# Bridge fishing the keys this week, Advice Needed!!



## mallardtone-man

I am from MI and will be flying out to the Keys tomorrow with my mom and brother. We will be staying in Marathon for 8 days. I have fished in Keys once before but it was a number of years ago and I would like to have a sucessful trip. I am bringing a fair amount of gear and should be equipped to catch anything up to a 6-7' shark. I am not afraid to hook into a larger fish I just dont know if I could land it. At the very least I would come home with a story about how I got spooled for the first time :lol:. Really I am just looking for some tips on what I can catch this time of year and where to catch it from shore piers bridges. I would like to try and stay around Marathon but will do some driving for a good spot. I am going to be focusing on sharks at night but don't know a whole lot about some of the other species. I have a pretty good idea of how to rig for sharks and where to catch them but won't turn down any advice especially about where I should fish, I am planning on trying Channel 2 but would like to find a spot closer to Marathon. I can identify most of the other species but the only knowledge I have on how to catch many of them is from what I have read online and it tends to be pretty general. Being that I am a northerner I have almost no concept of the tides and how they effect bridge fishing. I have heard they have some substancial effects on how one species or another is feeding. Specifically I would like to catch:

Barracuda:
I would love to get some as shark baits.

Snapper and Grouper:
I have caught many on headboats but dont really know how to approach it from a pier or bridge. 

Snook:
I dont even know if they are around this time of year but would love to catch one.

Tarpon: I will be fishing live baits under a balloon if I can get them and would imagine a tarpon would hit that but once again I dont know when they are around.

Bait: I have a cast net and some Sabiki rigs but I dont know if I can throw my net off a bridge, and don't know where else I might be able to net something. I prefer to fish with good live bait whenever possible. 

Other Fish: Please let me know if there is anything else I should be targeting. I am not looking to spend alot of time chasing something elusive that is going to be nearly impossible to catch. I want to catch good numbers of fish and hopefully a good variety. 

Sorry for the long post. If you had the patience to read the whole thing and have some advice for me I really appreciate it. I wouldn't be half as sucessful at catching or hunting half the things I do if it weren't for the online community and never miss a chance to help someone out when I am in the position to. If there is anyone that is going to be in my area this upcoming week and would like to get together and fish my brother and I would be happy for the company. We are 21 and 24, we fish hard and are fun guys.

Thanks,
James


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## Cerberus

*Here ya go*

Everything you need to know is here:

Quick Guide to Nailing Big Fish on Key's Bridges


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## fin&scale

Here goes some info. First here are a few of the bridges that are productive. Try Channel 2 (mm73), Channel 5 (mm71), Long Key bridge(mm65) and Seven Mile (mm47). As far as tides they will affect your shark and tarpon fishing the most....mainly because you need the tide to take your baits out away from the structure you are fishing from. If you fished the tide that takes you under the new bridges you drive on you will get cut off every time you hook up.

I am going to give you a tip I have never shared before on how to get cudas for bait. Try to follow my directions but if you have questions just ask. This technique is called "draggin the rag" and is guaranteed to get you a few baits if you are good with your tackle. You will need at least two separate anglers for this and it doesn't hurt to have a third. I will begin by describing the tackle the "catchers" will need. Begin with a very stout, long rod (longer is better) capable of handling 30-40lb fish. On this rod have a reel spooled with at least 50lb line (80lb is not overkill) 3/0 and 4/0 or comparable. Have the drag locked down or close to it. To this rod you will tie a large snatch hook leaving a long tag end after the knot you use to attach the hook. Take the tag end and wrap it around the shank of the snatch hook and leave 4-6" free on the end. To this end attach a egg sinker...big but not too big and keep it secure by tying on a barrel swivel. You can have two of these rigs each with an angler who is good at accurate casting and hopefully someone who has some experience "snatching".

Now you need a volunteer to "drag the rag". Take a simple hand towel....white (color is important) about two to three ft in length and moisten it. Attach it (by one of the corners) to the end of a fishing line and pole (long is good here too) and have this person lower it to the water and while extending the rod perpendicular to the bridge have this person begin a brisk walk with it. You want this person to have some distance between the rag and himself so that it is trailing behind him some 25-35ft or so. The catchers will follow the rag and watch it directly underneath them. Soon....VERY SOON...you should have a gang of cudas (5 sometimes 10 individuals) come up and start to follow the rag. When this happens the "catchers" will cast their rigs ahead of the cudas....somewhere in front of the towel and as they start their retrieve they will direct their line in a direct collision course with whichever cuda they have picked to target. When the fish is directly above your line snatch hard and hold on tight. If you connect you will know it instantly....if you miss quickly get your line out of the way and have "catcher two" try to get one. If you guys are good "catcher two" can cast his rig forward of the towel as number one is snatching or getting ready to. This will give you more chances but be careful to keep out of the way of each other or you can end up tangled and frustrated. If the fish are spooky cast further ahead of the rag as the noise of the sinker hitting the water can cause them to fade off of the rag. This tip is GUARANTEED to get you cuda....not little bitch cudas either...great big logs and I am sure you will raise at a half dozen or more true cudezillas (35lbs and more). When you have enough bait please quit...it is easy to get caught up in the frenzy and catch too many which in my opinion is a shameful waste of an awesome fish. 

That concludes bait for your sharking. I will make separate posts with other advise on fishing the keys bridges later.


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## fin&scale

After reading the link in Cerberus' post I will say the guy is right on about snook and tarpon. IMO Channel 5 has the best 'poon fishing in the keys. Live greenbacks are the best baits. Get them by following the advise on the link and lowering a coleman close to the water to attract them. Sabiki some baits and put them out on a fishfinder rig or flat line. If the tarpon are home you will jump tons of them and land a good few. Use circle hooks to avoid gut hooking fish. To release your tarpon just wrap the leader line around your hands a few times and jerk it up and down vigorously until it pulls or splits....better for the fish to have just a hook in their mouth vs a very long piece of mono hanging off of them as well.
PS dead sardines with the head twisted off or crushed work awesome for snapper. When the current is really moving it is best to send them straight down into the eddies behind the pilings that support the bridge. The snapper stack up there waiting for tidbits being brought to them by the rushing water.


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## NateM

Thats some really good info guys. Heading down there myself in the next couple of weeks. Last trip I made the bait was thick and the cudas were thicker. They ate anything I threw at them. Tons of fun on light tackle. Catch em up mallardtone.


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## Cerberus

+1 one on F&S's tide comment: _*Moving water is the key to success on these bridges.*_ Cast up current, drift it back, repeat as necessary. That's about it, really.

There were a couple of things not mentioned so I'll cover them here:

1) Wade the flats at Harry Harris Park in Tavernier, MM 93.5, for bonefish and barracuda. Any of the other flats you will see along the Overseas Highway are also a good try. Flats in the daylight, bridges at night.

2) Bring a cast net. The Keys are crisscrossed with canals for boat access and most of these are infested with good sized mullet and small jacks. They make great live and cut bait. 

Just pull into any side street where you see boats parked. Do not trespass! Many of the canals are in residential neighborhoods. You can find respectful legal access with a bit of looking around.

3) Barracuda will hit anything shiny and fast moving. Often so will ladyfish. A small spoon fished moderately fast will get you a cuda for bait. Fresh cut Jacks and ladyfish also make first-class shark baits. Jacks will hit any live or cut bait and will hit shiny lures. Catch a jack, smash it's tail so it swims funny and free line him, up current and drifting down towards and under the bridge. Hang on...


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## fishedn

Lots of good info already, I like Niles channel for poons, plain gold hooks tied in sequence will catch all the greenies you need, thats the old way. Plenty of ballyhoo this time of year, the blue back ones are best. one word, CHUM


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