Fly Fishing Islamorada

[Jimmy Boehling]

Hi all,

I am hoping to plan a trip to Islamorada for a father-son guided fishing trip.  We are aiming for January - February.  Wanted to see if anybody could recommend a good lodge or guide for bonefishing (and whatever else might be targetable) in Islamorada...

I am also not 100% committed to Islamorada, but this is just a spot I have been recommended to go.  Anywhere in the Keys really is where we are looking to go. 

Any pointers would be much appreciated. 

-Jimmy

[Fishing]

Recommend contact Bud n Mary’s.  They have reasonable lodging for fishermen and a cast of guides.  Recommend back country fishing in the glades.  You’ll have to shop around if you want a fly fishing only guide, but all of the guides there will put you on fish.  Look up Capt Jim Willcox at ultimatekeysfishing.com I’ve fished with him several times and always came home worn out and sore.  Best day of hard work!

Dan

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 30, 2020, at 11:16, Jimmy Boehling <jimmyb...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Yambag Nelson]

I go to the keys almost every year, sometimes twice a year and have done so for the last 15 years.  Islamorada has the most options for lodging and is where the most guides are based out of, but there are plenty of options for both everywhere between key largo and key west.  Personally i usually stay in islamorada but the last few years have stayed at the courtyard marriott in marathon which is a very nice courtyard.  I have also camped at long key state park a bunch which is a great place to camp with a wadeable flat that used to often have bonefish in the mornings on the right tide.  

I'm going to disagree with the last post.  There are guides in the keys who will take you fly fishing but have never caught a bonefish or tarpon on a fly.  Do you really want to pay $700-$800 plus tip for a guy that has never done what you are trying to do?  You really should look for a fly fishing guide.  

The bonefishing around islamorada is improving over where it was a few years ago, but it is still a tough go.  The time of year you are going can be particularly tough as any type of cold weather will result in no bonefish on the flats.  Honestly, that is pretty much the worst time of year to go if bonefish are your target.  Personally if you are dead set on that timeframe i would look to the everglades (thats where most guides will probably push you unless they don't want to make the run) or look more towards the lower keys/key west.   The everglades will be redfish, snook ect rather than bones though.  IF you happen to get a few days of warm weather and no wind in february, tarpon can show up in the backcountry around islamorada.  

I don't have a recommendation for a guide.  My longtime guide retired at the end of 2018.  i have a few days booked with randy stallings this may for tarpon.  Based on phone conversations he seems very honest and upfront but I have yet to fish with him.  i have never fished with any of the guides out of florida keys outfitters but if you can't get a good recommendation i would feel safe getting a guide from them.  Regardless they are probably worth a call just to get a feel for what the fishing will be like the months you are going. 

[Yambag Nelson]

To clarify my last post because i think i may have misinterpreted the previous post, a large percentage of guides are not fly fishing only.  Those guys can still be very good assuming they are fly fishermen themselves.  The economics are such that they have to take people who want to bait fish if they want to make a living.   

The issue is there are guides who primarily bait fish but will take a fly fisherman out.  Those are the guides I would avoid.  

[Fishing]

Yambag,

My second and last post.  Don’t knock someone for trying to help someone out. I’m a avid fly fisherman.  Maybe you started on bait, but I’ve been throwing a fly since I was 6 years old.  Started on native trout in northern Pennsylvania. I’m well into my 50’s and have fished around the world.  I tie and make my own rods.  Been fishing the Keys well over 20 years.  I’ve caught tarpon, reds, snook, bonefish and multiple other gamefish until my hands have bled.  In fact, I don’t fish that area so much anymore because it’s like shooting fish in a barrel.  Just because you post a lot doesn’t make you the ”specialist”.  Do some research, there’s plenty of guides down there that fly fish.  I don’t camp anymore, but I stay at lodging around $100 a night and usually can walk or drive less than a mile drive to meet the Captain.   Sounds like you’re the source... so hook him up and I’ll go back to my rod building. 

Tight lines!

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 30, 2020, at 23:39, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:

To clarify my last post because i think i may have misinterpreted the previous post, a large percentage of guides are not fly fishing only.  Those guys can still be very good assuming they are fly fishermen themselves.  The economics are such that they have to take people who want to bait fish if they want to make a living.   

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/b47cca3d-fc81-49a2-8881-87d77c9f933an%40googlegroups.com.

[Yambag Nelson]

I simply said i disagreed with your post which i then corrected after I read it more closely.  You sound overly sensitive and may have issues with reading comprehension considering I never said there were not guides down there that fly fish.  There are likely hundreds of guides that fly fish in the keys.  There are also guides down there that do not fly fish but will take someone fly fishing.  I was simply suggesting that he would be better doing his research and not getting one of those guides.  

If i was going to pay $800 a day to fish down there, I would want to be sure that the guide is a fly fisherman, not just some random bait guide who "can put you on fish".   There are both operating out of Bud n marys.  

i was never questioning whether or not you personally fly fish.