Fishing The Backcountry

Most of the clients I have fished with lately have been interested in action and maybe dinner! To make everyone happy I have spent most of my time in the backcountry or the creeks.

I fished last week with Meg Blair out of Islamorada. We had a great day on the water and ended up all the way back to Flamingo. We caught a boatload of fish, mainly trout and ladyfish. Meg's dog Buster also had a blast checking out every fish that came aboard!

I fished with the Asher clan several days last week. I had a wonderful time fishing with them and we had a blast teaching the younger crowd the art of fishing! High line was Gabrel Asher with a monster hogfish he landed in the Angelfish Creek.

We have also had some nice catches of puppy redfish and snook mixed in with lots of ladyfish, snappers and small groupers!

Tight Lines Capt. Dave

Bonefish Action Heating Up

While the rest of the nation is crippled with snow and ice we are finally having a warm up! The water was up to 74-degrees on the flats yesterday! It was May last year before we saw that temperature. With the warm water we are seeing bonefish return to the flats.

Yesterday fishing with Meg Blair and her friend Johanna Paterson, Johanna caught her first and second bonefish! It was a pleasure to be involved with her conquest! We also caught lots of jacks and other fish, it was a great all around trip.

Earlier in the week fishing with Don Asher we released three nice bones and a boatload of other species. Fishing for redfish, snook and tarpon has also been good. So all I can say is "Life Is Good" !!

Tight Lines, Capt. Dave

Roller Coaster Ride

Fishing the last couple of weeks has been a real roller coaster ride! It goes from bitter cold to above normal warmth. This is not great for the fish. They don't know where to stay and we don't know where to find them. I have had the best luck fishing in deeper water and along the deep ledges in the creeks. At these locations Snapper fishing has been very good with some small Groupers also.

Last Wednesday I took a trip over to the Everglades with my dear friend Meg Blair. We left her house and went almost all the way to Flaming. It was a beautiful calm day and we had a absolute blast. We stopped and fished at several locations and caught a boatload of fish! Lots of Jacks, Trout and Ladyfish. What a great day.

I have also been still having some luck with Redfish up around Ocean Reef Club. I am looking at another busy week and hoping by my next report I will be telling you about releasing lots of Bonefish!

Tight Lines Capt. Dave

New Year

Since my return to Ocean Reef after my Christmas break I have been faced with some challenging conditions. We have had some bitter cold and windy day's. Thank God these conditions have moderated and we are again back to normal winter conditions!! You know the old adage " When the going gets tough".

I have had some outstanding trips of late and we have been having way to much fun on the water. We have been catching lots of fish, not always the clamorous verity, but fun none the less!

Top Gun so far is Sarah Asher. Fishing with her grandfather Don she released 25 Redfish! She kept both her grandfather and I busy releasing and reloading. What an outstanding trip!! The bar is set high for the rest of the season!

Tight Lines, Capt. Dave

Headed Home For Christmas

It is time for me to head back to Michigan and enjoy my family and do a little skiing. It has been a bit chilly in the Keys the last week. It is to cold to early!! I left the dock one afternoon sweating, returned in full rain gear and freezing. What a change!!

Fishing was holding up well until the last couple of days when water dipped into the fifties. It has been a real mixed bag at Ocean Reef Club of late. We have caught a couple of Permit, some nice Snook, several Bonefish and lots of Ladyfish, Jacks, Sharks and Snappers.

I hope the water has warmed into the seventies and it is sunny and warm upon my return to Ocean Reef.

Tight Lines, Capt. Dave

Happy Thanksgiving

I can't believe it is the Holiday Season already! The past year is just a blur and a new one is just around the corner. Hope you all have a great time with your families this Thanksgiving!

Fishing business has slowed a bit for me , but I am still getting out a bit. Bonefishing has really picked up here at the Ocean Reef Club the last few days and the size of the fish has really increased. I will be on the water this afternoon and can't wait to get after them. We have also been seeing some monster Redfish in the Card Sound and Snook fishing remains good.

If you are at Ocean Reef this weekend I would love to get you on the water!

Tight Lines Capt. Dave

Back In The Goove

I have fished every day but one this week and feel like I am back in the groove! We have been catching a lot of fish, but sometimes they are not always the target species! No one seems to be complaining. The wind made it tough for a couple of days although it has been sunny and warm! My anglers yesterday caught a couple of bonefish and were also busy with lots of Jacks, Snappers and a couple of Snook.

All in all we sure cannot be complaining. Life is good!!

Tight Lines Capt. Dave