Islamorada Fly Fishing the Flats

We had a great start to the day with some early action and a nice redfish in the boat (see photo) but then the weather and conditions turned against us. Despite that Capt Josh worked really hard to find fish, was great company and we had a super day. I would definitely recommend Capt Josh and will fish with him when I come back to the Keys.

Having fished with Capt. Checkeroski over the last five years between Florida, Idaho, and Mexico, I have come to know him as a hardworking guide and friend. Each time I step in his boat I’m always impressed with his level of professionalism and determination to make the most out of every minute of every trip. My last trip was no different as we chose different fishing locations throughout the week based on weather and tides. While Josh prefers to target fish on the fly he rarely turns down the opportunity to throw conventional tackle when the conditions suggest. Although I was originally reluctant to “spin fish” on a windy overcast day with less than ideal tides, we managed to jump multiple tarpon and bring a handful of snook to hand by being versatile and leaving my ego at the dock. This is just one example of Josh’s unique ability to find fish when other guides are struggling to find them.

Captain Josh took us fishing in the Everglades. He is an obvious Type A and was highly motivated to make sure the trip was a success. He knows the water and fish extremely well and was dead accurate on where the fish were and how to catch them. He has a great personality and we felt very lucky to have the opportunity to fish with him. My only complaint is the 8 hour day flew by because we were having so much fun.

I’ve known the captain from my time out West where he outperformed others in the fresh. In heading to the Florida Bay with the kids for a day, I made the call and with no hesitation Josh customized my day to maximize the good times. Showed up promptly, clean boat, great attitude and we proceeded to be in nonstop action for the entire time. His passion for the Florida Bay and the greater Everglades was clearly evident when spending the day with him. With all the choices of guides out there, you can’t go wrong with Checkeroski!!