Question: Key Largo Reef fishing

[cobia80]

Heading down to Key Largo for Christmas week. I have secured a 22' boat and am looking for advice on some reef fishing for snapper and grouper. It's been awhile since I have fished the keys. We did some reef chumming for the snapper with some success.
Is it a good time of year for snapper/grouper??
What is the best chum??/Hook set up??
Any specific areas of the reef to fish??
Any Sailfish in Dec??

Thinking about bringing my kite down with me for sails...

Thanks for any help

B-Sea

[cobia80]

Hey guys I'm not looking for the honey hole, just some tips to help me narrow it down.

If ya ever come up the va. beach I can hook ya up on a Chesapeake Bay trip for numerous species...Big Reds, Big Cobia, Big Stripers (40+), and the ocean for some serious action. No B.S. :yes:

Thanks,

B-Sea

[Capt Bob]

well I lived in Va for 27 yrs and fished the bay and mid atlantic all during that time so fishing out ou there isn't a necessesity for some info...however I do not fish that far up on the Keys... a large part of the reef up there is within Pennecamp state park and off limits to fishing and spearfishing etc. any tackle shop could mark the off limits areas for you on a chart ( there is a free chart that is handed out at all the shops and places that rent or loan boats and it's a good chart, it's free because of the advertising on it) ( also they don't want their boats running aground as the fines are flat out huge for damaging bottom!)
Dec is very good for Sails...my neighbor and I caught 3 about a week ago just off the edge ( like 50 ft off) of the reef where they were busting Ballyhoo. I cast netted a couple of Hoos and sent them back free lined with a circle hooh thru the bridge above the eyes..Goggle eyes ( the preferred and best Sail bait will be very expensive ( $100+ per doz)...try catching your own or netting some live bally hoo) all the local shops will have fresh Hoo's in stock

Chum...double ground menhaden is the preferred down here again avail almost every where including K mart, Walgreens, CVS, and most convenience stores

baits vary, fresh shrimp ( live preferred) ( either net or buy at a tackle shop) squid, pieces of fresh ballyhoo, Pinfish catch almost everything easy to catch expensive to buy

Snapper and Grouper should be very co-operative as well

Bottom knocker rigs for most will work...yellow tail they sell a VERY small Crappie size jig with a very strong hook for snapper fishing which works exceptionally well for Yellowtails and the larger 'tails are caught by putting 2-3 glass minnows on the jig and floating it back with the chum the little bit of color seems to atract the larger tails...

spots????? the whole place is a spot...check the chart for some lumps or humps as a starting place and slowly cruise the area watching the bottom machine explore any that show fish...if you aren't seeing fish in the chum in 15 min ...move OH and bring LOTS of chum....you did see that word...LOTS

pick up the latest copy of the Weekly Fisherman paper ( it's free almost everywhere)

lots of current info there

[cobia80]

Thanks for the reply Capt'n Bob...Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.
We have had a great year for speckled trout...real nice class of fish (4-6lbs ) and I have had the fever bad. Water temps are still up and pleanty of bait in the water...

Bob Crutsinger...B-Sea ...BTW...Great name!

[Capt Bob]

stop in the BPS in ft lauderdale (IGFA Hall of Fame and headquarters is next door also, Griffen Rd exit off Turnpike take it east to Anglers RD and turn right and follow signs) and get the bucket with the clear plexi bottom ( about $8) or come on down to the World Wide Sportsman in Islamorada and get one. also a lot of guides and fishing info flying around on that dock, with the bucket even if the wind is chopping the surface you'll be able to see down about 30-40 ft and see the fish if they are hanging around any particular lump...on a good clear smoothy day I can see Snappers, groupers and such moving in on my bait ( does nothing for the blood pressure!) and it lets you pull the bait away from Nurse Sharks

and if you want to buy some really good sunglasses...Flying Fisherman is located in Tavernier and Pat and Linda are really great people with a over the top product that doesn't require a mortgage,,,it's all I've worn for like 12 years...even when I lived in the beach

[cobia80]

Cool, That clear bottom bucket sounds like a neat deal...wish i would have thought if it...lol
Thanks for the info. Bob...I have noticed you post on the va angler board...
I lived on the west coast of Fla. back in the late 80's and fished the keys a little bit back then...Looking forward to fishing it again...

B-Sea