Captain Barry Hoffman,a Florida Keys fishing guide, fishing the flats and backcountry for bonefish, tarpon and redfish on fly and light tackle in the Florida keys.

Hello and welcome to my website! I'm an amicable and patient guide who will work hard to make your day on the water a success. I am a native of South Florida and have been fishing the flats of the Florida Keys even before I called it my home sixteen years ago. Whether you choose to fish for tailing Bonefish, cruising Tarpon or Redfish, I assure you an enjoyable, interesting and exciting day in the Florida Keys. For the novice fisherman, I'll provide friendly fly fishing or light tackle instruction. For the accomplished angler I can help to fine tune your casting skills. Expert? Our gamefish should provide quite the thrill and challenge you're looking for. There's a lot of information contained in this site. So read on and contact me for an unforgettable trip. Thanks! Capt. Barry Hoffman

The Bonefish is truly the "Gray Ghost" of the flats! They are covered with mirror-like scales which provide them with amazing camouflage. They are also extremely wary of their surroundings. These two characteristics can make them quite a challenge to catch! This type of fishing requires a stealthy approach and accurate presentation.They possess a deeply forked tail and streamlined body for their blazing first run. Usually, they will rip off one hundred yards of line in a matter of seconds.

A Permit is perhaps one of the toughest gamefish to fool. They inhabit the deeper edges of flats and are every bit as hard, if not harder, to catch than Bonefish. These broad fish put up a lengthy battle, seemingly not ever wanting to give up. These fish are best pursued on a light spinning rod with a reel capacity of at least one hundred and fifty yards of eight to twelve pound test line. The typical flyfishing outfit is a nine weight rod and matching reel with the same capacity. Weight-forward floating lines are the most commonly used. The ability to single, double and water haul your flyline is very important, as these fish tend to move quickly and change direction frequently.

The "Silver King" of the Keys! A baby Tarpon starts at around ten pounds while the adults can average eighty to over one hundred and fifty pounds. Beginning about February, these large fish migrate throughout the Keys and peak at about May. The smaller fish can be caught on lighter rods of ten pound class. The larger fish are caught on conventional tackle rated at twenty to thirty pounds. Depending on the size of the fish, the battle can last from twenty minutes to over two hours. Upon hooking one, they can put on an unbelievable aerial performance. Year after year, clients come back to do battle with the Silver King, it's just that exciting! Whether a novice angler or seasoned flyfisherman, you can do this! Flyfishing tackle gets a little larger with the big boys. Ten to twelve weight rods are the norm.

These fish are a lot of fun. They are a bit more angler-friendly and tolerant of misplaced casts for the novice angler. They are found on the backcountry flats of Everglades National Park. There is nothing prettier than a quiet morning back in Florida Bay, searching for those squared-off tails rising above the calm surface. Eight pound spinning tackle and an eight weight fly rod are a great match for them.

The flats of the Florida Keys offer several other species to catch. Although usually encountered while fishing for the other species, these toothy critters still provide quite a pull. The Barracuda has a slashing attack when striking your bait. They'll zip out line almost as quick as a Bonefish and also provide an aerial battle for you. The sharks you'll encounter average about five to fifteen pounds in weight and include the Lemon , Blacktip and the Bonnethead.

These are our "fun-fish". They are easier to catch than the other species and can provide a bit more action for the angler. These fish are found back in Florida Bay, the southernmost region of Everglades National Park. This is a more relaxed type of fishing, the accurate casts and vision needed with the other species is not required. A camera is definitely needed. The Mangrove islands and wildlife surrounding them, provide many spectacular pictures