This nice yellowfin grouper was caught by Joe Farless this week aboard the Premium Time with FishMonster Charters on their way out to the Dry Tortugas. You don’t see these as often as you do the blacks and reds so that’s why when I got this picture I had to look it up to be sure. FWC has a great fish identifier online.

Here’s what it had to say in the remarks:

Remarks: undergoes sex reversal from female to male in latter part of life; specific name translates to “venomous,” alluding to the fact that this fish, perhaps more frequently than other groupers, is associated with ciguatera poisoning; feeds on fish and squid.

So Joe, drop us a line and let us know…..DID YOU EAT IT???

February, and March for that matter  is one of my favorite times of year for chasing permit on the flats.  The warm, calm days following a cold front will result in a warming trend in our inshore waters.  Sunny skies and light southeast breezes will quickly heat up the water on the flats and in the backcountry basins.  During this warming period water temperatures will get into the mid 70′s and as high as 80 degrees.   When this happens permit will move onto the flats to feed and in big numbers.  The best time to search for permit on these days are during the afternoon with an outgoing tide.  I like a big high tide late in the morning on the Gulf side so the tide is falling all afternoon.

Permit will not be alone either.  Bonefish, barracudas, sharks, cobia and jacks will all make there way onto these same flats.  We can also find tarpon in the nearby channels.  Tarpon may be available all through the day, but the best times are early in the morning and at night.  This is also a great time to go for permit with a fly rod as opportunities are numerous and the fish are feeding aggressively.  There is no shortage of opportunities during these days.

Longer and warmer days will make for some great fishing on the flats of the Lower Florida Keys this month.  So get out of the cold and snow and head down to the Keys and experience life on the flats.

Captain Mike Bartlett

Marquesas Permit

Permit on Fly

I fished with Gary from Pennsylvania who has fished with me now for a few years.  We fished out west of Key West on the oceanside in search of permit, bonefish and barracudas.  We found a few schools of bonefish in about three feet of water and Gary landed one  close to five pounds and had another nice bonefish on briefly before pulling the hook.  We had a lot of shots at barracudas landing three with the largest being about 20 pounds.  We had several follows and misses but it was just as exciting.  We only found a couple of permit and had one shot at a fish that was close to the boat.  I thought I would have found more permit, but it was not the case this day.

Friday and Saturday I fished with my mentor, Captain Gregg McKee.  Captain Gregg and I have been friends since I moved to Key West almost eleven years ago.  He has since moved out of Key West but we remain in touch and make it a point to get together and spend a few days on the water when we can.

We could only fish a couple of hours each day so we stayed close and fished for jacks found on the backs of stingrays.  The flats had plenty of stingrays and just about every ray had a jack following it.  We each caught a few jacks, the largest about 12 pounds, had some fun and went home.

Captain Mike Bartlett

Bonefish Feb 4, 2010

Barracuda Feb 4, 2010

Jack Crevalle on Fly

Attached are a few photos of the wahoo we caught the other day.  The boat was a bloody mess and we were too tired to hold the fish up for very long.  We tried turning the fish to get the cleaner side, but just dropped them back in the blood on the deck.  Needless to say there are two less wahoo in the ocean now.  I’m making ceviche tonite, can’t wait to have it for lunch.
The other guy is Capt Pete Heydon another flats guide.  I need to give credit where credit is due, he brings the rods and the rigs and sets the baits out.  I just drive the boat around in circles!!!