FL Keys in December

[jamon_negro]

I'll be heading down to Key West at the end of December for a trip with my wife. I'm hoping to get in at least a half a day of fishing. Does anyone have any recommendations on charters or type of fishing you'd recommend?
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[Tarponjim]

You can do any type of fishing you desire. Inshore, offshore, reef, wreck, fly, spin, bait, flats, light tackle, tuna gear, . . . you name it.

Of course, I'd go tarpon fishing in Key West Harbor if conditions were right (water temp over 70 and light winds). Try Steven Lamp or Clay Harris for starters. Google knows them well. Key West is full of guides who can offer any kind of fishing you can think of. Do some research. Call a couple and take their recommendations. Listen to the guide. Trust me, I'm a guide.[sly]
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[remo_5_0]

Listed to Jim. But really, only a half day to fish. That's too bad.
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[bulldogslc]

I'm pretty jealous of a trip to the Keys...I've always wanted to go down there and catch some redfish
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[chinook]

Jim,
What are you doing these days during the winter months? Are you still down in the Keys? I am interested in fishing there some time.
Thanks
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[Tarponjim]

No, I'm guiding on the Gorge when its open water (most of the time lately!), building rods, and taking a break. Can't guide 12 months straight any more! I go tarpon fishing now and then and let the guide do all the work while I just spot and cast. I like being on that end of the boat!

Guiding in the Keys is expensive, as is living there. Extra licensing, higher insurance, more expensive gear, and the salt water that kills everything adds up. Rent is sky-high. Hours are much longer and the work (poling, bait, handling 100+ pound fish, etc) is more physically demanding too.

Two months fly fishing in Montana, and 7 months mack fishing on the Gorge is enough for me. I fill in the off-season with fishing the local rivers (WY), and a tarpon trip or two.

[shocked]Hijack alert!!![shocked]

Back on track, the Keys are, in fact, the best fishing in North America though. There will be something very fun and very cool to catch in December. The only ice will be in a glass. The OP should call a few captains, discuss the possibilities, and decide the night before the trip what species to target and the methods to do so. Let the conditions tell you the best options, and follow them. That's how it works in December down there. It will beat the hell out of any December fishing in Utah. Well, almost.[]
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[jamon_negro]

Thanks Jim! That's the kind of info I was looking for. I didn't even realize tarpon were an option in December.
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[Tarponjim]

There are resident tarpon in the keys year-round. However, they "disappear" or "hide" when water temps get below 70. If its warm, you might find a guide to take you. If its cool, by Keys standards, you'll have to target some other awesome fish. Make some calls and be flexible.
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[fsh4fun05]

I just got back from a central Florida trip. Oklawaha, Ocala National Forest and Kissimmee chain. The locals said it was slow but I had the time of my life. I did some research for a guide but just ended up fishing with a local buddy on another forum that hooked me up. I can't say the name on here, links to other forums and all that. BBC 😉. Good peeps that can help you out. Wally world bucket, shiners and a cheap rod, I brought my reels. 8 different kinds of fish and water everywhere!
Get bug spray. Trust me. I thought because I couldn't see mosquitoes that I was ok. Chiggers though...yuck, I was miserable at night.
Plenty of guides like mentioned. You can't go wrong.
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[riverdog]

I've been down to the Keys most years since 1984. Some of those trips especially when my son was very young I also had limited time to fish during the day. However don't forget night fishing. Winter is the dry season so storms aren't a huge issue and before midnight (and sometimes all night) usually still in the 70s. Try the various cuts, channels and bridges. Just be aware old Seven Mile Bridge (one of the most scenic spots in Florida) is closed for renovations until April. You also don't have the same issues with traffic backing up later in the evening or have to worry about the sunscreen. One of my most memorable fishing at night was when I pulled in an octopus in the mix. Now ask Jim where he went as a break from Keys Guiding? Not sure which he liked better but my favorite winter fishing in south Florida is 10,000 Islands in the Glades. Won't get down this Christmas but I just booked a trip for February split between the Glades and the Keys. 10,000 Island is a commitment unless you hire a guide (I never have). However I started my son out in a tandem kayak at age 5 for overnight kayak fishing and camping trips. He graduated to his own kayak at age 8 although once with 30 mile an hour winds crossing Sunday Bay I had to tie his kayak to mine to get him across.
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[jamon_negro]

Thanks for the insights Riverdog!
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[riverdog]

Good luck! Post a few pics so all of us stuck in the cold can be jealous.
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