So it is fall and the temperatures have dropped, if only very slightly, and the flats fishing game is on full speed. Tarpon, Bonefish, and Permit all around. Even with good numbers of fish around this time of year, these are some of the most challenging fish to catch. It is almost like a hunting trip, stalking the fish silently as your guide poles you down the flat.
All these reasons are probably why we hold the SLAM tournament this month. It actually started today in fact with the superfly division. In the superfly an angler tries to get the elusive three all on one single fly. So, you have to find a fly pattern that the permit, the bonefish, and the tarpon will all be attracted to. Pretty tough stuff. It takes a lot of patience but if you can do it, wow!
The regular SLAM tournament starts tomorrow, where anglers try for these species using light tackle spinning gear and a combination of live and artificial baits. For two days anglers will fish while guided by some of the top flats guides in the Florida Keys. Guides like Steven Lamp, Connan Lehmkuhl, and Greg Poland, just to name a few.
But the fun of this tournament is not just he fishing. It is the camaraderie between the guides and the anglers, all of which are celebrities or professional anglers fishing to “Catch the Cure for Cystic Fibrosis.” Some of the celebrities that normally fish this event are the late Clarence Clemens (musician), Bruce Melnick (astronaut), Wade Boggs (baseball player), and Ed Marinara (actor). It is a very eclectic and interesting group of people.
I will be keeping up intently on the tournament over the next couple days, so check back for an update on how it went and who showed up this year!
For more information about things to do and see in our island city, go to our Key West Web Site. You can also visit our Key West Events Calendar to see upcoming special events.
And for more restaurant reviews check out our restaurant review section of this blog as well as our restaurant reviews at www.gotothekeys.com.
