A record field of 173 guides and anglers has signed up for flats fishing’s favorite rendition of a punt-pass-and-kick competition: the 2017 Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Fishing Tournament …
So you think dolphin fish are easy to catch in the Florida Keys? After all, they are plentiful this time of year and don’t often refuse a bait– live, dead or artificial. So now let’s …
Divers and snorkelers have just over three weeks to catch lobster before the Florida harvest season closes on April 1. They won’t get another chance to bag a limit of bugs until the annual mini-season …
By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com Even though the Guy Harvey Outpost Blazing Mako Festival and Fishing Tournament is still four months away, it’s not …
The public is invited to join the Turtle Hospital for Miley’s release back to the wild on Saturday, May 2nd at 10:30 a.m. at The Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost M.M. 82.1 on the Oceanside. …
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![](mailto:?subject=Taking the Back Country in the Blazing Mako&body=<img class=" size-medium wp-image-3389 alignleft" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/black.jpg?w=300" alt="Black" width="300" height="222" />By Sue Cocking, Guy Harvey Outpost staff writer
scocking@guyharveyoutpost.com
Even though the Guy Harvey Outpost <a href="http://www.blazingmako.com" target="_blank">Blazing Mako Festival and Fishing Tournament</a> is still four months away, it's not too early to sign up your team or start plotting a strategy for claiming $10,000 in prize money-- particularly if you enter the inshore division.
The tournament date of June 18 falls squarely during the peak of the inshore fishing season in and around the Florida Keys and two days before the full moon. Catching, measuring, photographing and releasing the eligible back country species of permit, bonefish, tarpon, snook, redfish and the funfish category of shark, ladyfish, jack and trout for points, cash, and bragging rights won't be as challenging as during other seasons of the year.
Anglers will be allowed to enter a maximum of five fish in each category using live bait, artificial lures, or fly tackle. More points will be awarded for lures and fly rod.
"This is a great time of year to catch all these species," said seven-year veteran Keys light-tackle guide captain Richard Black, who fishes from a 17-foot, 8-inch Hells Bay Professional skiff.
Black said his strategy would be to locate small tarpon first thing in the morning in Florida Bay-- likely near Snake Bight-- and fish with fly rod (if the angler were capable), or with small Mir-O-Lure plugs or light jigs. Snook and redfish tend to inhabit the same territory at that time of year and likely would bite the same offerings.
Once you've racked up enough points for those three species, Black says step two would be to blind-cast a jig or plug for ladyfish. You could enter the larger ones in the funfish category and keep a few to hang off the skiff while anchored to attract lemon sharks to within fly-casting range.
"In a good spot with good current, you could catch five sharks on fly pretty quick," Black said.
Then if you are lucky enough to have sufficient sunlight in mid- to late afternoon, the guide said, you could look for bonefish in Florida Bay or on the ocean side of the Upper Keys. Bonefish almost never turn down fresh shrimp, and they also are likely to bite small jigs and shrimp-patterned flies.
"I know some anglers I'd lead off with fly and switch to bait," Black added. "You have to fish the conditions. If conditions are crappy and you have to cover more water, you would use a spinning rod."
Black believes it will take 1,500 to 2,000 points to score a top-three finish.
Even if you don't accumulate nearly that score, it will be more than fun to try and then you get to celebrate at the awards party at the Islander-- a Guy Harvey Outpost Resort in Islamorada.
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Sue Cocking chronicles the Guy Harvey Outpost travel and adventure experience in regular blog posts on GuyHarveyOutpostNews.com/. For 21 years, Cocking covered the full spectrum of outdoors adventure opportunities in South Florida and beyond for the Miami Herald, including fishing, diving, hunting, paddling camping, sailing and powerboat racing. She is a certified scuba diver and holder of an IGFA women's world fly fishing record for a 29-pound permit.
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![](mailto:?subject=Join Us for Sea Turtle Release Saturday at the Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost&body=The public is invited to join the Turtle Hospital for Miley's release back to the wild on Saturday, May 2nd at 10:30 a.m. at <a href="http://www.guyharveyoutpost.com/destinations/florida/islamoradafl-keys/islamorada-islander-resort/">The Islander Resort, a Guy Harvey Outpost </a>M.M. 82.1 on the Oceanside.
The Turtle Hospital ambulance will arrive at the Islander in Islamorada at 10:30 a.m. and Miley will be released off of the beach promptly at 11:00 a.m. <a href="http://www.turtlehospital.org/patient/miley/">Miley</a> was rescued off of Dove Key in early March where she was found floating and what rescuer's described as "twerking". The rescuer's named her Miley, after Miley Cyrus.
<a href="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/turtle-release-4.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2717 size-large" src="https://guyharveyoutpostblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/turtle-release-4.jpg?w=660" alt="DCIM100GOPRO" width="660" height="495" /></a>Loggerheads nest on beaches at or near most all Guy Harvey Outpost properties. It seems they know good fishing and diving spots.
Miley is a sub-adult Loggerhead sea turtle. She arrived at the hospital on March 8th following a boat strike. She weighs 117 pounds. Loggerheads are the largest hard shell sea turtles and adults typically weigh between 180 and 440 pound. They can grow to over 1000 pounds. Loggerheads are considered a "Threatened" species and are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Following a treatment course at the <a href="http://www.turtlehospital.org/">Turtle Hospital </a>that included broad spectrum antibiotics, lactulose, beano, vitamins, and a healthy diet of squid and fish, Miley is ready to hit the main stage. Miley is swimming strong, healthy, and no longer "twerking". Bring your friends and help us to give Miley a proper send-off on Saturday!
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