Catching a Bonefish, a Permit and a Tarpon in one day is a Grand Slam. The Florida Keys is one of the best places in the world to get one.
Question-What is the best time of year for a Grand Slam?
A fan writes in with the following question:
"I’ve never been to the keys and am planning my first trip in March. I'm a huge fan of shallow water sight fishing and was wondering which part of the keys was my best bet in early March for possibly a slam. What recommendations and advice do you have?"
Answer:
March is an excellent month for fishing the Keys. The entire 150 mile chain of the Florida Keys offers the possibility for a Slam just about any month of the year if you are with the right guide. This being said, the fish can vary drastically in size from one season to another. March will give you the opportunity at very large tarpon, big bones and big permit. I believe that March is one of the best months of the year to target a Slam with really nice fish of each specie.
If you are not as concerned with the size of the fish, my next favorite time would be the fall. The tarpon might be smaller, but opportunities are good for all 3 species.
I really like the waters of the Lower Keys the best, but that is where I have spent the most time. Rich likes the middle to Upper Keys better because that is where he has spent the most time. Both are good and recommended. The best thing about the Keys is that there are areas where you can stay and be close to both areas. Staying in the Marathon area or at Hawks Cay Resort puts you right in the middle of the Florida Keys. You can fish the Lower Keys one day and Islamorada the next.
A slam does not really come easy for anyone, but they are definitely possible and coming in March will certainly increase your chances of catching the Tarpon, Permit and Bonefish.
I wish you the best of luck and hope you get all three. Send us some pictures if you do.
See you on the water,
Tom Rowland
Tarpon are the ultimate gamefish. They are big and athletic, they jump when hooked and make insane drag screaming runs. People from all over the world descend on the Florida Keys to try to catch them. They are called the Silver King and that name stuck for a reason. They are the King of the gamefish found in the Florida Keys for several reasons:
I do have a simple way to tie a Bonefish leader. I wish I had come up with it but I can't take credit. Lefty Kreh made the 50% rule for leaders and I use it all the time...
There are tarpon in the Florida Keys every single day of the year and it is possible to catch one of any size on any day, however, there are certainly better times than others to be here...
March is an excellent month for fishing the Keys. The entire 150 mile chain of the Florida Keys offers the possibility for a Slam just about any month of the year if you are with the right guide. This being said, the fish can vary drastically in size from one season to another. March will give you the opportunity at very large tarpon, big bones and big permit. I believe that March is one of the best months of the year to target a Slam with really nice fish of each specie.
Flyfishing for permit is difficult not because the fish are terribly difficult to catch rather that our flies and techniques do not accurately represent what they want to eat. Permit look at a dead crab the same as they look at a fly. The profile is interesting but not really what they had in mind. Flies need to have action resembling the real crabs and until they do, it is my opinion that they will remain exceptionally difficult to catch on fly.
There are many ways and methods that we can use to catch permit. In order to be successful in catching permit under all conditions anglers need to have mastered many skills with different types of tackle...
The Lower Florida Keys are one of the very best places in the world to catch Permit on the flats. In order for Permit to be plentiful, they need the right...
The Clinch knot is definitely a knot you need to know. I know a lot of knots and still find myself tying a good, old fashioned Clinch Knot in many situations. The real key to making sure you tie it correctly is to inspect it and make sure that the barrels are stacked, not hopping over one another.
To properly cinch down 80 pound mono, you are definitely going to need pliers. I really dont know if I could cinch down an 80 pound 4 turn uni with my bare hands and would probably not get it quite right with gloves on either.
The Bimini Twist one of the more difficult knots, but is commonly over complicated by many anglers. Hopefully this video will help you learn how to tie it...
The J Knot was taught to me by Dave Justice and has been a standby in my fishing ever since. It is a simple knot, really, that combines the best of 2 knots to create a strong, reliable and quick knot for fluorocarbon to braid...
Tom Rowland give step by step instructions for tying the Non Slip Mono Loop Knot. Watch and learn..
The three knots are the Bowline (click here for video) , Trucker's Hitch and Half Hitch. With these knots you can secure anything for transport in a way that creates a mechanical advantage and truly secures your boat, cooler, bed, couch or whatever you are moving...
We go after a lot of fish with teeth down here in the Keys. So it's important to use wire so you don't get cut off. Here's how to tie the Haywire Twist using simple wire.
Need a simple loop knot for heavy leaders? The Homer Rhode is a great choice for this application.
I also use the Home Rhode as a loop knot for braided, coated wire...
![How To Tie The Bimini Twist [VIDEO]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/547dd399e4b036ff1df2f4b0/1450122545708-D911L7ZKAGN7BBLH45ON/image-asset.png)
Tom Rowland gives step by step instructions for tying the Bimini Twist, which is designed to double the line over so that another knot can be tied with two strands of line rather than with just one.
![How To Tie The Sheet Bend Knot [VIDEO]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/547dd399e4b036ff1df2f4b0/1482254636781-VGFT7BXYJQ6N0LYHZNTO/Screen+Shot+2016-12-20+at+12.23.32+PM.png)
Whether it is towing, or simply needing to tie 2 lines together, the Sheet Bend is an excellentknot to be able to handle significant stress but also be able to untie after the load has been put on the lines.
The Palomar knot is an excellent knot to attach a hook, swivel or lure to the end of the line. Bass fishermen have used this knot for a very long time and saltwater fishermen have also taken note...
![How To Tie The TR Knot for Braid to Fluorocarbon [VIDEO]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/547dd399e4b036ff1df2f4b0/1447344936181-HCZD31CQI6RKGGTPTZ61/image-asset.jpeg)
The TR knot is a hybrid knot that takes the best qualities of the FG/Sebile/Delph knot and combines them with the Uni Knot. I came up with this knot because I really liked the FG/Sebile/Delph knot, but it would not work well with some brands of braid combined with some brands of fluorocarbon. When the FG knot is able to grab, it is the strongest connection, in my opinion, but I experienced some frustration with a few brands and finishes.
The Haywire can be tied to the hook and also at the top of the leader to a swivel if your fishing situation requires it. I often use a swivel when shark fishing with dead bait because it sometimes spins in the current...
However, there is one knot that can take you from Bluegill to Blue Marlin and handle just about every situation easily....
To catch the most tarpon it is important to pay attention to the details. Having a knot that makes the fly swim unnaturally can result in less bites and getting fewer tarpon to the boat. Let's take a look at three of the most commonly used loop knots for tarpon.
I really use about 6 knots to attach braid to either Fluorocarbon or Monofiliment leaders. Here are my favorites:
#1 The J Knot- This is my Go-To knot for most quick leader ties. I have a lot of confidence in this one.
Here are my top 3 braided line to fluorocarbon or monofiliment knots. They are all easily tied and you can learn them in just a couple of minutes.
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Located on Duck Key, Hawks Cay Resort is a perfect location for fishing, sight-seeing, and diving. Only a mile away offshore, fishing at Hawks Cay is an easily accessible activity to do at the Florida Keys. Though there is a great variety out in the water, here are my top five favorite fish to catch near Hawks Cay: