Archived July 2020 update: Pandemic restrictions, charter availability, and fishing observations below reflect that period. Confirm current access, regulations, and trip offerings before planning a visit.
A rainy tropical wave finally ended my 49-day charter streak since the Keys reopened, giving me a chance to write an update. We have been busy—as busy as one captain and one boat can reasonably handle. I’m grateful to be working again after a ten-week closure, and there is plenty to cover before lobster mini season.
An Unusual Year for Mini Season
At the time of this report, lobster mini season was proceeding and another Keys-wide closure had not been announced. Local access and business operations varied by location, with restaurant closures, special restrictions, and boat-ramp limitations affecting visitors’ plans.
This was not shaping up to be a normal season. With COVID-19 affecting South Florida and large numbers of visitors arriving, local businesses were making difficult decisions about protecting employees and customers. Please respect those decisions and check directly with the places you intend to visit.
I was also concerned about pressure on our limited local medical resources. Careful planning and responsible decisions on the water mattered even more during that period. A vacation is a good time to relax, but the ocean still deserves your full attention.
What I Know About the Lobster Outlook
I have plenty of lobster spots, but I have not had my usual opportunity to scout them. Fishing charters have filled nearly every available day since reopening. I have seen a few lobsters moving through my canal in the evenings, but that does not tell me what we will find across our diving areas.
The honest answer is that I do not have enough recent scouting information to predict the catch. In other years, time spent checking spots before the season helped me narrow our starting options. This year, we will need to work through the conditions and find out what is there.
How comfortably your group handles the activity affects how many spots we can explore. There is a big difference between visiting six spots and eighteen, but rushing is never the goal. Working efficiently within everybody’s abilities gives us more opportunities without pushing anyone beyond their limits.
Prepare Everybody for the Activity
Lobstering requires more than being comfortable swimming on the surface. You need the diving skills, equipment familiarity, and understanding of the activity described in my participation requirements. Please review those requirements before booking and make sure they fit every person who wants to catch lobster.
I provide the boat, access to the spots, equipment as arranged, and instruction. You do the underwater work of catching lobster. That hands-on experience is why I enjoy offering these trips, but it also means I cannot make up for a group that is unprepared or uncomfortable with the activity.
Use your booking notes to tell me about your group’s experience, abilities, and expectations. If you mainly want a relaxed outing with a little snorkeling, say so. If catching lobster is your priority, we need to discuss whether the activity is a realistic fit. Both conversations are useful before we leave the dock.
I stopped offering spearfishing charters this year because the preparation and responsible participation required were becoming too difficult to manage consistently. Lobster charters also involve substantial equipment, insurance, and planning commitments. At this point, I am evaluating whether they remain a sustainable part of my business. Prepared groups and realistic expectations are a big part of making them work.
Fishing Has Been Good—Start Early
Fishing has been good, with the strongest feeding activity early before the heat builds. Clouds and wind have helped extend some bites. The windier pattern we are seeing can benefit fishing while making lobster diving more challenging.
My recommendation for this July report is a morning half-day reef trip or a longer offshore outing. Afternoon reef trips from 1–5 p.m. generally do not offer the same fishing opportunities in this heat. I can work with an afternoon booking, but it needs different expectations from a morning trip. If catching fish is the main goal, start early.
You Are My Crew
I named this business Florida Keys Reel Adventures because you are involved in making the adventure happen. I teach, guide, and adjust the plan, while you learn the techniques and put them to work. Trial and error are part of it. So are teamwork and the satisfaction of figuring something out.
“Watch Somebody Else Do Everything” would be a different business—and harder to fit on a sticker.
You do not have to arrive as an expert. My fishing trips can accommodate a range of experience levels, and I can tailor the plan when I know who is coming. Lobstering has more specific participation requirements. Good communication helps us choose the right activity and gives everybody a better starting point.
Despite the challenges of this unusual summer, we have had plenty of worthwhile fishing days. Here are a few catches from the past two weeks.
I am grateful to everybody supporting my business through a demanding summer. Being back on the water means a lot, and your preparation and consideration help me keep these trips enjoyable.
If you are weighing a lobster trip against a fishing day, get in touch with me about your crew and your goals. I’ll give you an honest answer about the fit so we can begin with a plan everybody understands.
