I lived in Miami for 14 years and went to the Keys a lot. Marathon Key is a great place to just wade out and see all kinds of fish, sharks/manta-rays/barracuda to name the biggest I saw there. We never fished while wading but that would be a blast, to heck with a boat ! You can wade out at least a half mile at low tide and just be in waist deep water !
David C.

If you have never fished the Keys, you are
missing a great experience. I would love
to pull my boat to the middle/lower keys and
fish for a month.( someday I will)
I have done the flats, the tarpon under
the bridges and channels, offshore on the
atlantic side and the gulf side wrecks.
For the most fun/variety , I would recomend
getting guides who fish live pilchards on light tackle. It is common to catch 10 to
12 species a day fishing with these guys.
It is so cool to pull up to a shallow
wreck on the gulf side and throw a dozen or
so pilchards over the side and just watch
the feeding frenzey!!!
I would like to go back to the keys, but have made a decision this summer to go some
place I have never been before( maybe Panama)
If you dont catch fish and have fun
in the keys--- It is your own fault
MO
PS -- Have a cold one at Sloppy Joes for
me.

If you end up in Islamorada, take your catch to 'Squid Row' restaurant. They will clean it and cook it anyway they have on the menu. Lots of choices! President Bush 41 eats there when he's in town.

REGARDING JB AND HIS KEYS SAFARI...
I lived in Florida for 35 years (West Palm Beach from 1970 to 1995) The Keys are a couple of hours driving time from WPB and I spent many a weekend in the Keys. I am getting the feeling that a lot of folks who suggest Florida in the summer is too hot, or has too many hurricanes, have been watching too many survival shows on TV instead of boing fishing.
As the outdoors columnist for the Palm Beach Times and the outdoor broadcsater for WPTV for 20 years, I get the idea the tales of hurricanes and hot weather were built on the idea that the fishing is so good down there, somebody wants to keep anyone else from crawling down that way.
I've chased everything in the salt except mermaids and can assure anyone thinking about joining JB can look forward to one of the great fishing experiences of their angling lives. Don't let the folks who watch telecasters standing in the rain spook you out of this type of trip.
P.S.- After all, JB knows the Keys by now and should be a great wagon master for this type of trip.
Delrioross

Hmmm...I'll keep my eye on this...I'm interested.

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Duck Jerky Guide Service

If you are looking for a great guide in Marathon I highly recomend Jack Carlson. I fished with him for a two day deal last year and was impressed with the boat and his knowledge. I will be booking a trip in July soon. He also has a two bedroom apt at the dock it is very nice with cold AC and is available for you to rent. In the gulf he places old crab traps for stucture all over the place that are full of fish and out in the Atlantic the fast boat for chasing the dolphin and wreck fishing. http://www.twoconchs.com

If heat and bugs bother anybody, maybe they
should move further north . Last time
I checked, it can get pretty hot and
buggy in Texas. ( PS We have hurricanes in
texas also).
The Key are a wonderful place to fish.
Stop making excuses and sign up.
JP-- you should have posted this in the
saltwater section. People who have never
fished saltwater just don't get it.
Good luck MO

[This message has been edited by Mo (edited 01-07-2004).]

Personally, I don't care when we do the trip, but people will need a lot of time to plan for it.

Okay-you guys have a great trip! If you decide to have it February, March or so, let me know-I'm definitely interested and will help any way I can to get it going! (My opinion stands that summer is not the best time to go to the keys, but everyone has their own tolerance levels and opinions on the Florida Keys summer trips)

Sounds like fun to me! Keep us posted. As for the whinners - play golf or some other sissy sport