REEF TACTICS for the S.E. US atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

 (Fish Zone  TABLE)
 
 

fly line (no egg weight) floating jures/twitch baits/ smalljigs, and clouser or streamer flies                                                                                                         'fly' line w/ weight /lighter lures/spoons, flies on sinking line                                                                                                                             Slip lead rig w/bait /heavy lures/diving lures (downrigger trolled lures) , flies on sinking line                                                  bottom finder/slip lead rig/sliding bottom finder/jigs/Jigging spoons/diamond jigs

    
  

What it looks like:

Zone A,B
• Underwater: a small sponge and soft coral reef in 50 feet off the Islamorada reef edge...
• Underwater: ...Surgeonfish school over sponges (or are those reef balls?)...
• Underwater:...look like sponges to me...
• Underwater:...more fishes around the balls...
• A school of Jack Crevalle over a reef (the school was big enough to take a while to pass by the camera): ...1... ...2... ...3... ...4... ...5...
• Other fish and creatures that occupy the reefs: Filefish are very inquisitive fishes. This one decided to inspect the camera up close.... Razorfish can be aggressive over sandy patches... Sand Tilefish like deeper patches... Carribean Reef Squid are also curious, they will inspect any jig... and squid can change shape very quickly... Lots of sea turtles of many species around also... A graysby (a.k.a. Kitty Mitchell, a grouper) before carefull release... a 3 barrelled Vase Sponge... Surgeonfishes (Doctorfishes) poking about... A lone wrasse over the reef... many more juvenille yellow wrasses over a coral head... more yellowtail snappers and wrasses in soft corals and fans... Porkfish snappers and wrasses around coral... A fish level view through the fans and sponges
• Bermuda Chubs in the Chum Slick (Zone C)- always after an easy dinner
Yellowtail Snappers and Baitfish behind the boat in 45 feet (very clear waters!!) (espcially Pilings which look like reefs):
• Underwater:...more snappers...
• Underwater:...more snappers...
• Underwater:...more snappers, chubs, (and a parrotfish)...
• Underwater:...more snappers...
• Underwater: Many reef species live near the pillings and rocks, especially sergeant majors, spottail pinfish and gray snappers (and a few lookdowns and others) (10 Pictures):1...2...3..4...5...6..7...8... 9 ... 10 (look at the snapper)

• ...and there is a kelp paddie...
• ...and another, make sure the baits get near the kelp paddie, but if you have a jig, get away a bit and let it get very deep (50 count).
• Sargasso in 200 feet of water in June normally holds mahi-mahi

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