NewB going to Marathon in July

[theees]

Well I know you’ve heard this many times before, but….. I’m new to this forum, and have been lurking and reading trying to gain some knowledge. My story is, I grew up in Hollywood in the 70’s and my grandfather took me fishing whenever he came to visit. Now I’m landlocked in Georgia and only get away to fish every 5-10 years, or so it seems. Anyway the wife and I are going to spend a week in Marathon the first week in July. I know it will probably be crazy around the 4th but I would love to do some fishing while I’m there. We are staying on the Atlantic side at the Royal Plum Club condos. I would like to wade or walk the beach and cast some plugs, soak some shrimp or something in the area while my wife soaks up the sun! Is there any good place to do this off where the condo is or maybe Bahia Honda or Sombrero Beach? Any trout or redfish in the area or is that all bayside action?

Also from what I have read the bridges offer some good action. I’m just not sure where Chanel 2 and 5 are and I did a search and can’t find the location either. I think I remember something about MM 72 is that right? Also someone mentioned Long Key Bridge. Is that on the south side of Long Key or north or do you know the MM. I think that area would be closest to marathon and therefore more convenient since my wife will be coming along. Any good action on the bridges further south below Marathon or do you guys get down that far? Any suggestions on bait and rigs would be a great help. I guess I would be after Snapper and Grouper or anything that’s biting at the time that we can take home and eat!!

Thanks for any and all responses
Butch

[Chevy Juan]

For rigs and techniques check out this great article and you should get great help from this as it goes into good detail.

http://boatlessfishing.com/forum/viewto ... =12&t=1045

As for the bridges themselves you have channel 2 at MM73 then next up heading south is channel 5 at MM71. Keep going south and you long key bridge at MM65.

As you drive down south most of the bridges you see will offer great cation above and below marathon for a variety or species.

If you want to wade the flats you have a shot at some bones, permit, tarpon, cudas, jacks etc.

[theees]

Thanks for the response on the bridge MM’s. I’ve read the article on the rigs, lots of great information there.

When wading the flats, do you use spoons, crankbaits, jigs and softbaits, or is live shrimp, finger mullet etc more productive? Also any area more productive, or is it just wherever the fish seem to be that day?

Thanks,
Butch

[theees]

Just getting back from our trip to Marathon and getting back to normal and thought I’d give a little report. Last Tuesday the 3rd, the wife wanted to go to the picnic area at the south end of the 7 mile bridge, Veterans park I believe, so we got there around 10am get set up and I gather my fishing stuff and trek across the street to do some fishing. There was couple there and they said it was pretty slow and were getting ready to leave town so they gave me their left over squid and not so frozen shrimp. As I was getting set up I noticed the tide was changing from incoming to outgoing. I remembered that someone here said the bridges held Snapper so I tossed out some of the squid towards the second set of pilings on the new bridge. Got my second rod ready and tossed out to the other side of the piling when the first rod got hit. So I’m reeling in my first Mangrove and the second rod gets hit and the rod is 1-2 foot off the ground so I move over and straddle it to keep it from going over while I land the first fish of 13 inches. The second fish of the day was another nice Mangrove, a fat 16 incher. The bite continued for about an hour several missed and some smaller fish put back, I ended with 4 keepers for the 2 hours I was there.
Tried again on the 4th right at tide change again, only had 2 keeper of 13 & 14”.
Thursday evening we tried again at about 7pm, put a shrimp on, tossed it out and handed it to my wife while I was getting another shrimp out, she was struggling with a fish on the end of her line . It was fun watching her reel this fish in! Anyway it was a nice 14.5 incher. The bite continued till after dark and we ended with 6 keepers that night.
So I would say we had a fun and exciting time fishing , thanks to everyone on this board for the info, it is a great resource.

Butch

[Chevy Juan]

Great job man there you go!!! Good job getting some dinner or lunch for you guys, keep up the good work and remember tides you fished, bait, rigs and how/where you casted and remembering all of that will make you successful in the future. Glad you both enjoyed yourselves.

[theees]

Thanks! We did have a great time down there and cant wait to go back...... when we can. It's funny about the bait, one day they hit the squid and barely touched the live shrimp, the next day it was the exact opposite, go figure

[Chevy Juan]

Exactly and that's the way it happens, if you are fortunate enough always try and have a wide variety of bait on you so you can see what they are hitting.

At other times you just have to make due with what you have on yourself.