Marathon, Florida Keys

Storms Cause Change The breezy conditions the Keys have been experiencing lately has kept most anglers off the waters for a few days and kept fish on the move. The conditions caused by recent tropical storm Isadore had everyone in port and had large amounts of water moving around the gulf and through the keys. This large amount of water movement can shake up the fishing grounds and move baitfish miles away from home. Tropical weather systems cause lots of floating debris, so be on the lookout for more Dolphin opportunities in the coming weeks. Reef fish will be moved and displaced by murky waters and moving water. Look for some of the "hot" spots to cool off and some of the old "fished out" spots to be revitalized. If the conditions get windy enough, bayside spots may move or can even be destroyed. New spots can be created by lobster traps being moved and conglomerating in one location. Migration of fish can be interrupted or changed. After hurricane Georges in 1998 we enjoyed some excellent Blackfin Tuna fishing the next couple months after the storm that usually comes a few months later. It also created a few new deep water wrecks from boats that drifted away from docks and sunk and a few unlucky mariners who's boats didn't survive the storm. Even though the storms have many devastating effects, some of the changes brought about could be good if looked at from the fishing perspective. Good luck in all of your fishing adventures! Capt. Bob Brown, Jr.