Key West - Pic Heavy

[Yankee Troller]

Had the opportunity to join a few friends on a trip to Key West. They go every year, and they asked if I was interested, so I said what the heck! I've never been there, but what a great place! Foods great, weather is great, and life is so laid back there. Anyway we went on a charter for two days. They had fished with this guys for years, so they knew there would be no shortage of fish. Day 1 we stayed on top of the reefs and fished for Yellow Tail Snapper, but we caught Blue Runners, Cero Mackerel, Bull Sharks, Ramoras, tons of Bonita, and a few other species I might have forgotten. We got our limit of Yellow Tail, and I got so pissed at the sharks for eating our fish when we hooked them I hooked into a few of them on shark gear.

 

We fished with Dale Bittner of Bait Stealer charters. Guys been doing it since he was a kid with his father. He knows the area well!

 

Our Yellow Tail

 

Some Cero Mackerel and maybe a Blue Runner

 

My 6'/200lb Bull Shark

 

Day two was a little calmer, so we went offshore and chased some Pelagics.

 

My first Sailfish

 

My first Blackfin Tuna

 

Here are some other pics

 

A Manatee

 

A Pelican

 

Obama supporters at the cleaning station waiting for a free handout

 

Laid eyes on my first Buddy Davis!

[PolarBear]

NICE .....Looks like you had a GREAT time ......If any body deserves a good time its you , You go out of your way to help us here at LOU , and we appreciate it

[LongLine]

Way to go Rick.  Looks like a great time.  Net looks a little small for that shark though. 

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Yankee Troller]

Thanks guys! BTW...this was a light tackle charter. The Sail and Tuna were taken on 15lb test! The Shark, well, that was another story!

[Sk8man]

Man.....the ice fishing isn't looking quite as attractive to me now for some reason   Nice results Rick!

[ray koziatek]

got here 2 days ago MM 39....getting the boat ready gotta hurry only 3.5 months left,funny how the sharks wont chase a small meal,but get a big on on and they find ya every time..........last year i saw a 12 ftr wolf down a 30 lb grouper/..............20 ft from me underwater,now that will get yer neck hails on end, even with a wet suit on

[Yankee Troller]

What's MM 39? Got room for me to stay with ya?

[TileMan Dan]

mm=mile mark

[G-Daddy]

There ya go Capt - Yankee Troller on Lake O in summer and Southern Yankee Troller in the FL Keys in winter.

[Yankee Troller]

There ya go Capt - Yankee Troller on Lake O in summer and Southern Yankee Troller in the FL Keys in winter.

 

 I wish! Local Knowledge would take some time to figure out. Not like the puddle we fish in up here.

[G-Daddy]

Not to mention the multitude of tackle required.  My corner of the basement is getting full.  First there was drift fishing gear for flounder in the coastal creeks and waterways for flounder.  Then we decided to go the the Chesapeake for stripers.  Now we are chasing salmon on Lake O.  I've got spinning gear, conventional stuff, trolling gear for saltwater, lake trolling gear including a different set of downriggers.  I just can't imagine what you would need to run a charter business in a place like the Keys.

[skipper19]

Very nice Rick! I can tell that the photo ops on the Yankee Troller have paid off as the pics are very well done! OH! and hey!...welcome to my world of center console fishing...well almost. April isn't quite the same, however that Buddy Davis could be just a little overkill on our "puddle"!

[chucknmel]

Very nice Rick! I can tell that the photo ops on the Yankee Troller have paid off as the pics are very well done! OH! and hey!...welcome to my world of center console fishing...well almost. April isn't quite the same, however that Buddy Davis could be just a little overkill on our "puddle"!

 Rick did say he was looking fr a new boat maybe he found it

[MountainM]

Hard to describe that feeling seeing your first Buddy eh! They are about as beautiful as it gets! 

[Chas0218]

I have been going to FL for 3 years and have yet to get on the big water. Looks like this might have to be the year.

 

BTW love the Obama supporters!

[Doozer]

You have to go down there May - Aug for the Tarpon. It's unbelievable.