Using Fox Sport Fishing Trek Travel Rods & Diablo Combos

Fishing in the Florida Keys offers so many options. During the last couple of weeks we have gone from fishing the Gulf Stream, Florida Bay, the Creeks and back bays of Everglades National Park by canoe, and the Gulf of Mexico wrecks to the Patch Reefs of Hawks Channel.

Meanwhile we have had a prolonged stretch of unseasonably warm weather which has brought early migrating schools of big Tarpon into the lakes and channels. Fly fisherman enjoyed excellent Tarpon fish the last week. A 154 lber was taken on fly by a lady angler. It is a pending IGFA record for 12lb tippet.

But that may be changing this morning. Winds have shifted to the north west and temps will be dropping the next few days. So it isn't quite springtime yet. Fishing last week with friends Rick Peper, John Morrell, my doctor, Joanne Mahoney and my wife, Cyd, we fished offshore for Sailfish. We caught some nice Blackfin Tuna's, Little Tunny and a Sailfish. Usually we fish heavier tackle but this season I have been using the Permit Trek 4 piece travel rods and Diablo 550 spinning reels. Using center console boats its easy to turn and go after the fish if losing too much line. The Permit Trek rods are amazingly light but super tough. I spool the Diablo 550's with 20lb Horizon super braid and there is plenty of line being the diameter of the braid is so thin.

Rick Peper and Skip with a Little Tunny about to be released.
Permit Trek Diablo 550 combo was the tackle it was caught on

Rick Peper about to release a Sailfish using
Fox Sport Fishing Permit Trek 4  piece travel rod
and Diablo 350 spin reel

John Morrell with a Blackfin Tuna he
caught on the Permit Trek 4 piece travel rod
fitted with a Diablo 550 spin reel

John Morrell fighting a Blackfin Tuna on the
Permit Trek Diablo 550 combo

beautiful colors in this Sailfish along side the boat

We fished a one day charity tournament and Cyd caught the heaviest Tuna, 18.2lbs, using the Permit Trek/Diablo 550 combo and received a beautiful hand carved jewellery box as a prize.

Dr.Joanne Mahoney and Cyd Nielsen
admire the winning Tuna

Dr. Joanne Mahoney fighting a Blackfin Tuna on light
tackle Permit Trek rod and Diablo 550 spin reel

On one of the cooler days Dr. Hugh Dennis and I took a canoe piggy backed on the skiff over to Cape Sable for the day. We unloaded the canoe and paddled deep into the swamp following tidal creeks. Using a Bonefish Trek travel rod fitted with a Diablo 350 spinning reel Hugh released 18 Snook to 9 lbs and a Tarpon. We saw loads of baby Tarpon but they were not feeding on this day. Lots of Crocodiles and incredible bird life. We never saw another boat all day.

Hugh catching a young Tarpon from the canoe on the
Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo

Dr.Hugh Dennis had a fantastic day releasing 18 Snook
and a Tarpon on Bonefish Trek travel rods and Diablo 350 spin reels

big  snook for Dr. Hugh Dennis while canoe fishing deep in the 'glades

Then day before yesterday Dick Alt and Bob Leef joined me for the day. Dick wanted some big Sharks and since the seas were flat we headed out to the Gulf of Mexico after loading up with live bait.

Arriving at the spot we saw schools of herring getting busted up. We started catching Spanish Mackerel right away then Bob hooked a fish that almost dumped the Diablo 350 of line. That turned out to be a 20lb King Mackerel. Nice catch on the Bonefish Trek rod. We switch up to Permit Trek rods and live pilchards for bait and ended up catching 4 more of the over sized King Macks. The biggest was 35lbs. In between Dick caught and released 2 big Bull Sharks using the 7' Tarpon Trek spinning rod and Diablo 750 reel. He told me, "you've made me a very happy man today". Bob also released a nice Cobia that had been following one of the Bulls.

Bob Leef used a Bonefish Trek and Diablo 350 spin reel
to catch a hefty King Mackerel

Bull Shark for Dick Alt on a Tarpon Trek travel rod 
and Diablo 750 spin reel

Bull Shark

Dick Alt and Bob Leef fished the gulf today with Fox Sport Fishing tackle
and caught 5 smoker King macks with captain Skip Nielsen

Yesterday Dr. Hugh was back out with me and we hit the Patch Reefs and had excellent action with Yellowtail Snapper and Mangrove Snapper. Hugh also had some big battles with Grouper on the Bonefish Trek/Diablo 350 combos.

using Bonefish Trek travel rods and Diablo 350 spin reels 
Dr.Hugh  Dennis caught a dozen Yellowtail and
6 Mangrove Snapper and more

Dr. Hugh will be eating plenty of Mangrove Snappers

a colourful Nassau Grouper from the patch reefs with Hugh Dennis

We spent a couple hours after that trying for a Sailfish. We had a couple sightings but no hook-ups.

Soon I'll be fishing every day and chasing Tarpon. At the end of this week we are off to the Exuma's in the Bahamas for some Fly Bonefishing. I'll be taking my Fox Sport Fishing 9 weight fly rods with me for sure and a Bonefish Trek travel rod to catch a little dinner on the reefs.

Captain Skip Nielsen