Tim Kelly Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Looking at having a holiday in the Keys next April with my wife. No idea what the shore fishing opportunities would be down there, but I would love to catch a snook if possible. Is it worth packing a rod and a few lures if you're not going out with a guide? Med spinning? Any experience? Quote
Super User BassinLou Posted August 17, 2014 Super User Posted August 17, 2014 Sounds like a SirSnook question. He will lead you in the right direction. When it comes to the keys I am more of an offshore guy when it comes to saltwater stuff. Quote
atcoha Posted August 17, 2014 Posted August 17, 2014 Definitely worth packing rods and reels. There are so many places to fish down there, you are literally surrounded by the best fishing spots in the world. You can fish the many, many bridges, canals, and mangrove areas, even if you do not have a boat. Me and my family were down there in June, me and my kids sat on the dock in the backyard on the canal, caught everything from snapper to grouper to barracuda. Books have been written on shore/bridge fishing in the keys. Bring your fishing gear, or you will regret it. Me and my son hooked up several tarpon, landed a few, a couple #100+. If you have the $, would definitely recommend a guide/charter and hit the back country. Good luck, have fun, and I know you will enjoy the keys. If you go to the NW end of ramrod key, there is an area that has a little cut/canal you can fish(that is always full of mullet), even wade out when the tides are right, bring some shrimp. Head to the end of blimp road on cudjoe key, you can fish the mangroves if you wade out, snook and permit, and just about everything else. Bring shrimp and some jigs. Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 18, 2014 Super User Posted August 18, 2014 I've only fished the keys maybe a dozen times. There is plenty of shore fishing along public beaches on the coast side, bridges too and the 7 mile bridge is a popular spot. The backcountry is a different animal, boat is best with guide and sight casting. All kinds of species there, spanish mackerel, triple tail, shark, trout, snook and redfish. The big 3 are bonefish, permit and tarpon. Fly rod is really best for permit and bonefish, fish are very spookable. Bud N Mary's in Islamorado is a good first stop, get anything from guides to local knowledge there. If you shore fish you'll need your own gear but a guide will have everything you need. My first tarpon I caught in the keys, nice little juvenile. Quote
Tim Kelly Posted August 18, 2014 Author Posted August 18, 2014 Thanks guys. Any suggestions on the tackle I should take to have a few hours from the shore here and there? I was thinking maybe a med or med heavy spinning rod, 2500 reel with 20lb braid? What about licenses? Do I need one to fish in the sea? Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 18, 2014 Super User Posted August 18, 2014 Yes you need a license except if fishing with a guide, his license should cover you, but ask. Rod and reel depends on target, I'd opt for a 3000 over a 2500 for line capacity, but use what you have. Med spinning is fine for most beach fish, I use only 15 and 20# braid. From a bridge or any elevated area mh is the lightest I would go, I'd prefer the extra horsepower of a 4000 reel too, if I took only 1 rod it would be a mh. Catching fish from these elevated areas they quite often make a run into the pylons, backbone really helps to pull them out. If I may a little tip, move your hand above the foregrip onto the shaft a little bit, you will have much more leverage to pull them out. Quote
Tim Kelly Posted August 18, 2014 Author Posted August 18, 2014 Makes sense, thank you. What species might I be able to catch from the beaches and bridges? Will they all take similar lures or do they need targeting specifically? Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 18, 2014 Super User Posted August 18, 2014 Lure wise you don't need much. Bucktail jigs, spoons and fluke style plastic on a jig head, which has pretty much replaced hard jerkbaits for me. Top waters are a lot of fun too. Hard to say what fish will be showing up that time of year, always a good chance for jacks, bonefish, tarpon and permit, they like live crabs and shrimp. I'm not sure about about snook, little early in the year but ya never know. Quote
Tim Kelly Posted August 18, 2014 Author Posted August 18, 2014 Fantastic. Thank you for your help and insight. Quote
Helluva_Engineer Posted August 19, 2014 Posted August 19, 2014 Makes sense, thank you. What species might I be able to catch from the beaches and bridges? Will they all take similar lures or do they need targeting specifically? A mirrolure jerk bait is your best bet for general catch. You'll have to cull through the jacks to get to the snook. Quote
Tim Kelly Posted August 19, 2014 Author Posted August 19, 2014 You'll have to cull through the jacks to get to the snook. I can probably live with that! LOL Always better to be culling than blanking. Is the mirrorlure one of their lipped minnows or the lipless type? Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted August 19, 2014 Super User Posted August 19, 2014 One of my favorites is a Mirrolure catch 2000, no lip subsurface lure. Hook into a 20# jack and you'll forget about a snook, lol. Quote
Tim Kelly Posted August 19, 2014 Author Posted August 19, 2014 Always happy to enjoy new experiences! I'm sure I have a couple of mirrolures buried somewhere deep in the man cave. Probably at least jurrasic layer, but I'll go mining and see what I can find. 1 Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted August 21, 2014 Super User Posted August 21, 2014 Tim you can forget all those lures and just stock up on a few buck tail jigs tipped with a piece of shrimp. This will catch almost all species. Quote
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