- 2 days ago
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00On this week's World of Saltwater Fishing, we'll be basing at a Baker's Cay Resort in
00:04Key Largo in the fabulous Florida Keys.
00:06I have a Mako 214 down here and we'll be targeting top tier inshore predators around
00:12Key Largo proper.
00:13Don't miss this episode.
00:28George Bovarumo's World of Saltwater Fishing, big fish don't stand a chance.
00:44One of my favorite inshore fisheries is in Key Largo in the Upper Florida Keys.
00:49And I'm talking Key Largo proper, not making a long runs out to Flamingo and well up beyond
00:54into the Gulf, but within a 15, maybe 20 mile radius at the most of Key Largo.
01:00There are a lot of creeks, tributaries, sounds here that hold a lot of top tier game fish.
01:08And fishing here during the weekday, especially during the slow season, you have a lot of these
01:13spots all to yourself.
01:16I had my Mako 214 and production team.
01:19We were basing at a Baker's Cay Resort.
01:22And joining me on this trip was local pro Captain Bruce Davis with True Blue Charters.
01:28I've been doing this for 15 years, lived down here 38 years, never left, never moved away.
01:36Got into it with my dad, fished every day in the creeks and just kind of got raised and hooked
01:40on it.
01:41So my specialty would be is snook fishing.
01:44That's my happy place.
01:45So that would be backcountry fishing.
01:46That is my guaranteed happy place to be able to get people on the big snook to small snook.
01:53And the bycatch is a lot of fun with redfish and tarpon and gray snapper to eat for dinner
01:57or sea trout.
01:58So Bruce pulls up, he did a bait run early and we loaded the Mako 214's live wells with
02:05pilchers.
02:06Almost had it all blackened out.
02:09He jumped the board and we took off.
02:11We actually rolled up to Jewfish Creek to be able to see if we get some finger mullet.
02:23We got a few big mullet and then we ran out and then we decided just to get right into
02:27fishing.
02:28Went through the idle zone and then went to the end of the creek and been able to
02:30start fishing.
02:31This place could really come alive if you know all the right tricks.
02:35And Bruce Davis knows all the right tricks.
02:38He got us situated on the edge of the channel in Jewfish Creek.
02:43And he was saying how the day before he had a heck of a good day with a lot of quality
02:47size mangrove snapper and that he also caught a few buttons in the creek itself.
02:52So we anchored up and put a little block of chum overboard and here come the mangrove snapper
02:59all up behind the boat and you just see him back there.
03:02And his first shot directly behind the boat.
03:05Bang.
03:06He's catching mangrove snapper.
03:07May you just rob me?
03:12And start with a baby one.
03:18That's still probably a keeper right there at 10.
03:22Bakers K wanted us to bring back fish.
03:24They wanted to host us for dinner one evening.
03:26So the plan was, let's get some legal sized mangrove snappers.
03:30If we're fortunate enough to catch a mutton snapper or two, we would take that as well.
03:34And Bruce was bailing through some legal sized mangroves.
03:37We're putting them on the fish box.
03:38We had a small jig, tip of the light pilchard.
03:51And the tide was just starting to move, so I would cast a little bit up tide, free spool,
03:57and let that jig take that pilchard down into Jewfish Creek itself by the edge of the channel.
04:05And as that was working its way, I had to pick up, set the hook, had a real good fight.
04:09And I fight.
04:10It's a decent sized mangrove snapper.
04:12So, okay, it's going into the list.
04:15Bruce threw some life chum into the creek itself and ignited an explosion.
04:19We had big jacks coming up, and he said, I swear there was a mutton blowing up in there, too.
04:24So I made a cast into there, no tape.
04:27Bruce fired out, pilchard on the jig, into the channel, and bam, he hooks up.
04:33Oh, there it is.
04:34You got a good one there.
04:35That's a good one.
04:36Look at that rod.
04:37He ain't wanting to come up.
04:38Oh.
04:39I was going to throw this topwater.
04:40I'm going to sit and watch the show.
04:42Even though I won't see it later.
04:43Well, I felt no bait, so I started just reeling it in.
04:46I think he already had it choked.
04:48All right.
04:49I'm throwing a topwater in that.
04:50Very strange, though.
04:51I felt like it was a jack at first, but it's hard to tell.
04:54All right.
04:55Oh.
04:56Get the net.
04:57Yeah, I'm getting the net here.
04:58It looks like a mutton.
04:59All right.
05:00Nice and easy.
05:01That's what we're looking for.
05:03There we go.
05:06Nice mutton in a creek.
05:09Check that out.
05:10Talk about a creek mutton snapper?
05:12Yep.
05:13Yep.
05:14And you can see the pink on them.
05:15Yeah.
05:16So it's still got some shrimp in them.
05:17But see the dark back is a lot different than the reef.
05:20Oh, yeah.
05:21The reef will be more silver and gray.
05:22Gotcha.
05:23For sure.
05:24But this is much darker on the back, pink.
05:26They're just eating the shrimp and the mullet coming through.
05:28Well, grab that one.
05:29I'll get a couple of stills with you here.
05:30You got them?
05:31Sure enough, scooped up the beauty of a mutton snapper.
05:34Now, realize here we are in Jewfish Creek inshore.
05:39This would be a quality size mutton on the quality patch reefs and some of the deeper reefs offshore of Key Largo and the Florida Keys.
05:49And here you are inside a creek catching fish like this.
05:54We were, I don't know, a handful of miles from Baker's Cay and we were just getting started.
05:59George Poveromo's world of saltwater fishing is proudly brought to you by Penn.
06:04Let the battle begin.
06:05Mako.
06:06You'll find them where the fish are.
06:08Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
06:10Your adventure starts here.
06:11Mercury Marine.
06:12Go boldly.
06:13George.
06:16With Jack Revell releases, along with a few mangroves and muttons in the fish box for our fresh catch dinner back at Baker's Cay Resort, we move on to our second spot.
06:25I'm fishing in the inshore waters of Key Largo proper with Bruce Davis.
06:29Bruce said, let's go ahead, let's pull anchor and we'll make a run through cart sound under the bridge and continue on to some creeks and some tributaries.
06:39He said the tide should just be about right.
06:42Ended up going towards Angel Fish Creek and getting up into the creeks and then pretty much you fish the incoming tide, outgoing tide and you have to find where you have current breaks.
06:52He said it really set the stage up for some good fishing and he said, over here too, he said you could get anything from snook to tarpon to muttons to mangroves.
07:02What really goes on here from time to time is you get a lot of these yellow jacks.
07:07That one had in his mouth. Sorry guys.
07:09Oh, yellow jack.
07:11Yellow jack. Big one too.
07:12Oh, you got another variety coming in here.
07:13Oh, there's another one behind it too.
07:14Yeah, I see that.
07:15Mine's already in play out here somewhere.
07:17You're fine.
07:18Oh, this is what I was hoping would show up today.
07:20Yeah, you know, normally you get those better sizes out on the reefs and everything.
07:23Yeah, this is a good one.
07:24And you pull out these channels here.
07:25There we go.
07:27And that right there is the yellow jack.
07:33Oh, he's got his partner here.
07:35He woke up.
07:36Oh, he's a good one.
07:37That might be a mutton.
07:38I'm coming over here.
07:39Switching.
07:40And this one's got some weight to it.
07:42And you holler at me if you need the net.
07:44Oh, like a big yellow jack and another one right on him.
07:46Oh, perfect.
07:47You talk about your little wasabi and soy sauce on this.
07:52Yes.
07:53Come on.
07:58It's amazing.
07:59The creeks around the Key Largo proper area, what's in them.
08:04It's a fun fishing kind of a thing.
08:05And you just never know what's going to show up as we're out here.
08:09You know, almost catching everything here today.
08:12You probably will by the end of the day.
08:14Oh, looking good.
08:15Hearing the fish popping right now, right behind the boat again.
08:18Yeah.
08:19You can, you can just, you can hit them in the gill or just limp them.
08:20They're no teeth.
08:21And now that big yellow jack.
08:24Nice.
08:32Great one.
08:33See the size of the bait he ate?
08:35Unreal.
08:36I like those big baits.
08:37And he says they're pretty decent sized yellow jacks.
08:40Now, the yellow jack, people think, okay, well, yellow jack, Jack Crivell, it's part of the Jack family that it's just good to fight, but it's probably not good to eat.
08:51A good thing, it could be a bad thing.
08:53The good thing, if a lot of people think it's not good to eat, they're going to release them, more of them out there in the water.
08:58But for those who know, when it comes to sashimi, the yellow jack is nearly right on top at that list.
09:06It's an amazing fish.
09:08We've had them before.
09:09White, white meat.
09:10Incredible.
09:16Mangroves provide breeding environments as well as nurseries for many Florida Keys marine species.
09:21It has been estimated that three quarters of the Florida Keys game fish are dependent upon mangrove systems during at least part of their life cycles.
09:29This includes snook, snappers, tarpon, and barracuda.
09:32Mangroves also provide shelter and prime ambush points for game fish.
09:37Best bet, identify the deepest mangrove pockets and cast a lure or light bait right into it.
09:43And ArtByPasta.com from Catch to Canvas rendering.
09:47Catch to Canvas, baby.
09:49George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing is proudly brought to you by
09:54Simrad, never settle.
09:57Rapala holds the world record for world records.
10:01Suffolk's always use the best line.
10:04Starbright, clean and protect with Starbright.
10:08George, we'll be right back.
10:10Variety Fishing is a big draw within the creeks, sounds, and estuaries of Key Largo in the Upper Florida Keys.
10:16Bruce Davis and I continue to add to our tally.
10:20But first, let me tell you about Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo, a curio collection by Hilton.
10:25Situated in southern Key Largo, this all-inclusive, remarkably beautiful gold-side property is water-sports friendly.
10:32In addition to Captain Bruce Davis heading up their fishing charters, Baker's Cay Resort offers diving, parasailing, kayaking, and much more.
10:40There are two waterfall pools and a private beach supported by hammocks and both pool and tiki bars.
10:46It definitely brings out the Florida Keys feel.
10:49Accommodations include a variety of beautifully appointed rooms and suites, ranging from waterfront to hammock views.
10:55The rooms have a sitting area and private balcony from which to relax and enjoy the views.
11:01Dining options include beach dining at Dry Rocks, complete with live music and fire pits,
11:06and Calusa, a Creole-Caribbean-influenced dining establishment specializing in Florida Keys seafood.
11:12Calusa also serves breakfast and Sunday brunches against the Florida Bay backdrop.
11:17Baker's Cay has everything one could want, and the only need to leave the resort is to go fishing.
11:23Let's get back to fishing.
11:25And sure enough, like Bruce said, here's this beautiful creek, emptying out.
11:29You could see some good rips.
11:31The tide was flowing enough, but not to the point where it was overbearing,
11:35where we couldn't get our jigs flowing down to near bottom, where the muttons supposedly were holding.
11:40We're doing our thing, freelining out baits, and he threw some live chum to try to stoke up the area, and did he ever.
11:46We had fish blowing up, busting, and then he would make a cast right into that.
11:51And then I'd get blasted.
11:53Yep.
11:54Got something.
11:55That's what we want.
11:56I was freelining like a yellowtail, and then it just raced out and came tight on him.
12:02Well, you can imagine, what there is is like big rock piles.
12:04Oh, yeah.
12:05Just kind of bumping through, so you bumped right over it.
12:07That, to me, looks like a good-sized mutton.
12:09Ooh, look at that big boat right there.
12:11Okay.
12:12Yell at me if you need a hand.
12:14Don't you worry.
12:15You get that.
12:16You need a net.
12:17I got to want to look at him first.
12:19That's a crevel.
12:20Is it?
12:21Yeah.
12:22Man.
12:23Stayed high like it.
12:24No, it's a big mutton.
12:25Get the net.
12:26I just want to see if you're paying attention.
12:30You're just making me learn.
12:31I just want to see if you're paying attention.
12:33You got to teach the captain the good stuff.
12:35There you go.
12:36Ready?
12:37Yep.
12:38Oh, my goodness.
12:39Great.
12:40That's another great one, George.
12:44Look at that.
12:45Oh, I appreciate that.
12:46He does know what he's doing.
12:48Look at that.
12:49He likes you.
12:50He's legal, right?
12:51Oh, I think he is, yeah.
12:52I bet you he's about 20.
12:53And we've let in a beautiful mutton snapper, another keeper.
12:56And this is phenomenal.
12:58You're catching mutton snapper like you would on the patch reefs or, like I said, on some of the offshore reefs, right by a beautiful creek with some of the most picturesque settings.
13:07Around.
13:08This is, again, goes back to why I favor Key Largo as far as one of the favorite places to inshore fish.
13:16Again, Key Largo proper, everything right around in here.
13:19It's just a beautiful place to go.
13:21Don't have really that far to run.
13:23And there's so many opportunities.
13:24And here we were just showcasing the area like it should be showcased.
13:28Oh, that's right.
13:29He must be almost rocked up.
13:31Maybe.
13:32Remember the boat?
13:33He's under the boat.
13:34Oh, it's a mutton.
13:37A little mutton.
13:38It's another mutton.
13:39There you go.
13:40Well, okay.
13:41Another release one there.
13:42Yeah.
13:49Another mutton.
13:50Oh, I don't know.
13:51What is that?
13:52A little schoolmaster?
13:53Yeah.
13:54Yeah.
13:55Another species.
13:56Cool.
13:57Finally, the tide really picked up, which made it a little bit more difficult to fish.
14:08So, we basically wore our time out at that spot.
14:10It was time to move.
14:12Key Largo's online attractions include John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which encompasses
14:1870 nautical square miles.
14:20Established in 1963, it's the first underseas park in the United States.
14:25Here, visitors can view the park's coral reefs of marine life aboard a glass bottom boat,
14:30or by snorkeling, or scuba diving.
14:33There's canoeing, kayaking, and even hiking on trails winding through tropical hammocks.
14:39For overnighting, Pennekamp has 42 reservable campsites, each with 30, 50, and 110 amp electrical
14:46outlets, water and sewer hookup, picnic table, and grill.
14:50Cabins are also available.
14:52It's an ideal attraction with an abundance of recreational and educational amenities.
14:57Mercury Performance Stats Key Largo inshore.
15:00Seas come.
15:01Power.
15:02Mercury Pro XS V8 250 horsepower.
15:05Prop.
15:06Mercury Inertia Eco 19 inch pitch.
15:08Total miles, 42.
15:10Consistent cruise, 4800 RPMs.
15:13Speed, 40 miles per hour.
15:16Total fuel burn, 16.1 gallons.
15:21George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing is proudly brought to you by the Florida Keys
15:27and Key West.
15:28Come as you are.
15:29ACR, the leader in marine safety electronics.
15:33Papa's Pilar Artesian Crafted Rum.
15:35Never a spectator.
15:37VMC, your expert in hooks.
15:40Art by Pasta, real life art.
15:44Visit artbypasta.com.
15:46The SIMRAP package of my Mako 214 includes twin 19 inch NSO EVO 3S units.
15:54The ultra bright displays stand out even in direct sunshine and while wearing glasses.
15:59The high definition displays, paired with an active imaging 3-in-1 chirp enhanced transducer,
16:05provides the sharp details necessary to scrutinize the bottom and water column for structure,
16:10bait and game fish.
16:12High performance processors provide fast touch screen transitions.
16:15The units come preloaded with CMAP coastal charts and for fishing patch reefs and other
16:20coastal structures, I'm a big fan of their optional CMAP reveal high definition bathymetric
16:26bottom chart.
16:28We pulled anchor and he said, alright, how about we go get a snook now?
16:33I said, fantastic.
16:34We're just adding to the variety list.
16:36You know, you want to go catch a couple snook and go enjoy ourselves in the back?
16:39So here we go.
16:40We go back through Card Sound, back through Jewfish Creek.
16:43We go into Barn Sound.
16:44We went running and then the wind picked up, which is another great part.
16:48If we get a good east wind, wind blown points in the back country in Key Largo is phenomenal.
16:54We love the wind.
16:55We love mud.
16:56That means the mullets up on the shores and we get there and anchor up and not but the
17:02first cast and we were just talking about what tackle we're using and bang.
17:06You got your snook?
17:07Or a red.
17:08It looked like a little bronze, didn't it?
17:11Yeah.
17:12It's a big snook.
17:13Let me get that, excuse me, net coming up.
17:15Never done this before.
17:17I'm never the guy fishing.
17:20I'm over here.
17:21You let me know which side you want him on.
17:23Might have to come to my left.
17:24I'm coming in over here.
17:27And just so you know, that's still the 16th ounce jig.
17:30Now he's coming to my right.
17:32I go to the right.
17:33I have two feet.
17:34They can change direction.
17:36I come right into you if he's coming, okay?
17:40All right.
17:41Not quite.
17:44Nice basket catch.
17:45Great.
17:46Looked like a good teaching moment.
17:47How about that?
17:48How about it?
17:49Great fish, man.
17:50Chalking up the variety.
17:51We did it.
17:52First shot on this one too.
17:53He had a snook.
17:54He added it to the list.
17:55Beautiful snook.
17:56Unhooked it.
17:57Got some social media pictures.
17:59And then, boom.
18:00Let that snook go.
18:01And then, boom.
18:02Let that snook go.
18:03And then, boom.
18:04Let that snook go.
18:05Let that snook go.
18:06Let that snook go.
18:07Let that snook go.
18:08Let that snook go.
18:09Let that snook go.
18:10Let that snook go.
18:12And then, boom.
18:13Let that snook go.
18:14And we got back to it again.
18:16And we caught another snook in fast order.
18:18So we were at our final spots just working.
18:20And we were catching lady fish.
18:22And we did catch some jacks as well.
18:24But everything, again, being at the afternoon time,
18:27the bite starts to slow down.
18:28And, you know, we get to that point where it's time to head back.
18:31Best thing is, as we proved, you have yourself a real good day.
18:35You know, come on back to the resort early and relax and enjoy yourself.
18:42And what a better way to celebrate a successful fishing day
18:47than to have our catches prepared in a variety of styles
18:50by the Clues for Restaurant at Baker's Care Resort in Key Largo.
18:53Talk about Key Largo hospitality.
19:06What an enjoyable trip.
19:08I heard a lot about Bruce Davis with True Blue Charters
19:13from another very good friend of mine and captain, which is Chris Hansen.
19:16And, in fact, Chris was the one who said,
19:18hey, you need to call Bruce and do a show with him.
19:20He's a great guy.
19:21He grew up here.
19:22He knows these waters.
19:23So the experience with George
19:25and being able to be with the guys on the boat
19:26and being able to fish a boat that's not mine,
19:28which is very rare, by the way, going through the day
19:31and actually be able to have new friends
19:33and to enjoy fishing for fun.
19:35People don't realize when we have a day off or two
19:38that we actually go crazy and have to go out in the water,
19:40even though we fish over 300 days a year sometimes.
19:43It was amazing to see all the stuff we did,
19:46been able to laugh and joke
19:48and not even really know each other at all.
19:51Some of the best times are, you know,
19:53catching a lady fish and getting some slippery hands.
19:55Pretty much made the wrap up of the day and enjoyed ourselves.
19:58So, again, when it comes to a lot of my favorite inshore fisheries,
20:03I'm telling you, when you want me to vote on that,
20:06it's going to come down to Key Largo proper
20:09in the fabulous Florida Keys.
20:11It's hard to miss here.
20:13If you're a fan of our show,
20:14keep up with our adventures by following us on social media.
20:17I'm on Instagram at George Poveromo
20:20and on Facebook, go to facebook.com forward slash George dot Poveromo.
20:25You can also watch our episodes at any time on YouTube at George Poveromo TV.
20:30We'll see you on the water.
20:36Bye.
Be the first to comment