Came back from two weeks in the keys...well, two weeks ago now.
Brought our 12 foot dinghy down to key largo and got out on the water a lot.
In no particular order, we caught a ton of fish of all sizes, saw some cool boats, made it down to key west to see the tarpon and grouper at the docks, did our best to find the best key lime pie. Stayed at a campsite/marina. Even caught a few three ish foot bonnethead sharks! Saw stingrays, manatees, dolphins, and explored the mangroves for days. Next yr bringing a bigger boat down and gonna try the flats around big pine. Lots of fun!














Even went in to Bass pro world-wide sportsman and sat in the fighting chair or Pilar, hemmingways boat!

Going back for sure!

Not bad fishing imo for someone who's never even boated in salt water before!

Looks like a blast Hutchy.

Was fun. No pics of Steph. She out caught me in the fish department, but doesn't want her pic online. Lol

Did you know what kind of fish you were catching or if any are edible?

We figured it out quick. We caught: grouper, Jack crevalle, another type of Jack, blowfish, mangrove snapper, almost got a barracuda in, and a type of wrasse called a slippery dick. No joke lol

And like, fifty grunts.

Also bonnethead sharks.


Couple others too, but not doing well with names. Obviously these were small fish mostly, and we were just doing our best. No one was catching much those weeks we heard. We were happy catching a million smaller ones.

The sharks were edible we found out later, and mangrove snapper were.minimum 10". We got lots of 9" fish, but never a legal one. I'll tell ya the bigger Jack's fight like freshwater fish twice their size. And the sharks did too!

Would have been nice to get further out, but it was real windy for like seven days straight. Ocean was kind of rough for a dinghy

Awesome! We didn’t make it down this year, usually go to Duck Key. Looks like a great time! Beautiful place. Mangrove canals, flats, never enough time to do it all. The Keys have a lot to offer! Did you make it to No Name Pub?

John

Read my mind. Not even a big toe picture? Lol

Anytime you're on the water it's fun.

I know the sharks fight good,caught a few when I was living in Jersey(ch is) in 77.

Love the way saltwater fish fight. Used to go to Florida all the time diving, spearfishing and catching lobster. Great pics, thanks for sharing.

Looks like a blast Hutchy

Awesome, glad yuns had a fun and safe trip!

Well john, we ate out once and because of this silly virus avoided most other places! We had a good cooler and brought down as much food as.we could and cooked at the campsite. with the price of food down there we'd have been broke doing it any other way. Triscuits were five bucks a box! We get them on sale for two bucks each Canadian up here!! Was a super budget trip, so we made use if the cheap gas instead.

Where do you stay on duck key? I am trying to find camping spots further down but it is ridiculous to find anywhere.

I wish you could camp out somewhere, but there is no real public land camping there. Am thinking of boating the wilderness waterway from flamingo to Everglades city next time. Lots of camping spots there available the day before. All mangrove tho, nothing like the power keys , but still might be fun to do for three or four days. Most campsites are on chickees, or raised wooden platforms surrounded by water. Cheap too!

We have rented an vrbo on west seaview drive. Can fish right in the canals, or kayak to the inlets , and catch a bunch! We love it down there, it’s a one of a kind relaxation.

John

Have a brother in law live on big pine key, he fishes out back a lot. Fishing not real good this year. He has been down there full time for 24 years.