Flats Fishing Blog Posts

Tarpon fishing has been incredibly good this past week.  It started last weekend with a couple of flat calm mornings and continued through this morning.  I've been getting my clients out early and they have been jumping tarpon within minute...

It's a cold and windy next few days in the Keys. Goodbye tarpon, it was fun while you were here. See you next week. Captain Mike BartlettKey West Flats & Backcountry...

Short video of the tarpon my wife caught a couple days ago.  Thing went crazy thrashing and jumping all around the boat.  Never went more than 50 feet from us.  Perfect fish to get a ton of photos.Captain Mike Bartletthttp://www.keywes...

This March has to be one the worst ever for weather.  The first couple weeks of this month was riddled with strong cold fronts, wind, cold air and water.  It really felt like a normal January, which this year was beautiful compared to March...

This is the first manatee I've seen this year at Garrison Bight Marina located in the middle of Key West. It was very interested in the props of my Lenco trim tab trolling motors and the back of the Yamaha. Maybe just looking for something to sc...

It's been a cold, windy, rainy and all around crappy week with three cold fronts in the last seven days.  The nights have been very chilly but somehow the water has been relatively warm.  After another chilly night last night and a high of...

Fished with Captain Rob Kramarz of Chaos Theory Charters and his buddy Landon of Coastal Angler Magazine for some permit fishing on the flats of Key West last Saturday on the new Beavertail Strike.  The weather for once changed for the better in...

It's been a good winter so far for fishing on the Key West flats and backcountry waters.  Most days the flats have been loaded with big barracudas and Crevalle jacks.  During the warm spells as we are in now permit fishing has been awesome...

Jacks and Barracudas all over the flats. A few permit as well.

Had a good day fishing for redfish with Andy and Charlie from Delaware. The guys caught four real nice redfish and we saw a couple of others. We had a few shots at barracudas and few follows while blind casting catching one small one. The barracuda f...

Beavertail Skiffs continues their Florida Tour next weekend, Saturday December 15th on Matlacha in southwest Florida.  Please click on the link below for details.http://www.pineislandangler.com/2012/12/beavertail-skiffs-free-demo-weekend-on.html...

Hooked up with my good buddy Captain Warren Hinnrichs out of Jacksonville, Fl this morning for some low  water redfish on fly.  I froze my ass off running to the first area, but once the boat came to a stop, it wasn't too bad.  Did a l...

Three permit today with Keith and Steve from PA. Also, Steve jumped a tarpon this morning and Keith caught a jack and snapper.  Guys had shots at a school of bonefish and several big barracudas.  It was good to see clean water and lots of f...

This morning I fished with Jason, owner of The Waterfront Restaurant on Anna Maria Island, Florida.  The flats in the backcountry were a little slow, but fortunately this 50 pound tarpon was eager to eat Jason's offering at our first stop this m...

I had a few trips this past week and some really good fishing on flats around Key West.  A couple of cloudy, windy days and a few strong showers earlier in the week have contributed to a significant drop in water temperatures.  It seems our...

The center of Tropical Storm Isaac has gone by Key West.  It's still windy, but not too bad and the rains have ceased.  The radar looks like we'll have little rain to come as the winds subside. Damage report:  Basically none.  Lot...

Conditions have been ideal lately for sight fishing bonefish on the flats.  Clear skies, light winds and lots of bonefish, it's been a lot of fun the last few days. Captain Mike Bartletthttp://www.keywestflats.net/http://www.facebook.com/CaptMik...

Wednesday morning I fished with Travis from Texas.  Travis does a lot of flats fishing back home for redfish and trout, so I knew we were in for a good day as long as the fish cooperate.  It's always a treat for a guide to fish with an angl...

Here is a bunch of photos from the 2012 tarpon season.  Thank you to all who fished with me this spring.  It was good to see those of you who have fished with me over the years and to meet some new folks, with whom I hope to forge new frien...

We are in Key West right?  After some wicked weather over the weekend and three canceled trips, we had a strong cold front pass over the Keys.  The same clipper that brought cold and snow up north this weekend brought us a cool night last n...