By: Capt. Greg Poland
Winter is coming to an end and the Spring Breakers are packing their bags for a little fun in the sun and so are the Silver Kings! Yes, it is that time of year when the tarpon start showing up on those perfect days that we have all been waiting for. I absolutely love this time of year and when we get a stretch of warm weather my favorite fish will start showing up and eating just about anything you throw at them from a chicken feather to a jumbo shrimp! Weather is always hard to predict this time of the year and if the cool temps stick around for a bit longer then the gulf fishing for the spanish mackerel will hold on a bit longer. It has been a great winter season and I suspect they will be moving along anytime now but making way for the cobia and permit to start showing up out on the gulf spots. Fishing around the Islamorada area has been good on the shallow patch reefs if you are looking for a fish dinner as there has been a mixed bag of snapper and other bottom fish that has been pretty solid and all you need is a chum bag and a few dozen shrimp. When the weather allows, I have been out on the drop-off catching a few kings and trying for a sailfish. Yes, it is a great time of year whether in the backcountry or out on the reef. If you have been homebound due to the weather conditions out on the water, now is the time to dust off your gear and get ready!
