Well, here we go again...another year of making memories with great friends, some of whom I've fished for a long time...and some that I'll be meeting for the first time. Out on the water is a great place to build these friendships. Let me take a quick moment to thank all of you who have made my life as a fishing guide possible; your patronage and your generosity has been appreciated more than you'll ever know.

And for my regulars who thought Capt. Buddy would never update his recent catch file again, this report is for you!

PHOTO: One of 4 cobia that John Shane of Louisville, KY and Gerry Gray of Cincinnati, OH caught on a Gulf wreck trip. The guys also released numerous gag and goliath grouper.

Many anglers think that light-tackle fishing in the Florida Keys is all about targeting bonefish, permit, and tarpon. But until the water temperature gets right for the "Big Three," we invest our time fishing for what's out there.

With cooler water being the norm, we passed on flats fishing, and spent the month of January in Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, out on the reef, and up in Everglades National Park. By "fishing our conditions" we were pretty much able to stay busy catching a wide variety of species.

We got up to the Park a few days before the wind hit, and my two Louisville-area anglers had a nice mixed bag which included a dozen and a half seatrout, 5 snook, 4 redfish, 3 big sheepshead, and more jack crevelle and ladyfish than we could count. We kept a couple of trout for dinner.

Out in the Bay, we enjoyed a good pompano bite for about 10 days until a couple of back to back cold fronts knocked them out of action. These fish are not only hard fighters on light tackle, but also offer up a great meal at the end of the day. Bay fishing also provided all of the Spanish mackerel action a person could stand.

PHOTO: Steve Hall took his family for a morning half day trip back in April. Pictured above are his wife and son displaying nice mangrove snappers, while his daughter slugs it out with a 4 foot lemon shark.

PHOTO: Twelve year old Brendan Webb of Sherborn, MA was stoked over catching his first tarpon. He and his younger brother Owen were real troopers, fishing non stop on a blustery March afternoon. Brendan also caught and released a 200 pound bull shark that fought for well over an hour and took us nearly two miles from where we had been anchored.

PHOTO: Yamaha dealership owner, Bob Guthmiller, got his tarpon in early May.

PHOTOS: Fishin' Buddy "regulars" Matt Shane (Louisville, KY) and his son Taylor fished with me several days back in mid June '09. Here are some of the highlights from our fishing trips together.

 

PHOTO: In early July '09, Molly Aigner (Chicago, IL) fought this tough 85 pound tarpon for an hour an fifteen minutes before being able to give it a goodbye pat on the gill plate. (photo by John LaRoiux)

  

 

 

 

 

PHOTO: Floridian Nicoiah Key with his first tarpon, a frisky 45 pounder taken back in July on a live pinfish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                        

 

 

 

 

PHOTO: Ten year old Avery Heyck holds his 26 pound goliath grouper at boatside while Capt. Buddy removes the hook. The fish was caught in August on 15 lb spinning tackle; it ate a snapper that Avery was reeling in. Brother Matt looks on with approval; brother Robbie also fished with us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHOTO: Tyson Krawson of Fort Myers, FL with one of two bonefish he caught in July on a late afternoon/ early evening half day trip. An hour later, Tyson's buddy, Jack Fulford, landed a 30 pound tarpon on 15 lb spinning tackle.

 

 

 

PHOTO: John Pinkston of Palm Beach, FL revives and releases one several permit he and two of his fishin' buddies caught on a half day in late August. The trio also released 6 bonefish up to 4 pounds on the same trip.

PHOTO: Overcast skies didn't stop Sean Hayes of New York City from catching a flats grand slam on a morning half day in mid September. He's holding what is typically the toughest member of the slam, the permit.

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