# Fishing Keys bridges from a skiff



## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

I'm about the least qualified guy on this site to give advice, but I'd fish live bait -- either mullet, pinfish, or grunts. I've found dead bait tends to catch small fish and sharks. Toss a live mullet under a float on the 6500 in case a tarpon shows up, and throw out bait chunks for freebies (at least, for your surface bait -- might need a weighted bag for snapper and such). Or, you could use that 6500 on the off chance you find a keeper grouper. 

The last mangrove snapper I caught was 15" and he hit a 5" paddletail -- they are aggressive and the big ones aren't scared of big baits. This was in the backcountry around some mangroves, so 15" was big for us, I'm sure there are some real big'uns around the bridges.


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## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

if the wind cooperates there's plenty of patch reef east of Looe Key outside of the yellow buoys, just look for rocky bottom and sudden depth changes of at least 2-3ft. was in the general area last weekend spearfishing and did quite well in about 25-40ft


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## shallowfish1 (Feb 25, 2011)

Good advice -- thanks to you both. 

bryson, I wil definitely be trying artificials. Last year I did pretty well bouncing jigs in deeper channels. Will also try to catch or net some smaller pinfish.

321, despite the fact that I can be a rip-ass when kids and wife are aboard I get crazy safety conscious. With five of us in a small skiff with very low freeboard even chop from larger boats can get dicey, so I tend to fish the more protected water by the bridges on slower tide stages. Knowing the patch reefs are nearby is always painful but I avoid open water. Knowing those productive little patch reefs are nearby can make a man loony.


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## csnaspuck (Apr 2, 2013)

Off topic but what is a patch reef and how can i tell what they look like on google maps?


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## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

it can definitely be a little hairy out at the reef in a boat that small. we dove that area last saturday with 3 in my 17', so just a bit longer and wider than the super skiff I see listed in your signature. the boat chop down there is no joke with all those 30+ CCs running around at 45mph

puck, the patch reefs are rock and coral outcroppings along the barrier reef line that runs about 3-4 miles south of the keys. there are large areas of continuous reef, usually the marine sanctuary areas, but all along that stretch area patches of reef in anywhere from 15-50ft of water, hence patch reef . its fairly easy to find the reef line on google maps, looks like shallower water a few miles south of the keys.


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## shallowfish1 (Feb 25, 2011)

321nole said:


> it can definitely be a little hairy out at the reef in a boat that small. we dove that area last saturday with 3 in my 17', so just a bit longer and wider than the super skiff I see listed in your signature. the boat chop down there is no joke with all those 30+ CCs running around at 45mph


Exactly. A couple of years back I was running the fambly out to a spot in 50 or so feet of water (on the Atlantic side). The swells didn't bother me since they're predictable, but some assclown in a big offshore boat jumped on plane right by us and we took two over the bow. I wasn't too freaked out but the looks on my kids' faces made me vow never again. I fished the Keys out of big boats for years so I know how to target the reefs -- they're just inaccessible with the fambly so I'm adjusting. We've caught some nice fish on the bridges -- just trying to up my game there a bit.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

What I like to do for the bigger snapper use cut scaled sardines/ pilchards. So fine a spot on a flat or marker where you can chum up some and then net or sabiki them. Keep them in the livewell and if any die in the livewell, put them on ice right away, so you can use as chum.

Once anchored uptide from the structure you are fish (bridge pilings), start cutting up the iced down dead baits in small pieces and throw a bigger chunk in here and there. Drop it so it hits the bottom appox where you will be fishing. Do that for about 5 to 10minutes before you start fishing. Don't feed them, just give them enough to create some activity (about 2-5 sardines worth per minute) 

Next, get a live one and cut it into 3rds or forths (depending on size) Your pieces should be between 1/2 to 1" total with. You can use between a #2 to a #1 size hook, but no more. I'll use 20lb fluoro leader and use it on a knocker rig where the weight is about 12-18" from the hook). If they are cutting you off or hitting it pretty good, I'll step the leader to 30lb.

Also try using 3/8-1/2oz jig heads (heavy enought to bounce slowly on the bottom with the tide, but not too heavy to get hug up (30lb FC leader)) with Gulp 3" New Penny shrimp. It's a deadly combination around those shallower bridge pilings! I just get those plain, unpainted round jig heads with the gold hooks you find in Walmart for like $1.98 (3/8-1/2oz). Believe me, they work great for that purpose!

Ted Haas


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