This is the most popular Charter fishing trip in Islamorada, Florida Keys. The fishing day will last about 8 hours, and typically you will leave Bud n Mary’s Marina about 7:00AM.

The day starts with catching live bait, which will consist of ballyhoos, cigar minnows, pilchards, small bluerunners and grunts as we need to be ready for just about anything we may encounter. We could be sitting on the bait patch and the cobias will swim up. You have better have some grunts and a rod ready because it happens quick! Once we are done with our bait fishing we break out the best Penn has to offer. Light Spinning tackle allows great action for all and it’s easy to use. Our mates keep fresh Penn or Suffix line on all the gear and, of coarse, the best hooks out today which are Mustad and Eagle Claw.

florida-keys-dolphinFull Days here in the Florida Keys allow for multiple types of fishing for many species all in the same day. Everything here is based on conditions, so we all work together as the day goes along. This way if the conditions are making up somewhere along the reef edge we will know about it. Most of our mornings are spent riding the reef edge looking for certain conditions such as current, water color and bait. It’s tricky for the conditions can be so different in as little as a mile apart so one has to pay close attention.

Now we will do whatever type of fishing you desire! Sailfish on the fly, bottom fishing and deep drop, reef fishing, sharks and barracudas, it doesn’t matter as we are well prepared. The Captain will always keep you informed on what he feels is the best bet and please remember we like to keep the rod bent as much as possible. It’s your day so please let us know as it’s important to us.  Typically we like to anchor down for a while and catch some dinner, maybe some to take home with you. Relax and take it all in, eat some lunch and fish some more. As the afternoon creeps up on us we will move back out over the edge. We fish several lines out of the riggers and one down near the bottom in hopes of finding some sailfish, mackerals, or perhaps a nice big grouper or mutton snapper. The reef for us here goes from Key Largo down to Marathon which is a wonderful stretch of water and a wide area for us to fish.

Here too we also offer you the opportunity to see Islamorada from a different view point. Take one of our Skiffs back to the Everglades or Flamingo or stay close and enjoy the flats and mangroves for some real special light tackle or Fly fishing. You would be bewildered by the amount of different animals you can see in the Back country.


To book your next charter call J&A Charters at 1-855-GOT-BAIT (468-2248)