Key West Flats Fishing with Capt. Mike O'Brien Fishing Reports

I’m getting ready for the Del Brown Permit tournament July 14-16. My favorite sponsor is

So technically we tied for 5th place. fishing was tough with the radical wind and water temp. drop from 80 to 68 deg. The permit fishing was really good for more than two weeks before the tournament though .

Big Tarpon start to show up in the lower Florida Keys starting in February .

I have had several good days of tarpon fishing this month and look forward to a great 2019 season for both tarpon and permit. Yesterday was awesome with lots of big tarpon rolling and laid up in slick calm conditions . We missed a bunch but had many shots and then fed a smaller fish and a HUGE female ate the fly!! It was a rush for sure. After that we went permit fishing and saw a bunch. The vis was getting tough late in the afternoon and we saw most of the permit too late to get a good set up. Can’t wait until tomorrow to do it all over again. Getting ready to pre-fish for the March Merkin Permit Tournament.

Are you ready for this?

Permit are up on the flats in good numbers the past few weeks. I have put my anglers on some very good permit action. Fish are in schools and solo. Some good tailing action in the late afternoons too.

We are also stating to get pushes of early season tarpon and have fed a few on both fly and spin.

Permit caught may years back in the March Merkin Permit Tournament

I guided Kia Decker win the Junior Angler division of the Cuda Bowl this year. It was our second win in the two years we have fished together . Last year his dad was on the boat with us throwing the Fly Rod.

Fishing was pretty good and we landed some nice barracuda and missed a lot more due to fish just coming unhooked.

What a great time with a fantastic young angler. This was our second year together and I hope to do it again in 2020.

Here is Dave Molone with a nice Keys Bonefish caught on the Fly with Capt. Mike O’Brien.

lower Keys Bonefish