Bone Fishing in the Florida Keys

I love getting the beat down in the Florida Keys. Wind, clouds, cold temps… Its all there. There is something to be said for being determined. Through all of the odds you must always believe you will find fish to catch.  

As of late, the bone fishing in the upper Keys has been a bit of a "snipe hunt" lately. Seems almost like a desert at times and I often wonder what is really going on.  

Several years ago there was a deep freeze that killed a bunch of fish all over the Keys. Since that time it has been less than exciting for the bonefish. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of fish to catch just not seeing many of the giant sized almost Frankenstein style bonefish of the late 90's.  

I slipped out today ahead of an approaching cold front and low and behold on the ocean side of one of the upper keys there it was! A huge, single bonefish that appeared from the slightly muddy water along the edge. I had only minutes before the resident clouds from offshore collided with the storm clouds coming from the West before the lights went out again in South Florida.  

Although I was fishing with a live shrimp (preferred method for snobby big fish) I made a hell of a cast and hooked that big giant. It was only seconds and I felt like he was in a different zip code.Then he cut me off on the bottom somehow? Oh no, I was freaking out, but what that fish did for me was to say that it only takes a moment…  just a few seconds… to change a nasty Keys beat-down day into a few hours of fun. I am inspired and determined.