Keys in October

[Skunked again]

Hi all!

I should preface this by saying that I have never once wetted a fly line in salt water, however, despite my screen name, I am a pretty proficient caster and fly fisherman.

I'm taking a trip to the the Florida Keys in late October and wondered what advice people could give me on the fishing, which I know can be phenomenal.

I think I am most interested in poking around the mangroves in a canoe or kayak, and maybe trying for bones. I'm not too excited about tarpon, it seems like a recipe to spend alot of money just to get skunked. Plus if I actually hooked one I think I would just throw the rod in the water out of fright :)

I'm mostly interested in DIY oppourtunities. I know hiring a guide is the best and quickest way to learn new water and techniques, but I'm a student so funds are low, so maybe I might be able to swing a half day with a guide at best. (any guide reccomendations?)

Any and all information is appreciated! I would love some reccomendations of books about fishing the keys, or flats and mangroves in general.

Also, can I get away with an 8wt? I know this is light for most saltwater but again the student thing :?

I should also admit that I'm not a purist, so I will probably be packing a spinning rod as well, so spinning/baitfishing oppourtunities could be fun too.

Thanks,
Neil

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

An 8 weight with a floating line is great for lots of what you are talking about including baby Tarpon.

There are some resident big Tarpon around but spring is the time for the big migration of big Tarpon.

Oct/Nov is the 'second season' in the Keys too. This is when lots of locals and guides are fishing.

http://www.floridakeysoutfitters.com/index.htm

Contact the 'Florida Keys Outfitters' in Islamorada.

It would be great if you could get out with a guide for just a day for a variety of species. Hard to really see what's there by wading or in a kayak.

[formula1]

Although there are some big resident tarpon around, normally they are not as big as they are in the spring and they are much harder to find even with a guide - they are a hit and miss proposition this late in the season. Spring time is 1000x better for poons. But fall is a great time to be in the Keys, a lot less boats on the water, permit fishing is heating up, bones are in abundance, and there are other species that are fun to catch - crevalle jack, sharks, cuda's, etc. I would second Bill's recommendation, getting a guide for a day is well worth it unless you are really tight on money. It's also easier to get a discounted guide rate at this time of year - Fall is traditionally a slow time of year for many guides and as I understand it the double whammy of high gas prices and slow economy has hurt a lot of the guide business in the Keys.