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Date |
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| Fishing Report September 4, 2010: Late Summer Storms & Fishing |
This week marks the 75th anniversary of the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, one of the most intense storms to make landfall in the United States, and definitely the most devastating hurricane on record to hit the Florida Keys. As we remember those who lost their lives that tragic September… |
Jason Long |
09/04/10 |
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| Fishing Report August 28, 2010: Come on Down! |
Even mainland Floridians can appreciate the unique environment and culture of the Florida Keys. Between the laid-back island atmosphere, tropical temperatures closer to that of the Caribbean than the rest of Florida, and a wide variety of amazing inshore and offshore fishing opportunities—highlighted by the only living coral reef system… |
Jason Long |
08/30/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report August 21, 2010: Go Deep |
On the surface, Florida Keys offshore fishing is all about big dolphin. But look deeper, a lot deeper, and you’ll find a whole other world of spectacular species swimming around. Fish rarely seen on hanging racks, but commonly enjoyed on the dinner tables of anglers who know where to find… |
Jason Long |
08/22/10 |
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| Fishing Report August 14, 2010: Be Ready |
It’s not uncommon for tropical conditions to wreak havoc on our fishing plans this time of year. It seems whenever we glance at the radar there’s a line of thunderstorms somewhere over the islands forcing us back to the docks to wait them out. Unfortunately, summer storms are something we… |
Jason Long |
08/15/10 |
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| Fishing Report August 7, 2010: Good Days Ahead |
Opening day of lobster season has finally arrived. If Mini Season was any indication, good things lay in store for Florida Keys bug hunters this year. Many who participated in the two day lobster rush had no trouble limiting out on big tails, and reports say that plenty more keeper… |
Jason Long |
08/07/10 |
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| Fishing Report July 30, 2010: Snapper, Snapper, Snapper |
Congratulations Florida Keys, we survived another year of lobster mini-season insanity. Hopefully you had a safe and successful “bug“ hunting experience, and your car suffered only minimal door dings if you were brave enough to navigate the grocery store parking lots. As we say goodbye to the herds of boat-towing… |
Jason Long |
08/01/10 |
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| Fishing Report July 24, 2010: Calm Seas Ahead |
Windy days can be dangerous for anglers—and I’m not talking about high waves or the hazards that exist on the water. I’m referring to the trouble we often get into when we’re forced to bide the time until we can get back out to sea. Examples: one Marathon fishing captain… |
Jason Long |
07/25/10 |
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| Fishing Report July 17, 2010: Clear Seas and Great Fishing |
For you out-of-towners reading the Florida Keys fishing report online, as well as for you visitors just arriving in the islands, I wanted to ease any concerns you may have about the Gulf oil spill by informing you that our waters are as clear and as blue as ever. There… |
Jason Long |
07/18/10 |
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| Fishing Report July 10, 2010: Scamblin’ for Dolphin |
The smoke has cleared from Sunday’s spectacular 4th of July fireworks display and now it’s time to focus our attention back on fishing. I’d like to start this week’s report by reminding everyone that the Dolphin Scramble Tournament is taking place this weekend—with kickoff festivities Friday at 6:30 pm at… |
Jason Long |
07/11/10 |
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| Fishing Report for July 3: Independence Day |
According to the US Census, In July of 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed by the Continental Congress, there were approximately 2.5 million people residing in the 13 newly independent colonies. Today, the US population is estimated to be around 309.6 million. Just interesting facts to toss around… |
Jason Long |
07/04/10 |
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| Fishing Report for June 15: Father’s Day Dolphin Derby |
What a phenomenal Father’s Day weekend! Not only did I have the pleasure of spending time on the water with my father, but team Best Bet also took home first and second place honors in the Big Time Bait & Tackle Father’s Day Dolphin Derby. I’d like congratulate all the… |
Jason Long |
06/28/10 |
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| Fishing Report June 19: Take Your Pick |
One of the Florida Keys most redeeming qualities when it comes to fishing is the incredible variety of fish that we have an opportunity to catch on any given day. You’re never limited to fishing for only one species, and you always have the option to move on and target… |
Jason Long |
06/20/10 |
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| Fishing Report June 13, 2010: 90° Plus |
The water is fine With the air and water temps breaking the 90 degree mark early in June, it is vital that you plan your day on the water carefully and strategically. For those of you who enjoy offshore fishing, I recommend leaving the dock at sunrise. The majority of… |
Jason Long |
06/13/10 |
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| Fishing Report June 7, 2010: The Perfect Bite |
Let’s mix things up a bit, instead of writing this week’s fishing report why don’t we go out and shoot a feature film (based on a true story) about the past week of fishing in the Florida Keys. We could call it “The Perfect Bite”, a seafaring action movie about… |
Jason Long |
06/07/10 |
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| Fishing Report May 29, 2010: Wedding Bells and Bonefish |
I would like to start by congratulating Captain Josh Gilmartin and the now Krista Gilmartin on their recent marriage. We had the pleasure of traveling to beautiful Treasure Cay in the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas recently for what was truly a memorable wedding. While Treasure Cay is known for… |
Jason Long |
05/30/10 |
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| Fishing Report May 22, 2010: Cravings for Fishing |
Your Best Bet for the Weeks Ahead: Wahoo While out dolphin fishing, always keep one rod rigged with a vertical jig or deep diving plug on a stretch of wire. When you come upon floating debris or weed lines drop it down and you may just hook into a wahoo… |
Jason Long |
05/23/10 |
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| Fishing Report May 15, 2010: Versatility in May |
Best Bet tip of the week: May offers countless angling challenges with some of the hardest fighting fish these waters have to offer. Now is a great time to be on the water, and if you want to avoid the big seas offshore, try tarpon fishing. |
Jason Long |
05/16/10 |
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| Fishing Report May 8, 2010: Big Dolphin, Bigger Waves |
I would like to congratulate all the boats that fished the bull and cow dolphin tournament this past weekend. I know I spent about 18 hours in a tuna tower in the two days of fishing and was ready to see a chiropractor on Monday. With seas consistently in the… |
Jason Long |
05/08/10 |
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| Fishing Report May 1, 2010: Tournament Season |
The Bull and Cow Dolphin Tournament kick off this weekend and is the beginning of a very busy tournament season for us aboard the Best Bet boats. With numerous dolphin and tarpon tournaments on the horizon, sleep is going to be a thing of the past. Our crew for the… |
Jason Long |
05/02/10 |
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| Fishing Report April 24: Blaze of Glory |
What happens when you fill the boat with fishing captains, restaurant owners and Keys locals? This past weekend it equated to big fish, tasty eats, lots of laughs and a few not-so-memorable fishing moments. |
Jason Long |
04/25/10 |
1 |
| Fishing Report April 17: Spring Winds |
The month of April is generally one of our windier months here in the Florida Keys and while this prohibits a lot of the recreational fishermen from venturing out to the reef and offshore, Best Bet boats offer stable platforms and knowledgeable captains to take you where the fish are… |
Jason Long |
04/18/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report April 9: The Blue Water |
Pick up any Florida Keys guidebook and there’s no denying you’ll find page after page of poetic adjectives describing the water. Words like “azure,” “tranquil,” and “picturesque” are all used to paint mental pictures of just how beautiful the Keys’ waterscape is. I may even use one or two of… |
Jason Long |
04/15/10 |
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| Fishing Report April 2: Welcome Spring Breakers |
Fishing in the Florida Keys is a spring break activity that everyone can enjoy. For families, it’s an excellent way to spend an afternoon together on the water catching dinner and creating memories that will last forever. And for you college kids, fishing provides a nice little break from the… |
Jason Long |
04/04/10 |
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| Fishing Report March 26, 2010: Time for Some Tails |
A few weeks ago I wrote about the large numbers of sailfish being caught off south Florida’s Atlantic Coast and speculated that it wouldn’t be long before these same fish made a push into our local Keys waters. This week, I’m excited to report that they have arrived! East and… |
Jason Long |
03/27/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report February 12, 2010: Anglers Sink Their Teeth into Second Annual Sharkathon |
The second annual 7 Mile Marina Marathon Sharkathon, to benefit Forgotten Soldiers Outreach and Grace Jones Community Center, is set for Friday and Saturday, April 9-10. Up to $25,000 in cash awards is to be available in the one-day all-release tournament. Teams are awarded points based on the type of… |
Jason Long |
03/21/10 |
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| Fishing Report March 13, 2010: Tailing Away |
The 12th Annual Leon Shell Memorial Billfish Tournament was held this past weekend in Key Colony Beach. Of the 18 boats that participated a total of 38 fish were released, marking the most combined sailfish caught in the tournament in recent years. I would like to congratulate the Main Attraction… |
Jason Long |
03/14/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report February 26, 2010: The Cobia Have Arrived |
Cobia fishing offers the best of both angling worlds: cobia are a strong, hard-fighting species ready to challenge the skill and resolve of any angler; and the fish’s firm white meat is packed full of flavor, offering a Keys seafood treat for any fishermen or woman lucky enough to bring… |
Jason Long |
02/28/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report February 20, 2010: Cold, but Consistent |
This past week has offered the winter cold fronts the Florida Keys are used to, unlike the frigid temperatures we experienced at the beginning of the year. Mild fronts dropping the temperatures 8-10 degrees do not have the drastic effect on the water temps, especially on the reef and offshore.… |
Jason Long |
02/20/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report February 12, 2010: Beware of Sharks! |
If you’ve been to the grocery stores lately you’ll know that tourist season is beginning to get into full swing. And with all the fresh faces in the Middle Keys, I thought I’d start this week’s fishing report by introducing myself to our new visitors, and re-introducing myself to you… |
Jason Long |
02/14/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report February 6, 2010: Fish & Football |
Deep fried snapper bites drizzled with Sriracha hot chili sauce. I can’t think of a better appetizer to serve your guests this Super Bowl Sunday. After all, no Florida Keys football bash (or get-together of any kind for that matter) is complete without fresh local seafood being served. Luckily, the… |
Jason Long |
02/07/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report Janurary 29, 2010: The Red Hot Reef |
Last week we were blessed with a much needed stretch of warm weather and calm seas. This week however, we’ve reverted back to winter chills and 15 to 20-knot winds that are not going to warm the unseasonably cold waters of Florida Bay anytime soon. What this means is that… |
Jason Long |
01/31/10 |
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| Fishing Report January 22, 2010: They’re Still Biting |
There’s no denying it, the recent cold front has had a profound impact on our inshore fishery. Just glance in any canal or basin throughout the Florida Keys and you’re likely to see belly-up fish that couldn’t withstand the significant drop in water temperature. I can only speculate, but it… |
Jason Long |
01/23/10 |
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| Fishing Report January 16, 2010: Leon Shell Memorial Billfish Tournament |
Leon Shell Memorial Billfish Tournament Raises Money for Hospice of the Florida Keys Marathon, Florida. January 9, 2010. Every winter enthusiastic anglers gather in the Middle Keys to share a passion for fishing, and more importantly, to raise money for an organization that may one day play a vital role… |
Jason Long |
01/17/10 |
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| Fishing Report Janurary 8, 2010: Don’t Let the Cold Keep You from Fishing |
There’s no denying that the weather has been uncharacteristically cold. The tee shirts have been supplanted by jackets and sweatshirts; the air-conditioners replaced by seldom used space heaters; and as unfathomable as it may sound, the flip flops have been swapped out for shoes and socks. It’s safe to say… |
Jason Long |
01/10/10 |
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| Fishing Report January 3, 2010: 2010 Fishing Review |
What can we expect the 2010 Florida Keys fishing season to bring? Well, if it’s anything like last year, we can look forward to red hot action for a number of different species. The winter of 2009 brought us a record-breaking sailfish season, and if the bite we experienced to… |
Jason Long |
01/03/10 |
0 |
| Fishing Report December 25, 2009: Merry Christmas Florida Keys! |
There aren’t too many places in the country where you can wake up on Christmas morning, exchange gifts with your loved ones, and then hop on a boat and spend the day reeling in trophy fish—while dressed in t-shirts and flip flops! As I write this report forecasters are calling… |
Jason Long |
12/25/09 |
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| Fishing Report December 18, 2009: Keys Fishing |
KEYS FISHING From battling awe-inspiring swordfish in the deep depths of the Atlantic, to stalking shallow water flats in search of world-record bonefish; the Florida Keys fishery is all about variety, and even more about trophy catches. Offshore, anglers head to pursue the hard-fighting game fish glorified in those old… |
Jason Long |
12/19/09 |
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| Fishing Report December 13, 2009: The Weather is Here |
It’s no wonder so many snow birds flock to the Florida Keys each winter. You can’t blame them for wanting to escape the cold and snow up north and head down to enjoy this wonderful weather we’ve been experiencing. Christmas is only two weeks away and the sun is shining,… |
Jason Long |
12/13/09 |
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| Fishing Report December 4, 2009: Changing Gears |
Fishing is all about adjustments. A species that’s aggressively feeding one day may have lock jaw the next. Or a flat that’s teaming with tailing bonefish the day prior, may hold only a few rays when you go to pole it again the following morning. The best thing we can… |
Jason Long |
12/06/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report November 15, 2009: Give Thanks for Fishing |
Over the past two decades I have spent nearly every Thanksgiving fishing here in the Florida Keys with my father. Leave the dock at daybreak; spend the morning catching snapper and sailfish; and then return just in time to watch football and pig out on a delicious Thanksgiving feast. It’s… |
Jason Long |
11/28/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report November 21, 2009: The Koler Crew |
This past Monday I had the pleasure, scratch that, the unique experience of fishing with Jason Koler (aka, the husband of the owner of the Weekly Newspapers), as well as a few of his high school buddies that came down from Ohio. And not to be left out, the husband… |
Jason Long |
11/21/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report November 14, 2009: When the Wind is Howling |
Unless your favorite on-the-water activity is kite boarding or windsurfing, you likely weren’t too thrilled with the windy conditions that greeted the Keys this past week. Those of you who traveled here expecting calm tropical breezes, endless sunshine, and crystal clear waters, were instead welcomed by 35-knot winds, grey skies,… |
Jason Long |
11/15/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report November 7, 2009: Seasonal Sails |
I’d like to begin this week’s Florida Keys fishing report by welcoming several of our seasonal friends back to the Keys. I was pleased to see many familiar faces at Sparky’s Landing in Key Colony Beach this past week and I look forward to fishing with many of you over… |
Jason Long |
11/07/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report October 30, 2009: The Everglades Experience |
The waters of Everglades National Park (ENP) are an untamed wilderness wonderland for both the sport fishing enthusiast and the nature loving outdoorsman. Nowhere else in the world can you reel in trophy catches of redfish, tarpon, bonefish, permit, snook, trout, grouper, sharks and more; while at the same time… |
Jason Long |
10/31/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report October 24, 2009: After the Front |
Fall is in the air, or at least it has been these last few days. What a great week it was to open the windows, throw some logs in the fire pit, bake a warm pumpkin pie, and sip a mug of hot apple cider (with or without your favorite… |
Jason Long |
10/24/09 |
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| Fishing Report October 16, 2009: It Begins |
Slowly but surely the “cold” weather pelagic (migratory) fish are beginning to arrive in the Florida Keys. Wahoo, sailfish, kingfish, cobia and more are all showing up on cue and providing us a glimpse into just how incredible this fall/winter fishing season has the potential to be. Currently, we’re holding… |
Jason Long |
10/18/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report October 10, 2009: Permit: Catch & Release? |
There are a number of issues currently on the table, or in the works, that propose regulating (or even closing) a variety of different fisheries. One such topic involves permit (Trachinotus falcatus) and what steps need to be taken to preserve the future permit populations throughout Florida. Last week I… |
Jason Long |
10/10/09 |
0 |
| Fishing Report October 2, 2009: Dolphins in the Shallows |
Fishing in the Florida Keys never gets dull. When one species isn’t biting, another one is. When conditions are unfavorable offshore in the Atlantic, there are always fish to catch in the Gulf and Florida Bay. And when the summertime pelagics begin their exodus to warmer waters, the wintertime fish… |
Jason Long |
10/03/09 |
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| Fishing Report September 26, 2009: Holy Sardine |
In case you haven’t noticed, thick schools of sardines have begun showing up in droves throughout the islands. There’s a good chance you’ve seen them swimming around in the canals or basins, and I’m certain that more than a few of you have already loaded up your live wells a… |
Jason Long |
09/26/09 |
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| Fishing Report September 19, 2009: An Evening on the Water |
An evening of inshore fishing in the Florida Keys — I can’t think of a better way to relax and unwind after a hard day of work, or to cap off another fun-filled day of vacation with the family. It’s a great way to pursue a number of trophy game… |
Jason Long |
09/19/09 |
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