This time last year, the Best Bet team was enjoying plenty of rod-bending action (as always) in the Florida Keys; but this month is shaping up to be a December to remember.
With just the right amount of intermittent cooler weather and relatively mild temperatures a constant, the weather has been mild and the fishing has been outstanding.
We would have to go back a few years to even come close to the world class dolphin fishing we have enjoyed this month – phenomenal is the only way to describe it. Mix in an active sailfish bite and plenty of wahoo and black fin tuna…WOW it just doesn’t get any better.
Out on the reef – a perfect trip for half-day charters, novice anglers and families with young children – big yellowtail snapper on the outside edge of the reef are still filling coolers. The patch reefs are lit up with big mangrove snapper and quality mutton snapper up to 15 pounds.
The grouper bite has still been active, but the season’s closure is just a few weeks away in January – sad news for sure. The good news is there’s still time to hook one of these fun fighting and tasty fish; there are lots of grouper on the outside edge as well as the patch reefs and wrecks.
It just would not be a proper fishing report without mentioning the wrecks that are still producing nice catches of mutton snapper and a few big grouper and “amberjackasaurus” or monster AJs.
It is a great time of the year to get out on the water! Whether you are a local or visitor, get out and enjoy everything our islands have to offer.
Best Bet for the week ahead: Mix it up a bit…hit the patch reefs in the morning, and head offshore for sailfish and dolphin in the afternoon.
