He began as a first mate and worked his way up to being a fulltime captain in 2008. Also included in the show notes is a strike line charts under 3d sonar image of some good patch reef fishing spots off key largo. Florida keys reef and bottom fishing opportunities. The vids center around useful tactics, techniques, and tips relating to saltwater fishing. The water is crystal clear and often times you will see hundreds of fish feeding off the chum right behind the bo. The third step is to explore the inner parts of the coral patch.
The patch reef fishing is historically excellent throughout november due to the increased amount of baitfish, most notably ballyhoo, that push onto the patches as water temperatures drop. Fishing the reefs off marathon in the keys florida sportsman. The great white heron national wildlife refuge runs to the west and north of the islands from marathon key through the big pine and key lower keys region down to key west. This refuge was created in 1938 in an attempt to protect the rare and endangered great white heron which is found only in the florida keys. Florida keys patch reef mutton snapper the intrepid angler. Bottomfishing in the florida keys salt water sportsman. The patch reefs are in hawks channel between the keys and the reef. Coffins patch key colony beach 2020 all you need to. I usually start frequenting these areas just after the time change and will fish them hard until the tarpon return to the harbor in the spring. I will be heading to marathon for a week and we will be renting a boat, my family and i have been 6 times before and have fishing experience at the patch reefs and other areas, but we have never been during the summer. With lovely patch reefs everywhere, and numerous dive operators to choose from, plus plenty of great shore dives, marathon is a great place to escape from the cares of everyday life, for divers new and experienced alike. Mussels suffer from exploitation though, so are best searched for in isolated areas. Pipis are found buried in sand under shallow water along ocean beaches. Fishing the patch reefs and inshore rock piles in the lower florida keys can be a lot of fun in the winter and can yield some tasty fish.
Reef fishing in the keys presents all sorts of opportunities. When you go to the patch reefs bring some hair hooks, tiny hooks. Other great marathon fishing areas on top of all these great fishing features, youll also have the standard perks that come with fishing in florida keys. Fishing the many different patch reefs that average 20 feet or so in depth is fantastic. Fishing patch reefs are a good way to start out fishing in the keys,and learn the techniques of florida keys fishing. Fishing in the florida keys off of marathon island with american fishing co. Usually, you can catch small bait fish like ballyhoo on the patch reefs. Marathon fl, united states member since november 2018 growing up with a captain for a father, captain michael was always on the water. Offshore, patch reef, gulf and bay, back county, everglades, the flamingo, and bridges are all active destinations for the largest fishing fleet in the world.
Reef fishing charters in marathon, florida keys coral charters. Patch reef fishing angling adventures florida keys. Offshore there is the marathon hump which attracts all kinds of feeding fish as well as the nearby gulfstream, which harbors the. Just looking for some atlantic patch reef fishing tips that would be easy to have the ladies enjoy. Boating and angling guide to the middle keys, side a little duck key to grassy key, including marathon,key colony beach, sombrero reef, and coffins patch. There are not many spots on this planet that can offer the diverse fishing available in islamorada. I love fishing the patch reefs here in the florida.
You will be able to catch many different species of fish and enjoy the wonders of this type of angling. However, this shellfish can be found in shallow water flanked by reef. Dave spent the early part of the day hopping from wreck to wreck and patch reef to patch reef, briefly prospecting each one with baits before moving on in search of hungry fish. The middle keys monroe county gps coordinates reefs.
Its not uncommon to catch a variety of different species in one day. Once all the fish are eating in the chum line anglers will take their live or cut bait and toss it in the schools of fish. For mangos and yellowtail just about any depth and location will be fine, just drop a. Florida keys angling adventures marathon fishing charters. Youll be fishing anywhere from 20 feet of water on the patch reefs out to a little over 100 feet for big yellowtail and other snapper and grouper. Key west fishing link 801 eaton st, key west, fl 33040 305 8536036. It was the kind of trip that bottom fishing is supposed to be.
Where to go spearfishing in the florida keys when freediving. Light tackle, small reefs, but big fun and lots of. Light tackle, small reefs, but big fun and lots of action. Click on a location on the map to see its description and coordinates, or scroll down to the list to see all the details. I included detailed patch reef fishing tackle and fishing tips. The tackle i prefer to use while fishing in the shallow waters of the patch reef is light spinning tackle in the 10 to 20 pound class. This is a great way for the whole family to enjoy a great day on the atlantic waters just off of marathon key, florida. Black, gag and nassau grouper, a variety of snapper, including mutton and yellowtail, porgies, and hogfish are all good to eat, fun to catch and live on the patch reefs. Patch reefs are small coral reef formations inside of the main barrier reef. You can see all the videos in one place at salt water sportsmans video page. Most of the patch reefs are 5 to 15 feet deep and 100 feet or less in size, and most are accessable with a small boat. Marathon fl fishing charters marathon hump, gulfstream. It is a short ride to the amazing coral reefs of the florida keys. Reef fishing charter fishing the reefs off of marathon in the florida keys is nothing but a hop, skip, and a jump from land.
The patch reef fishing was red hot this past winter, he told me as we set up on a patch almost within swimming distance of marathon. This is typical patch reef fishing all found 2 miles or less from shore here in marathon, florida. Marathon florida keys fishing report captain chris johnson, seasquared charters december 28, 2010 our good client, jerry moore, escapes western pennyslvania every christmas to spend some. You can fish shallow on the patch reefs or head to the deeper reefs. Some nice mangsyellowtail for dinner and stuff to keep the ladies busy catching. Hunting mutton and grouper off the marathon bottom. Fishing on the coral reefs in the keys is done by anchoring the boat over specific marked spots and chumming up the fish to the back of the boat. Many species of fish and other sea life are abundant on the patch reefs. As we settle into a much cooler weather pattern, memories of an 85degree christmas seem more distant than a mere three weeks.
East washerwoman shoal and other patch reefs in hawk. With our temperatures beginning to cool off it is again time to hit the patch reefs. Top 10 marathon, fl fishing charters for 2020 fishingbooker. Florida keys patch reef fishing is a local term for fishing shallow water reefs, rock piles, coral heads and small ship wrecks inside the florida. Miss chief charters with a maximum cruising speed of 25 knots quickly gets you to the reefs and wrecks to fish for grouper, snapper and barracuda, or out to the deep blue for an adrenalin pumping day fishing marlin, sailfish, wahoo, mahi mahi and other big fighters like swordfish. Indistinguishable from the rest of hawk channel in aerial photos, this trough is the second of two on the inner shelf that constitute new coral reef nuclei in the florida reef record. From a boat theyll appear as darker patches, similar to a cloud shadow. Reef fishing charters in marathon, florida keys coral. A reef patch south of tavernier key holds a good number of mutton, mangrove, and. The patch reefs deliver for first time anglers in the florida keys. Bringing a few of my semi experienced fishing buddies, along with all our wivesgirlfriends. Patch reef fishing 2 miles offshore from marathon key, fl.
This makes it a fantastic place for sport fishing and lobster tickling, and it is also a wonderful place to dive and snorkel. Ross gallagher shares his technqiues for shallow water jigging mutton snapper out of marathon. Coffins patch is a great reef close to the marinas and no more then 30 feet deep, you can see small nurse sharks. Just a few minutes from our dock in marathon is one of the most beautiful coral reefs on the planet. The patch reefs offer awesome light tackle fishing in the winter months. Ballyhoo are small beaked bait fish, ranging from about 7 14 inches long.
Fishing in patch reefs for snapper and grouper salt. We include spa areas where fishing is not allowed to eliminate the guess work of where you can and cannot fish. How to fish the patch reefs in the winter bullbuster. Big mangrove snapper, as well as yellowtails, muttons, grouper, and mackerel can all be caught in good numbers fishing between 20 and 30 feet of water.
Marathon fl fishing charters offer all kinds of fishing experiences for anglers interested in florida keys fishing. Patch reefs at east washerwoman shoal and elsewhere in the middle of hawk channel off the middle and lower keys formed on its landward edge lidz et al. Concrete bridge spans long key bridge 5 patch reefs. Its home to numerous species and is great for catching lots of fish all year long. Marathon fishing charters marathon fishing charters. Florida keys patch reef fishing seasquared charters. The depth field is the depth of water in feet to the bottom in reef area, while relief is the height that the wreck rises above the bottom. If you have the need to accommodate a larger group please call, as we may be able to refer you to some of our associates in the area. Patch reefs are isolated coral heads inside the reef, which are very abundant in numbers and hold fish very well.
Although i like the lighter tackle, the variety of species and sizes fishing the patch reefs makes me lean to the heavier side. Mm3 marathon hump west hump spearfishing ok in this area. In 2006, after learning about the garbage patch, the wertheims began crocheting plastic as part of their crochet coral reef project, and they aimed to create a toxic reef as a postmodern sibling to the classical beauty of their yarnbased reefs. The middle keys gps numbers include florida bay on the bay side and the atlantic ocean out to the straights of florida including long key to marathon. In this post, brownlee discusses fishing in patch reefs. We started this half day trip catching nice mangrove snapper for almost an hour before we anchored up on a shallow patch reef for some insane fishing. Our files contain artificial and natural reefs, buoys, ledges, rocks, shipwrecks, and many other types of structures that hold fish, in a 100 miles radius of marathon. Charter fishing the reefs off of marathon in the florida keys is nothing but a hop, skip, and a jump from land. But art cannot be our only response to ecological destruction. The locations below are primarily artificial reefs and shipwrecks. When marathon fishing, you also have access to a different backcountry area. Coffins patch sanctuary preservation area the shallow patch reefs of the coffins patch sanctuary preservation area spa, located approximately four nautical miles off key colony beach, offer some of the best snorkeling in the middle keys.
In addition to the wellknown coffins patch and sombrero reef snorkeling spots, there are many other healthy and beautiful shallow water patch reefs close to marathon and duck key, fl. It surprises me how many anglers visit the florida keys during the summer months with just one thing on their mindscatching dolphin mahi mahi. A lively reef, some coral and plenty of fish around courtesy of the boat crew feeding them. A fishing reef is a place where marine life congregate and thrive. On the atlantic side you have the benefit of offshore fishing the patch reefs and artificial reefs which produce an abundance of feisty florida fish throughout the year. The best fishing spots in the keys and how to fish them.
When the winds pick up across the florida keys, inshore patch reef fishing can save yourself from a day at the dock. The elaborate network of patch reefs and reef systems it looks out onto means that. To find pipis, twist with your bare feet until you find a patch. This time of year the waters cool down and the fish begin to migrate back to shallower water for the winter. Jason long july 4, 2012 marathon saltwater fishing report. Unless youre in a skiff on a windy day, skip the patch reefs in the summer and head out to the primary reef. Marathon is known for its explosive tarpon fishing, which is excellent on the flats and in certain channels.
Florida keys fishing spots with over 500 fishing spots with gps coordinates for inshore patch reef fishing and offshore fishing spots in the florida keys from key largo, islamorada, marathon, big pine key, key west and all keys locations for reef fishing, bottom fishing and trolling. Often times, when we get cold fronts here it will blow very hard from the north for days at a time. In this podcast i talk about how to fish the patch reefs in the florida keys. Few florida fish are as colorful as mutton snapper. Just ducky charters is geared towards small fishing or snorkeling parties.
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