| Fly Fishing in saltwater has become so popular in | | | | tackle. Some purists will even venture to say it |
| the last twenty five years in the Florida Keys that | | | | has been the pinnacle of their saltwater fly fishing. |
| the Bonefish census board determined each fish is | | | | Permit are nervous all the time. In my opinion |
| "worth" about 3,000.00. This is mostly due to the | | | | they are a deep water fish who just do time on |
| overwhelming amount of tourist who visit the | | | | the flats to get food. A bandit of bait. They feed |
| Florida Keys each year to go fishing.Fly fishing in | | | | on blue crabs about the size of a silver dollar and |
| saltwater has always been a known sport | | | | shrimp. Therefore fly fisherman tie up many |
| amoung its enthusasts but not until the last few | | | | forms of crab patterns including the classic Merkin |
| decades has it sparked an interest in many more | | | | crab fly. This pattern in its many shapes and |
| anglers. It provides the ultimate challenge to | | | | forms works best for fly fishing for permit here |
| many, the cast must be perfected, take into | | | | in the Keys.Some of the largest bonefish in the |
| account the wind, the moving fish, the moving | | | | world live here in the Florida Keys. Large bonefish |
| boat, and you have your perfect saltwater fly | | | | cruise the flats from Biscayne Bay down to the |
| fishing scenario.Many fly rodders flock to the | | | | Marquesas Keys west of Key West. The most |
| Florida Keys each year for the annual Tarpon | | | | concintration of large bonefish is in Islamorada. |
| migration. Depending on the temperatures, tarpon | | | | Many think this is because Islamorada hosts so |
| can start showing up in the lower Keys as early | | | | many release bonefish tournaments and these |
| as February and tarpon fishing will last well into | | | | fish are relocated after they are released at the |
| the summer months. For a fly fisherman the first | | | | tournament weigh station to grow up in |
| few seconds of a tarpon hookup is the most | | | | "downtown Islamorada" as many of the guides call |
| exhilarating. The hook set on one of these | | | | it. Bonefish in the Keys range from 4lbs. to over |
| prehistoric silver monsters has to be strong and | | | | 10lbs. and are not easy to catch on fly but it can |
| often you will strike two to three times to get | | | | be done.Advice to the Florida Keys visiting |
| the hook in the tarpon's cinder block mouth. Once | | | | flyrodder, practice your casting as often as you |
| he's hooked you will know it and most likely he'll | | | | can. Many visitors come to the Keys to try fly |
| take you on the ride of your life. Don't be | | | | fishing for the very first time. It is a great way to |
| disappointed if after a few jumps he gets off, | | | | either fall in love with the sport or become |
| that's tarpon fishing and it should be enjoyed for | | | | completely frustrated. There are casting clinics |
| what it is... a great display of gamefishing.Other fly | | | | held at various fly shops in the Keys and Sandy |
| fishing target species here in the Florida Keys | | | | Moret holds a fly fishing school a few times a |
| include the bonefish and the elusive permit. Permit | | | | year.Loren Rea is an avid fly rodder and lives and |
| are considered the ultimate gamefish taken on fly | | | | works in the Florida Keys. |