Fishing report from December 15 - January 4th

Lots of great fishing was  had here in the Florida Keys over the Christmas holidays and New Year.

Using Fox Sport Fishing rods and reels my guests enjoyed some fantastic variety. We had warm days mostly with just a few cooler days. A little rain here and there but it was one of our warmest December's on record here in Islamorada. We even caught a few big Tarpon.

Fox Sport Fishing Bonefish Treks, Permit Treks and Sailfish Trek rods were our go-to rods along with Fox Diablo spinning reels. Here are some (just some) of the many highlights for my holiday guests using Fox Sport Fishing tackle.

Captain Skip Nielsen

Ana Timmerburg battles a Spinner Shark

another Snook with Scott Barco and Dr.Tony

Avi and Ben bailing Crevalle Jacks on Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combos

Ben Cohen and a big Sea trout

Ben Cohen and Serena Cohen  lots of Redfish

Ben Friedman wires a 300lb Goliath Grouper
for John Hudson on Foxsportfishing tackle

big day on the patch reefs for Randy Soth, here is a gag grouper

big Spanish were biting for Joe Des Rosier

Bill Blakey and daughter Carli caught a
little of everything including this huge Ladyfish

Black Drum action for the new years' eve crew

Carly Blakey caught a bunch of Spanish Mackerels

Dave Friedman and his Bluefish

Dick Friedman had a blast catching Spanish Mackerel

Gary Adiska pulled this Mangrove Snapper out of the bushes

Jaws

Joe Des Rosier and  Sarah Avigne  with a
very rare backcountry catch of a big King Mackerel

Joe Des Rosier caught several species on the 9 weight Fox fly rod

John Hudson and Ben Friedman released 2 big Christmas Tarpon
today in the back using Fox Sport Fishing tackle

John Mcward took his mom on her first keys fishing trip

John Walsh with his big Redfish

Kurtis Coady

Mom Mcward had fun

My friend since 4th grade , Dr.Joanne Mahoney
released a bunch of Snook

New Years Eve fishing crew.

Nick Charak with a nice Snook

Paul Timmerburg with a nice Ladyfish

Peter Aiello battles a Grouper using a Rage Ultralight rod

Peter Aiello with a fat Red Grouper

Randy Soth caught a Red Grouper

Sarah Avigne and Joe DesRosier had a huge day

Sarah Avigne with a big Bluefish and Joe DesRosier looks on

Scott Barco and Dr.Tony had some fun Snook fishing

Serena Cohen and Avi caught lots of big Seatrout on New Years eve

Susan Silver with a Seatrout

the Coady familly had a fun day with
Spanish Macs then finished with Spinner Sharks

this Blacktip Shark put a smile on Carly Blakey

to finish the day Joe Des Rosier caught this 30lb King Mackerel
out in the bay. Sarah Avigne holds the tackle used

Tom's Redfish

Tony Honour of Pagham, England had lots
of action including this big Redfish

Tony Honour released a good Snook using
a Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo

Tony Honour with a New Year's Pompano

What a difference a day makes

On Monday March 11 my wife Cyd and her brother Larry (visiting from Ohio) spent the morning on the water. Windy was the word. With plenty of fresh caught mullet we fished local channels. On the first 2 hours of an outgoing tide we watched literally hundreds of Tarpon rolling and cavorting. Nothing we tried would get them to open their mouths. Frustrating to say the least. Luckily we did put a bend in the Fox Sport Fishing Sailfish Trek rod a couple times. Cyd and Larry each caught a big shark.

Cyd Nielsen puts the heat on a Shark

Larry Toth fights a big Shark on the
Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo

Larry checks out his Shark

On Tuesday the wind had died down and I had saved our mullet from yesterday. After a fun filled morning catching all kinds of snapper, mackerel, ladyfish ect.. with the Bonefish Trek rod and Diablo 350 spinning reel we headed north west far out into Florida Bay.

I had father Chip and sons Andrew and John with me. Using my favourite 8 foot Sailfish Trek rod fitted with Diablo 750 spinning reel we set up in a channel near First National Bank. John hooked up within 15 minutes to a Tarpon I estimated at 115 lbs. A great fight, lots of jumps and we were able to get a DNA sample before the release.

John, Chip and Andrew all caught movie stars
on the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo

John's Tarpon goes airbourne

love to watch them jump

Next it was Chip's turn. This was a very large Tarpon over 130 easily. Very broad girth. She put on a spectacular show ending the battle almost jumping in the boat.

Chip Freund  big Tarpon

Round 3 was Andrew doing battle with a Hammerhead Shark. I spool the Diablo 750 spinning reel with 30 and 50 lb Horizon Braid line. You need it to beat these big fish. The Sailfish Trek rods are 4 pieces but you would never know it battling a big fish. Being 8 foot long makes it easy to clear the bow and stern of the boat. This is nice because with 3 anglers plus me on an 18' skiff the long rod saves plenty of fish from breaking off.

Great Hammerhead has huge dorsal fin

Now this morning as I write the wind has switched to the north once again and that will put the Tarpon down for a few days. But in the meantime I am sure we can find something to catch here in the Florida keys.

Captain Skip Nielsen

Tarpon, Lemon & Bull Sharks in Windy Conditions

But the fish still have to eat. This past Friday George Witts and Lance Schilizzi and friend Tom had a good day on the water. We cast netted fresh live mullet for bait and targetted some big fish in the morning. Tom started off right away with a nice 80lb Tarpon. Then Lance caught a huge Nurse Shark. Next it was Tom with Bull Shark then Lance with a big Lemon Shark. Finally George came tight and landed a respectable Goliath Grouper. For the big action we used Sailfish Trek rods fitted with Diablo 750 spinning reels and Trek Boat XT rods fitted with EOS conventional reels. The action was not on fire but everyone got to catch a large fish.

taking a DNA sample for research

Tom catches this 75lb Tarpon using a
Fox Sailfish Trek  Diablo 750 combo

Bullshark at the boat

George Witts pumps a Goliath up with the
Trek Boat XT rod fitted with an EOS 50 reel

Lance releases a Goliath Grouper for George .
The EOS 50 Trek Boat XT rod combo can put the brakes on

Lance uses the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo on a Bullshark

Large Lemon Shark

Lemon Fac

We spent the afternoon light tackle fishing. Caught were a  limit of Mangrove Snapper. Released were many more snappers and ladyfish, seatrout and Spanish mackerel. The wind was a steady 20mph all day but we stay close to the banks and in channels so it was not uncomfortable. The Fox Rage Ultralight rods and Diablo 350 spinning reels and also the Bonefish Trek Spin rods were the tackle used on aciton fishing.

Barry caught Spanish Mackerel

Mangrove Snapper were headed for the dinner table

Sunday was another very windy day. My lifelong friend and Doctor Joanne Mahoney spent an action  packed afternoon fishing. Using the light tackle again we fished a number of different bomb holes. Lots of Grouper, Snapper, Mackerel and Ladyfish were caught and we really had a great time.

Doctor Mahoney ued the Bonefish Trek Spin
Diablo 350 combo on this Red Grouper

Joanne with Gag Grouper on the
Rage Ultralight Diablo 350 combo

Taking a few days off but gearing up for Tarpon season. The winds are supposed to come down by the weekend. I start my sunset Tarpon trips next week and can't wait. Live mullet getting chased by big hungry Tarpon.

Captain Skip Nielsen