Upper Keys Winter 2011 Fishing  Report The weather is beginning to cool, driving the baitfish and their predators down to the Florida Keys. Instead of having to troll way offshore, the upper keys reef line is thriving  with action. Due to the abundant live bait, we are catching dolphin (mahi-mahi) in the area of 90 – 150 ft of water. The best thing going on right now is  that the sailfish are entering the Key Largo, upper keys area. Trolling with live bait, lure and bait combos have been good for wahoo, dolphin, tuna, king fish and sailfish. The bottom bite has been producing snapper in great abundance on the edge of the reef. Muttons and grouper are coming into shallower waters to get warm. Fishing on the patch reefs has bent many a fishing rod. More action but smaller fish. With every cold front more fish will find their way down to us. My advice is to book your charters early in your trip so that you can postpone to another day if the weather is bad. Hope to see you soon, the Florida Keys await you. Cooler temperatures greet us as we begin the month of December in the Upper Keys, it is wintertime and the fish are here. There are lots of opportunities for shallow water anglers during the cooler months it all depends, what is on your wish list of species as to where the best bite is. Having two flats boats on trailers means flexibility for my clients, and being able to trailer to different destinations as the weather changes is a fantastic advantage for fishing. While my home base remains Dove Creek Lodge MM 94.5 O/S where I meet a majority of my clients looking to fish for bonefish, tarpon, and permit, I provide guided fishing charters and eco tours through out the Upper Keys, Biscayne National Park, and Everglades National Park.    The outer banks of Florida Bay have a lot to offer this time of year and are absolutely alive with action. Mackerel, seatrout, jacks, grouper, shark, tripletail, and even cobia provide drag screaming runs on light tackle and are fun for the whole family. While fishing with bait always works, fishing with artificals like gold/silver spoons and Trigger-X baits tipped on jigs or fished naked almost work better in certain situations. Fly fisherman can have banner days catching over 50 mackerel a day on long shank flies retrieved as fast as you can. For serious anglers these trips require a full day charter to make the run out to the banks worth it but this type of fishing can be done during half-day trips as well. Typically I meet my clients at Caloosa Cove Marina MM 73.5 O/S for the shortest run to the fishing grounds.     Even though it is winter big tarpon can still be pursued in Whitewater Bay located inside Everglades National Park. During the colder months these prehistoric giants take up refuge inside the Bay and range from 40-120lbs. Artificial lures like top water and diving plugs work great as well as 5-7inch jerk baits, fly fisherman using crab and clouser patterns have great success when conditions are calm with there softer presentation. No matter how windy it may be there is always somewhere to get out of the wind and find fish in Whitewater Bay. For the days that the tarpon have lockjaw there are many other species to go after snook, redfish, grouper, and cobia are available in the same areas.     Most people think that the worst months to chase the gray ghost or bonefish as they are more commonly known are the winter months, this is wrong. As the cold fronts descend from the north they bring cooler water temperatures pushing most of the bonefish population south. Many schools take refuge here in the Upper Keys due to our proximity to the warm Gulf Stream current found 6-7 miles offshore. Last year I set a new record for catching the most bonefish on a charter, 18 bones in under 4 hours during the month of February. While this type of fishing can be very weather dependant I ask my clients to contact me first before deciding on a date in order to have the best chance of catching a gray ghost.     For those of you, who know me, know that to me fishing is more than just a game; it is a way of life. So fish hard and fish often! Capt. Mike Makowski Blackfoot Charters Fall 2011 Fishing Report September is upon us in the upper keys and hopefully the weather will start cooling down and the hurricanes will be out of here. Summer fishing in Key Largo has been good and the same fish will still be hanging around for some time to come. Dolphin (mahi-mahi) have been the hit of the upper keys as well as the whole chain. The larger dolphin have been 15 to 25 miles offshore. Fast trolling with artificial has been productive while running offshore looking for bird action, weed lines, rips and floating objects. Once something is found then you can change your tactics in catching the fish. . While trolling offshore there has been plenty of tuna caught especially around the area humps. Always have a down line in which to find the wahoo while covering the same area. When you are on your way out it pays for you to stop on our local wrecks to drop down for snapper, grouper and amberjack. Always be prepared for the sharks that live in the area. On the reef the yellowtail have been biting well but during the day it is a little too hot out there. It pays to fish either early or late for these guys. The mangrove and mutton snapper will be caught with just a little change in tactics. Don’t forget the inshore patch reefs which have a large variety of fish to catch. They may be smaller but they make up for it in numbers. Beat the snowbirds down and visit the upper keys in  Key Largo. Contact us for a variety of options that we have for you, including our staff of multiple off shore and back country boats. Backcountry Report Summer/Fall 2011 It has been a hot summer but fall is finally here, this means cooler days and more comfortable fishing conditions. Outback in Florida the red fishing has been red hot! Averaging between 18-25 inches catching your limit of reds has been for the most part quite easy during full day trips. Whether you prefer sight fishing the shallow water flats with fly and artificial or fishing the bottom with bait near deep channels or around island motes the reds are everywhere. But redfish are not the only thing out there; over this past year I have seen a great resurgence of the local snook population from the devastating cold snap we experienced two years ago. Snook are great fun on light tackle and are a welcomed catch when out fishing the backcountry. Along with the just awesome seatrout bite, anglers can expect to find plenty of black drum, sheephead, and jacks hungry for action. For those of you out there looking for a fight the sharks are waiting for you. While the most productive areas continue to be the local waters around Flamingo, the evening action locally can be a great option for those looking to head out on a half-day (4 hours) trip. Tarpon will become easier to find during the day locally as we get into October/November with our annual fall mullet migration. Key Largo and the Upper Keys have many passes and points that these mullet will predictably travel through attracting the attention of tarpon, snook, barracuda, jacks, and larger snapper. As always, I encourage my more serious tarpon anglers to get an early start to improve our chances of hooking up with a silver king. By early I mean leaving the dock around 4 or 5a.m., there is less pressure on the fish and they usually bite better before the sun peaks over the horizon. Fall is one of the best times of the year to catch the coveted flats slam (bonefish, permit, tarpon). With the cooler day time temperatures bone fishing can be done all day long rather than in the early morning and late afternoon summer time pattern. Permit return to the flats searching out shrimp and crabs but most often can be found following stingrays waiting for a free meal. You can pretty much guarantee that any permit following a ray is hungry and ready to eat. For those of you who know me, know that to me, fishing is more than just a game, it is a way of life. So fish hard and fish often!   Spring 2011 Fishing Report Spring time is here in the Florida Keys even though it feels like summer. With these temperatures we are beginning to see the schools of dolphin, (mahi-mahi) usually they are in smaller packs but were also seeing some larger fish move through. Right now they seem to show up for a couple of days and then they disappear. This will only get better as we get closer to May.  The tuna fishing is pretty good, they can be caught trolling small lures while looking for working birds. Live baiting on the local humps are producing the larger fish. We are using butterfly jigs dropped down to also catch the tuna because they go down deep when the sun gets high. Amberjack fishing has been hot, fishing the wrecks and mounds in our locations have been producing quite a few fish, as long as you can get them away from the sharks. The amberjack fishing will be good due to them coming into shallower waters to spawn. On the reef the yellowtail bite has been really good and should stay this way through the summer. Mutton snapper fishing should pick up while they come into shallower water to spawn. Patch reef fishing has produced multiple types  of fish and a lot of action. The Fla. Keys is a fishing  paradise from offshore to backcountry. You can fish for marlin and dolphin in the morning and then go inside for trout, redfish, snook, trout and tarpon. It doesn’t get any better. Let us not forget the Fla Keys sailfish are still around but not as plentiful as in the winter. Kingfish and mackerel  have not moved away and can be caught. We usually don’t talk much about marlin fishing but you can always run into one while offshore in search of the dolphin.  If you are coming to the upper keys give me a call and I will take care of your fishing needs. Capt Bryan Spring 2011 Backcountry Report Well Easter weekend is here and the weather conditions for the last couple of weeks have been fantastic. Stable and relatively calm conditions have lead to many excellent opportunities to catch a flats slam (bonefish, permit, tarpon). Spring is my favorite time of the year to fish the Ocean side flats of the Upper Keys. With May around the corner the big highlight of that month will be the re-opening of grouper. This will take pressure off the flats as most will be fishing for dinner rather than the thrill of a lifetime.  The tarpon are here!!!! With a mild winter down here and the heat of spring already warming the local water temperatures into the lower 80’s. So far the largest fish landed was last week, a 150lber devoured a live crab on 20lb braid! The entire fight lasted an hour and forty-five minutes before we released the beast to fight another day. Already big schools are pushing south along the Oceanside shoreline, traveling down a historically know path, giving anglers several opportunities to present a fly or crab to hungry fish. But if you are looking for an easier experience try fishing the night hours when these predators feed. My best advice to anglers looking to lock horns with the silver king during the day is, do not wear bright color shirts or hats, be prepared for a fight lasting over 60 minutes, practice your casting accuracy, and bring the best pair of polarized sunglasses you have!  Tarpon are the “Big Show” when it comes to fishing this time of year but they are not the only game in town. Permit and bonefish also patrol the same areas as the big boys. Many bonefish in the 8-10lb have been caught this past month aboard my boats including four fish between 11-13lb club. Look for the bonefishing to improve as we approach June.  Last year I had 8 flats slams between May and July with the youngest angler only 16 years old!!! Catching a flats slam is a sight fisherman’s dream and you do not have a world-class angler to do it.  Capt Mike   Winter 2010 Fishing Report Winter fishing has hit the Florida Keys. Sailfish has been the fish of choice for the charter fleet plus almost everyone else. Ballyhoo have been the bait of choice and they are abundant on our local reefs. Along with slow trolling these baits have produced kingfish, mutton snapper and grouper. Also not to forget the dolphin and tuna which come up on the surface lines. Wahoo have been caught for the offshore anglers, these speedsters have been picked up from the edge of the reef out to about 250 feet. A few dolphin and tuna have been caught in combination with the trolling. The wrecks have produced amberjack, sharks, muttonsnapper and sharks. The grouper season is closed for the next 4 months. On the reef there is good yellowtail snapper fishing when the water is not to cold. Plenty of cero and Spanish mackerel are in the area. If you are from the north in the cold, come on down the weather is in the 70’s this week. Winter Backcountry Report Winter is here and it gets cold outside “where are my jeans?”. As to how cold it is it depends on where you are from. With the cold come the big schools of game fish. Bonefish, redfish, snook, black drum, and sheephead school together to spawn and stay warm. As the cold front pass the temps drop and rise slowly over the following days. As the temps change so do the fish move, every cold front we get the fish move further south. Usually shutting down the bite for a few days until the water temps have a chance to rise up again. When this happens the bite is on!!!! Not eating for a couple of days will make anyone hungry. Whether it’s the avid fly fisherman or the first time angler there is something here for everyone. Wintertime means crystal clear waters and pristine sight fishing conditions for you fly anglers out there. Bonefish, permit, and tarpon are the most commonly sought after species on the Oceanside. Do not forget about the cudas and sharks patrolling the flats as well. Even on the days that are windy, you can always find a shoreline out of the wind somewhere. And on the bayside it is all about the redfish, snook, and seatrout. Half-day trips into the Everglades will be more than enough time to find these bruisers of the backcountry.   Look forward to seeing you soon… Capt. Mike Makowski Blackfoot Charters Fall 2010 Fishing Report The winter fish, kings,sails and wahoo should be on their way following the massive bait schools that will be heading south. Reef fishing, mainly yellowtail have been hot when the conditions are right. Muttons and grouper are being caught in 100-200 feet of water and more will be coming into shallower water as the temperature cools down. The patch reefs are producing mixed bag of fish. Fall Inshore Report Now that summer is over with most of the best fishing being done either during the early morning hours or late in the afternoon. We welcome the transition into the fall weather pattern; this means fantastic fishing can be done all day long. Cooler days and water temperatures mean more active fish. This also marks the beginning of our winter cold fronts that pass through the area bringing wind and colder conditions. October also means the beginning of the fall mullet migration, basically bait fishing at its finest. Already large schools of pilchards line the Oceanside shorelines from Ocean reef to Islamorada. This is by far my favorite time of year to fish. Outback in Everglades National Park redfish, black drum, and tarpon are feasting on all the live bait moving through the area. This is also a great time to sight fish the shallow flats around Flamingo for tailing redfish, sharks, and even a few large tarpon. Snook numbers are on the rise after the epic fish kill we had last winter. Although snook remain closed until September 2011, they can still be perused. So far the best day I have had this year catching snook was 15 in a day, fishing out of the canoe in the No-Motor zones in ENP. The best lure to fish the backcountry is a ¼ ounce silver Johnson weed less spoon, I have caught every species out there on this awesome lure. Try it and you will see for yourself.  Sea trout which were unaffected by the cold snap have grown large and fat, and fill up the cooler when catching redfish/ black drum are slow. Either way there is always something to catch when fishing in ENP. Fishing the Oceanside for bonefish; the rock star of the flats, does not get any better than the fall. Last week saw the return of large schools of bones and on the right tides several can be caught. Permit can be found during the higher stages of the tides following stingrays looking for a free meal. A live crab casted on the back of one of these rays will produce an epic battle with one of the hardest fighting fish found on the flats. Barracuda provide great excitement during the slow periods between schools of bonefish. My favorite lures are green cuda tubes casted out and then retrieved at full speed. You cant retrieve a cuda tube fast enough to out run a hungry cuda. Hope to see you out there…. Capt. Mike Makowski Blackfoot Charters Summer 2010 Fishing Report It is summer time and the fishing is easy. As our days grow hotter the best fishing action is mainly in the early morning and late afternoon. Weather conditions are for the most part calm and sunny with the exception of the occasional passing tropical system.  Nighttime temperatures are more tolerably and many anglers prefer to fish those hours when there is less pressure on the fish and the bite can be fantastic. On the Oceanside the big three (bonefish, permit, tarpon) dominate the flats. Sight fishing conditions do not get any better than the conditions experienced June through September. Once again the early hours of the morning and late afternoon are the best time to pursue the coveted flats slam either on fly or light tackle. But the big three are not the only target species found on the flats this time of year; barracuda, jacks, and sharks will be found cruising the shallow waters all day long. Artificial’s and fly’s are the lures of choice if you want to hook into one of these great fighting fish. Out back in the backcountry redfish, snook, and even a few sea trout will patrol the deep-water motes that surround the many different islands in Everglades National Park. Or can be found tailing in the very shallow waters of the many different flats ready to inhale soft plastic jerk baits, weed less spoons, or even well placed fly’s. Snook populations are on the rebound after this past winters massive die off from the extreme cold we experienced. But it is all coming back; several snook have been caught this summer as the population start to increase. And the future looks increasingly good. Even though we are not in peak tarpon season, tarpon will be found in the backcountry all summer long. Feeding around the runoffs of the larger flats and passes during the lower stages of the tides. Afternoons typically bring thunderstorms with a welcomed break from the afternoon heat. Do not forget to dress appropriately; light long pants and long sleeve shirts help keep those pesky horse flies off your arms and legs. Sunglasses are a must if you want to sight fish the flats, brown/ amber lenses are the most preferred.  Capt. Mike Makowski Lobster season is upon us, the 2 day mini season was on July 28th and the 29th. Lobster traps are placed on Aug.1, since the regular season starts on Aug.6. The mini season was great but with all the divers they tend to wipe out the supply very quickly . Then the traps tend to finish off the supply. That’s when it is time to go to the local fishery to buy your supply. It was sure fun at the beginning of the season.    The dolphin season has its good and bad days. You have to cover a lot of water while looking for the fish. Finding birds and floating objects are the key to a successful trip, but you can always come across them in the wide open. While trolling,  plenty of tuna have been caught and also some wahoo.       Wreck fishing has produced  a mix of amberjack, grouper and also tuna are being caught using butterfly jigs. Bottom fishing  on the reef has been very good for yellowtail snapper, best done early before the heat gets to be too much. The  bottom fishing should be good for the next couple of months. Will be back with the fall fishing report.      Spring 2010 Fishing Report   Spring is here and with it comes the heat and calm days in the Florida Keys. Within the past week the dolphin(mahi-mahi) have been showing up in numbers. A lot of fish are shakers (under the required 20 inches to the fork of the tail) but they grow remarkably fast and hanging with the small ones have been several larger ones caught up to 60 pounds. This is the best time to be fishing in the Key Largo area. There are many tactics in which to locate these fish, one is to high speed troll while looking for birds diving, weedlines or anything floating. Another way for the smaller boats is to run and gun until they spot something that looks promising and then start fishing. Sailfish are still doing well before they head north, live bait have been the ticket either slow trolled or using kites. Kingfish are still hanging around before they start heading north but some tend to stay making Key Largo their summer home. The tuna bite is good, in the morning or evening when the sun is not to high.  Amberjack and tuna are biting well on the Key Largo hump and some wrecks in the area. These fish are being caught on butterfly jigs which are a new technique to the upper keys. It really gets exciting hooking up these large fish on spinners with braided line. Live bait is also a good way to go. Yellowtail and mutton snapper are biting on the reef since the water has warmed up, but with the water being so clear and calm sometimes it gets difficult to get them to eat. Hopefully the oil spill on the gulf will not come to the Florida Keys; we are saying our prayers. Come on down to Key Largo and the upper keys, the weather and fishing are great. Spring 2010 Backcountry Report  As we get closer to summer our temperatures slowly creep into the 80’s, the fishing only gets better in the upper keys. Come enjoy the great fishing and the beautiful weather this time of year.  Its all about the bonefish, permit, and tarpon! The elusive flats slam! Oceanside the flats are teaming with life, boxfish can be seen feeding on Sargasso crabs near the surface, stingrays are followed by hungry permit, and migratory tarpon are followed by big sharks and can be seen from very far away. Sight fishing paradise is what some call it. Whether you are looking to sling some bait or throw a fly, opportunities for catching fish are around every corner.    In the backcountry the bite only improves. Redfish tailing in some of the biggest schools of the year will be abundant on the shallow water flats surrounding Flamingo. Snook are not as common as previous years but are still around the creek mouths feeding on anything that happens by. Otherwise the black drum, sea trout, and sheep head fill in the time between schools of redfish. Now if sight fishing is not your forte, pitching shrimp tipped jigs under overhanging mangrove trees will produce a healthy bite of redfish, snook, black drum, and the occasional hungry shark. Don’t forget about the tarpon ready to take a live crab thrown in front of them or soft plastic jerk bait.    On the shallow wrecks stacks of permit will be gathering in large schools in preparation to spawn during the full moon. Early starts will be required in order to have the best possible chance to land several permit. Grouper are in season and ready to make an appearance in the cooler.   Winter 2010 Fishing Report   Sailfish action in the upper keys has been real hot with fish being caught anywhere from 20 feet all the way out to 200 feet of depth. The sails can be seen balling up the ballyhoo and causing them to shower on the edge of the reef.     Kingfish in the Key Largo and Islamorada area has been phenomenal. Getting your limit of two per day has not been a problem. Inshore has cero and Spanish mackerel biting extremely well.                                       On the trolling scene wahoo have been caught on either trolling lures or live bait. Tuna fishing on the area humps have been cooperative, either trolling small lures way back, live baiting or deep jigging.   Patch fishing has been producing mutton snapper and mackerel along with various other species of bottom fish. Wreck fishing has been producing amberjack, kingfish, barracuda and mutton snapper but bringing them in before the sharks get them has become a real challenge.   Yellowtail fishing on the reef has been off mainly due to the cold water,the fish have become lethargic and have to adjust to the drastic changes in temperature.   Grouper fishing has closed from January through April and this should really benefit our fishery for the future. Hope to hear from you soon for an upper keys fishing trip.   Fall 2009 Fishing Report   Fall has finally arrived and the upper keys’ fishing has begun to change in Key Largo and Islamorada. The reef has had the yellowtail fishing really hot at this time and may slow with the water cooling. Grouper and mutton snapper have been caught on the nearby wrecks and will start moving in with the colder water.   The reef is full of baitfish and with this you can see schools of ballyhoo showering, being chased by sailfish and mackerel. We should have a great sailfish season in the upper keys this winter.                                                                                                               Moving offshore the dolphin (mahi-mahi) has been slow but will pick up as the cooler water will cause them to migrate south. These fish will be large and traveling near the reef feeding on all the baitfish. Some wahoo have been caught and their numbers will increase as winter approaches. Kingfish are on their way with the baitfish, smaller ones are here but the smokers will follow with the water cooling.    The best action in the upper keys has been the tuna bite, especially on the area humps. Trolling small lures way back has been the most productive. Amber jack are still being caught on the offshore wrecks and humps. It’s always fun to bend a rod with these bruisers.

 Our busiest season is upon us and I highly recommend booking as early as possible as many of the Holiday dates are already booked.  If you are ready to book or wish to check on availability, just click HERE for the online booking system.  If you have any questions  or would like to contact Dauntless Charters, just click HERE.  We are only an hour from the Miami airport, less than three hours from Naples, located at Mile Marker 94.5 on US 1 in the Florida Keys just minutes North of Islamorada in Key Largo.

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