# Could use some gear advice - Keys



## Byron/pa (Mar 14, 2007)

I'm in the process of knocking another trip off the bucket list, planning a two week trip to the Keys, beginning mid February of next year. The sole purpose of the trip is to fish.

I will be staying in Long Key, South of Islamorada, I am still flexible on this.

Mostly I will be bridge fishing and wade fishing. I'm also bringing my kayak and might end up doing more yax fishing, depending on what I find. I can comfortably carry two rods in my yax, any recommendations for those two rods that would give me the best chance of covering whatever I might run into? 

I'll be leaving the fly fishing gear at home, unless there is a specific reason to bring it.

Although I'm an avid angler, with plenty of tackle, I've never been much of a pier or bridge person, which leads to some questions.

I've read that some guys use fairly heavy tackle from the bridges. My heavy tackle consists of 13' heaver style surf rods (rated 6 - 10oz) matched with Abu's and loaded with 17lb mono. Seems to me that these set ups might be unwieldy from a bridge? And that the 17lb mono might be on the light side? I do typically run a 60lb shock leader of about 30 feet. 

I have a couple 6.5 to 7ft spinning rods loaded with 12lb mono that I generally use for throwing jigs/grubs, mirrolures and such. Which I'll also be bringing.

I'm always looking for a reason to pick up new tackle, so I'm all ears.

I have a beach cart, that should come in handy for the bridges and a live bait cooler, and am open to any other things that folks might think I need.

Oh yea, I'll be fishing for anything that might be available to be caught. Of course, a Tarpon is on the list, as well as a snook and bone, but really I'll be happy catching just about anything - just want to be prepared.

Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

These links ought to help you out . . . ( Hint: Leave the Heaver at home ! )

*https://cudamanadventures.com/fishing-the-florida-key-bridges/bridge-fishing-in-the-florida-keys/*

*http://www.keyshistory.org/MileMarkerChart.html*

*http://www.saltchef.com/catch_fish/FL/where_to_catch_fish_florida.html*

*https://cudamanadventures.com/category/fishing-reports/bridge-fishing-fishing-reports/*

*https://cudamanadventures.com/fishing-the-florida-key-bridges/bridges-in-the-florida-keys/*

*https://cudamanadventures.com/fishing-the-florida-key-bridges/florida-keys-bridges-in-pictures/*

Tight Lines !!!


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## dj1100rt (Apr 5, 2009)

Just got back from fishing the keys bridges all winter. We brought our 7 ft catfish rods, but locals use 5-6 ft medium light rods. We used Trilene 15# line with 17# floro leaders about 18-24" long. You'll plow through 1-3 oz egg sinkers, swivels and circle hooks while fishing the bottom, but that's where they are. Fish when the currents are moving well. Slack water is useless. We fished channel two on incoming currents and channel five on both currents. Long Key and Tom's Harbor we favor on outgoing tides. 

You'll see guys jigging fresh shrimp straight down beneath the bridges, too. I tried it, but not sure that I have the feel for it. 

Bridging is a blast. The variety of fish we caught over the last two winters was eye opening. If you try to predict the current flow, don't expect slack water at high or low tides. Add an hour and a half. It takes that long for that volume of water to slow down, go slack, and change direction.

This winter was not the best fishing thanks to El Nino. All the cold fronts that the north usually get were pushed to south Florida and water temps dropped below that magical 70 degree mark. January was a lost month, even for our friends with boats. Hopefully, next winter will be warmer again.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

Definitely take a light tackle rod and some gotcha plugs for Spanish, Ceros, and jacks. If you aren't set on a place to stay there's a spot in key colony beach in marathon where we have been staying for years that I would recommend. It's a duplex...one side is one bedroom, the other side two. There is a pool, and you can catch fish off the dock. Lots of privacy. Nothing fancy, but a nice view over open water and affordable. We will be there next month.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

ncdead said:


> If you aren't set on a place to stay there's a spot in key colony beach in marathon where we have been staying for years that I would recommend. It's a duplex...one side is one bedroom, the other side two. There is a pool, and you can catch fish off the dock. Lots of privacy. Nothing fancy, but a nice view over open water and affordable. We will be there next month.


Could you please PM me with the name of that place ? My wife and I have a wedding anniversary coming up in a few months and that sounds perfect !


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## Byron/pa (Mar 14, 2007)

Thanks guys, good links there Dave.........plenty of time to research more.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

ez2cdave said:


> Could you please PM me with the name of that place ? My wife and I have a wedding anniversary coming up in a few months and that sounds perfect !


Hey Dave, tried to pm you but I don't think it went through..The place is managed by conch reality, Adam and Clair are the contacts. If you go on their website you will see the one. I think the one bedroom side is about seven hundred for the week. You can also rent one of Adams boats as a package deal, I think the website spells that out as well. Good luck! Just looked at the site.....the place is called the cabana unit, 700 for the 1 bedroom, 1050 for the two bedroom. Got a nice view.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

ncdead said:


> Hey Dave, tried to pm you but I don't think it went through..The place is managed by conch reality, Adam and Clair are the contacts. If you go on their website you will see the one. I think the one bedroom side is about seven hundred for the week. You can also rent one of Adams boats as a package deal, I think the website spells that out as well. Good luck! Just looked at the site.....the place is called the cabana unit, 700 for the 1 bedroom, 1050 for the two bedroom. Got a nice view.



I got the PM's . . . 

Thanks for the info ! ! !


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

ez2cdave said:


> I got the PM's . . .
> 
> Thanks for the info ! ! !


No worries brother, hope it works out


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

ncdead said:


> No worries brother, hope it works out


So far, it looks great . . .


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

Like I said man, it not too fancy, be we don't require a lot of the fancy stuff....We have been going there for years, stepped away for a year and stayed at much nicer place up the street but it didn't feel like our home away from home like this place has become. It's just a joy to come back every year. We rent both sides every year, so there is almost complete privacy and its on open water just around the corner from the inlet to the Atlantic. You don't have to look across a dead end canal at a dozen other houses. We dig it, hope you will if you decide to stay there.


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