By: Capt. Greg Poland
Winter has settled into the Florida Keys, and with it comes one of my favorite fisheries of the year. The spanish mackerel bite in Florida Bay has been nothing short of on fire. This is the stretch of the season when the action stays steady and the rods rarely rest. On a good day, I look around the boat and everyone is hooked up at once, it’s fast-paced, fun fishing that simply never gets old.
To keep the fish active, I hang a chum bag off each side of the boat and fish live shrimp on a lite trace of wire. Once the mackerel really fire up, you can start conserving bait by cutting shrimp in half or switching to artificials. And if you’re a fly angler, or have been thinking about becoming one now is the right time. A 9-weight rod paired with a red-and-white Lefty Deceiver is all you need. Make a cast behind the boat and hold on.
I had the privilege of fishing with Lefty for many years, and although he was known worldwide for the “glamour species,” these simple winter mackerel days here in the Florida Keys were something he always made time for. He loved the speed, the chaos, and the pure joy it brought.
For those wanting to fish the oceanside of the island, the sailfish bite has been picking up along the reef line. When the weather allows, I’ll sneak my boat out there, pull out the Ballyhoop net, and load the baitwell with fresh ballyhoo. My go-to setup is a 20-lb spinning outfit spooled with Beyond Braid hi-vis line and a 15-foot section of 40-lb fluorocarbon finished with a circle hook. Rigged this way, you can either fly the kite or slow troll, depending on the conditions. Early mornings and late afternoons have been the most productive, and we’ve already released some great fish this season.
Don’t be surprised if your chum while catching bait draws in yellowtail snapper. Keep a 10-lb spinning rod ready with a piece of shrimp or squid, you may just end up with dinner while you’re waiting for a sailfish to show!
If you’re thinking about getting out on the water, I have some open dates coming up and would love to take you fishing. Winter is here, the bite is strong, and it’s one of the best times of the year to be in Islamorada.
— Contact Capt. Greg at 305.393.3327 or email gregpoland@icloud.com |
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