Throwing a fellas trip together and thought about fishing in Largo around April/May. Doesn’t have to be Largo but logistically it’s favorable. Never been on a charter but the is what I am thinking. - Party of 4 - Charter near shore. It’s first time out for 3 of us. - fly in Thursday. Meet charter/guide on Friday and take care of whatever we need to. - fish Saturday - depart Sunday for home. Any advice would be appreciated.
Cant help you on the charter boats around there. I got there to dive and have only done the 1/2 day party boats for fishing. Your plan seems OK. I normally dive with Rainbow reef and in their channel there are a lot of fishing charter boats. You should be able to find some online. Also I have seen a lot of boats and chatted with captains and crews on Islamorada and some of the middle keys and they arent much further down than Largo. The Holiday Inn There is Pretty OK and has a decent pool and patio bar, its central to the island and shopping, plus we are used to all the local places and they have some good food and bars... Docs Diner for Breakfast is a 3 min walk Sharkys for Lunch, dinner or drinking is a short stumble The Thai/Sushi place by the laundry may is really good....3 min walk. Bayside grill & bar for a nice meal and drinks over looking the water....very short drive Islamorada brewing...great beer made in the keys and they now have a good mexican taco truck the last time I was there Key Largo Conch House...for Conch..duh...short drive back north The Hideout...another great breakfast place...farther drive way north but in a little neighborhood next to the underwater research/hotel thingy...good food Good luck and have fun.
I read the title and was trying to figure out where someone would have dropped their keys and why they would use a spring to fish for them. Capitalization is important.
I live in the Tampa Bay area. Have done both inshore and offshore trips out a number of different areas here. Have a buddy who is a charter captain as well. Feel free to PM for any info you're looking for about the area.
I completely missed the Keys part and read it as Largo, FL near Tampa, not Key Largo. I have no 1st hand knowledge of Key Largo.
https://keylargofishingadventures.com/ I've been fishing with these guys for years and they always put us on the fish. If you don't want to do the deep water thing tell them you want to fish the reef and wrecks. I like the Fish House in KL, take them what you caught that day and they will prepare it for you
Any of the charters will be fine. Read the reviews and choose according to the best review. There are Captains that specialize in certain species so check into that too. You can go from bonefish on the flats to marlin out in the Gulf. Me, I rent a boat and do it myself but I know the waters. There's some tricky shoals around there. Last time I actually chartered the Captain hit a drought, so he ended up rigging us for cuda so we'd have fun catching something. Matter of fact that's the only time I hired a charter, kind of a waste of money for me.
If you do a half day charter, go in the afternoon. That way they don't have to get back and get ready for the next charter and you can stay out longer, and catch the sunset on the way in. The close-in fishing is on the reefs and that is typically 5 miles out, but the water is only 12-15' deep and you can see the bottom. The last time I did a half day charter we caught our limit of Yellowtail snapper in a couple of hours and fished for barracuda over a wreck for a couple of hours and had a blast. The Keys have seasons for almost all species so check with the captain as to what is in season before making plans.
Do your friends get seasick? If so, take the drugs before you leave. I get nasty seasick, and it is about the worst you can feel, while still being alive.
3 of us have never been fishing. We all have been on cruises but I don't think that's a comparison in the same hemisphere.
Dramamine is your friend. If you start to get sick, it's too late. Take it when you get up in the morning.
Vagisil for seasickness. It blocks the estrogen May grouper and some other bottom species open back up. Better eating than most of the catfood you catch trolling. Other than wahoo. We've spent well over a year spearfishing and fishing down there cumulatively on our own boats. Best food overall is in K W but good seafood is easy to find anywhere.
Look for a charter that offers fishing that employs dynamite and machine guns. Hookers and blow would be a nice touch.
