FL Keys feeshin trip

[Steve]

Just a few pics from my Keys trip last week. Stayed in Marathon and the room came with a 20' center console.

Water was rough this year, didn't get a lot of fish, plenty of snapper though.



Water is a beautiful blue everywhere. You can see down to the bottom about 30 feet down like it was right there! The reefs are beautiful and filled with large fish including Grouper, Barracuda and Shark.





Here's the little Bonnethead shark, has about 4" protrusions like a Hammerhead.





Next is a friendly Loggerhead turtle, lots of 'em on the Gulf side.





Here's my medium action boat rod bending on the next shark. Took me 30 minutes to get her up to the boat, grabbed the 80# leader and it snapped.





Here's the 30 minute Nurse chark, got her up to the boat and figured about 7' and 150 pounds.





Here's the sunset standing in Mallory Square in Key West.





And a sunset from our marina.





Always a nice trip, my third time fishing there. Try to go every year.

[mdram]

nice pics, looks like a fun trip

[Coop]

Welcome back . Great pics Steve,,,looked like a great trip,,,I am hoping to head down there in Jan or Feb. Looks like a great place!

[Steve]

Stayed at Capt. Pip's in Marathon, place sleeps two couples, one bedroom, second couple on the sofa/fouton in the living room (comfy). Full kitchen, decent gulf side view and great water pressure in the shower. Comes with a 20' boat too, you pay the fuel.

$1500 per week. Stayed in the top floor apt, looked straight out on the dock, baot was the butterfly, ran great. Little Darren took care of our outside needs, boat, ice, where & how to fish, etc. You catch the bait (Pinfish) right on the pier.

[mdram]

they got a web site?

[Steve]

Yep, here it is:

http://www.captainpips.com/



We stayed in the Red Snapper, the Dolphin is on the ground floor and I would have preferred it but it wasn't available when we booked. You walk right out the door and there are three grills, tables, chairs, dock.



The pics on the "vacation suites" page show it some what. The pic on the top left showe the two mentioned rooms, the Doplhin is on the bottowm walk-out door just behind the bush. The pic on the right IS the walk-out door looking toward the water.

The pic on the bottom right is the top floor place, the bottom floor (Dolphin) has a large dining table at the window under the awning.

The kitchen is narrow but it has a full-sized fridge and all the other kitchen stuff.



You don't need to take a bait bucket, Darren will get'cha one along with a chum bag. They also provide any size fish coolers for the boat and they have HUGE ones too. See Darren for the ice.



You really don't have to take anything other than your poles, reels and line.

You'll pass Bass Pro Shops "Outdoor World on the way there. Grab some 8 oz. bank sinkers, #10 or #12 hooks to catch the small Pinfish for bait, #4 hooks, 12/0 circle hooks, maybe about 150 pound leader for your big rig and some 125 pound swivels. Ten pound line is good for the smaller stuff, recommend full shark rigs for the big stuff like Grouper, Tarpon, Cuda and Shark.



This ain't the Ritz but it's a nice inexpensive getaway that even gives you a boat to use. The few employees they have are great. Guess on about $200 - $300 for fuel if you want to hit the reef a few days and also boat on the Gulf side. Snorkling is fantastic on the Sombrero Reef and Delta Shoals. Stop at Wal Mart and buy snorkling gear, they charge $15 a day for each setup.



My routine was take a big cup of coffee on to the dock, grab the pole and leftover squid off the boat, take the small gear with a small split-shot or two, the tiny #10 or #12 hooks and catch Pinfish for bait. Then off to get the big fish!



You can also fish for big Tarpon right off the dock! They cruise through early morning and just before dusk.

[mdram]

hhmmmmmm, i was looking for someplace year, first week of octoer

[Steve]

Originally Posted by mdram

hhmmmmmm, i was looking for someplace year, first week of octoer

Someplace near?

Next Oct?

[mdram]

lol, sorry, was on phone while typing



meant to say somplace next year for first week in october.

wife wants it to be a fishing trip.

was thinking of poconos, salmon river area, or obx.



hafta add keys to the list as well

[Sam]

Nice pics and great info, Steve. That is cool that you get your own boat with the room. I'm glad the weather wasn't too bad. :wink:

[chomper]

Very nice. 8) I will be dreaming all winter...

[bluefish blitz]

awesome pics, i bet that shark was fun



tight lines ya'll

[Steve]

Originally Posted by bluefish blitz

awesome pics, i bet that shark was fun

Not as interesting as the five foot Barracuda shadowing me when I was snorkling the offshore reefs.....

Sucka' would leave me alone. Watched him attack some Yellowtail, AWESOME speed!

(and teeth)