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Fishing trip to the Florida Key's

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Highlights from feeding the Tarpon at Robbie's of Islamorada. As are guide pointed out Tarpon and Birds are like bears to the dump at the docks and fish cleaning stations.

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Highlights of day one fishing with son at Bud N' Mary's Marina with Backcountry "Flats" Fishing Guide - Vinnie Biondoletti - 36" to 38" Permit, 100 lb. Nurse Shark and 100 lb. Tarpon with one missed tarpon jumping off line and two other tarpon bites.

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Highlights of day two fishing with son at Bud N' Mary's Marina with Backcountry "Flats" Fishing - Vinnie Biondoletti - Pin Fish, Lady Fish, Mangrove Snapper, Jack, and Sea Trout, Caught in Morning and cooked snapper in afternoon.

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Hightlights of a morning of snorkeling with son and an evening of sailing wife and son

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FISHING THE FLORIDA KEYS – KEY LIME PIE
 By: Allen “horntagger” Morris


KEY LIME PIE

Key Lime Pie – Originated in the Florida Keys and even though the hurricanes have wiped out the lime trees, Key Lime Pie is the official pie of Florida. Every mile marker of restaurant and hole in the walls will have their version of key lime pie, from Key West to Key Largo. But for me most of mine samplings came from Marathon Key and Ramrod Key. So here is my order of best tasting out of the 5 I had on our fishing trip out of Islamorada Key.

1.      Florida Keys Steak and Lobster – Marathon Key

2.      Sunset Grill – Marathon Key

3.      Upper Crust Pizza – Marathon Key

4.      Boondocks – Ramrod Key

5.      Keys Fishery – Marathon Key

FEED THE TARPONS

Past presidents, famous writers and adventures like Ernest Hemmingway called the Florida Keys home all enjoying their time fishing and that is what the Keys are about.

The Florida Keys is a fishing destination, but do have different activities like sunset sail tours, eco tours, snorkeling, kayaking and depending on which KEY you go to on what tourist activities you would like to do. But understand it is very expensive and you should plan ahead the best you can. Typical meal for three for average lunch is 80 dollars.

Have you ever watch on TV the Bears going to the trash dumps. Well the docks and cleaning station have their own version of this. Feeding the Tarpon’s has become a pastime, just watch your fingers because the Brown Pelican and other bird understand this also.

One popular place you can visit is Robbie’s of Islamorada is a nice place to get something to eat and take photos and also for few bucks FEED the TARPONS. Something you can’t do here Southeast Missouri.  www.robbies.com you can watch some great video of this.

TYPES OF FISHING

There are different types of trips when you hit the keys, you have your OFFSHORE fishing trip for going after blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, dolphin, wahoo, tuna, barracuda, cobia, grouper, snapper, jacks and sharks. But the winds and waters have to be low or the good Captains won’t go, 20 to 25 mile per hour winds producing 7 feet to 10 feet waves is not a good place to be.

You can do the BACKCOUNTRY or FLATS FISHING – Fish the flats on the Atlantic side or the backcountry region of uninhabited mangrove islands on the Gulf side for the BIG FIVE – BONEFISH, TARPON, REDFISH, SNOOK, and PERMIT.

You need to find out what fishing charter will do when you are looking for one.

BACKCOUNTRY FISHING

If you are going after Tarpon you better be a have a deer hunter mentality, this is not catching this fishing. Hours put in for that moment of excitement, but hang on because a 100 lb tarpon will rip the line which is just a great sound and you better be ready to lower your rod because they are going to break water and jump over six feet in the air and 45 min later your back will be sore.

You may also catch a shark and coming in at 100 lbs also will stay on bottom till your arm muscles are burning.

If you very lucky you might catch a trophy PERMIT fish coming in at 36” to 38” as seen in photo.

Also you can do some catching too so that it’s just not all waiting, like Mangrove Snapper, Jack, Pinfish, Ladyfish and Sea Trout. The Mangrove Snapper you can catch in the morning and have on the grill in the evening.

Either way you can find either type at Bud N’ Mary’s which is a world famous Islamorda Fishing Marina, located in the heart of the Florida Keys. http://budnmarys.com/

SNORKELING AND SUNSET CRUISE

Fish start out in the Mangroves, move to the Coral Reefs where you will see old light houses and then out to big waters and then back again, cycle of life in the Keys.

Snorkeling will give you a chance to see how that works but remember everything has a defense mechanism and will bite you, or stick you and can end your vacation. So don’t walk or pick up items when snorkeling.

For a more relaxing time you can take a 3 mile cruise out to Light houses and then back and watch the sunset in the Florida Keys.

Book your trip and enjoy yourself, take sunscreen, hat, sun glasses facemask, clothes that dry fast long sleeve or short but light weight and shorts or pants light weight that dries fast. Don’t forget your camera.

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