Flats Fishing with Silverking Charters - 17' Maverick

On this 4 to 8-hour trip, Captain Alex will take you into the beautiful Islamorada backcountry flats where you'll be fly fishing for sought-after fish including Bonefish, Permit, Redfish, Snook, and Tarpon.

Part of what makes fly fishing for these species so exciting is the challenge of getting such elusive fish to bite. Accurate casts are almost always required, and the windy conditions of the Florida Keys only add to the challenge. While Captain Alex is happy to give you helpful instruction to accommodate your skill level, this trip is recommended for experienced fly fishers who go out on the water more than a few times a year. Captain Alex has a listing for this same trip with traditional rods and tackle that we recommend for those who aren't quite expert casters, and we guarantee it's just as much fun!

For those experienced anglers who feel comfortable enough with their fly casting, Captain Alex outlines the skills you should have down with in his "About Your Guide" section. He also requests that anglers do some research on the aspects of fly fishing for Tarpon, Bonefish and Permit prior to this trip. Captain Alex is highly skilled and even the most experienced anglers will benefit from his instruction. It may take a bit of practice, but as Alex will tell you there's nothing more rewarding than landing one of these fish!

You'll be aboard a 17' Maverick HPX-V with capacity for 2 anglers. Powered by a 115 HP Mercury engine, this maneuverable boat will have no problem letting you creep up and sight-cast on some fish even in hard-to-reach waters. It comes equipped with GPS, a Wireless Trolling Motor, and an Ice Box to store your catches. Captain Alex will even clean any keepers you catch to take home for a tasty meal.

Captain Alex will provide all rods, reels, tackle and fishing licenses. All you need to bring is sunglasses, sunscreen, and any food or drinks you might need. Come aboard with Captain Alex and get ready to show off your skills!

Late Winter and Spring are his favorite times of the year, as the annual migration of Tarpon takes off, and the fish start moving to the backcountry, passes, inlets and ocean side areas of the Keys. Even though Spring is when you will find the major concentrations of fish, you can find Tarpon and fish for them all year long at different locations. Captain Alex says that Tarpon fishing on the fly is very addicting. "Once you see a school of Tarpon swimming over clear bottom or a fish 'laid up' floating motionless right beneath the surface, you'll know what I'm talking about. Then, you make a cast, that fish starts tracking the fly, cracks his mouth open, sucks the fly-in, takes off jumping, cartwheeling, and ripping 150 yards off your reel. That will be it, you will be hooked for life."

Captain Alex requests that you be a competent caster. "If you have never picked up a 10wt, 11wt or 12wt please do not show up to the dock trying to learn while the fish are swimming. Even if you do it 'a few times a year' it won’t be enough. Chances are that you will be wasting precious time and money. Please take plenty of time to learn how to cast months or at least weeks in advance before your trip. You should be able to double haul, develop line speed and have casting accuracy. Having a good backhand cast will also improve your chances of success. Average wind in the keys is 10 to 15 knots, with days having 15 to 20 knots winds or more being common. Since the fishing is almost always better during windy conditions, you will need to learn how to handle the wind. There are many books out there that address the aspects of fly casting and fly fishing for Tarpon. You can also find tons of info on the internet about the subject. I encourage you to document yourself as much as you can before your trip. Any money you spend with a reputable casting instructor is also money well spent. The same applies for the other 'glamourous' flats species (Permit and Bonefish) which are equally--if not more--challenging and demanding."