Christmas in the Keys

My son and I are talking about taking our wives to the Florida Keys after
the first of the year.

He and his wife like scuba diving, he and I like fishing. His wife has never
fished and my wife will read her book and find what she wants to do and be
fine like she has for the last 40 years. I have been fishing the Texas Gulf
Coast around Aransas Pass, Texas 2 or 3 times a year for the last 40 years.
but the lateness of the season and their diving interests rule out Texas.

I have a small 13 foot boat with a 15 hp outboard. I dad took it off shore
many times and one time in a norther on Corpus Christy Bay there were 5
boats up to 25 feet following us in rather than negotiate the way them
selves. The little plastic boat now fiber glass reinforced will bring me
back from very rough places. Very wet and shaken up but back.

I am looking for an area that good reef diving can be reached with a small
boat and have some good fishing. I would like to jump a tarpon or two but
good fishing is more important to introduce my son's wife to fishing. A
weakfish or supper will impress her more than hooking a tarpon bigger than
she is and not catching it.

We will of hire a guide and dive boats some of the time but they are
considering scratching their rat from the race and enjoying life before they
get too old and crippled like I did.

All ideas are welcomed.

Thanks
Gordon

Gordon Couger
Stillwater, OK
www.couger.com/gcouger

"Gordon Couger" <gcouger@NOSPAMprovalue.net> wrote in message news:<vKipb.21397$d87.18941@okepread05>...

> I am looking for an area that good reef diving can be reached with a small
> boat and have some good fishing.

That you can reach with a 13' boat with only 15hp?

Sorry, there aren't any.

The reefs are all 4-6 miles offshore. Rent a decent size (+20') and
powered boat or better yet, go with fishing and/or diving charters
(some charters will combine these activities.)

If you insist upon dragging your boat, all the way from Texas, then
keep it inshore. You could spend a lifetime exploring Florida Bay.
Pick up a copy of the "Top Spots" map or one of the Florida
Sportsman's maps available at nearly any tackle shop in the Keys
--
SJM

http://www.worldclassangler.com/default.asp

"Gordon Couger" <gcouger@NOSPAMprovalue.net> wrote in message
news:vKipb.21397$d87.18941@okepread05...
> My son and I are talking about taking our wives to the Florida Keys after
> the first of the year.
>
> He and his wife like scuba diving, he and I like fishing. His wife has
never
> fished and my wife will read her book and find what she wants to do and be
> fine like she has for the last 40 years. I have been fishing the Texas
Gulf
> Coast around Aransas Pass, Texas 2 or 3 times a year for the last 40
years.
> but the lateness of the season and their diving interests rule out Texas.
>
> I have a small 13 foot boat with a 15 hp outboard. I dad took it off shore
> many times and one time in a norther on Corpus Christy Bay there were 5
> boats up to 25 feet following us in rather than negotiate the way them
> selves. The little plastic boat now fiber glass reinforced will bring me
> back from very rough places. Very wet and shaken up but back.
>
> I am looking for an area that good reef diving can be reached with a small
> boat and have some good fishing. I would like to jump a tarpon or two but
> good fishing is more important to introduce my son's wife to fishing. A
> weakfish or supper will impress her more than hooking a tarpon bigger than
> she is and not catching it.
>
> We will of hire a guide and dive boats some of the time but they are
> considering scratching their rat from the race and enjoying life before
they
> get too old and crippled like I did.
>
> All ideas are welcomed.
>
> Thanks
> Gordon
>
> Gordon Couger
> Stillwater, OK
> www.couger.com/gcouger
>
>

you may find a day in December where the weather may allow you to go to
the reefs 5 miles off Key Largo. If not, you can rent boats or stay on
the backside or inside Rodriguez. I like Marina Del Mar Ocean side.
It is close to Pennekamp where there are so-so reefs 1-2 mi off shore
and amazing reefs 5 miles off shore. EZ access to ramps and not far
from the cut through the park to the backwater. (Or you can trail it
back there as well) They have hotel rooms, slips, charters, etc.
There is a nice sandbar on the NE end of rodriquez that we take the
dingy to.

Bring a cell phone and a VHF radio in a waterproof box. Watch the weather



Gordon Couger wrote:
> My son and I are talking about taking our wives to the Florida Keys after
> the first of the year.
>
> He and his wife like scuba diving, he and I like fishing. His wife has never
> fished and my wife will read her book and find what she wants to do and be
> fine like she has for the last 40 years. I have been fishing the Texas Gulf
> Coast around Aransas Pass, Texas 2 or 3 times a year for the last 40 years.
> but the lateness of the season and their diving interests rule out Texas.
>
> I have a small 13 foot boat with a 15 hp outboard. I dad took it off shore
> many times and one time in a norther on Corpus Christy Bay there were 5
> boats up to 25 feet following us in rather than negotiate the way them
> selves. The little plastic boat now fiber glass reinforced will bring me
> back from very rough places. Very wet and shaken up but back.
>
> I am looking for an area that good reef diving can be reached with a small
> boat and have some good fishing. I would like to jump a tarpon or two but
> good fishing is more important to introduce my son's wife to fishing. A
> weakfish or supper will impress her more than hooking a tarpon bigger than
> she is and not catching it.
>
> We will of hire a guide and dive boats some of the time but they are
> considering scratching their rat from the race and enjoying life before they
> get too old and crippled like I did.
>
> All ideas are welcomed.
>
> Thanks
> Gordon
>
> Gordon Couger
> Stillwater, OK
> www.couger.com/gcouger
>
>

travel to the keys a few times a year. I dont think you will catch a
Tarpon in december or January.

There is a charter service in Loo Key called strike zone charters. They
will take you out to a good reef to snorkel or scuba. This is the only
rated reef in North America. Awsome!!!

If you want to Scuba try the reefs of Marathon. They are deeper and have a
unique type of coral.

If you are in Key west got out snorleling or scuba with fantasee snorkel.
This is the same reef as Loo key just farther down the coast.

For fishing not to far off the flats got to the local fishing stores and get
a map, have them show you were they sank the parts of the old Us1 highway.
You will catch a large variety of fish on the rubble. If you feel
adventuress try sailfish they should be picking up that time of the year.

Jorilla


"Gordon Couger" <gcouger@NOSPAMprovalue.net> wrote in message
news:vKipb.21397$d87.18941@okepread05...
> My son and I are talking about taking our wives to the Florida Keys after
> the first of the year.
>
> He and his wife like scuba diving, he and I like fishing. His wife has
never
> fished and my wife will read her book and find what she wants to do and be
> fine like she has for the last 40 years. I have been fishing the Texas
Gulf
> Coast around Aransas Pass, Texas 2 or 3 times a year for the last 40
years.
> but the lateness of the season and their diving interests rule out Texas.
>
> I have a small 13 foot boat with a 15 hp outboard. I dad took it off shore
> many times and one time in a norther on Corpus Christy Bay there were 5
> boats up to 25 feet following us in rather than negotiate the way them
> selves. The little plastic boat now fiber glass reinforced will bring me
> back from very rough places. Very wet and shaken up but back.
>
> I am looking for an area that good reef diving can be reached with a small
> boat and have some good fishing. I would like to jump a tarpon or two but
> good fishing is more important to introduce my son's wife to fishing. A
> weakfish or supper will impress her more than hooking a tarpon bigger than
> she is and not catching it.
>
> We will of hire a guide and dive boats some of the time but they are
> considering scratching their rat from the race and enjoying life before
they
> get too old and crippled like I did.
>
> All ideas are welcomed.
>
> Thanks
> Gordon
>
> Gordon Couger
> Stillwater, OK
> www.couger.com/gcouger
>
>

"Jorilla" <Jorilla@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:l0Ntb.269599$0v4.17595203@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
If you feel
> adventuress try sailfish they should be picking up that time of the year.
>
>
Just hit a double-header off Lauderdale this weekend. Beers all around!

Dave.