Quote:
Originally Posted by DZ
Key West Report
Spent 2.5 days in Key West and stayed at the Merlin Guest House which was one street over from the main drag Duvall Street. Got some great advice from the members here. We had the Conch Fritters at B.O.s Fish wagon and they were the BEST fritters we had in KW. Had lunch at El Siboney and it was awesome. Brunch at Blue Heaven and was great as advertised. Happy Hour at Alonzo’s where they had a 4pm tarpon feeding (which was my first close up view of 100 pound tarpon). Five people, 3 pitchers of beer, tons of half price appetizers, total bill after two hours - $58.00 – Happy Hour is definitely the time to eat.
Mallory Square was interesting to say the least. Some great and funny street acts. Once we parked the car we spent the entire time getting around on rented bikes – parking and driving is a PIA in town – bikes are the way to go if you can do it.
Fishing – I spent about 4 hours fishing. Two hours of daytime casting on some flats on Boca Chica Key – nothing but a single Barracuda follow. Then on Sunday night my son and I headed out after watching a sunset with the family. We fished a local bridge after dark from 10pm to midnight. It was really dark with no bridge lights. Casting bucktails it took us an hour to get some action. We kept getting short strikes using bucktails and porkrind. Had no idea what was hitting them. I took the pork off and had an almost immediate hookup that jumped 3 or 4 times then threw the jig. 3 or 4 casts later I hooked up with a jumping freight train that completely spooled me! I went back to the car for my extra spool and patiently tied on another leader with shaking hands. A few casts later another freight train – into the backing it went. As I contemplated purposely breaking him off it turned and came back towards me. After 30 minutes I landed and released my first tarpon. Not sure how large it was but I couldn’t lift it out of the water so my best estimated guess was around 70 pounds. After releasing it I sat down and shook while my son Nick managed to hookup and jump another 6 times before it threw the jig. My one bit of advice to anyone – do not use backing on a reel to save money on braid – you may need all the line available to land one of these monsters. Bring heavy tackle – a rod with a lot of backbone! You’ll need all the help you can get. Now I know why boats always chase these fish – you don’t have that luxury from the beach.
Here is a 7 minute video of the one we landed. Rated R for expletives. KW Tarpon2 - YouTube
Thanks again to all for the very kind advice and suggestions – you helped my family make the best of our short time in KW.
Regards,
DZ |
Man, oh man, I got the shakes just reading this!! After posting my suggestions, I promptly infomed the wife that we (and that 'we' does not include our 3 small boys) are going down there in May 2014 for 3-4 days...it will be my 10th trip down there...
"We had the Conch Fritters at B.O.s Fish wagon "
Were there roosters walking around in there? What a great place...
"Brunch at Blue Heaven"
Did you have the lobster eggs benedict? My wife says the bloody mary's there are the strongest she has ever had...
"Happy Hour at Alonzo’s where they had a 4pm tarpon feeding (which was my first close up view of 100 pound tarpon). Five people, 3 pitchers of beer, tons of half price appetizers, total bill after two hours - $58.00 – Happy Hour is definitely the time to eat."
$58 - you can't beat that for all that food/drink, and a tarpon feeding to boot.
"Mallory Square was interesting to say the least."
I get freaked out when, what I think is a statue, is actually a person painted like a statue, and not moving a muscle. I like the guy juggling pins that are on fire, on top of a large unicycle.
As to your fishing...congrats! Landing a tarpon from terra firma is no small feat! I never heard of using a bare bucktail. Did you just find some bridge that looked promising, or did someone recommend that bridge to you? Can't wait to watch the youtube video.
Appears that you, like me, may have contracted a lifelong infirmity called "Keys Disease". Be warned that there is no cure, the only thing you can do to address the symptoms is go down every couple of years.
To those here that say they want to go there before it's too late...please go. All of us here feel that spiritual connection to saltwater and fishing. This place is a Mecca for those who feel called by the salt. There is so much fun stuff to do, the atmosphere is so casual your heart rate drops to 6 beats a day (unless you are fishing), the seafood is incredible...
Yuo cannot take $$ with you to the next phase. If you are tempted, do what you need to do to get down there. If tarpon is your thing, April-May is the time to go. I have a 59 pound striper under my belt, caught in 5 feet of water on a 12 pound spinning rig. That fight was pathetic compared to tarpon. Ask DZ - their strength and agility in unbelievable.
My favorite fishing trip is chasing tarpon in the AM, then ending the day br dropping live bait over a reef or wreck, for snapper/grouper that we immediately bring to a waterfront bar that turns the fresh catch into an unbelievable meal. The variety of fishing is staggering.
DZ, I hope my suggestions helped in some way, and i learned from you to hit Alonzo's at Happy Hour. I have been in there late at night to drink, never eaten there.
You'll remember that tarpon for a long time. Imagine a 70 pound bluefish, on steroids...
forgive my typos, got the shakes again...
Conch Republic, see you in one year!