(Capn's Note: Yessss, this page is terribly dated due to lack of time. Still, fishing can run in cycles (or maybe not), but if it does, these reports may be highly accurate!)

6/14/03: General Report
by Chief Yakker

Here's the highlights:

Bones are appearing all over the keys. Fish early am, late pm (watch those storms), they don't like hot midday water. Best is end of low, beginning of rising tide through high. If you know the channel access to the flat start there and follow them in (VERY quietly). On a falling tide these are the entrance/escape routes.

Remember: summer waters get very warm and chase fish off the flats. AM's best, nice and cool, and calm.

Lots of permit gulf side. There are worm and shrimp hatches on the next new moon, tarpon will be there in number. Tarpon are beginning to migrate north.

Shrimp hatches, go for tarpon off the beaches, and esp. around government cut. Personally, I'd try for some big bones and cuda in S. Bay. Reports of tarpon rolling in Dumbfoundling Bay (n. end). Tarpon at noon and 5pm in Haulover near fishing boats (when they come in and fillet fish, the tarpon feed...honest!).

Lots of trout, reds, and especially sharks. Water can be muddy, find a clear edge often near channels, fish the first 10-20 feet of muddy water where the feeding is.

Early am action, first light through maybe 8 am. Nice dolphin are being caught. Lots of snook around piers, inlets. Summer pilchards appearing, along with schools of jacks. Look for birds. Some cruising tarpon (try live finger mullets, but even large heads, chunks).

Summer patterns are here...calm, nice in the am with building winds and storms in the pm after say 1 pm. Topwaters great in the calm water, then go underneath when the waves pick up. Watch storms carefully, don't be too far from shelter that you can't reach in say 15 min or less when storms threaten. If you see lightning or thunder be SURE to store your rods flush against the deck. Your rod and line is actually a lightning rod and you are exposed. Get to shore or the mangroves, and wait it out.

"Honest - it was this big..."