# Marathon Key Trip



## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

I'm sure someone with more flats experience in that area will chime in but I've spent quite a bit of time on the water around Marathon. take a look at google maps in satellite view or google earth, youll see little islands/keys scattered along the 7 mile bridge, good flats around those. there is a very large flat oceanside in Marathon. if you're feeling adventurous, trailer down to little torch key, from there you can head north towards the content keys where you can find not only excellent flats to work but deep holes under mangroves for snapper etc...as well as some beautiful sand bars that you very well may have all to yourself. if you choose to do this make sure you have good charts or a damn good eye for the PVC pipes marking the safest path..and study google earth a bit, you'll be just fine in that heron though

if you'll be trailering the boat around Marathon, there's two good ramps, one on the west end and one on the east. if you use the one on the east end, aka the quay, just be aware that it gets really shallow if you cut the corner into vaca cut. again, probably wont be an issue for you but its always fun watching people run aground there lol


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## levidog (May 14, 2017)

Head on down to Cudjoe with the boat on the trailer. It's called Blimp Road. Free ramp there on the Gulf side. Tons of great fishing back in there, as well as some beaches and hangout places you and the little chicky could kick back and have a nice drink or two. Barracuda keys, Marvin Key, Snipe Key. These all have good hangout areas, but can get a bit crowded on weekends. You just have to move around back there to find an empty spot. Easy access to great flats. 321hole is correct...get a good chart. there are some shallows that you probably won't have an issue with, but there is some serious limestone that you need to be aware of in some of these areas.....It ain't all soft sand. 
Permit, Bones, Tarpon and Barracuda.


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## BCD1841 (Jul 27, 2018)

321nole said:


> I'm sure someone with more flats experience in that area will chime in but I've spent quite a bit of time on the water around Marathon. take a look at google maps in satellite view or google earth, youll see little islands/keys scattered along the 7 mile bridge, good flats around those. there is a very large flat oceanside in Marathon. if you're feeling adventurous, trailer down to little torch key, from there you can head north towards the content keys where you can find not only excellent flats to work but deep holes under mangroves for snapper etc...as well as some beautiful sand bars that you very well may have all to yourself. if you choose to do this make sure you have good charts or a damn good eye for the PVC pipes marking the safest path..and study google earth a bit, you'll be just fine in that heron though
> 
> if you'll be trailering the boat around Marathon, there's two good ramps, one on the west end and one on the east. if you use the one on the east end, aka the quay, just be aware that it gets really shallow if you cut the corner into vaca cut. again, probably wont be an issue for you but its always fun watching people run aground there lol


Thanks for the input guys. I will most likely be keeping my boat in the water and not trailering it around but it could be a possibility. 321nole I was wanting to make it to the content keys. It looks like its a 35 mi run from marathon. Is this doable in the Heron? I was thinking if weather was decent I could make it.


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## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

You certainly could, have to cross some open water between marathon and big pine along the 7 mile bridge. It can get snotty along there especially if the wind is opposing the tidal current


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## wrinklestar (May 7, 2015)

I am heading the Marathon as well and dragging the boat in April. I will be keeping the boat in the water too. Was thinking of trying to hit the area around Bahia Honda Bridge for some Tarpon. Can anyone recommend a card they think is best for the area? I have a humminbird unit. My boat is a little bigger 20 ft. so I spend a lot of time idling around if I dont have a card that I am confident in.  
View media item 810


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## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

I have a navionics platinum+ card....if I could stomach the price tag for FMT I would go that route... the navionics card does well enough and the satellite imagery is helpful too


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## wrinklestar (May 7, 2015)

Holy Crap, the FMT's are pricey, but it looks like they wont run in my unit anyway.
Thanks


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## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

yeah simrad or lowrance units only. the channels and what not are fairly well marked in the marathon area. study google maps/earth and its pretty easy to see where the shallow spots are just be aware that you may be able to run some of those areas with a high or rising tide but not on the low


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## wrinklestar (May 7, 2015)

I am usually a sissy and pole until I have a couple feet of water. Where I grew up on lake ontario when you hit bottom, you likely are replacing the lower unit. 
Thanks for the info


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## wrinklestar (May 7, 2015)

I logged into Navionics and it looks like the card I bought for Mosquito Lagoon a few years ago will work down there. 632P+ perhaps I should resubscribe and update it for the 100 bucks?


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## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Marathon is pretty exposed, not a lot of areas to get away from the weather especially in a smaller skiff. If it's nasty you would be well served to go further South and fish Big Pine area most likely.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Trailer down and put in around Bahia Honda or if you want to go to the content keys put in closer. A 35 mile run down there can be a bad idea if the wind kicks up.


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## wrinklestar (May 7, 2015)

It looks like about a 10-12 mile run to bahia honda from marathon. I was thinking that although the place we rented has a slip. Maybe I will just fish closer to marathon. I have heard the launches around there can be a sh*t show especially on the weekend.


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## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

the launch at the quay is both comical and aggravating at times but I wouldnt except too much traffic there in Feb. plenty of good fishing/diving within 5 miles of marathon


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## jolts (Mar 1, 2018)

Is there a platform similar to FMT that works on Garmin?


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

go to big pine and put in at the bridge going to no name key....assuming the ramp is still there......straight shot to contents....almost


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## BCD1841 (Jul 27, 2018)

Since I will be keeping my boat docked at the rental I most likely won’t be making the run to content keys unless the wind is going to be really low next week. Seems to be plenty of spots around marathon to keep me busy.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

The Contents are pretty but there aren’t any fish there. No way would I run there from Marathon. Especially with the tricky tides around Bahia Honda. Boot Key, Vaca Flat, and Vaca Cut should have something to catch.


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## Scott (Aug 24, 2015)

MariettaMike said:


> The Contents are pretty but there aren’t any fish there. No way would I run there from Marathon. Especially with the tricky tides around Bahia Honda. Boot Key, Vaca Flat, and Vaca Cut should have something to catch.
> View attachment 59230


No fish at the Contents??
It’s been years since I’ve been there, but it was my go to spot for permit. Tons of snapper in the channels, caught Cobia there too.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

The run from Marathon to Bahia Honda & Big Pine isn't a big deal lots of little flats along the way. Hurricane Irma left a lot of debris and big tree roots along the 7 mile, some of it is submerged a little so just be careful. FMT would be nice but the water is pretty clear assuming you have Sunshine. I have fished most shorelines between Marathon and Big Pine and had plenty of great days without having to leave Marathon. Not sure what's biting in February though.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

On a good day you could also run out to the Bamboo Banks.


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## kbanashek (Apr 5, 2017)

Plenty of fish around Marathon area and places to duck into(Rachel/Russel/Bamboo key), April tends to bring heavier E sometimes SE winds so sticking in the bay I'd say would be the way to go or where to focus on when looking at google earth.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Scott said:


> No fish at the Contents??
> It’s been years since I’ve been there, but it was my go to spot for permit. Tons of snapper in the channels, caught Cobia there too.


Yeah. They all left when the area was overrun by tourists that were told they would find permit there.


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## Scott (Aug 24, 2015)

Then I’d blame the Florida Sportsman forum


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## 321nole (Jan 11, 2016)

those forums crack me up...recent post was asking about IRL grouper spots, couldnt figure out why nothing came up when he googled it...if they spent half the time they do phishing actually fishing, might find some of those spots.

contents are really pretty though, sketchy run if you aren't familiar though


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## Scott (Aug 24, 2015)

I used to run it from the Sugarloaf Lodge in my Wind River Skiff. Some pretty scary spots back there.


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## BCD1841 (Jul 27, 2018)

Scary due to waves or shallow/hard bottom?


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## Scott (Aug 24, 2015)

Shallow and hard in spots.


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