More Pics Cost: 1/2 day - $350; 3/4 day - $450; Full day - $550; Night tarpon - $350; Split trip - $600 Dates: Year round Duration: Open Location: Key West, FL Not Included: Lunch, Drinks other than water Phone Number: 305-797-2452 Provided: Boat, license, bait, tackle, ice & bottled water Species: Permit, Tarpon, Bonefish, Barracuda, Jacks,Sharks, Redfish, Cobia Website: www.keywestflats.net

Flats & Back Country Fishing - Key West, FL

Welcome to Key West, FL, the end of the road in the Continental United States. This 100 mile stretch of mangrove islands and shallow flats, splitting the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, is home to the most elusive sport fish in all of angling. Known simply as the Backcountry, the famous Grand Slam trio of tarpon, permit, and bonefish roam these waters waiting to test anglers and their gear to the limit.

The Fishing:

This is shallow water sight fishing at its finest. No trip to America's southernmost city is complete until you've picked up a rod and reel and gone head to head with the best that saltwater angling has to offer.

The waters I fish are part of the famous Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge. Along with the famous Grand Slam species, you'll have shots at sharks, barracuda, jacks, redfish, and cobia, depending on the season. Above the waterline this area is also home to countless ospreys, pelicans, egrets, and even a few nesting bald eagles. Dolphins, manatee, and sea turtles are also common sights as we quietly push along these silent shallows.

My name is Captain Mike Bartlett and as a year-round Key West resident I'm eager to share these most challenging waters that I now call home. Although this island is a long way from Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River of my youth, fly casting for tarpon and bonefish was not a difficult leap for a born and raised bass fisherman. After nearly a decade of time spent in the Keys, I am able to translate my experience and passion for this saltwater sport to anglers of all backgrounds and skill levels.

I offer several types of charters to suit any angler's needs, using the finest saltwater fly and spin fishing gear. My boat is a 17 foot Maverick Mirage 2 powered by a proven 90 hp Yamaha outboard. Capable of floating in a foot of water, this boat will get us to the best flats quickly and comfortably with maximum time spent fishing. How we spend our day is completely up to the angler. Whether you want to pursue a tournament winning permit on fly or have a ten year-old kid simply bend a rod for the first time, everyone is welcome aboard my boat.

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