By Captain John Smouse

Sometimes Pictures aren’t Needed

My son wanted to experience the thrill of catching a barracuda. He hooked fifteen, and landed twelve, in a six-hour flats trip with John.
I have been coming to Key West for eight years and have fished with five different flats guides – none could match John in fish catching. John is excellent with the experienced angler, and extraordinary with the novice. He’s always “ready to go” when you get there, and you spend your time fishing, not getting supplies, setting up rods, finding bait or driving around the water. His gear is in excellent shape, and he has plenty of what you need on board.
I caught one tarpon in my first seven years of fishing here. In seven hours of tarpon fishing with John, I caught six (would have been one per hour, but I lost the seventh fish). Fish with whomever you like; I’ll fish with John.
Al Schultz
Buffalo, New York

Bonefish Keys Fishing Reports Permit Fishing Tarpon Fishing
By Captain John Smouse

The Weather is Great and the Fishing is even Better

Here are some of the Fish we have been catching over the last week. The Tarponfishing in the channels around Key West has been fantastic in the early mornings. Once the sun comes up we have been targeting Permit and Barracudas on the flats under the BlueBird skies. I haven’t been seeing a lot of Bonefish yet, but with this warm weather they should be showing up over the next couple weeks.
April and May are filling up fast so give me a call at 305.587.7669 to take advantage of the great Spring fishing!!!

Keys Fishing Reports Tarpon Fishing
By Captain John Smouse

Spring is looking Great

The last half of February was a flats fisherman’s dream. We had warm water, light wind and clear skies for two weeks. After last February’s brutal cold fronts it was much needed. The weather brought all the fish to Key West that we love catching. I have been landing Tarpon every morning, often getting multiples. The fish are here and if we can keep this warm weather pattern it is going to be a great Springtime Tarpon bite.
The big Barracuda fishing has been over the top. They have been everywhere!!! Now, not all of them are going to be enticed by you tube lure, but with so many around and some hard fishing you will find some hungry ones. I had Al and Eric Shultz out last week and we lost count around 15 cudas boat side. Eric is pictured above with one of his many. Even the young anglers got in on the action. Jamison and Brett had a blast assisting in these two monsters!!
Permit fishing also reaches one of its peak times of year in March. These wary fish are going to be feeding on the flats this month fattening up for their annual spawn in April.

Keys Fishing Reports Tarpon Fishing
By Captain John Smouse

Still Warmer in Key West

Over this last weekend we had a pretty strong cold front make its way through the Florida Keys. The wind was howling and the temperatures dropped to the sixties. But I am happy to report that we are back to the upper 70’s and the next cold front isn’t coming for a few weeks.
Before this last front we had a couple fantastic days Tarpon fishing. Great sign to see them here already and now just a couple days of warm weather and they should turn on again. There have been some really big cudas on the flats as the sun warms up the water. The big sharks are also making their presence known as this poor cuda found out the hard way. This cuda was attacked by two big Lemons just feet from the boat in two feet of water. Quite a sight to see.
So we are looking forward to some great conditions for the next few weeks. Give Capt John a call at 305 587 7669.

Keys Fishing Reports Tarpon Fishing
By Captain John Smouse

Happy New Year!!!!

2011 is here and the fishing in Key West is gearing up!!! After a bitterly cold December, the weather is finally getting back to what it should be in Key West. The water temps were way down and the fishing somewhat suffered the last month of 2010. But that was last year. The water is getting back to the 70 degree mark and fishing is on the rise. We have been targeting the wintertime fish (Reds, Jacks, Snook, Ladyfish, & SeaTrout). The latest couple trips out I will bet we caught around 50 fish, on 1/2 days. That is some great action on light tackle. The above fish (Reds & Snook) are not all that common to the Lower Keys, but they have been making a showing the last couple years. There are several theories as to why they are in these waters, but for whatever reason, I am just glad they are here. So for some great light tackle, rod-bending action give me a call @ (305) 587 7669. Looking forward to another great year fishing the most beautiful waters in the world!!!

Keys Fishing Reports
By Captain John Smouse

Blue Skies & Cool Temps

Happy Holidays!!!!!!! We are having a great time here in Key West catching a variety of wintertime fish. With the drop in the water temperature the Big Barracudas are flooding the flats just waiting to take well placed Tube Lure. Barracuda fishing in the shallow water is some of the most exciting fishing there is. For those of you that have caught them offshore on heavy tackle you might be wondering what the attraction is. But once you sight fish for them in the backcountry and watch them go from zero to sixty and explode on your lure right in front of the boat you are going to have a new found respect for them. On light tackle the fight is equally impressive: blistering runs and spectacular jumps are just part of their repertoire.
This is also the time of year that the Backcountry Basins fill up with all types of fish. We have been catching SeaTrout. Jack Crevalles, Ladyfish, Bluefish, and Big Blacktip Sharks. This fishing is fun for all skill levels and it can be nonstop action.

Keys Fishing Reports
By Captain John Smouse

Back from Wales

Richard and Stephanie came back for their 3rd year in a row to fish with me on the ShadowCaster. They had a great 1/2 day morning fishing, each catching a Tarpon (hers was bigger) a few Jacks and a nice Cuda. The Barracudas are starting to show up in the shallow flats. They are usually more of a winter time fish, but with our first coldfronts already coming through, the Cudas are enjoying the cooler water temps.
This is the time of year the Tarpon fishing is going to slow way down. Once the temperature drops, Tarpon move on out. But the Permit fishing should remain strong through the month of October and November. These next two months are also a great time to go and do some Bonefishing. I have been seeing quite a few fish at the bottom of the tide.
We should also start to see the Basin Fishing (SeaTrout, Jacks, Sharks, Ladyfish) improve over the next few weeks. This type of fishing is a great time for fishermen (& women) of all skill levels.

Keys Fishing Reports
By Captain John Smouse

Team Hooters

Andrew Brace and his friend, Alan, came down from Tennessee for some great fishing this weekend on the ShadowCaster. Both Andrew and Alan are GM’s of the popular Hooter’s restaurant in Downtown Nashville. (and I thought I had a great job) We managed to dodge a few rain showers and put some fish in the boat. Over the two days of fishing both guys caught several nice snook, hooked four Tarponand got two to the boat, a bunch of Jacks and snappers, 10+ sharks topping 125 pounds, a couple bonefish and one great big Barracuda. There is some Great fishing happening in the tourist “off season” so give me a call to take advantage of some great rates!!!!

Keys Fishing Reports
By Captain John Smouse

Labor Day Weekend

Judy and Dave came down from New Jersey for a pre-wedding getaway and some flats fishing on the ShadowCaster. Congrats on thier upcoming nuptuals in October. The Permit fishing has been great so far this month. We are having some flat calm weather, which makes for awesome “tailing” and “floating” conditions for Permit fishing. Permit will actually float on the surface, with their backs and tails out of the water. Permit fishing is probably my favorite and seeing a dozen or more fish on the surface bobing up and down will surely get your heart racing. Hopefully these conditions will remain for the rest of the month and all those Hurricanes stay out in the Atlantic. Call (305.587.7669) or send me an email to get out on the water and get Hooked-Up.

Keys Fishing Reports