48 Hours In Key West: Part 3, Permit And Bonefish

Sunday was the last morning of my weekend in Key West with Capt. Mike Bartlett and we hit the jackpot.  There was a decent guppy hatch going off north of the island but it didn't draw in the number of tarpon we'd hoped to see.  Mike decided to run us up to the flats east of the island to find some permit and bonefish and he was right on the money as usual.  The guy always amazes me.  Mike will motor up to a flat, shut down the engine and make a comment like, "We should see some permit at the end of this channel in about fifteen minutes."  And sixteen minutes later I'll be hooked up to a fish.  

Waiting for the tarpon at sunrise in Calda Channel north of Key West.

Plenty of rolling tarpon but none wanted to eat my flies.

No luck with tarpon so we moved on to permit and bones.

Capt. Mike's highly classified fly box.

The best looking fish on the flats. 

A nice ten pound permit for yours truly caught on a live crab.

Hunting for bones near the Snipe Keys.

Mike hooks up with a five pound bonefish.

One for me.  The 85 degree water and falling tide was perfect for cruising fish one the white sand.

This bonefish gave me one of the longest runs I've ever experienced.  It dumped at least 200 yards of backing from my reel.

My Tibor Everglades reel in this photo is fifteen years old and has landed more than 500 bonefish in its lifetime.

Another hook up for Mike.

Capt. X hates showing his face and refuses to publicize his business, too.

Bonefish are really great looking, too.

The End.