Located on Duck Key, Hawks Cay Resort is a perfect location for fishing, sight-seeing, and diving to both ends of the Florida Keys chain. Offshore fishing at Hawks Cay is easily accessible with the reef being only a few miles away. Inshore fishing begins right outside the marina with tarpon, bonefish, permit, barracuda, snook and redfish being available within sight of the Resort. Though there is a great variety out in the water, here are my top five favorite fish to catch near Hawks Cay:
Bonefish
The Bonefish is a fish that is sought after World Wide and we have some of the biggest bonefish in the Florida Keys. Bonefish range from Key West to Biscayne Bay and Hawks Cay is located exactly in the middle of the Florida Keys making any area accessible within a day trip. However, some of the best bonefish flats in the Florida Keys are located right in front of the Resort or within sight of the resort. I used to drive 1 1/2 hours from Key West to fish right next to the resort specifically for bonefish. Permit also inhabit the same flats and there are even places where you could catch a grand slam without moving the boat within 1000 yards of the marina.
Seasons for bonefish are good weather days all winter long, but the best bone fishing is found from March-November.
Tarpon
The Florida Keys is fortunate to have the tarpon migration flood through and Hawks Cay sits at the epicenter of Florida Keys Tarpon fishing. We have shot many shows on tarpon fishing and so many of them have been shot with the marina in the background. Catching the tarpon on the flats is very popular with fly tackle but many people prefer to fish at the nearby Long Key Bridge where the tarpon stack up like cord wood. Additionally, the surrounding areas hold large tarpon during the migration and you will see lots of giant tarpon right in the marina. The migration of the largest tarpon begins in February (weather dependent) and gets really going in March-June. Large fish can be caught all year round but the numbers start to thin out for the large migrating fish and anglers begin to focus on the smaller, baby tarpon. These fish are 5-50 lbs and inhabit the bridges, flats, mangrove shorelines and even the Hawks Cay Marina for the rest of the year.
Permit
This is my favorite fish to fish for. The permit makes up the third leg of the Grand Slam (Bonefish, Tarpon, Permit in one day is a Grand Slam). They are mostly crustacean eaters so we use live crabs or live shrimp for the best results. Flyfisherman also target the permit and it is known as the most difficult fish to catch on fly. The flats surrounding the Hawks Cay Resort are some of the best in the Florida Keys, but sometimes fishing for these fish can be really hot in other locations either closer to Key West, 7 Mile Bridge or Biscayne Bay. Being located in the exact middle of the Florida Keys makes a trip up or down the keys in search of permit very easy with either putting the boat on the trailer at the ramp at the resort or taking a boat ride to find the best tides and flats for permit.
Located a few miles offshore from Hawks Cay, the USS Thunderbolt wreck is a perfect spot for catching permit during spawning season in the month of April. During this month, the permit will gravitate towards deeper waters, and can be seen near wrecks, and reefs.
Snapper
Snapper are a foundational gamefish in the Florida Keys. These fish are fun for anglers of all ages and skill levels. The Grey Snapper was each of my children first fish to ever catch and they are the first fish of countless other beginning anglers. The snapper is fun for everyone because the small ones are aggressive and anyone can catch them but the big ones require a lot more skill and stealth. There are many species of Snapper found in the Florida Keys and they are all very good to eat.
Sharks
If you think you’re ready for this challenge, shark fishing at Hawks Cay should be at the top of your list. We fish for Nurse, Lemon, Blacktiph, Bull, Hammerhead, Bonnethead, and Tiger Sharks throughout the year around Hawks Cay. Sharks are a fun fish to fish for because there are some that are very easy to catch and others that are much more difficult to catch making them great for all anglers. We operate 100% catch and release on the sharks.
Sharks fishing is a great activity out of Hawks Cay and anglers and non anglers both enjoy seeing them in the crystal clear water of the Florida Keys.
See you on the water,
-Tom Rowland
S15:E5 - “Blackfin In The Keys” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor venture to the Atlantic oceanside of the Keys for Blackfin Tuna.
S15:E4 - “Up From The Deep” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor head out from their Middle Keys home base to deeper waters.
S15:E3 - “Flamingo Returns” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor enjoy a productive day in the Florida Bay area of the Everglades
S15:E2 - “Key West Birthday Slam” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowand and Rich Tudor are joined by Key West guide Nick LaBadie.
S15:E1 - “Triple Tail In The Everglades” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor bounce around the Florida Bay Everglades and take advantage of some rare activity by the interesting and delicious Atlantic Triple Tail
When you think of delicious game fish in the Florida Keys, tripletail is probably not the first thing that comes to mind due to its dinosaur-like appearance. But captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor are here to make you rethink that presupposition on this episode of Saltwater Experience … Read more on Waypoint…
S14:E11 - “Paddleboard Everglades” (2019)
Captains Tom & Rich try something new by using paddleboards in the Everglades to sneak up on Snook.
S14:E10 - “Yellowjacks Of Home” (2019)
Tom & Rich don't have to travel far for yellowjack & other desirable fish in the Middle Florida Keys
S14:E9 - “Blacktips By Spin And Fly” (2019)
Tom Rowland & Rich Tudor set out for a fish that always entertains: the acrobatic Blacktip Shark.
S14:E8 - “Snappers In The Mangroves” (2019)
Tom Rowland & Rich Tudor get back to the basics with a day of Snapper fishing around Florida Bay.
S14:E7 - “Ballyhoo Sprays” (2019)
Captain Tom Rowland and Captain Rich Tudor spend some time on the reefs in the Middle Florida Keys.
S14:E6 - “Everglades Snook And Reds” (2019)
Captains Tom Rowland & Rich Tudor head to the fertile grounds of the Everglades to target game fish.
S14:E5 - “Matt Hughes vs. The Sharks” (2019)
Captain Tom Rowland and Captain Rich Tudor are joined by nine-time UFC champion Matt Hughes.
S14:E4 - “Lower Keys Tarpon” (2019)
Tom & Rich fish the Lower Florida Keys for tarpon and find the jackpot.
S14:E3 - “Lower Keys Redbones” (2019)
Tom & Rich are targeting bonefish but are pleasantly surprised by an eager school of redfish.
Daniel Andrews of Captains for Clean Water discusses the state of the Everglades with Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor on Saltwater Experience Television show. As seen on the Discovery Channel, Waypoint and Sportsman Channel.
S14:E1 - “Hawks Cay Grand Reopening” (2019)
Tom & Rich celebrate Hawks Cay reopening post-Hurricane Irma.
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:
S13:E11 - “Thunderbolt Permit” (2018)
Tom & Rich hit the USS Thunderbolt wreck in the Middle Keys hoping to find schools of willing Permit
S13:E9 - “Jeff Malone And The Gulf Wrecks” (2018)
Tom & Rich meet up with guide Jeff Malone and tap into his knowledge of wrecks in the Gulf
S13:E7 - “Scott And Turner Kite Fishing” (2018)
Turner Rowland joins the guys as Capt Scott Walker guides them to search for Sailfish on Kite Baits.
S13:E8 - “Doctor Tarpon” (2018)
Olympic Champ Steven Holcomb Turner Rowland and Dr Boxer Wachler wrestle tarpon and beat Keratoconus
S13:E6 - “Tarpon Invasion Bahia Honda” (2018)
Tom & Rich visit a key Tarpon migration spot, Bahia Honda, where they experience an epic Tarpon show
S13:E5 - “Baby Tarpon And Bones” (2018), Tom & Rich check on the status of Baby Tarpon and Bonefish fishing after Hurricane Irma.
September 26, 2018 - Islamorada, Florida, Keep your bait fresh and prepared so that when you get the opportunity of a lifetime your bait is ready. Capt. Rich Tudor explains all of his methods to making luck preparation meeting opportunity.
S13:E12 - “Cowfish Rodeo” (2018)
A tough start in search of Bonefish leads Tom & Rich down a path of just taking what the day brings.
Hurricane Irma passed over the Florida Keys as a Category 4 storm on September 10, 2018. Irma was the biggest storm to make landfall on the Florida Keys since Hurricane Wilma moved across the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and southern Florida peninsula during the morning of Monday, October 24, 2005. Wilma was responsible for hurricane force winds and the highest storm surge observed in the Keys since Hurricane Betsy, on September 8, 1965.
We met Jeff with our film entourage at the marker outside of Safety Harbor. From there, Jeff took us to a place to catch bait and baby tarpon. Soon, we had caught both and were at the Long Key Bridge catching a few more Tarpon, Yellow Jacks and Giant Jack Crevalle. (See that episode by clicking here)
Renown Middle Keys fishing guide Jeff Malone (Tarpon Time Charters) took us out for baby tarpon and he did not disappoint. We have always heard great reports from anyone who has fished with Jeff, and it was not just dock talk. He knows his stuff he is a true guide on the water every single day.
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..
S15:E6 - “The Lower Keys Highway” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor head to the Lower Keys for Tarpon and various types of Jacks.
S15:E5 - “Blackfin In The Keys” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor venture to the Atlantic oceanside of the Keys for Blackfin Tuna.
The Florida Everglades make up one of the most well-known and treasured American National Parks. They are also being “strangled” by water issues. Since the damming of the Kissimmee River, the Everglades’ primary source of freshwater, this beautiful fishery has seen “endangered wildlife populations, declining water quality, water mismanagement, [and] extensive urban and agricultural development,” according to Captains For Clean Water, a conservation organization dedicated to restoring the health and natural beauty of the Everglades. Read more on Waypoint…
S15:E4 - “Up From The Deep” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor head out from their Middle Keys home base to deeper waters.
The Florida Everglades make up one of the most well-known and treasured American National Parks. They are also being “strangled” by water issues. Since the damming of the Kissimmee River, the Everglades’ primary source of freshwater, this beautiful fishery has seen “endangered wildlife populations, declining water quality, water mismanagement, [and] extensive urban and agricultural development,” according to Captains For Clean Water, a conservation organization dedicated to restoring the health and natural beauty of the Everglades. Read more on Waypoint…
S15:E3 - “Flamingo Returns” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor enjoy a productive day in the Florida Bay area of the Everglades
It’s about 6:30 am, just as the sun is beginning to peek over the horizon and Capt. Labadie is charging ahead to the crew’s first destination. Since tarpon are the easiest of the three to catch in low light conditions, this is where Labadie opts to start. Rowland and Tudor remark that they were somewhat surprised at first by the guide’s choice to fish right in front of the coastline resorts and houses. On a day that they were purely targeting tarpon, the Saltwater Experience hosts would tend to go somewhere a little more remote. Labadie chose this spot because he knew the fish would be there, but, more importantly, it was on the way to their other targets, eliminating the need to backtrack later and burn up precious time. Read more on Waypoint…
S15:E2 - “Key West Birthday Slam” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowand and Rich Tudor are joined by Key West guide Nick LaBadie.
S15:E1 - “Triple Tail In The Everglades” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor bounce around the Florida Bay Everglades and take advantage of some rare activity by the interesting and delicious Atlantic Triple Tail
When you think of delicious game fish in the Florida Keys, tripletail is probably not the first thing that comes to mind due to its dinosaur-like appearance. But captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor are here to make you rethink that presupposition on this episode of Saltwater Experience … Read more on Waypoint…
S14:E11 - “Paddleboard Everglades” (2019)
Captains Tom & Rich try something new by using paddleboards in the Everglades to sneak up on Snook.
S14:E10 - “Yellowjacks Of Home” (2019)
Tom & Rich don't have to travel far for yellowjack & other desirable fish in the Middle Florida Keys
S14:E9 - “Blacktips By Spin And Fly” (2019)
Tom Rowland & Rich Tudor set out for a fish that always entertains: the acrobatic Blacktip Shark.
S14:E8 - “Snappers In The Mangroves” (2019)
Tom Rowland & Rich Tudor get back to the basics with a day of Snapper fishing around Florida Bay.
S14:E7 - “Ballyhoo Sprays” (2019)
Captain Tom Rowland and Captain Rich Tudor spend some time on the reefs in the Middle Florida Keys.
S14:E6 - “Everglades Snook And Reds” (2019)
Captains Tom Rowland & Rich Tudor head to the fertile grounds of the Everglades to target game fish.
S14:E5 - “Matt Hughes vs. The Sharks” (2019)
Captain Tom Rowland and Captain Rich Tudor are joined by nine-time UFC champion Matt Hughes.
S14:E4 - “Lower Keys Tarpon” (2019)
Tom & Rich fish the Lower Florida Keys for tarpon and find the jackpot.
S14:E3 - “Lower Keys Redbones” (2019)
Tom & Rich are targeting bonefish but are pleasantly surprised by an eager school of redfish.
Daniel Andrews of Captains for Clean Water discusses the state of the Everglades with Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor on Saltwater Experience Television show. As seen on the Discovery Channel, Waypoint and Sportsman Channel.
S14:E1 - “Hawks Cay Grand Reopening” (2019)
Tom & Rich celebrate Hawks Cay reopening post-Hurricane Irma.
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:
I really like to teach people how to do what I do and show them this incredible experience of the fishing on the shallow clear flats of the Florida Keys. I was fishing out of a 16 foot boat, when I started, and I could take a maximum of 2 people at a time.
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:
My favorite rod is a St Croix Legend XTreme Inshore Spinning Rod. I like it in the 7 foot Medium/Heavy action.
Starting out, I did everything from changing bearings on trailers to taking firewood to camp. I also got to do some guiding when everyone else was full and when they weren’t it was up to me to go teach fly casting at local guest ranches to try to recruit some trips.
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S15:E6 - “The Lower Keys Highway” (2020)
Captains Tom Rowland and Rich Tudor head to the Lower Keys for Tarpon and various types of Jacks.