Bonefish, permit, tarpon, jack, barracuda and shark are the most frequent target species in shallow water sight fishing in the Florida Keys. Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon are the big three fish of shallow water fishing and when an angler lands all three on a single day it=s a Agrand slam.@ Snook, Tarpon and Redfish are the species of choice in Florida Bay and the Everglades and an angler who catches all three on the same day achieves a Aback country slam.

Bonefish
The bonefish, is a bullet shaped fish that prowls the shallow flats and is one of the fastest swimming fish in the oceans. Bonefish are found throughout the Keys on a year round basis. They average 4 to 8 pounds with weights reached to 15 pounds. The Keys are home to the largest bonefish in the world. Bonefish are found on sand and grass flats on both the Ocean (Florida Straits) and Gulf (Florida Bay) sides of the Keys in water as shallow as a few inches. Bonefish Agraze@ across a flat individually, in small groups and sometimes in large schools. Most Bonefish in the Keys are considerably larger than the Bonefish in the Bahamas or Belize. Spin casting for Bonefish usually involves artificial lures, often Atipped@ with a shrimp, small crabs or live shrimp. Fly fishing for Bonefish involves 8 to 10 wt rods depending on the direction and strength of the wind and the position of the sun and relatively small flies which mimic small shrimp or crabs. Fishing for Bonefish in the Keys is all about the tides. Bonefish like water movement and some flats hold Bonefish on a rising tide, and others on a falling tide.

Permit
The permit, is a relative of the Jacks and relatively a common catch from wreck fishing in South Florida. On the flats, Permit go from another heavy lift member of the Jack family to a bonefish on steroids. Permit, which can reach weights of 50 pounds, spend significant parts of the year foraging in shallow water for crab and shrimp. Few sights on the flats are more exciting that the scythe shaped tail of a tailing Permit extending a foot out of the water in a 2 foot deep flat. The good news is that Permit are suckers for live crabs on a spinner and when a Permit takes a well-placed fly, the sense of achievement is unbelievable. Captain Todd takes pride in Guiding many anglers to their first ever permit catch on fly.

Tarpon
The tarpon, is some would say, the most remarkable sport fish in the world. An ancient species, Tarpon grow to 250 pounds plus and when hooked perform acrobatic jumps which defy belief and burn themselves into ones memory. Tarpon are found in the Keys year round, but ATarpon-time@ is usually from early March to the end of June. During the summer and fall baby tarpon are abundant throughout the Keys. Tarpon are very common throughout the Keys when conditions are right. Tarpon come in all sizes and in many different conditions. On warm days in March and April, where water temperature reaches the high 70s or low 80s, Tarpon are found Alaying up@ in 4 or 5 feet of water waiting in ambush in the back country (Gulf side of the Lower

Keys) for passing foodstuffs. By late April, the ocean side Tarpon are on the move and working shallow water Aruns@ often involves line after line of schools of Tarpon. Spin casting with lures or bait (crabs or shrimp) and tarpon Astreamers@ big flies are effective. Tarpon are generally cooperative eaters, but their bony jaws make it hard to maintain a hook up. The result is that many fish Athrow the hook@ after a few jumps. For newcomers, the thrown hook is a bummer. For veterans, a hook up, spectacular jumps and a thrown hook means back to the best part of Tarpon fishing, casting to fish typically ranging from 40 to 100 pounds and teasing them into eating a small bundle of feathers or a 2 oz shrimp or crab.

Jacks
Jacks are strong, fast swimming fish and depending on the season congregate along the edges of shallow water flats. There are two species of jacks which are frequently seen on the shallow water flats of the Florida Keys B the jack crevalle and the yellow jack. While jacks are not the royalty of shallow water fishing kingdom, they are aggressive feeders and tenacious fighters. Even a 5 pound jack crevalle will give an angler a workout on a small spinning outfit or a 9 wt fly rod. A 25 pound jack crevalle is all any fisherman could ever hope to handle in shallow water. One of the great things about Jacks are that they seem to be impervious to bad weather so when the royalty of the flats go offshore to deeper water, Jacks continue to scour the flats for something to eat B often a lucky anglers lure.

Great Barracuda
The great barracuda, is one of the most underappreciated game fish on the shallow water flats. They are big (up to 5 feet and 65 pounds), they run and they jump. The barracuda is plentiful and fishing for them in water depths of 3 to 5 feet, with their explosive strikes is a thrill one won’t forget. These fish can out swim a bonefish and most cases jump higher than tarpon. They can be persuaded to take a fly and are equally unable to risk a tube lure on a spinning rig. Barracuda are year round peaking in winter/spring, but save many a winter day when the glamour fish B bones, permit and Tarpon B are hunkered down in deeper water.

Sharks
The Florida Keys are home to lots of sharks and lots of kinds of sharks. Sharks B Lemons, Bulls, Hammerheads, Bonnet Heads and are found in shallow water environments and a 200 pound lemon shark will give any shallow water angler all he or she can handle. Shark fishing is a wonderful activity in the winter and early spring. Sharks are great fish to target when kids come along. Sharks will feed on flies, plugs and bait.

Snook
Perhaps the most popular sport fish in the State of Florida is the Snook B for a whole variety of reasons, not the least of which is that the Snook is great eating. Depending on the season, Snook are found throughout Florida Bay and are typically fished for by casting to a location which can be expected to hold fish. Snook grow to 40+ pounds and it is not uncommon to catch a fish of 10 to 15 pounds. Snook are strong fighters B runs and jumps B and are great fun on bait casting or spin casting equipment.

Redfish
There are some Redfish in the Keys, but the Red fishing improves the closer the angler is to Flamingo in the Everglades National Park. Redfish are increasingly plentiful now that the Ablackened redfish@ craze has passed and fish up to 15 pounds are common. Redfish can be fished in many ways B lures and baits in channels and flies cast to tailing Reds in shallow water flats.

Welcome to fishing the Florida Keys flats with Captain Todd Ziels. The place for Florida Keys flats fishing, flats fishing Marathon, permit fishing, bonefishing, tarpon fishing, fly fishing the Florida Keys, flats fishing Florida Keys, fly fishing Florida Keys, fly fishing tarpon, fly fishing permit, fly fishing bonefish, Florida Keys fly fishing, shallow water fishing, backcountry fishing, fishing the middle keys, fishing Marathon, fishing with kids, light tackle flats fishing, shark fishing… enjoy the site, I am glad you are here, please contact me with any questions.