Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Schedule a Charter

---------------------Half-day / Full Day--------------

Flats and Backcountry $350 / $550
Reef and Wrecks $450 / $650
Big Boat Offshore $500 / $800
note: Big Boat trips are some what negotiable depending on season.

Leave your email address in the comments along with dates, type of charter and location (Marthon to Key West). Since I book for myself and a few of my friends, you will be emailed the information for the best boat available to meet your fishing plans. A small deposit will be required to hold your reservation. Your comment will not be displayed and your information will not be sold.

Tight Lines,

Captain Dallas

Thursday, November 16, 2006

My Grand Nieces Paige and Haley with Kid Size Shark

 
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Big is in the eye of the beholder. Send us your favorite fishing pictures. Just clink the Google button for great free photo software or send us the link to the online photo album you want us to include.

Let's Link - My Guest Book

To add link to my guest book, just click on the comment tag below. Enter a brief description of site and your URL. It should look like this:

Fishing the Florida Keys With Captain Dallas

Fishing report, fishing tales, links to fishing, lodging dining and more, from the Florida Keys.

http://www.captdallas2.blogspot.com

Then please cut and paste my description and link for your site.

If you have a charter or guide service you would like to include, just leave you email address and we will work out the details. Remember, every link counts.

Thanks

Friday, November 10, 2006

Vacationing in the Florida Keys

I started vacationing in the Keys in the early eighties. I was in college and I'd save a little money and drive my '67 Chevy van down with a few friends and camp. My two favorite campgrounds where The Fiesta Key KOA and Bahia Honda State Park. Whether you're tent camping or roughing it in a 34'plus motor coach. These are great places to stay. Both are on the water and have boat slips available If you bring you boat. http://www.floridakeysbest.com/families/florida_keys_camping.htm is one of many site that will provide information of camping In the Keys.

National chain motels, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Comfort Inns etc are easily found through any travel agent or online. All provide clean comfortable rooms for the less adventurous at heart. I've stay at several while working in the Keys prior to moving here to live. These are easy ways to get familiar with the Keys.

Now for the older stuff. Hidden Harbor motel in Marathon is a really neat place to stay. The owner, Richy Moretty, opened the Turtle Hospital on the property. Richy is pretty much world renown for his efforts to save endangered sea turtles. With the hospital and recuperation tanks on site, free tours are available to all guests of Hidden Harbor. The rooms are affordable, clean and have the 50's/60's decor so common in the Keys. The Kings Sail, Banana Bay, Blue Waters, Valhalla are other motels in the middle keys area you should check out.

On the upper end of the cost scale are Chica Lodge and Little Palm Island. Check out http://www.littlepalmisland.com/ for more Info. These are vacation get aways for the rich a famous. Presidents, movie stars and multimillionaires are the normal guests. They stay in these places and fish the same waters I fish. While all have their list of charters and guides, you can still be picked up at their docks by your personal guide.

The Florida Keys is a remarkable vacation destination. The beautiful waters, excellent dining and ecclectic art communities are one of a kind. From the Ritz to Ritzy crackers, If you haven't been to Keys, Come on down

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Vacationing in the Florida Keys - Here's What's Happening

I've had several people email and call me about how's the fishing and where can I stay. Nobody wants to leave comments! If you leave a comment, I can answer your question on time and hundreds of other people can benefit from the response. So leave a comment and let me answer it on the Blog!!

Fishing charters range from $350.00 per half day and up. If you don't want a charter, head boats and ticket half days range from $40.00 per half day and up. These trips are called party boats. Bring a lunch and beer. All of these boats are slow and most of the time crowded. If you have the right attitude they are fun. If you want control over where you go and when you get back, they aren't. Know what you're getting into before you go.

Rental boats are available all over the Keys. Price range from $90.00 a day and up. You are responsible for the boat you rent. So if you run aground and tear the boat up, you may have a couple thousand dollars of damage you are responsible to repair. If you are a responsible, experienced boater, these are good deals. If you haven't a clue, be careful.

Botels, motels with a slip for your boat, are available through out the Keys. If you wish to bring your own boat, botel prices start around $95 per night. Season changes these prices a lot. Mini-lobster season can cause these prices to double. Plan your trip in advance, book in advance and you'll save money.

Nineteen fifties era motels, complete with nineteen fifties furnishings, are quite common in the Keys. Some people hate this, thinking they got ripped off. I don't see it that way. These older motels are comfortable and many have efficiencies so you can cook breakfast etc. There is nothing wrong with these motels. If you are spending your vacation the way you should, you'll only be sleeping there and not very many hours a night. All the Keys have great fishing, lots of things to see and good night life. You're supposed to be enjoying your vacation, not sitting in your room, whining about how dated the furnishings look.

Higher end accommodations are available through out the Keys. Any where from $150 per night to just over $1500.00 per night. It's your vacation and your budget. If you want to stay where Tiger Woods, or Allen Jackson stays. Then Palm Island is for you. All inclusive, spa, beautiful sunset views, the works. Cay Clubs, one of the links listed on my site, has new rooms with a lot of amenities. Starting a $200 a night, may people prefer this style of destination resort. The only thing wrong, is you only see other tourists there. The bar closes at 9:00 (some are open to 10:00), about the time most people are ready to start partying. The restaurants are full of tourists, if they are full at all, because the locals know where there is better food for a much better price.

So basically, the Keys are like any other tourist destination. How you like your trip, depends on how well you do you homework and your personal tastes. I'm going to devote a couple of more posts to travel packages and add a few more links. This is not my forte, I can sleep anywhere, but I will try to provide a good description of lodging and dining in the Keys. The dining part I'll be good at. I love to eat and I'm good at it.

Until next time,

Capt. Dallas

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Dinner for Twelve!

 


This is a Cobia with from left, Me, Doc and Jerry, Ed's on the camera. Posted by Picasa

The One That Got Away

 


This was a bigger Jewfish Ed had that was camera shy. Posted by Picasa

Ed's Bay Jewfish

 


Ed mainly caught bait for us but tangles with a few sharks and Jewfish. Posted by Picasa

Doc and Jerry's Boat Flatlines

 


Don't forget I will guide you on your boat, for a nominal fee of course. Posted by Picasa

Doc's Creative Side

 
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Another Day in The Office

 
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