ALL EPISODES

Permit are described as the hardest fish to catch on the flats. They are my favorite fish to catch and I fish for them more than any other fish. Im not sure that I agree that they are the hardest fish to catch after spending so much time with them. The most effective way to catch permit is with a live crab on spinning gear. The choice of hooks and how to hook the crab to keep it alive the longest can make a huge difference in how many fish you catch. On today’s show, I am on the water with my friend Capt Scott Brown and I show you exactly what hook to use, exactly how to hook the crab and exactly what rig I use. To show that it really works, I was able to catch one and release it too. These tips will help you catch more, I promise. Let me know if these tips help you by emailing me at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com or leaving a comment below.

Read More

For this week’s How 2 Tuesday, we talk with Captain Brandon Simmons about how to make the most out of your deep drops. We cover reading transducers, looking for humps and depth changes on the bottom, what species options you have, rigging for these depths, and much more. Brandon operates the Into The Blue boat out of Hawks Cay, and has a lot of experience deep dropping. Be sure to follow Brandon on Instagram at @capt_brando to keep up with his fishing adventures!

Read More

Captain Brandon Simmons recently was part of a team that set the Florida Keys All Time One Day Record for Sailfish at 76! He obviously knows a thing or two about how to find these fish, so he breaks down current, wind, and locations for having the most success in a day of targeting sailfish. We also break down rigging rods, having the proper gear ready ahead of time, and some other tricks to have you making the most of your day. Take the tips and techniques used to catch the record number of fish and apply them to your fishing for more success.

Read More

For How 2 Tuesday this week, we sit down with Capt. Scott Brown of Hooked on Family to discuss taking your kid on a guided trip. Scott has a ton of experience fishing with kids and knows what to look for in a guide to have the most success with your kids on a guided trip. We discuss the right questions to ask when searching for a guide, what types of fish are the best for kids to target, and much more. Follow Scott at @hookedonfamily for more content on fishing with your kids.

Read More

Marking your fly line is a simple trick that can make your life so much easier. Once you start accumulating a number of different lines, it can be easy to get mixed up on which one is which. Some lines now come pre-marked, but a lot still do not. Brian Butts from 239 Flies shows us his simple method to make sure you don’t get your lines mixed up again. This seems like a simple trick, but can save you a lot of time and frustration when you’re organizing your fly lines.

Read More

This week on How 2 Tuesday, we talk about the easiest way to catch dolphin with Capt. Brandon Simmons. Brandon is the captain of the Into The Blue boat at Hawks Cay, and has lots of experience with mahi. He talks about tackle, location, and some specific strategies for keeping the school of fish happy. This will result in a lot more catches, so be sure to listen in for your best chance at having a high-number day out on the water.

Read More

Fishing with kids can be difficult, frustrating and a real test of your patience. However, if you can successfully get your child or grandchild into the sport you will have a fishing buddy for life. I fished with my kids when they were all very young. In fact, my oldest was on the boat strapped into a car seat while I was jumping tarpon on fly. His career progressed from there and all my children developed a love of the water and the fishing lifestyle. Today, my children are 16, 20 and 22.

Read More

The Everglades National Park is home to a wide variety of species. One of the most popular is the Snook. Capt Anthony Vargas runs the Saltwater Experience boat out of Hawks Cay Marina and targets the snook often with anglers of all skill levels. Anthony goes over everything from A-Z on how he targets, locates and catches Snook on his charters. Knowledge is dropped on this one and you can take it and find some snook of your own!

Read More

There are 42 bridges in the Florida Keys and most of them will hold tarpon at some time. Capt Anthony Vargas runs the Saltwater Experience boat out of Hawks Cay and fishes the bridges for tarpon often; sometimes triple half days. He has to know how to find the fish fast, get rigged up, and instruct his anglers very efficiently to catch fish on a short time schedule.

Read More

There are 42 bridges in the Florida Keys and most of them will hold tarpon at some time. Capt Anthony Vargas runs the Saltwater Experience boat out of Hawks Cay and fishes the bridges for tarpon often; sometimes triple half days. He has to know how to find the fish fast, get rigged up, and instruct his anglers very efficiently to catch fish on a short time schedule.

Read More