# Keys Guide Suggestion



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Paul Fiscaro Strip Strike Charters in Marathon. Great guy but go with your A game or he will have fun heckling you in between fish. Be prepared to laugh all day.


----------



## Big Tex (Mar 30, 2016)

Thanks, that sounds perfect. Hate spending the day with a guide that acts like being out on the water chasing fish is a chore.


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

I don't tell jokes and finding fish is a chore, but I love my work.


----------



## mtoddsolomon (Mar 25, 2015)

I'd recommend will benson if he isn't booked up.


----------



## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

I fish with Brandon Henley, who Paul Fiscaro actually referred me to a few years back. Super awesome guy, really laid back and knows his shit. http://tampaflatsfishingcharter.com/

He fishes Tampa and Keys area for tarpon so just give him some advance notice and he can be either place. Also live in TX by the way, hoping to chase some of the late season fish here this year.


----------



## WillW (Dec 6, 2012)

jsnipes said:


> I fish with Brandon Henley, who Paul Fiscaro actually referred me to a few years back. Super awesome guy, really laid back and knows his shit. http://tampaflatsfishingcharter.com/
> 
> He fishes Tampa and Keys area for tarpon so just give him some advance notice and he can be either place. Also live in TX by the way, hoping to chase some of the late season fish here this year.


Word


----------



## Dustin Pack (Sep 3, 2015)

Capt. Derek Rust, grade A captain with exceptional skills. He guides out of Hawks Cay
http://rustyflycharters.com/

Capt. Rob Kramarz more of a Permit guide but he's great at everything he does.
http://www.chaostheorycharters.com/


----------



## tibor25 (Apr 17, 2016)

Go with a Islamorada guide that launches from the Lorelei. Personally wouldn't book with anyone who isn't full time Keys


----------



## fishicaltherapist (Mar 9, 2013)

Larry Sydnor is one of the BEST Tarpon guides on Earth and works his #!?* off for YOU !! Many tournament wins. He launches at World Wide in Islamorada.


----------



## tibor25 (Apr 17, 2016)

fishicaltherapist said:


> Larry Sydnor is one of the BEST Tarpon guides on Earth and works his #!?* off for YOU !! Many tournament wins. He launches at World Wide in Islamorada.


Which of the big 3 tournaments has he won? Out of curiosity


----------



## jddurango (Jul 7, 2015)

tibor25 said:


> Which of the big 3 tournaments has he won? Out of curiosity



2015 IFF Tournament-Islamorada-Top Guide, Grand Champion, Team Champion
2015 IWFA Tournament-Islamorada-Top Fly Angler, 3rd Place Captain
2015 Baybone Tournament-Islamorada-Runner Up Grand Champion/Team Champion/Top Rod Angler Day 1/Largest Bonefish/Largest Permit
2015 Herman Lucerne Memorial Tournament-Islamorada-Top Guide plus Grand Champion/Team Champion/Top Hells Bay Angler/2nd Place Largest Redfish/2nd Place Largest Bonefish
2015 Ladies Tarpon Fly Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to First Runner up
2014 IFF Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Fly Division Grand Champion
2014 RedGhost Stalk-Islamorada-Guide to Grand Champion
2014 IWFA – Guide to Second Place Overall
2013 IWFA Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Fly Division Grand Champion
2013 Herman Lucerne Memorial-Islamorada-Guide to Top Female Angler
2013 RedGhost Stalk-Islamorada-Guide to Fourth Place Junior Division
2012 IFF Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Fly Grand Champion
2012 IFF Tournament-Islamorada-Runner Up Grand Champion
2012 Herman Lucerne Memorial-Islamorada-First Place Captain
2012 Herman Lucerne Memorial-Islamorada-Guide to Top Female Angler
2012 Hell’s Bay Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Runner Up Grand Champion
2012 Cliff Stearns Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Grand Champion
2012 IWFA Tournament-Islamorada-Top Guide
2010 IWFA Tournament-Islamorada-Top Guide
2009 FKO/IGFA Inshore World Championship-Islamorada-Guide to Grand Champion
2009 Mercury Redbone-Islamorada-Guide to Celebrity Grand Champion
2009 Don Hawley Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Third Place Angler
2008 RedGhost Stalk-Islamorada-Guide to Young-Adult Grand Champion
2006 IGFA Inshore World Championship-Islamorada-Guide to 2nd Place Bait Division
2006 RedGhost Stalk-Islamorada-Guide to 2nd Runner Up Junior Division
2005 Rolex/IGFA Inshore Championship-Guide to Runner Up Overall Releases
2005 Ocean Reef BTU Backbone Classic-Key Largo-Guide to Runner Up Grand Champion
2004 Barton Florida Flats Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Grand Champion
2004 RedGhost Stalk-Islamorada-Guide to Grand Champion
2004 1-Jig Backbone Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Ladies Grand Champion
2003 RedGhost Stalk-Islamorada-Guide to Grand Champion
2003 1-Jig Backbone Tournament-Islamorada-Guide to Ladies Grand Champion
2003 Mercury [email protected] Palm Island-Pro-Celebrity Grand Champion
2003 Mercury SLAM-Key West-Pro-Celebrity Grand Champion
2002 Mercury Redbone-Islamorada-Guide to Pro-Celebrity Grand Champion
2002 Mercury SLAM-Key West-Pro-Celebrity Grand Champion
2002 Mercury Redbone @ Large-Deep Water Cay-Pro-Celebrity Grand Champion
2002 Mercury Redbone @ Large-Mosquito Lagoon-Pro-Celebrity Grand Champion
2001 Mercury Redbone @ Large-Mosquito Lagoon- Grand Champion
2001 Mercury Redbone @ Deep Water Cay-Spin/Plug Champion
2000 Deep Water day-Grand Bahama Island-Grand Champion
2000 Deep Water day-Grand Bahama Island-Fly Division Champion
2000 Mercury Baybone-Key Largo-Spin/Plug Champion
2000 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-Most Tarpon Releases
2000 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-Top Rod Angler
1999 Deep Water Cay-Grand Bahama Island-Grand Champion
1999 Deep Water Cay-Grand Bahama Island-Fly Division Champion
1999 Deep Water Cay-Grand Bahama Island-Team Champion
1999 Deep Water Cay-Grand Bahama Island-General Division Champion
1999 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-Top Rod Angler
1999 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-First Runner-Up
1999 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-Most Tarpon Releases
1999 Mercury SLAM-Key West-Top Rod Angler
1999 Mercury SLAM-Key West-Most Tarpon Releases
1998 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-First Runner-Up
1997 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-Largest Permit
1997 Mercury SLAM-Key West-Most Tarpon Releases
1996 Mariner Baybone-Key Largo-Spin/Plug Division Champion
1996 Swamps Guide Ball-Islamorada-Most Redfish
1996 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-Most Tarpon Releases
1996 Little Palm Island Grand Slam-Big Pine Key-General Div Champion
1995Mariner Baybone-Key Largo-Largest Permit
1995 Mercury SLAM-Key West-High Point Angler
1995 Mercury SLAM-Key West-Most Tarpon Releases
1995 Mercury SLAM-Key West-General Division Champion
1994 Mariner SLAM-Key West-Most Tarpon Releases
1994 Mariner SLAM-Key West-High Point Angler
1994 Mariner SLAM-Key West-General Division Champion


----------



## tibor25 (Apr 17, 2016)

Looking mostly for the Gold Cup, Golden Fly and Hawley, big three. Just curious


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

tibor25 said:


> Looking mostly for the Gold Cup, Golden Fly and Hawley, big three. Just curious


Yeah, those ain't on there.

Clearly the guy is an accomplished guide but to label him "one of the best tarpon guides on earth" is a bold statement.

Funny thing is that when people give recs for a guide it's about like somebody giving a rec for a doctor/lawyer/contractor/insert profession here. EVERYBODY'S guy is the ABSOLUTE BEST EVER! Unless somebody had a poor experience with them then they're the "WORST EVER!"

Personally, I've only fished with 3 guides ever whom I would not book with again. One guy was in Puerto Rico, one guy in the Panhandle/Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area, and one offshore guy in Texas.

Puerto Rico- Magic Tarpon advertises themselves as an outfit doing fly fishing for tarpon & snook in the lagoons around San Juan. Bull! First of all, the habitat is not conducive to fly fishing about 95% of the time- the lagoons are persistently a chocolate milk color & clarity and only on rare occasions does it clear up into the tannin-stained, ice-tea colored water they advertise. Second of all, they're not set up for stalking fish quietly, no poling skiffs and not even trolling motors. The guide would use the big engine to run up into a cove where we'd see tarpon rolling and spook everything in there. They do almost all of their tarpon fishing on heavy spinning gear and soaking cut bait. The guide admitted as much to me when I showed up and he tried to get me to use gear & cut bait. It's literally a bait & switch.

Panhandle- I forget the guide's name but, even though he owned a skiff set up with a platform he showed up with no push pole and just ran the trolling motor. He told me, "I don't pole anymore."

Texas offshore- Cowboy Charters, went out with him years ago and we caught fish but he's very high profile these days in advocating that recreational fishermen get pretty much shut out of red snapper season. They're not mentioned in this article but they're doing the same dirty stuff: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/post_111.html


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

tibor25 said:


> Looking mostly for the Gold Cup, Golden Fly and Hawley, big three. Just curious


Rob Fordyce or Paul Tejera! I'm sure you recognize both. They don't live on Islamorada, but fish it as I'm sure you are aware of. But when you win any of the big 3 tourney's like those 2 do, it's hard to get a short notice booking, unless you are doing a show. I'm not sure what your goals are with it.

I wouldn't knock Larry Sydnor (like those guys stated above) off the list tho if you are trying to get a top notch tarpon guide. That is a very impressive resume and takes years of hard work and dedication to reach that level. It's not easy to get into the big 3 because you have to have a client willing to fork up the dough to enter. The entry is not cheap and you still have to pay for the guide's time. So they all have "whales" they cater to, getting them in and keeping them in the game. Not everyone has that luxury! Plus it's very hard to get a slot to even enter. Almost like a lottery and former entries have 1st choice.

Ted


----------



## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Scott Collins, Richard Keating, Bus Bergman, Carl Ball, Drew Moret, Joe Rodriguez, Albert Ponzoa, Todd Zeale, Jake Jordan, Dustin Huff can get you in the game....your ability to execute a cast, strip, EAT, set, bow, reel, fight, and land the fish is on you.

Jake Jordan will fish at night and has the highest probability of checking off Number One.


----------



## FlatsBoss (Aug 17, 2015)

el9surf said:


> Paul Fiscaro Strip Strike Charters in Marathon. Great guy but go with your A game or he will have fun heckling you in between fish. Be prepared to laugh all day.


+1. Cap't Paul knows his stuff.


----------



## jddurango (Jul 7, 2015)

tibor25 said:


> Looking mostly for the Gold Cup, Golden Fly and Hawley, big three. Just curious


Why do you have a hardon for the "Big 3"? If a guide has been in the business for 30 years and consistently places at the top of tournaments but not the Big 3 does that mean he's not worthy? Do you have to win in a Big 3 tournament to be "one of the best"? Just curious.

Some guides hate tournaments but are still some of the best out there whether its these 3 in Florida, the Texas tour, or even out west in say the Jackson Hole One Fly. Some of the very best guides have never won or faired well in those tournies but that doesn't mean they aren't amongst the best.

Dan Marino never won the Super Bowl but he's widely considered the greatest QB ever.


----------



## Capt. Eli Whidden (Jun 7, 2012)

Andy Thompson


----------



## tibor25 (Apr 17, 2016)

Drew Moret is my guy.

And I wouldn't say I have a "hard on" for the Big Three, what I'm saying is a lot of best tarpon guides in the Keys fish and compete in those tournaments. I don't know Capt Sydnor, I'm sure he's a great guide, but what is apparent is he competes in tournaments and I noticed he placed in the Hawley once. It's reasonable to believe that he would want to fish in those tournaments more often. All I was trying to convey was that if you are gonna drop the coin to head down and book a guide you might as well try and get the best guide possible, and looking at whether or not they have that experience is a good indicator. Think about it if you are gonna drop the coin to enter a tournament you're gonna go with who you feel is the best.

Had the opportunity to fish one of the 3 this year and the Cheeca Tarpon Invitational but just too much stuff going on. Paid the entry for one of em..


----------



## Finn Maccumhail (Apr 9, 2010)

tibor25 said:


> Drew Moret is my guy.
> 
> And I wouldn't say I have a "hard on" for the Big Three, what I'm saying is a lot of best tarpon guides in the Keys fish and compete in those tournaments. I don't know Capt Sydnor, I'm sure he's a great guide, but what is apparent is he competes in tournaments and I noticed he placed in the Hawley once. It's reasonable to believe that he would want to fish in those tournaments more often. All I was trying to convey was that if you are gonna drop the coin to head down and book a guide you might as well try and get the best guide possible, and looking at whether or not they have that experience is a good indicator. Think about it if you are gonna drop the coin to enter a tournament you're gonna go with who you feel is the best.
> 
> Had the opportunity to fish one of the 3 this year and the Cheeca Tarpon Invitational but just too much stuff going on. Paid the entry for one of em..


Fished with Drew last fall and I'd vouch for him too. Solid dude. 

Landed a 120# poon.


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Some of those guys don't like tournaments but they still know how to catch fish as good as any of the big name guides. Booking a guy that has won tournaments doesn't mean the fish will cooperate. Plus they all talk, they know where the fish are.


----------



## tibor25 (Apr 17, 2016)

el9surf said:


> Some of those guys don't like tournaments but they still know how to catch fish as good as any of the big name guides. Booking a guy that has won tournaments doesn't mean the fish will cooperate. Plus they all talk, they know where the fish are.


Not what I was saying, address that in my last post.


----------



## rjackh90 (Jun 4, 2012)

el9surf said:


> Paul Fiscaro Strip Strike Charters in Marathon. Great guy but go with your A game or he will have fun heckling you in between fish. Be prepared to laugh all day.


I fished with him last weekend. Horrible weather conditions but great guy to spend time with.


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

rjackh90 said:


> I fished with him last weekend. Horrible weather conditions but great guy to spend time with.


Fishing with him next month, praying for cooperative wind.


----------



## jddurango (Jul 7, 2015)

tibor25 said:


> Drew Moret is my guy.
> 
> And I wouldn't say I have a "hard on" for the Big Three, what I'm saying is a lot of best tarpon guides in the Keys fish and compete in those tournaments. I don't know Capt Sydnor, I'm sure he's a great guide, but what is apparent is he competes in tournaments and I noticed he placed in the Hawley once. It's reasonable to believe that he would want to fish in those tournaments more often. All I was trying to convey was that if you are gonna drop the coin to head down and book a guide you might as well try and get the best guide possible, and looking at whether or not they have that experience is a good indicator. Think about it if you are gonna drop the coin to enter a tournament you're gonna go with who you feel is the best.
> 
> Had the opportunity to fish one of the 3 this year and the Cheeca Tarpon Invitational but just too much stuff going on. Paid the entry for one of em..


Fair enough.


----------



## TarHeelCaimen86 (Mar 3, 2015)

Anybody fished with Tom Morgan?


----------



## 8loco (Feb 12, 2012)

TarHeelCaimen86 said:


> Anybody fished with Tom Morgan?


Is JT Gabriel still fishing out of Big Pine Key? Any one have an opinion of his service?


----------

