# Florida Keys!



## MrFysch

Just returned from 2 weeks in the florida/florida keys fishing. It's been 15 years since I fished the keys and damn how much I missed being there! The fishing is still fantastic! Had a great time!...more pics and story to follow!


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## MrFysch

Stayed in the Marathon area. Pretty familiar with that area as I fished there before several times. I was there with the wife and we stopped in the Cedar Key area for a couple days on the trip down. Cedar Key is an off the grid small fishing community. Mostly back country...trout/redfish waters. Really enjoyed our stop there. I fished off the pier in town. Great pier fishing spot. Constant action of whiting and trout. A great warmup for the trip.


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## MrFysch

Arrived in the keys on Saturday the 9th for a week. Picked up a boat for a week on Sunday morning. I really got lucky and picked out a great spot to stay for our trip. We were on the Bay side..private dock for the boat..private bar area..great owners.


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## hhlhoward

One of these day I'll get down there yet. Planning an Alaskan trip right now to get that off the list!


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## Shoeman

Smile! You're in Paradise!


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## Stillkickin

I go to Marathon most every year and stay in Key Colony Beach. We are losing our place to stay due to owners selling out. Did you book Thru VRBO or direct?


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## Shoeman

Cedar Key

















:lol:


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## thill

Love the keys! I'm skipping my annual winter trip to fish the gulf, but I might try to pull off a June trip to the keys instead. I'm jealous!


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## stickman1978

Shoeman said:


> Cedar Key
> 
> View attachment 633421
> View attachment 633423
> 
> 
> :lol:



Best small town in Florida.


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## cdacker

MrFysch said:


> Just returned from 2 weeks in the florida/florida keys fishing. It's been 15 years since I fished the keys and damn how much I missed being there! The fishing is still fantastic! Had a great time!...more pics and story to follow!


Nice! Looks like you had a great location.
I'm renting a place in Key Colony Beach last week of March / 1st week of April and have a 26ft boat reserved. No experience fishing there, and only limited experience ocean fishing - off shore fishing and some surf fishing. Would it be okay for me to PM you with some questions?


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## kingfisher 11

I have never considered renting a boat down there. That's a great idea, hard to do? Expensive?
Now that the wife and I are empty nesters I want to hit the Keys to see if I like it.


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## Shoeman

http://keyseliteboatrentals.com

Found some a little cheaper, but none under 250 a day. That's why I tow mine down.


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## Radar420

I've read some horror stories about boat rentals down there on some other forums so do your due diligence.


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## Shoeman

Plus if you don't know what ya going in the Back Country, you will have issues. 

Took me a while.. Ran aground a few times waiting for the tide to come back....LOL

Then there's the Everglades boating permit.... (didn't even know such a thing exists) Oh, they'll tell you! And the border reaches all the way down to the Inner Costal. Been a fun 20 years of learning.  :lol:

Don't even ask about the oyster bars North of the Crystal River.. One way in during high tide and plan on staying there until the next one.


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## 6Speed

This thread this is killing me. I wanna go and go now!


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## stickman1978

Shoeman said:


> Plus if you don't know what ya going in the Back Country, you will have issues.
> 
> Took me a while.. Ran aground a few times waiting for the tide to come back....LOL
> 
> Then there's the Everglades boating permit.... (didn't even know such a thing exists) Oh, they'll tell you! And the border reaches all the way down to the Inner Costal. Been a fun 20 years of learning.  :lol:
> 
> Don't even ask about the oyster bars North of the Crystal River.. One way in during high tide and plan on staying there until the next one.



When we stayed in Cedar Key we heard about people like you, lol. One reason I will always do a guide in the salt water or go with someone that knows what they are doing.


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## Shoeman

There’s a curve! :lol:

Yet when you figure it out on your own and bring home limits and release monster redfish, just too cool!

Number one, don’t listen to your dad! Like am I going to go get through there? Oh yeah! :SHOCKED:


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## 6Speed

I do the guide the first trip. I see what the patterns are and a general location of where they're fishing and the target structure. Then I rent a boat every day or two and almost always do well. It's too far to drag my Lund to Marithon...


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## neazor91

This is killing me. Normally, we spend the month of Feb. in Key Colony beach. I have a friend who has a place down there with a boat. We rent the place next door. This year, we cancelled out for two reasons. Covid and the fact I had to have coronary bypass surgery. 
Keep the stories coming so I can dream about being there. We've booked our condo with our landlord for 2022. 

Good luck to all that go.

Mike


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## MrFysch

Stillkickin said:


> I go to Marathon most every year and stay in Key Colony Beach. We are losing our place to stay due to owners selling out. Did you book Thru VRBO or direct?


I went the direct route and found an outstanding spot .. .I can give you the info if you want


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## MrFysch

Ok took a few hours to chase some bluegills...back to the keys...first day me and the wife set up on the oceanside in about 15' of water...nonstop action on mutton snappers and porgy's...fun first day!


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## MrFysch

After that I found some great fishing on the bayside out about 10 miles west of duck key...everyday it was limits of snapper and spanish mackerel with a few speckled trout...bluefish and a shark or 2.


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## MrFysch

The fishing is really outstanding...had a manatee hanging around the dock while I was cleaning fish


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## MrFysch

A few more pics...I threw a fish fry on our last nite for the owner and 2 other couples staying there..it went over great. The nite ended with me catching a tarpon...a few were coming in after dark every nite under the lite where we cleaned fish! What a way to end a fantastic trip. Next year 2 weeks minimum!


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## MrFysch




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## Stillkickin

I’ll send you a pm, much appreciated!


MrFysch said:


> I went the direct route and found an outstanding spot .. .I can give you the info if you want


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## on a call

MrFysch said:


> Stayed in the Marathon area. Pretty familiar with that area as I fished there before several times. I was there with the wife and we stopped in the Cedar Key area for a couple days on the trip down. Cedar Key is an off the grid small fishing community. Mostly back country...trout/redfish waters. Really enjoyed our stop there. I fished off the pier in town. Great pier fishing spot. Constant action of whiting and trout. A great warmup for the trip.


Wow,,,we do have things in common.
I used to go to Marathon too.  And I too miss it. I would take my boat...but that is a long drive draggin a 23. I always fished the deep water and speared a lot too. Lobsters were always on the plate as well.
So glad you had a great time !!!
I wished I lived there durring the winter.


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## BigWoods Bob

Just came across this thread. You guys are killin' me!! "Had" a place on Big Pine, but Irma took it out, and still fighting with Monroe County on rebuilding almost 4 years later. Hopefully some day we'll be able to get things resolved and get back down there! Love the Keys!!

Sent from my SM-A505U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## link523

Spend Christmas and New Years in the keys. Key west for 2 days and key largo for 8 days. Had a great time! 


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## anagranite

I'm staying on Marathon right now. I pulled my boat down here this year for the first time, I usually rent a boat at Tavernier Key and stay on Key Largo. 

We been fishing everyday except yesterday and have caught lots of different species. Ran offshore to the humps a couple days ago and found a bunch of blackfin tuna. We've tried trolling for Wahoo with zero success but we have had a few strikes slow trolling the reefs edge, only hooked one King mackerel. 

Normally we come down here in July or August, it's hot that time of year but with the kids and school those months fit our schedule the best. This year virtual school has allowed a winter visit. In July and August the Mahi are all over and it's nothing to catch 20-30 in a day, we haven't even seen one this trip but its not over yet. I'm also leaving my boat at a friend's house in Naples so I'll be back around the first of April. 

I love it down here and wish I had purchased a house 15 years ago but renting has been fine.


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## Broadbill

Marathon is an awesome place! I will be pulling my boat down there for a month this April, I am counting the days already. Hoping to get out to the humps a few times, reef fish and sandbar action the rest of the time. Yea yea yea, I know I will be missing the spring Walleye run. Anything in the Great Lakes cannot hold a candle to Keys fishing!


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## MrFysch

Yes I love fishing the humps. I stayed in the gulf mostly on my trip and had tons of action.


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## neazor91

We spend most of our time in the gulf. You're right, a lot of action and it's a lot calmer, even on breezy days. I'm getting too old to rock and roll oceanside in the wind.


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