.  He did roll at least 5 or 6 times, with me trying to pull the opposite way from the direction he wanted to go.  What a battle!  I was literally ready to puke about half way into the struggle.  We had him at the boat with the 80# leader in hand three times, but he would not give up.  I'm told a tarpon is considered caught once the guide is able to grasp the leader.  In Florida one has to possess a tarpon kill permit ($53) to even lift the fish out of the water.  Jeff had the leader wrapped around his gloved hand when the leader broke and the tarpon was gone.  Jeff said that he estimated it to be at least 115 lbs.  What a great fight!  The bummer is I don't have any pictures of the fish yet.  I do have a few minutes of video Tom took with his camera though.  I'm sure one can cut a picture fropm the video, I just don't know how.  Can anybody suggest where I can get help?  I really want a few still pictures.  I wish I could post all of these videos and have you all see them.

Here is one of the five videos I have:


Here is another:


I'm not done yet, I have a few other fish pictures and other photos of Key West.  To be continued......(when I have more time)

That concluded our 3 days of fishing.  We caught at least 15 different species of fish.  Overall we were on the water for 30 hours.  It cost us $800 a piece plus we gave Jeff a nice tip.  My greatest memory of the fishing was when I was hooked up to the tarpon I caught.  I'll never forget the first time the tarpon came up for air.  One thing I've learned is that it's much easier (for sharing) to snap pictures versus taking video.
 
Tom had to head home a day earlier than originally planned.  This gave me a day and a half to explore the island and be a tourist by myself.  It was time for some rest and relaxation!  Here are some more pictures of my further adventures.
 
There are chickens everywhere in Key West.  They are protected by law.  Back in the 50's and 60's cockfighting was prevalent, later to be outlawed.  These chickens are was left.
 

 
Sunday morning I took a tour of Earnest Hemingway's home in Key West.  It was very interesting to hear the tour guide talk about Heminway and the history of the island.  Check it out.
 

 

 

 

 
One of the six-toed cats that live at the house.
 

 

 
Heminway's study, where he wrote some of his novels.
 

 

 
to be continued....
 
 
 
 
 

An hour ago I rode past your store, on my bike, in the cold rain, only to get home and check out these beautiful pics of one of my favorite places.  Sure warmed me up!

Great Pictorial Greg! 

Thanks for sharing! Brings back pleasant memories!

I just got back form teh keys about 2 weeks ago. (Buddy has a house there) Not a "fishing trip" but of course did get out there about 4 of the 8 days. We stayed in Marathon. Crushed the Dolphin, hooked a tarpon, and my brother caught a stingray... overall and awesome place to be! I'll try to post some pics when I get the time