CAPTAIN'S LOG

Feed The Tarpon!

2011-09-01T10:02:00.000-04:00

Best tourist attraction in the the Florida Keys!

A school of 50 to 100 tarpon come here daily and linger for hours. Occasionally, a tarpon rises up from the water, to meet the fish as it leaves your hand. It's a sight to behold! Maybe the tarpon come here to see the humans, but toss a bait fish among them and the water churns as these monsters and the resident pelicans vie for the snack, causing quite a spectacle.

Also a good place to observe stupid human behavior.. His T shirt says "Bite Me".....

Last Train to Paradise

2011-06-22T17:52:00.000-04:00

Last Train to Paradise

Henry Flagler and the Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Railroad that Crossed an Ocean

OK... I will admit, I was expecting a dry history book with lots of boring facts and details.. I was wrong..
This book was extremely well written and absolutely fascinating.. I driven the boat under the rail road bridges thousands of times and never thought about what an amazing engineering feat his was for the early 1900s. It is unbelievable how much we have progressed and advanced in technology in just 100 years.. Miami was a small, isolated village with mud streets, weather forecasts were done with horse hair in a glass of water acting as a barometer..(not good during hurricane season), supplies brought in by steam ships, etc..

Rail road Bridge between Conch Key and Long Key

Amazon.com Review

In Last Train to Paradise novelist Les Standiford has written a lively, felicitous account of the building of the Florida East Coast Railway, which, for a little over two decades, connected mainland Florida with Key West. Henry Morrison Flagler, John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil partner and, in many eyes, the true genius behind that company, embarked on the project in 1905 when he was 74 years old. The railroad, which crossed more than 150 miles of open sea, was an engineering feat nearly equal in scale and difficulty to the digging of the Panama Canal. Standiford's narrative skillfully blends tales of construction perils (not the least of which were escadrilles of mosquitoes) with brief, illuminating travelogues and natural histories, pocket descriptions of life in early 20th-century Florida, and a truly gripping description of an epic standoff between Mother Nature, in the form of a monstrous hurricane, and a stalled, 160-ton steam locomotive. With nary a single missed note, this fascinating tale is popular history at its best. --H. O'Billovich

The railroad and its construction are showcased in "Flagler's Speedway to Sunshine," a comprehensive new exhibit at the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House

Ross Reels

2011-04-21T22:41:00.000-04:00

MomentumTM LT

Strongest Fly Reel on the Market Today!

Ross Momentum Reels

Here is what they have to say...

The MomentumTM LT reel series is the strongest and most dependable big game fly reel on the water today. The drag system is based on Carbon Fiber technology, chosen because of its stiffness, strength, heat resistance, shock-dampening capabilities and infinite fatigue resistance. The Carbon Fiber used in the Momentum LT drag system is STRONG, measuring 700ksi (700,000 pounds of force per square inch) which is more than 10x the tensile strength of the aluminum frame that carries it. In fact, the Carbon Fiber used in the Momentum LT series is also vastly stronger than steel, and even titanium! With 6.3 square inches of effective drag surface, the Momentum LT series has three times the stopping power of every competitive reel tested. Simply stated - the Momentum LT is the strongest fly reel on the market today. A triple redundancy drag provides three backup systems to ensure dependability under the most demanding fishing conditions, and by adding in features like titanium drag components, a quick-release locking spool and water shedding grooves on the palming rim, you have the ultimate big fish fly reel.

Here is what I have to say...

In over 16 years of guiding 13 of which saltwater.. I have never had one fail.. Not only that i have never heard of a ross reel failing..

Don't get me wrong.... I am sure they break.. but I have never seen or heard one fail..

On the other hand I have seen top name, brand new large arbor salt water reels, come apart on the first run of a big tarpon..

When ever I go fishing with my friends I always seem to take the rods that have Ross Reels

Just got two new Ross reels to add to this seasons arsonal..

Flats Fishing 101: POINT YOUR ROD!!

2011-03-22T21:20:00.000-04:00

A common flats fishing pic.. What is this guy doing??

He is probably going to catch a fish..

The number one thing that costs more fish photos. is not spotting the fish soon enough..

Our flats fishing window of opportunity came slam close rapidly.. A lot of times spotting the fish in 2 seconds instead of 10 seconds is the difference between hero and zero.. It is not like a trout stream, were the same fish, stays in the same spot continually sipping may flies..

Here it could be a school of bonefish, permit or tarpon approaching over a turtle grass bottom on a cloudy day.. Yes, tough to see.. That is were your guide comes in.. We have the visual advantage from the poling platform.. As a rule the higher you are the better you can see into the water... that is the reason for the poling and the casting platform.

Here in the Florida Keys we use the "Clock " system.. 12 O'clock is straight ahead off the bow, 9 O'clock is to your left (Port), 3 O'Clock is to your right(starboard).

I fished for 4 days with a guide in Belize that would just yell... THERE!! THERE!!!

Was not very effective and missed a lot of chances because I had to look back at him to see were he was looking.. I heard he is not guiding any more..

When your guide says bonefish 60 feet at 10 O' Clock.. If you can not spot the fish, immediately point your rod at 10 O' Clock.. Your guide can then direct you to the fish by saying left or right.. Your 10 can be different then his 10.. For example if you are standing at an angle to the bow and in the excitement of the moment, you don't realize it..

OK this is very basic stuff... If you have done any flats fishing at all you are probably wondering why I am wasting your time with this.... Well the title is Flats Fishing 101 and it is the main reason anglers new to flats fishing miss a lot of opportunities..

He is a typical scenario.........

Bill! Bonefish coming in at 70 feet, 9 O Clock!!..... Bill do you see them?? Bill can you see them 50 feet at your 9... Bill point your rod! they are 40 feet now at 10 o'clock... Bill point your rod like we talked about,,, left, left, left, gottem??... they are 20 feet off your rod tip.... No problem Bill we will find more...

In this scenario we could have spotted the fish before they bounced off the boat..

Yes, I have been the guy on the bow and can't see the fish my buddy is trying to get me on... (hate it,, feel like Ray Charles) But flats fishing is team work.. Don't be bashful about letting your guide know you can't see the fish... Remember it is a team effort. He is on your side and wants you to boat fish more then you do..

Yamaha 70 HP 4 Stroke

2011-03-07T17:10:00.005-05:00

Yamaha 70 HP 4 Stroke

Yamaha Performance Bulletin

Just put 100 hours on my new 70 HP Yamaha. It only took 2 months.. Been fishing A lot. Previously my Hells Bay Skiff was powered by a 60 hp 4 stoke Mercury.

I love this new Yamaha!

Currently $ 4.42/gallon for 91 octane non ethanol fuel

Mileage was slightly better with the Mercury, but I could not go as fast.. When trying to cram in the most amount of time fishing during the day is nice to get to the next flat quicker..

The difference in acceleration between the two moters is night and day..

Capt Tom Morgan: "It is like getting off the merry go round and getting on the tilt a whirl!"

Lots of people have asked me about the speed and the fuel economy..

I have used two props. 14 pitch Yamaha and a 15 pitch Power Tek.

Yamaha 13 1⁄4 14 Performance 3-Blade MAR-GYT3B-L4-14

RPM                            MPH                                 MPG

3000                            16                                         8.9
4000                            25                                         8.9
4500                           28                                         7.8
5000                            32                                         7
5500                            34                                         6.2
6200                            37                                         5.8

Power Tech SCD3 Stainless Propeller Yamaha [PT-SCD3]

RPM MPH MPG

3000 13.5 7.5

4000 23 8.8

4500 26 8.4

5000 29 7.8

5500 32 7.1

6200 37 6.3

Special thanks to Vince at Garrison Bight Marina, for answering all my questions and taking great care of me in general!! I will definitely buy my next motor from Vince..

I had John Drake with Island Outboard remove the Mercury and all the rigging.. John and crew also installed the Yamaha outboard, gauges, pinnacle, key switch , etc.. Over the years John has jumped though hoops, worked late and pulled rabbits out of hats to keep me on the water chartering..

(Don't forget to tip your mechanic when he bails you out!!)

Thanks for your normal superb job!

New Cushions from Hells Bay Boat Works!

Not only did I get a new out board for this season, but have also added the new cushions from Hells Bay.. These are a little thicker and will smooth out some of the chop on those longer runs.. Also make it a little more comfy while you are waiting for your turn on the bow..

The customer service at Hells Bay Boat Works is unbelievable... I emailed them photos of my old cushions and they were on the phone minutes later with info and pricing. Thanks ladies!

Best Flats Fishing Shoes??

2011-03-01T21:55:00.000-05:00

What kind of shoes should I wear in the boat??

I get asked this question A lot................

Sanuk Vagabond Sidewalk Surfers

Features a shoe upper on a sandal bottom. Funky canvas slip-on with a bit of a twisted traditional look. Distressed visible seams.

Sanuck sandals come in a bunch of different styles..

1. Extremely comfortable, more comfortable then Crocs and a lot better looking..

2. In the Lower Florida Keys, we rarely get out of the boat to wade fish. However on the rare occasion, there are bonefish tailing in water we can not get the boat too,.. You may not want to step in with your brand new Adidas... Sanucks will dry...

3. You can throw them in the washer... Just like jeans, the get better looking with each wash..

4. Very quiet in the boat.. Boat nose spooks sensitive fish like permit, bonefish , barracudas and even tarpon.. Hard soles, especialy very hard soled sneakers, make a tapping sound on the deck that spooks fish, just like tapping on an aquarium.. Not that big of a factor if you are on the casting platform and stay there.. But if you step down to grab a different rod..( example..try to swap the permit rod for the cuda rig) or your fishing partner is restless.... The fish are gone.. I see it happen. A lot..

5. Full coveradge from the sun... No Croc spots or wierd sandal sun burns..

6. Chicks dig em..

Bare Sole Sandals on Big Pine Key carries many brands and styles of sandals and

flip flops for women, men and children.

Speaking of women... If you come down on your fishing trip with a buddy, don't forget to bring your wife or girl friend back a gift....

Have you ever heard her say "I have too many shoes."

Don't forget your buddy that got up at 5:30 am to drive you to the airport, loaned you his camera and fed your dog while you were gone..

Sanuk Beer Cozy Mens Flip Flops

Won't keep your feet cold, but sure will keep 'em comfortable! Made from a cushiony material reminiscent of a beer cozy.

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Weather report from Little Palm Island Resort

2011-02-24T15:16:00.001-05:00

This says it all...

Little Palm Island Resort

Riddle me this...

2011-02-22T17:22:00.000-05:00

What is the difference between a fishing guide and a puppy???????

Eventually the puppy grows up and stops whining!

It is too cold

It is too warm

It is too windy

It is too calm

I hate clouds

Parrotdise Waterfront Bar and Grille

Nothing to whine about this month the weather and the fishing have been great..

Permit, Tarpon or Bonefish?? Take your Pick!!

Lower Florida Keys Flats Fishing Report

Ask About Fly Fishing

2011-02-19T20:47:00.001-05:00

Have You Seen This???

Ask About Fly Fishing

Internet Radio has brought together the experts on fly fishing to tell you in their own words the secrets to their success in both freshwater and saltwater.

Covering fish from Trout to Tarpon, from tying flies to casting them you'll find it all right here!

Show Archive

Just click on the title of the interview and you'll be taken to a page where you'll find the controls to play the recordings and the link to download the MP3 file to you computer or MP3 player.

I listen to them on my I phone.. A great way to pass the time while tying flies, road trips, waxing the boat, etc..

My Favorites??   Naturally...

Capt. Bruce Chards
Persuading Permit
Big Bonefish in the Florida Keys

Andy Mill
A Passion for Tarpon

Tad Burke
Tangling with Tarpon

Trapper Badovinac
Fly Fishing Montana's Missouri River

Over 125 Shows for you to listen to..... that should just about get you through a long winter of fly tying..

Top 10 Reasons To Fish The Florida Keys

2011-02-12T10:58:00.003-05:00

1. The absolute best place in the world to sight fish big tarpon..
Mid April though mid June thousands of big, migratory tarpon pass though the crystal clear water of the Lower Florida Keys..

2. Big permit.. The biggest...

3. Yeah we have big bonefish too.. not as many as you will see in Belize, Bahamas or the Yucatan.. but they are big..

4. Don't need a pass port.... travel Insurance, immunizations, etc..

5. No language barrier... you can understand what your guide is saying.....(even though you may not want to)

Hells Bay Skiff

6. Keys guides have all the latest gear, rods, flies, etc.. This is huge!! This means you do not have to lay out over a $1,000 for a rod and reel that you may only use a hand full of days a year.. Plus it give you a chance to try out the stuff we like..When you go to another country you have to provide rods, leader, tippet, line cleaner, etc. and hope you have bought/tied the right flies.. Here all you have to do is step in the boat..

Looe Key Tiki Bar

7. If we do get bad weather and fishing is not possible.. we refund your deposit and you can spend it foolishly in Key West on wine, women and song.... or Rum runners and Grouper sandwich..

Counch Rebublic Sea Food Company

8. Excellent restaurants and fun bars.. Key West has lots of both! Fished in a lodge in the Yucatan years ago.. My friend was served a jack crevalle for dinner.. Last year on a do it your self, JU JU travel tip to Andros.... My buddy Tom ordered the fish in a locals spot in Fresh Creek... They served him a baby tarpon... I had the cracked conch.. LOL..actually every night after that too..

Florida Keys App

9. Your I phone works every where, even on the flats.. ( Not necessarily a good thing)

Key West International Airport

10. Key West Airport. When you fly into Key West , there are no 18 year old kids with pimples and automatic weapons , dressed in camo in the airport.. (might be some TSA people with a funny gleam in their eyes)
Also you don't have to listen to the annoying LOUD Calypso band while standing in line for 45 minutes at Nassau customs....

Ultimate Tarpon Book

2011-02-07T17:18:00.001-05:00

Ultimate Tarpon Book

Just got mine today.. Can't have too many books on tarpon.. Great collection of old time, "Back in the day" tarpon stories by some famous and not so famous anglers.. Perfect read for sitting by the fire place with a brandy, while the snow is falling.. Or better yet sitting in the airport bar,with a Land Shark, waiting for you Key West connection!

Here is what they have to say...

Randy Wayne White's Ultimate Tarpon Book offers everything you could ever want to know about the origins of big game fishing, told in the words of those who were there. Zane Grey and Theodore Roosevelt fished for tarpon, so did Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Edison, Frederic Remington, and many others. The stories and narratives they wrote based on their experiences--along with those of more than 100 other contributors, including some of the best outdoor writers of our time--are presented here. The book includes information on the pioneer tarpon guides, the historic tarpon lodges, the innkeepers, the outfitters, the boat builders, and the scientists that made Fort Myers the greatest big game fishing resort in the country.

Put Down The Peppermint Schapps Bottle....

2011-02-04T21:49:00.002-05:00

Woman from Fruitport allegedly used a fish to attack two men ice fishing in Norton Shores

Don't let this happen to you...

Another good ~~excuse~~ reason to pack your shorts, tee shirts, flip flops and hop on a plane to Key West!

NORTON SHORES — Police say two Egelston Township men ice fishing in Norton Shores Saturday were accosted by an angry fish-flinging woman from Fruitport.

The incident happened around 1 p.m. Saturday on Black Lake, when a 29-year-old woman allegedly struck both men with a fish, said Norton Shores Police Lt. Jon Gale.

Gale said officers were called to the lake by one of the men who claimed they were assaulted by “a female wielding a fish.”

The men, both in their early 20s, said they were ice fishing in a shanty when they were approached by a woman who “wanted to urinate on the ice,” Gale said.

“The woman said to turn their heads while she urinated. While their backs were turned the woman struck the first complainant in the head with a fish,” Gale said. “The female then approached them and struck the other man across the face with a fish.”

Gale said “some words were then exchanged” and the woman then “returned to her shanty.”

When officers interviewed the woman, she claimed that she was upset “because the other men put their shanty too close to her shanty,” Gale said.

“She said she threw the fish at the men, but missed. She denied hitting them,” Gale said.

Gale declined to give the names of those involved because the men do not wish to press criminal charges against the woman.

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Sweepstakes

2011-02-01T22:00:00.001-05:00

You Know You Want One.....

Here is your chance to win

a Hells Bay flats skiff !!

Click Here to Enter the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust Sweepstakes

A great opportunity has been provided by Evinrude and BTT board member Chris Peterson. Hell’s Bay Boatworks donated the 18-foot Waterman, and Evinrude has donated an E-Tec 60hp tiller to complete the package. Hell’s Bay Boats are widely praised as the “best of the best” and used by guides and anglers everywhere.

I Love Mine....

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust

BTT is a non-profit, science-based conservation organization dedicated to ensuring that existing bonefish, tarpon, and permit populations, and the fisheries they support, remain healthy, while working to restore fisheries that have declined.

How to handle a bonefish

Bahia Honda Webcam

2011-01-30T18:27:00.004-05:00

Need a couple minute vacation from work???

When the boss isn't looking check out the under water cam in Bahia Honda Channel...
You never know what you can see...

Bahia Honda Web cam: Goliath Grouper Research Project

Bahia Honda Camera: This cam is positioned in twenty feet of water on a concrete piling of a bridge in the Florida Keys. It is COMPLETELY powered by wind and sun. Click here to find out more. It was installed by the teens4oceans crew in December or 2008

Golith Grouper and Tarpon

The Bahia Honda Channel is home to permit, sharks, rays, goliath groupers,barracuda, jacks, snook and snapper year-round. In the spring, pods of hundreds of large migrating tarpon take up residence, moving in and out of the bridge pylons.

Snook

Snappers And Tarpon

The best time for viewing is often at slack tides.

Bahia Honda Channel Tide Predictions

Photos from Teens for Oceans

If you are not here this week end you should be....

2011-01-28T07:34:00.005-05:00

We had a minor cold front earlier this week. Before the temperatures dropped in to the low 60's, we found several nice schools of bonefish on the warmer flats near deeper water.. Looks like the weather is improving for this week end. Highs in the 70's.. More Key West festivities this week end too..

I plan on being in Key West this week end, how ever I will be on my skiff looking for permit and barracudas..

Although the Wine and Seafood Festival sounds like a lot of fun!!

Key West Food and Wine Fest to Star Sunshine, Savory Flavors and Spirited Fun

Food and wine enthusiasts can savor sunshine, standout dishes and stellar vintages during the second annual Key West Food and Wine Festival, happening now through Sunday, Jan. 30.

The festival of flavors also features a wacky afternoon of coconut bowling and sampling coconut treats at Blue Heaven Restaurant in historic Bahama Village, a traditional Key West shrimp boil at the funky Hogfish Bar & Grill beside the shrimp docks and a "bubbles and madness" champagne brunch at Azur Restaurant.

Living the Dream..

2011-01-27T08:08:00.005-05:00

                     Affordable housing in the Florida Keys..

Living the dream...... sometimes if you are not careful the dream lives you..

Lots of people live on boats here in the Florida Keys. Cheap living.. No rent, no utility bills, no property tax, no insurance, etc.. Most are living on sailboats and house boats... This fellow is moored in Bow Channel near the KOA Campground on Sugerloaf Key. Could not resist taking a pic with my I Phone as we were headed to the back country..

I should stop and chat with him some time.. bet he has a story.... probably a retired flats guide..

Housing prices have dropped dramatically. Lately I have been fishing several anglers also interested in homes and properties.   If you are interested in a land based home ask Joan Kelley.
She grew up in the Keys, has a flats skiff and fishes a lot. She can answer any questions about water access, boat slips, boat storage, near by flats, etc..   She probably even knows the guy in Bow Channel......

"Gowing Green" Keys style...

2011-01-26T09:26:00.000-05:00

Gowing Green

Move over Toyota Prius... Is this the new future of boating?

This vessel sports solar panels on the roof and three electric trollling moters.. Oh, it even has Xmas lights too!!

All it needs is a Yeti Cooler on the bow for a casting platform..

I.G.F.A. Auction

2011-01-23T21:42:00.003-05:00

International Game Fish Association

WELCOME TO THE 27TH ANNUAL!!!

IGFA INTERNATIONAL AUCTION & BANQUET
CHECK OUT OUR ITEMS AND START BIDDING TODAY!

Here is your chance to help out a great organization and bid on some cool stuff... The auction includes. art, books, gear, flies, exotic fishing lodges, boats, guided fishing trips, etc..

The online auction is being run in conjunction with the 27^th Annual IGFA International Auction & Banquet at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida on January 28, 2011.

Bad Day...

2011-01-23T12:47:00.001-05:00

Ouch!!!!!

What is your worst ever fishing day??? I bet this guy has you beat...

My friend Tom took this photo a couple of days ago. This was taken Friday morning on U.S 1 at Tea Table Relief Bridge. Fortunatly it is an Action Craft. They are one tough boat.. I hope it is OK...

OUCH!!!!!

2011-01-19T21:20:00.005-05:00

Yup.... That is what you think it is... A chartuse toad fly buried in my friends back.....

Weather warmed up today.. highs near 80 degrees.. Even though it is January here in the Florida Keys you can find 6 foot resident tarpon in some of the warm up spots if you look..

Big fish can make even seasoned guides get excited...
TIP: Once you get the fly were it needs to be... Drop it.. Don't take any more casts.. Bad things can happen...
1 Each cast alerts the fish to your presence,,
2. If it is were it needs to be... why take another cast??