We fished twice this week returning  to the shallow side of the reef for what has been a very strong bite.  This success has been reported all around the Keys as of late.  It has been cool and overcast most of this week and the winds have been both calm and strong.  Current on the first day was weak but the bite was still on.  Good current yesterday-Friday- but no sunshine and very cool.

YTs hit on a bit of everything...squid strips, fresh shrimp chunks peeled, ballyhoo strips.  The bottom bite came from hand select large shrimp, pinfish and pilchards.  We had over 15 grouper each day with several of them legal size but as you know we have to release them all back.

Free lining large pilchards back into the chum slick with a balloon brought us several mackerel, both big ceros and kings.  We had numerous cutoffs from the toothy critters and a couple of our yellowtails were scaled by goliaths or big grouper.  My anglers were unsuccessful at hooking up whatever was trying to eat the yellowtails.

Get out there will the bite is still on.  Hope the grouper are still here on May 1.

This post was modified at February 21, 2010 - 7:29am (EST) by TeamTeke