Waldo "Double Treble" Tejera Jr.
Staff Writer
www.Expressive-Design.com

Captain Ron Brack
Staff Writer
The Charterboat Reel Pleasure
www.ReelPleasure
Charters.com

Capt. Dexter Simmons
Fly Fishing Expert
ISF Contributor
"Flats Master" Charters
www.KeyWestFly
Fishing.com

Interesting Articles We've Found Around The Web

Fish Tales From The Florida Keys

The other Florida sport  Bailey Rose, Lakeland, FL - ISF Contributor

It's a blazing August afternoon back on land and the sun beats down mercilessly - on shore, it's easily a hundred degrees with heat index.  Over the water, however, skipping across light inshore chop at a comfy cruising speed of thirty knots and sitting in a pool of shade (cast down by the Bimini top), it's cool as one could please.  In the distance, I spy a dull-green dash on the horizon as Rodriguez key peeks out over the earth's curvature.  Normally, there's a typical North-Eastern breeze of ten to fifteen knots, and the trip to prime territory becomes an arduous slog through broken inshore chop - today, however, the winds have changed, and the trip from Islamorada passes as a cool blur. Full Story

Find Your Niche By Waldo "Double Treble"  Tejera Jr. Staff Writer

Most successful businesses have one thing in common.  They sell or do one thing and do it well.  They focus their efforts on one particular product or service and specialize in it in order to differentiate themselves from all the other guys; in business lingo this is called “finding your niche”.  Well what works in business works in fishing too.  Most fishing guides and charter captains target specific fish or fishing areas.  They have one or two species of fish in mind when they set out and they employ methods and styles they know will catch a certain fish. Full Story

Florida Keys Fishing Online Mailbag - Inside you'll find some e-mail's we've gotten here at the website and thought everyone could benefit from our answers.

Spiny Lobster-General Facts Commonly referred to as the Florida spiny lobster, the Caribbean spiny lobster inhabits tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Full Story

An overview of the Common Snook in Florida The common snook, Centropomus undecimalis, is one of Florida's most popular inshore gamefish because of its spectacular fighting ability and merit as table fare. Full Story

An Overview of the Red Drum (Redfish) The red drum is one of the state’s most widespread estuarine inhabitants. Red drum are prodigious spawners that may produce tens of millions of eggs each year. Their relative hardiness and prolific nature make them ideal candidates for rearing in hatcheries. Stringent fishing restrictions have been instrumental in restoring populations of this fast-growing fish, which frequents practically all of the state’s estuaries.   Full Story  (Adobe Acrobat Required)

An Overview of the Tarpon - One of Florida’s most spectacular game fish, the tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) is a feisty foe whose powerful leaps from the water and bone-jarring bursts of speed test the skill and fortitude of even the most experienced angler. A hardy giant that can survive in a variety of habitats and salinities, the tarpon can even gulp air for extended periods when not enough oxygen is present in the water to sustain it. Despite its popularity among sport fishermen, many aspects of this extremely long-lived fish’s life cycle and behavior remain a mystery.  Full Story (Adobe Acrobat Required)

Bait Fish Of Florida  "Baitfish” is the common term given to a multitude of small, schooling fish whose main claim to fame is that they are an important food source for other fish. This large and diverse group of fishes is an integral part of the complex, interconnected marine food web. Baitfish are used in a variety of products such as fish meal, oil, pet food, and fertilizer and are, of course, used as bait. Regardless of the purpose of the catch, baitfish harvests support the state’s lucrative and popular fishing industries, both recreational and commercial.  Full Story   (Adobe Acrobat Required)

The Bonefish Renowned by anglers for their wariness and fighting spirit, bonefish are stealthy and speedy residents of the shallow bays and backcountry of south Florida. Although they are not usually consumed by people, bonefish are a major target of sport fishermen, especially in the Florida Keys, where bonefish are a pillar of the recreational fishing industry.  Full Story   (Adobe Acrobat Required)

General Fact About Dolphin (Mahi-Mahi) Dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus, is an important fishery species in tropical and temperate waters worldwide. Dolphin, also known as mahi mahi, are usually found well offshore, but can occur within a few miles of the coast when winds blow steadily onshore or the Gulf Stream is close to shore. Dolphin can be caught along Florida's coastline, but are concentrated in the southeast region of the state. At times, schools of smaller dolphin can be found congregating beneath any object floating in the water such as wood or mats of Sargassum weed. Full Story

Facts About Grouper  Adult groupers, members of one of the largest families of fishes found in Florida waters, run the gamut of sizes and shapes, from the diminutive grays weighing several pounds, to the mammoth goliath that can top the scales at 600 pounds or more. Grouper is an important commercial and recreational commodity in Florida. Broiled, fried or spicy “blackened” grouper is a staple on the menus of seafood restaurants. Full Story  (Adobe Acrobat Required)

Hurricane Preparedness For Boat Owners By Douglas Gregory, Director/Sea Grant Marine Agent University of Florida/Monroe County Cooperative Extension

The key to protecting your boat from hurricanes or any threatening severe weather is planning, preparation, and timely action. A boat owner/operator may be held responsible for damages caused by his vessel during a natural disaster.

Each boat owner needs a plan unique to the type of boat, the local boating environment, and the characteristics of available safe havens. A detailed action plan could be to secure your boat, either in the marina, out of the water, or to leave the area. Full Story

Industry and Government Cooperation Creates a Sustainable Lobster Fishery   by Douglas Gregory University of Florida/Monroe County Extension Service

 The two-day lobster sport season is over and the regular season begins this week. The two-day July sport season and the month of August is the primary time of year for lobster sport diving harvest.  Full Story.

Keys Marine Habitat (PDF) Great information about our delicate Florida keys marine habitat.

Keys Habitat Restoration - Where does YOUR money go??