Living There
A lot of people these days keep a Bucket List to gauge how well they’re doing in the Game of Life. For some, it might involve thrilling adventures like skydiving over the Swiss Alps or swimming with dolphins in the Great Barrier Reef. It’s not so much a yardstick to measure one’s success versus the Joneses, but more so a way to make sure you’re gathering up enough of those “once in a lifetime” experiences, like visiting Key West, before it’s time to, well, kick the bucket!
Exploring Beyond: From Pyramids to Key West – Unveiling Extraordinary Human Endeavors
Common items that top the average list are seeing the pyramids of Giza, walking the Great Wall of China, or perhaps inventing something that reshapes humanity.
But if you’re like me, then your top ten tasks read something like this:
1. Catch an X.
2. Take a fishing trip to Y.
3. Try Z fishing.
And so on….
Why not roll a strike?
With an overabundance of fishing dreams to fulfill and a limited number of days out of the year free to spend quality time with the rod and the reel, the smart angler can make quick work of their Fishing Bucket List by heading to Key West, Florida.
While many tropical fishing destinations offer world class deep sea fishing expeditions where you can go after dolphin, marlin, sailfish, swordfish, or tuna, you won’t find the same variety of species and fishing diversity that there is to be had in the Florida Keys – and if you’re from the US, you don’t even need a passport!
A week in Key West and you’ll be scratching off so many items from your “catch before I die” to-do list that by the time you head home you might need a new hobby!
Pick your poison
It’s not to say that Key West doesn’t offer amazing deep sea fishing. All you have to do is ask the ghost of Ernest Hemingway and he’ll tell you more than one whale of a tale about the monsters of the sea lurking just off the shores of his beloved Key West. But what makes a Key West fishing trip irreplaceable is that a day or two out in the blue waters is just the beginning of your adventure.
Unique to Key West is a super exciting style of angling called sight casting on the flats.
“Instead of plunking down your bait or lure and hoping for your prey to meander by, we will patrol the shallow waters of the flats and the channels of the backcountry, sight your target, and then rely on your tip-top casting skills to land your hook precisely where your game is lurking,” says Keys Guide Eric Ryan Don’t worry if sight casting is not your specialty, Captain Eric says, there are other ways to fish the flats and catch your quarry!
Key West Backcountry Fishing: Chasing Tarpon, Bonefish, and More in the Shallow Draft Skiffs
These shallow draft flats skiffs like Captain Eric’s can navigate you through the many creeks and channels of the Key West backcountry for a truly special day on the water. Surrounded by unique flora and fauna and hauling in species of fish totally different than what you’re used to at home, it’s an unforgettable experience for even the most, well-traveled of fisherman.
Tarpon, Bonefish, Permit and Marlin, oh my!
Not only will you be able to satisfy several of your “fishing style” requirements, but the list is endless of different species that you can catch in the many different waters of Key West.
There are literally dozens of bottom fish such as mackerels, groupers, and snappers that can be dragged into the boat on the very same day. And for those looking for a bigger challenge, you can find a deep sea charter to hook a wahoo or a championship sized blue marlin! “Yes, there are still captains who are hooking blue marlin,” says Captain Jay Miller of the Outer Limits. “We hook ‘em all the time – just check our fishing blog and photos. We’ve even hooked marlin on light tackle.”
But while the diversity and opportunity with the “big boys” is great, it is the uniquely “Keys” species such as the tarpon, bonefish, and permit that will leave you wishing you never had to fly back home. Here’s wishing you tight lines for a grand slam, Key West style!
