September 2025 Update

I am really late on posting this report for a really good reason.  Kids are back in school.  The off season is here and I have been enjoying time in the water catching lobster and reminding myself of the beauty that is just below the surface.  My charter schedule has slowed down and open days have turned into exploring days and learning new tricks on my time.  If you are planning a trip to the Keys anytime soon you are in for the more authentic Keys experience.  No lines, no crowds, no traffic, no noise.  It’s exactly like life on an island used to be.  I suspect it will be this way for a while.

Good news is we have somehow exited the new normal of extreme summer heat.  Our summer rainy season pattern showed up at the beginning of this month and has had a progressive cooling affect.  It’s still going to be hot until the beginning of November, but I hope we are done with the radical stuff.  I have seen some changes to indicate fall is near.  Pelicans are returning, I saw a Bald Eagle and schools of bait are filling the shallows that were too hot to inhabit.

Fishing trips have produced some fair to excellent results.  As we change seasons the cast of characters change with it.  Yellowtail snapper have been cooperating on reef trips on the deep edge.  They are mostly keeper size, but nothing big….yet.  Further offshore Blackfin Tuna have been great on the marathon hump.  We have had an extremely unusual wind direction that blew the grass the Mahi like out of range for a few weeks, but they have made appearances here and there to add to our offshore catches.  Every trip is a little different.

With the exception of the past week, the lack of any rain has kept our water clarity really clear all summer.  The large impulses of fresh rain water create algae blooms that change our blue water to green and affect the visibility.  Some days it is clear and some days it can be green to varying degrees, all depends on the tide and wind direction.

Like I said earlier, I have been spending an abnormal amount of time lobster diving on the ocean side of the islands.  I typically run my lobster trips on the shallower bayside of the islands and that has produced good results each trip.  Typically bayside depths are 7-12 feet deep and is the best option for entry level freediving.  On the ocean side I have seen really good numbers of much larger lobster than normal.  Ocean depth are 13-18 feet deep and can be done with a little coaching and discipline.  I’m 48 and get no real exercise outside of work and can do 18′ for 4 hours easily, but I have years of experience.  It all depends on your comfort level.  I typically end my lobster trips when the water falls below 80 degrees.  That is about November 1st most years.  Lobstering is not fun at all when you are cold and wearing a wetsuit.  I just keep it within reasonable parameters to optimize fun and success.

That’s about all I have for now.  I do have a new booking system that offers more payment options.  I do prefer the minimum deposit method to save us both money and make things easier in case the price is adjusted per weather if the trip gets cut shorter than scheduled.  You do what is best for you.  The boat is doing good and will be going through normal seasonal updates.  I want to finish with my perspective on what is happening in the charter industry to help you make an informed decision on the best operator for you.  The economy is going to probably be not so awesome for a period starting now.  Probably similar to where you live.  Difference here is everything is more expensive.  Our local charter options/operators have expanded well past what our island can support or sustain.  This downturn will shake many out of the business that should not be in it.  I’m certain there will be hungry captains looking to discount their normal rates to make a trip.  That makes sense.  I do not anticipate cutting my rates.  I have successfully navigated plenty of financial and natural disasters and managed to provide the best trips within my ability despite anything.  It costs X amount of money to properly run a business (a boat) and another X to live here for any period of time.  Florida Keys Reel Adventures has been my entire world since 2008 and I have lived here most of my life.  I’m not going anywhere.  Corners get cut and standards change when money gets tight.  That’s not the boat you want to be on for many reasons.  You have a lot of choices in the Marathon area, but not all of them are good.

Thanks for reading and I hope to see you on the water soon!