by Captain Ann Holahan http://www.boneranger.com 305-664-5891 or 305-664-5793, captann@boneranger.com,

Fishing Report for May 7th, 2008!

To All My Readers and Anglers,

Thanks to all of my anglers for being patient. I am back on the water, yes, its true, with the healing of my rib injury, we are back.

The weather has still been just like Summer, we have had a warmest Spring to say the least.

We have had here with a few windy days and a couple of light cold fronts coming through this week, but the fishing has been fantastic.

Especially with the East to South East winds, it has been a bit windy to srart off this week. Bonefishing has been a bit difficult with the winds, but the anglers and captains have reported catching and releasing some big bonefish.

The offshore for the anglers are enjoying the sailfishing, yellowtail, dolphin, fishing. Along with tuna, kingfish, and cobia.

Spring fishing is going off like a hitch and what a blast going on in all areas of fishing from bonefishing, and most of all the tarpon season has started, and the backcountry fishing has been great with catches and releases of redfish, trout, snook, lots of sharks, and permit, and snapper, all kind of rod benders.

What a way to start our Spring Fishing. But, now lets keep in mind, that Spring is here and anglers from all over are calling for trips and dates are getting full and limited I can always try to set you up with other guides, and try to put you in for an afternoon trip or evening tarpon trip if available.

Tarpon Season is going to be explosive this season, as for the bonefish and permit fishing.

In Everglades National Park the snook season opened on March 1st, not Feb 1st, the Feb 1st season is only for the Atlantic side, the park has changed the opening to March 1st.

So, get your gear ready and there have been reports of some large snook.

The Park is exploding with alot of snook and redfish being caught and released and some taken back for dinner. But, the season closes May, June, July, and August, and will reopen September 1st.

Also, I want to make perfectly clear to all my readers and anglers that I am no longer affiliated with the marina. Please do not call there for you can reach me directly at 305-664-5891 or 305-664-5793, or you can drop me a line via my email at captann@boneranger.com, and please visit my website at www.boneranger.com

I am exploring new grounds and on my own terms with all my anglers and repeat anglers, and future anglers. Rest assured I am looking forward to getting you on the bow of my boat, and I am looking to get back on the water, and enthusiastic to get you all stalking and searching for the best saltwater gamefish available here in Islamorada, Florida Keys.

I am picking up anglers at the Marina, and am pleased too still offer that service, but would like you just to call me directly for all bookings for your group trips, fishing charter packages, daily bookings, corporate bookings, whatever you need I will ensure you get the best service and the best of guides, whether for flats or backcountry fishing or offshore fishing.

Lets enjoy the beauty, fish, and most of all the wonderful island chain we call The Fabulous Florida Keys. I also want to let you know I am know offering eco-tours.
That is the time of year when the fly fisherman and live bait anglers are battling it out with the big fish.

I have still been out with a rib injury for several months, and have been honest and forthright with all my anglers via the fishing reports and phone calls, and appreciate all the good well wishes I have received. I just want to thank all of you, honestly, very much that I was happy to have accomodated each and every angler with a well reputable guides. Now I am happy as a clam to be out on my boat, and taking anglers to the choices of fish they are there to sought after.

And I assure you that I will be on the water for the season giving the go by the doctor, be careful, as I am being treated for a really bad injury, but the injury is starting to heal, and get better, and I may need your help with just a bit of assistance, but I am looking forward to seeing you all and fishing with you this upcoming months. You and I and your party will definitely will not be far off the waters of Islamorada. Again, I am back to work, and ready for my anglers to be back on the bow of my boat searching and stalking any and all saltwater species they would like to go for.

Capt Ann

February 18, 2008 - Just a quick update on the goings on here in the Islamorada Fishing community. Just a quick report here today, the fishing as been good Snook fishing has been fair – up and down really—one day catching big ones, the next very small. Same with the redfishing—overall we are catching a lot of fish, trout, big black drum, jacks and ladyfish When the weather is good the Spanish mackerel and tripletail fishing in the gulf has been excellent, there are also some good size mangrove snapper and lanes around out there also. Tarpon are showing up more and more everyday, the water temperature is just borderline for them to bite—I expect it won't be too long before they take off----as long as the water temp stays the same or higher. I am starting a new trip that people have been requesting so starting March 1st

----- EVENING SHARK FISHING-----4-8 pm It is the same cost as the evening tarpon trips but it will be for sharks [still have a chance to catch a tarpon at the same time] So let's hear from you, if you have an idea for a specific type of trip let me know if it is doable I will consider adding it to my list I still have good dates available so make your reservations –they are going fast—

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January 2, 2008 - The Holidays are over and I must say the fishing matched the weather--FANTASTIC!

We caught just about everything over the 10 days from Tarpon to Spanish Mackerel to bonefish and snook ,redfish, sea trout , pompano and permit the list is just too long to keep writing it was fantastic.

Now the flip side, we had the coldest front get here on the 2nd of 08 and it got cold down to 41 degrees on Wednesday and the water temp dropped rapidly shutting down just about everything and yes the wind blew also 30 knots and then a bit more .

I fished yesterday a 3/4 day and slow would have been a big bite, one thing though I found a place where the large Tarpon were rolling around on the surface in 66 degree water but they wouldn't bite--go figure they shouldn't even be here in the numbers I saw this time of year! I generally don't have those kind of trips but I must be fair and report it all but by the end of the trip the water temp was rapidly coming up and things today in the back country have improved-- they are starting to bite somewhat a day or two more and the fishing should be back to normal and they will be biting their heads off. These are tropical fish and begin to go dormant when it gets cold that fast as soon as it warms up things go back to normal.

There are a lot of benefits to having a front like that, for one it blows the dead matter off the bottom and allows new growth of algae and grass that was being choked off before much like a fire in the woods allows new growth of trees and bushes that would not have had a chance to survive otherwise.

It redistributes nutrients and provides food for the smallest members of the food chain which in turn attracts the bigger species and then the ones we want to target. So I tend to be happy and sad when this happens--- happy for the ecology and sad for the loss of trips but in the long run we all will benefit from these fronts in one form or another.

I am back in shorts and tees today, put the quilt back in its space bag [they do work by the way] and ready to tackle 2008 will renewed vengeance. Let's go fishing gang if you would like to make a Reservation or ask some questions give me a call toll free and I will be happy to answer all-- 1-800-783-8489 Looking forward to hearing from you in 2008, remember send your pictures I want to add them on my web sites

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MAY IT BE PROSPEROUS FOR ALL,

Capt. Cliff Tatje - GOTTAGO II CHARTERS