By: Capt. Bruce Andersen
There’s nothing like a family fishing trip in the Florida Keys. Taking your kids out and seeing the excitement on their faces when they’re hooked up to the fish of a lifetime is priceless. With the variety of species and types of fishing available to us here in the Keys, there’s probably no better place to take your family out for the fishing adventure of a lifetime!
Throughout my charter fishing career and my time raising a family in the Keys I can say that some of the best times I’ve had on the water have been taking families fishing whether it was with my kids, or my customers’ families. The feeling you get from showing kids exciting new experiences like all the types of fishing we have in the Keys is unmatched. Luckily, we’ve got so many different types of fishing here that there’s always something new to show them. Also, we’ve got several different options depending on the needs of each family, the weather, and fishing conditions that day.
For example: a day with moderate winds out of the east where it might be too rough in the ocean for a family, we could take them back to the gulf, where it’s calm, for nonstop action catching Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, jacks, sharks, and possibly even cobia! If we’ve got a north wind then we can hit the patch Reefs for a variety of fish including yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snapper, grouper, cero mackerel, and a whole mix of other stuff! If we’ve got light winds and calm seas, then the sky’s the limit, and we could head offshore to do any number of things, including targeting blackfin tuna, king mackerel, wahoo, and sailfish on live bait!
With several different types of light tackle options, it’s easy for the kids to handle the tackle and they usually learn quickly. Having the right guide, someone with a little patience, and the ability to explain things and teach the kids is key. Luckily, the guides here in the Florida Keys are some of the most knowledgeable and experienced guides in the world.
The exhilaration of the engines revving up and the boat jumping up on plane with the sunrise coming up over the open water in the morning has the amazing effect of getting your kids eyes off the iPhone and out on the horizon. And once they start catching fish, you may have a new passion for the entire family to experience together! This is a great time of year to get the family out on the water, and I would love to take you. Give me a call and let’s get out there and go fishing!
— www.captaineasycharters.com
You can reach Captain Bruce Andersen at Capt. Easy Charters,
MM 85, call 305.360.2120 or email at: captbrucekey@comcast.net