Fishing offshore has been really good. Trolling for mahi in 600 ft. Of water and using artificial baits. Mahi, sailfish, marlin and wahoo are all showing up. The backcountry and inshore is on fire with the annual tarpon migration. We are seeing thousands of large tarpon in the backcountry and Bahía Honda bridge. As of today, the Palolo hatch has not happened yet. Live crabs and fly are the tackle of choice.

Fishing this spring is shaping up to be a stellar year and summer fishing looks to be very productive and busy. Whether you would like to fish offshore, inshore, reef or backcountry, it’s year round business as usual. We offer a variety of charters for every lifestyle and budget. Here’s a quick synopsis of the last month of fishing here in the Florida Keys. The tarpon are migrating through the lower Keys For the annual palolo worm hatch. You’ll find thousands of these legends daisy chaining at Bahia Honda Bridge and it’s quite a show to watch and even better to catch one. We do not fight the crowds and target these tarpon here unless you request this location. Jason guides you to more secluded locations and takes you on a true flats guide trip polling you through the backcountry and flats of the Florida Keys. Reef fishing with live bait is just red hot right now. We anchor in about 50 to 90 feet of water and put out a chum block with a mix of homemade chum. This is usually a non stop fishing spot with a medley of different edible fish. This is a very popular trip for families and young children. You’ll catch lanes, Yellowtail, grouper, mutton, mangrove, yellowjack. Backcountry fishing is busy. Flyfishing and spin fishing. We are using shrimp, crabs and artificial baits. Tarpon, Permit, barracudas, sharks, bonefish and jacks. Go online to reserve your trip.

What’s biting in the Florida Keys December 2018 Fishing in the Florida Keys during the winter months is nothing short of fantastic. There is such an amazing variety of every type of fishing. Whether its offshore fishing for Mahi, tuna and wahoo, the reef for snapper, grouper, yellowtail, kingfish, yellowjacks or mutton and bridge fishing for snapper, yellowtail, jacks, groupers and Gulf fishing for trout, cobia, snapper, grouper and kingfish it’s a great mixed bag of plenty of fish and non stop fishing action. The last couple of weeks we fished offshore, the reef, backcountry and the bridges. We used top water plugs for cobia, Pinfish for big snapper and grouper. Cut bait and shrimp guarantee fish in the box. When the weather is less than perfect, bridge fishing is the first choice. Fishing the bridges produces a huge variety of fish. You never know what you’re going to catch. Yellowtail, mutton, mangrove, yellow jacks, groupers, jacks. We fished an hour at Bahia Honda Bridge and caught a nice assortment of table fare. Hope to get you out on the water soon. Happy holidays to you from Boneafide Charters in the Florida Keys. Tight lines, Captain Jason & first Mate Debi Gabriel

FISHING GUIDES NOAA and Florida Keys fishing guides partner to support sustainable recreational fishing Long considered an angler’s paradise, the sandbars, flats, channels, and reefs in the Florida Keys provide year-round opportunities for anglers who dream of catching a “fish of a lifetime.” These lush habitats support charter fishing captains and guides whose livelihoods depend on a healthy, productive ecosystem. The Blue Star Fishing Guide program recognizes charter fishing captains who are committed to sustainable fishing practices and educating their customers about resource protection in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The voluntary training and compliance program seeks to increase fishing guides’ knowledge and, ultimately, that of their clients, to conserve the mangroves, seagrass meadows, and reefs that are the foundation for world-class fishing in the Florida Keys Boneafide is Blue Star Fishing Guide operator. Photo: Boneafide Charter Company “Becoming a Blue Star Fishing Guide is not only a step towards conserving the Florida Keys, but also protects the fisheries we rely on each day for charters,” says Tony Young, owner of Forever Young Charter Company in Islamorada. “It is in each operator’s best interest to go Blue Star and educate their clients on sustainable fishing practices.” In 2017, 41 percent of visitors participated in recreational sport fishing, according to the Monroe County Tourist Development Council’s visitor profile survey. Florida Bay, edged by the inner curve of the Keys and the Florida mainland, is referred to locally as the backcountry. It is home to five of the most sought-after game fish among recreational anglers: bonefish, tarpon, permit, redfish (red drum, and snook. Off the Keys’ outer curve and the nearby Gulf Stream lies the Atlantic Ocean. Blue and white marlin, sailfish, and swordfish inhabit these deep-sea areas. Debi Gabriel, of Boneafide Charter Company in the Lower Florida Keys, says the Keys offers unrivaled outdoor experiences as well as the opportunity to educate visitors about the principles of sustainable recreation. “We became involved with the Blue Star Fishing Guide program because we are the eyes and ears of the Florida Keys sanctuary,” she says. “Teaching people about how important it is to conserve, preserve, and educate is what we feel needs to be done in order to sustain our precious fishery.” Captains and guides in the program receive online training that covers general education about the sanctuary, its diverse habitats, and its fisheries. They also learn best practices that include using gear suited to the size of fish targeted and employing proper techniques and tools to revive fish if they are released. Blue Star Fishing Guide operators are required to follow legal and ethical standards as well as conservation measures such as proper fish handling. Program guidelines also encourage the use of barbless circle hooks whenever practical, and limit catch to what clients want for their own use. The program also encourages respect for other anglers. Blue Star Fishing Guide operators receive branded materials to market their business as a sanctuary partner, plus educational materials to share with clients and customers on their vessel. Annual evaluations ensure compliance with program criteria and continued program excellence. Gabriel and other guides say the need for angler education is painfully evident in the negative impacts on the Key’s sensitive marine habitat that they see when they’re on the water. Guides witness anchor damage to corals, propeller scars in seagrass meadows, entangled and discarded fishing line, abandoned traps, and trash. “We pick up trash on every trip,” Gabriel says. “It’s really sad. We educate anglers every day that it is so important to keep the bays and the oceans clean and to not teach their trash to swim. Especially the bait boxes. I pick up a lot of those every week.” Adds Young: “We see a lot of people anchoring on the coral in shallow reefs, fishing in areas they are not supposed to, and taking fish that are undersized or out of season. Some visitors do not know, but many simply ignore the regulations and laws that are set in place to protect the Florida Keys.” In addition to pollution and poor boating practices, guides say many visitors lack basic awareness about the sanctuary and their surroundings. “Most clients are from outside the local area and really don’t have sanctuaries in their backyard or even realize they’re fishing in one until you tell them,” says Jim Loftus, owner of Mile Marker 27 Fishing Charters. We must do our part to protect our beautiful marine environment.

Summer is still in full swing here in the Florida Keys. It’s a great time to get down here and fish. Wahoo, kingfish, grouper and yellowtails are more than plentiful and it’s non stop action on the wrecks and reefs. It’s September and the Lobstering is on fire. We are limiting out fairly easy and the conditions and visibility had been on point. Come join us for a fun day of catching your own dinner. We snorkel in approximately 6 to 9 ft. of water and the captain is in the water to assist you with your catch. It’s fun for the entire family and the lobsters are delicious! Kids love this Action packed adventure. Come book a trip with us and have a memorable vacation in the Florida Keys. Check out the latest pictures and video. See y’all soon. Capt. Jason & first mate Debi Gabriel Boneafide Charters Fl Keys

What’s biting in the Florida Keys. The month of July has been nothing but stellar. Stellar fishing offshore, stellar fishing on the reef, stellar fishing at the bridges and backcountry. You cannot go wrong. Offshore we are catching anywhere from 4lb to 15lb. Mahi. This is anywhere from **hidden content** feet on the weed lines. Wahoo, Marlin, Mahi are all showing up and there is a nice amount of action offshore. The reefs and wrecks are holding very nice mangrove snappers, mutton snappers, lane snappers and yellow jacks. Chumming, live and cut bait seems to be producing a nice amount of fish. The bridges at night are a pretty much guarantee for big mangrove snappers. Shrimp, Pinfish or cut bait brings the fish to the boat. Florida Keys Mini Lobster Season was an amazing success. We had a total of 10 guys and 2 Boats. We limited out both days by 1:00 p.m. and celebrated over at our favorite place, Geiger Key Marina. That brings us to the opening of regular lobster season. Opening August 6th. The numbers look very healthy and the sizes we are seeing and harvesting are indeed a beautiful sight. August and September are going to be great months here in the Florida Keys. Hope to get y’all out on the water. Capt. Jason & first mate Debi Gabriel