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Capt Bob
05-15-2007, 05:56 PM
was way to windy ( E 15-25) to even fish the canal this afternoon, first time I've seen whitecaps in the canal!

So I opted for a early meal and libation at my favorite watering hole, The Island Fish Co & Tiki Bar at the North end of Marathon. Foods great, prices are right and the portions leave you very very stuffed and none of the waitresses are bad looking...

So I'm lounging enjoying some grilled grouper, and I have a rule if I eat the fish that hang around the bulkhead ( Parrotfish, mullet, pinfish, snappers, grunts and others) get to eat as they have special food for the fish to discourage the seagulls and Pelicans from getting to aggressive.

So the fish are acting real skittish and one child was watching the fish and was dangling her feet in the water splashing with the fish she was feeding. I told her parents it's not a good idea especially since the semi tame fish were so skittish, there was probably a predator in the neighborhood. They proceeded to tell me that nothing of consequence would come in that close to a restaurant, these folks were from Missouri ( how fortunate, the show me state) and I shouldn't be concerned about their daughter.

well about another two habdfulls of fish food in the wwater and up from the bottom in 4 ft of water come 3 fair size cuda's about 3-1/2 - 4 ft each and they proceed to slash into the schools of fish around the bulkhead in 1-1/12 ft of water..the little girl jumps up and runs screaming into the restaurant while the parents try to get their act together and go after their child...the father just goes away, but the mother comes over and thanks me for the "valuable " lesson...it don't hurt to pay attention to the local guy...as the other patrons all clamored around trying to get pictures of the "Denizens of the deep!!"

hopefully the storms will give us some much needed rain and help shut down some of the wildfires on the mainland and then calm down so we can get out for some great fishing...Tarpon are everywhere right now, and Dolphin are real plentiful just a mile or so past the reef and have even been found in the Hawks Channel and the Snook are on the move....

CT Surfer
05-15-2007, 08:09 PM
Capt Bob,
I'll be heading down to Islamorada this Thursday. Any weather forcast for the coming week? Good to hear the tarpon are plentiful. And since I only have an 18ft boat, I hope the dolphin stay in close!
What's the name of that resturant when you cross the bridge into Marathon? I ordered clams on the halfshell there once. They were much too large for my liking. I started tossing them in the water. Some very large jacks I had not seen before came out of nowhere to gobble them up. But all the commotion caught the attention of a HUGH barracuda (5ft+) It snatched one of these 5lb jacks in a flash! I never saw a barracuda so big. And after it came around, the small fish ignored the fish food that was being thrown in! I'd watch my feet too!!!
( After reading your post again, I think I was in the same resturant.)

Capt Bob
05-15-2007, 10:46 PM
depending on which bridge you consider the entrance to Marathon you probably were at The Island Fish Co. it's the first real eating place once you pass the places on Grassy Key. it has a helipad with wind sock out on the point.
It's really a pleasant place to park for a view of the sunsets and watch the fish do their thing...if the food isn't up to par just tell them...they'll happily fix it ASAP!!

weather looks pretty good, a bit breezy but there are plenty of places to tuck it in to fish and good fishing isn't necessarily a far trip ( half the time I just walk across the street.)
calling for scattered thunderstorms but they are usually a very late day/evening/night thing, last night storm didn't start until 2 am and there's nothing happening tonight.
when you get here check channel 76 on the tube, it gives weather and wave / water conditions for all the different areas

the bridges and cuts are usually always fishable and hold everything from Snapper to Goliath Grouper to huge sharks and of course those pesky cudas which make excellent shark bait ( I have 3 small 24" cudas in the freezer for my next shark foray.) watched a couple of rays leaping in the bay earlier today and the Gulf side was a lot calmer than the ocean side , if you are not sure of some of the fishing check with the bait shop at the World Wide Sportsman (BPS) in Islamorada. There are a lot of charter guys working out of there and they are a good source of info. Bud and Marys at the end of Islamorada is another good place also...the channels and flats around the #2 channel bridge( Gulf side) is loaded right now with Tarpon and big sharks following the Tarpon...good snapper fishing near the bases of the power poles is another good bet...pick up a copy of the weekly fisherman for some up to date info when you get down here.It's free almost everyplace you could want to go. check some of AL B's posts here for places to eat as well...whistle stop is notorious for its burgers if that's your thing...I'm heading for Vegas for the Memorial day weekend, so I'll be out of touch for about 10 days until I get back enjoy your visit in Paradise.

If you get down to Marathon, the World Class Angler holds outdoor seminars on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm. check out the boatless fishing site for some other options for "Monroe County"


enjoy...

CT Surfer
05-15-2007, 11:26 PM
Capt. Bob,
Thanks for the reply. I've been down to the Keys several times over the past 15yrs. I've been to just about every place you've mentioned! It is paradise! I rented a house right across the street from the Whistle Stop last year and we're renting it again this year. Two weeks of fun in the sun. I'm looking forward to chasing tarpon again. I'm also going to try and tangle with some of those monster sharks that eat them! We really didn't fish for anything but tarpon last year. We're going to try and mix it up a little more this time.
Too bad you'll be in Vegas, I'd love to buy you a cold one! Good Luck.:thumbup:

Capt Bob
05-15-2007, 11:50 PM
I'll be flying out the morning of the 23rd...watch them sharks...a charter boat down here was trying for some cobia he saw cruisin on the surface and obviously ticked off a big Bull shark who charged the boat and took a 14 x 16 chunk out of his transom, guess he didn't like the competition for the cobias...

CT Surfer
05-16-2007, 07:40 AM
I'll be flying out the morning of the 23rd...watch them sharks...a charter boat down here was trying for some cobia he saw cruisin on the surface and obviously ticked off a big Bull shark who charged the boat and took a 14 x 16 chunk out of his transom, guess he didn't like the competition for the cobias...

.....on second thought, maybe I'll leave those sharks alone!!!
:eek:

Water_boy
05-18-2007, 08:52 PM
Sounds like quite a fish story....

Capt Bob
05-18-2007, 10:37 PM
NOW water BOY I don't attack you even tho you leave so many opportunities AND since you are NOT here and I am you should tred lightly...it's a shame I don't have a link to the pic of the boat with the chunk missing and the capt holding the piece the shark spit out! That picture made a believer out of me... and you could choke on it.... And I don't drink, because I'm one of those individuals allowed to carry a Concealed weapon everywhere I go and shooting some idiot while I was drinking isn't a very good idea...

Capt.Nick
05-19-2007, 02:25 PM
Find me a cheap waterfront house down there to retire in.

Capt Bob
05-19-2007, 02:47 PM
a cheap waterfront ANYTHING is $500K down here and I'm talking 1 br 1 ba just look at some of the ads in The Keynoter Bring a Mil + and you can get a nice place add another 30-40K for taxes and insurance per year...