keys report

[donrik]

Just got back from 9 day trip. I saw more bones on my own than I'd ever seen before, unfortunately they wouldn't eat my flies. It seemed like I was casting to singles 90 percent of the time and they refused to be fooled. I Fished one flat on the oceanside at MM58 on an early morning incoming and had two groups of tailers approach me and managed to hit the unseen front fish right between the eyes both times. I rented a kayak from Robbies a few times and had great shots at big singles, had a few follow right to the yak only to refuse my offerings. I had one great morning on the outer edge of the Anne's Beach flat, casting to a half dozen cruising singles in glass-like conditions, ended up changing flies three times.
We mentioned Jay Grant earlier and I considered going out with him, but after a couple conversations I couldn't bring myself to go, that guy dislikes everybody and everything. I saw a post from kludwig on another thread and thats exactly how I felt my day would have gone.
Otherwise great weather, saw some old friends, left a few beers behind (but not many!). We had great meals at Lazy Days, Islamorada Fish House ( love that whole fried yellowtail),
Dino's, and found a new place for us called Little Italy that was very good and inexpensive. One bad meal at Lorilei, we go there for the music not the expensive beer or not very good food. Hung out at Papa Joe's outside bar, lots of locals, good prices, and good entertainment.
All in all a great trip.

[Quicksilver]

Nice report! Seeing them is at least 70% of the battle, you'll probably do much better next time. What were the flies you tried? Weedless?

[donrik]

Mostly Simrams, tied light or dark, some with pink flashabou. I've got bones on them before so I know they work. Usually weedless. Bob Berger at Bonefish Bobs', who might be the nicest guy in the world, gave me a chartreuse bunny Clouser-like fly to try on the oceanside. Stubbornly stuck with my own.
Ah well, next time.

[AlderBrookFarm]

You should have used it....the guide we were supposed to go out with...weather cancelled...had the same fly from Bob and said it was killer.

[Ozmo]

Hi Donrik,

Small world! We talked about Jay on the fla sportsman board. Just thought I'd mention....Jay doesn't like that bunny clouser from Bob's! :D (or Bob for that matter). Now isn't that a surprise!

I read kludwig's post. Good to know.

Ozmo

[donrik]

Alderbrook, your right about that fly, will tie some for next trip.

Hey Ozmo, good hearing from ya, Jay had a guy taking a picture of a permit he caught wading at MM74, the next day he's calling him a F*****g A*****e, man that guy hates everybody.

[waltw]

My wife and I were down to Islamorada for month in Feb-March and fished only the oceanside flats -some from boat and some wadding. Using both spin tackle and fly we caught about 25 but the largest on e was 6# and most were 2-4#. Other years we have gotten some in the 8-12# range but couldnt find them this year. On fly they were caught on a white and tan bunny clouser which I think is like Bob's fly. I had more bones be spooked by fly line than in the past. This year I was using orvis wonderline for bones. I'm looking forward to next year already.
Walt

[Ozmo]

Yup,

White & Tan bunny clouser. That's the Bob fly. Nice little shop he has there.

[waltw]

Hi Ozmo,
I tie most of my flies but did but two from Bob this year. It is a neat shop and always get lots of info everytime I am there. This year I pickup his 52 ft rule . One morning I was out about 100 ft and looked back to the shore and saw a bone working the edge of the water with it's fins and tail half out of the water.

I had several exchanges with Jay this year at 75m post and at annie'.s He's a good caster and I think knows alot but I go ouot of my way to avoid him. Waltw

[Cheju]

Just got back from two weeks wading the flats arround Big Pine key. Tough fishing as there was wind, rain and it got into the nineties during several days making the water on the flats very warm at the best tides.

We did see bonefish but most times they were so close in , because of the poor visability, they saw us a second after we saw them and wooosh!

Our best fly was a yellow Crazy Charle which I tied on a #4 hook.
Second best was a tan and white clauser on the same size hook.

Cheju

:)

[Ozmo]

Hi Cheju,

Did you wade from shore or from a boat/kayak?

Ken

[Cheju]

We waded from shore.

Cheju

[Quicksilver]

My turn to get in the game is coming up! I'm heading to Islamorada for 5 days the end of April, then 5 days around Marco Island.

[donrik]

Wow!! The Keys and Marco, talk about your two extremes. Have a good trip.