Florida Keys advice

[1/2.A.Yaker]

I am heading down to big pine key this Saturday, I am taking the kayak, 23ft maycraft and the 18ft jon boat. I went last year and did the reef fishing and around the bridges and for barracuda. This year we timed the tarpon bite but am going to be down there for 10 days. I brought rods for trolling for grouper and fishing for tarpon. any information anyone can give me would be appreciated, im open to fishing for anything. I would like to fish for the smaller tarpon snook and reds in the backcountry

[Runnin]

This time of year your choices and options are virtually unlimited.

Patch reefs are always good. You can get snapper, Cuda, small grouper.
The backcountry should have Tarpon, snook, snapper. You never know what you will get if you find the deep side of a mangrove island and toss a bait up under the overhanging branches.
The channel edges under bridges are generally good for a variety of species. Watch the currents. They can rip pretty good in some of the passes.

Watch for sharks. They will steal your catch.

[Shady]

Fished with a guide there in march. We used pin fish and snall crab for tarpon bait, but only hooked up on one that got off. We also did some light tackle jigging and caught a variety of different species. See my post in the every where else section

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[1/2.A.Yaker]

I read you post the other day actually. Thanks for the advice I caught pinfish last year and used them on the reef which produced bigger fish compared to shrimp. Also what were you jigging with to catch the jacks?

[Old Cajun]

I have fished that area quite a bit. Remember there are frequent shark encounters--5-16' critters so be aware. When tarpon are on it can be a dinner bell for da big guys. Have good fish mgt if you are keeping fish. Don't forget the bone fish opportunity.

The best eating fish are the yellow tails & mangrove snappers. Use small minnows from bait store-dead, light lines & small hooks w/o weights. Oh, don't lip lock the snappers! Also, marine patrols active! Follow all the rules. Best wishes for a great time. Oh, take a bigger boat out at night to fish for the tarpon!

[Shady]

I wouldn't know what to call the jigs we were using, but caught everything. We caught some of the jack on pin fish as well.

The jigs sort of looked like a fly with lots if flash

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[Old Cajun]

Just about any lure will catch jacks! When in schools
They hit anything! Mirror lures or spoons. Matter of fact you catch jacks when you don't want to catch them.