March Keys Fishing

charlessyverson

I am planning a vacation to the Keys the second week of March. I will be fishing from shore, bridge, and wading the flats. We are starting at Marathon and going to Key West. I have some ideas of locations, but wanted to know what I can expect to catch. What are the main species this time of year? Any suggestion for bait, lures, etc? I have quite a bit of tackle and am looking for help on what I need to pack.

Thank you!!

reeladventures

Check out Key West Kayak Fishing on YouTube. He has quite a few videos on lower keys bridge fishing. We normally go down in May/June and the Fall, but I went down a few years ago in March. It can be a windy month, but you never know. We had about 50/50 weather on that trip andcaught a good bit of fish. On the bridges expect to catch mangroves, porgies, jacks and other juvenile reef oriented fish. Most anything is possible on the bridges though. You'll have a good shot at some nice fish. Depending on the wind and current I would alternate between jigheads around the pilings sand knocker rigs with a circle hook. Use live shrimp, pinfish, and cut bait. You'll be able to have a shot at nighttime Tarpon on some of the bridges. For wading, there are a couple places that would give you a shot at a bonefish with Bahia Honda being one of them. Throw a 1/8 oz bonefish bucktail and tip it with a small piece of shrimp. As for tackle to take, I always take too much. Theoretically, all you need is 2 set ups. A 4000 size combo and maybe 6000-8000 size combo. Take a good assortment of circle hooks and jigheads. I like 1/0-4/0 and yellow jigheads in 1/8 - 1/4 oz. Bring weights in 1/4 oz to 2 oz. If you want to throw a lure, bucktails will work and so will any hard baits that look like a pilchard.

Good luck!

Rare

Just these past two weeks good fish were caught on the bridges. What you might catch and what has been caught, hogfish, mutton (18 inch now new regs) greys, yellow jack, cero macks, red grouper and black, (out of season ) jewfish, tarpon and even a chance for permit. Also, sharks. Like bonnet, gummy, hammer etc...There were 2 big bulls hanging around as well.

charlessyverson

Any additional info for which bridges and what techniques to use? I'm bringing my 2 boys and hoping to make it a memorable experience for them!

reeladventures

Check out this guy's YouTube videos on bridge fishing in the Keys. He has 3 of them about bridge fishing in the lower keys and highlights which are fishable and which may not be.

https://youtu.be/MbH0Tp2RLQc

Like Rare said, nice fish can be caught.

piner_wahoo

cobia noname bridge