Big Pine Key Bonefish And Permit

July 9, 2008

Windy conditions and sunny skies are a perfect recipe for good permit fishing. Nice big schools of permit have been moving in the backcountry from Big Pine to Key West. These permit are mudding hard and eating. Bonefish have also been plentiful. This is peak season for bonefish and a perfect time to come to the Keys in search of a Grand Slam on the flats (tarpon, bonefish and permit).

Tarpon fishing has been a little slow this week. Hopefully we'll get a new push of fish soon. There have been some in the Key West Harbor area and in deeper channels but they have been hard to feed on the flats.

July 2008 Synopsis

As we enter the summer months there is much relief for the fish in the shallows. The fishing pressure diminishes as many of the area flats guides head to higher ground in the mountains of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming to fish for the summer. The joy of fishing during July and August is actually not having to share a flat or worry about the fact that someone may be in your spot after you've traveled 22 miles to the Marquesas. Fact is in the summer months we could possibly go all day without seeing another skiff.

Bonefish and permit become prominent on the flats this month. Bonefish can be found from the Marquesas all the way up the Keys in good numbers. This is the time of the year when there are larger schools to cast at. Our bonefish average 6 to 8 - pounds with some larger in the 10- pound range.

Permit will be an easier quarry on days when the wind is up a bit. They are spooky creatures with a laterline line that can feel the vibration of a cell phone inside a skiff from a short distance. One thing to perfect if you plan to fish for permit on a calm day - the cast must be long and accurate.

There are still big tarpon in the area this month. They will move through all summer but will be increasingly harder to find and harder to fool into eating a fly. I'm hoping that they will be more forgiving, as they have not been this season thus far.

Consider fall fishing in September, October or November. The bonefish and permit action is great and there are smaller tarpon around too.

Captain Justin Rea
Sugarloaf Key, FL 33042
www.flyfishingthekeys.com
justin@flyfishingthekeys.com
305-744-0903