Fish In the Keys
- Thread starter critofer
- Start date
justjosh
New member
I was just in the Keys about two weeks ago. Good luck catching fish, it is really difficult! Especially if you are free-diving. It is very easy to find cool serpent stars, just start turning rocks up-side-down. I also found a bumblebee shrimp under a rock! I have NEVER seen one for sale so I was pretty pumped when I found him! 
hotrodolds
New member
Count on seeing french angels, srgnt. majors and various blue damsels. Those are guarantees.
olemiss reb
Molon Labe
These are all from that area: http://divertom.com/Fish_Price_List.php
Not sure how common they all are though
Not sure how common they all are though
Uncle Salty 05
New member
Brracudas are a given as well. Don't wear any jewelry.
On my last trip to Pennekamp on Key Largo, while I was out snorkeling and I looked back at the boat and there was a cuda that had to be 7-8 feet long just hanging in the shade the boat was providing it.
Enjoy your trip!
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...t=Florida+keys+reef+fishes&FORM=IGRE#x0y15906
On my last trip to Pennekamp on Key Largo, while I was out snorkeling and I looked back at the boat and there was a cuda that had to be 7-8 feet long just hanging in the shade the boat was providing it.
Enjoy your trip!
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...t=Florida+keys+reef+fishes&FORM=IGRE#x0y15906
jlnielsen13
New member
keys
keys
Pretty sure you cannot take anything out of the water... Really as a diver you aren't suppossed to touch or overturn anything. Basically if every diver did that kind of stuff the reef would be in even more shape than it is.
You also won't see as much as you would have 5-10 years ago. The reef is pretty "Dead" down there compared to others. You will see lots of atlantic tangs, a couple queen and french angels, blue head wrasse, jeweled damsels, shrimp, lobster, and various crabs. Groupers, moray eels and too many others are also seen.
Have fun!
keys
Pretty sure you cannot take anything out of the water... Really as a diver you aren't suppossed to touch or overturn anything. Basically if every diver did that kind of stuff the reef would be in even more shape than it is.
You also won't see as much as you would have 5-10 years ago. The reef is pretty "Dead" down there compared to others. You will see lots of atlantic tangs, a couple queen and french angels, blue head wrasse, jeweled damsels, shrimp, lobster, and various crabs. Groupers, moray eels and too many others are also seen.
Have fun!
Uncle Salty 05
New member
Here are some examples of how "dead" the reefs in the keys are.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18573168#post18573168
justjosh
New member
Wow, whoever took these must be a really cool bloke.
I recommend Molasses reef and French Reef. They are both by far the best reefs in the keys. There are also many wrecks that you can dive. However, on French and Molasses you are not allowed to collect. You can only collect on reefs that are NOT protected. It is very easy to tell; if a site has a yellow buoy near it, it is protected. Here is a star that I brought home! http://s870.photobucket.com/albums/ab270/justjoshreefer/?action=view¤t=DSC_0167.jpg&newest=1
nivram
New member
You are allowed to collect what the FWC considers ornamental species. However, you must have the appropriate license and follow the rules as outlined by the FWC.
Digitalelectric
New member
My fiance and I were in Key West last August. On the southern end of the island near the SHaraton there is a public beach, I cant remember the name of it. Anyways the second you walk out into it youre litterally standing in a reef. Bring snorkel gear and lots of sunscreen. We were lobster red afterwards because we lost track of time. There were baby brain corals everywhere. There were occasional branch corals. LOTS of urchins so watch the fingers and toes. Lots of sponges. Various fish including damsels, boxfish, baby sporting fish, and more. There was life everywhere in this reef however there was a LOT of sediment. Im guessing thats why the reef looked "dead." There was no coralline at all unless you turned over a rock and saw some on the bottom. I think all the jet skiing outside of the protected zone was contributing to the sediment a bit. :/ Pennecamp park is ok but we didnt stay there long. Next time we will.
psteeleb
Team RC
if you want to bring stuff back I'd visit some of the local collectors that sell on line. We picked up several things from one of them the day before we left. Everything was bagged, boxed and ready to go.
I know there are several local collectors/sellers but have only visited one of them.
I'd send out emails to the ones closest to where you are staying and see if they will sell to you directly.
I know there are several local collectors/sellers but have only visited one of them.
I'd send out emails to the ones closest to where you are staying and see if they will sell to you directly.
Uncle Salty 05
New member
Wow, whoever took these must be a really cool bloke.
I recommend Molasses reef and French Reef. They are both by far the best reefs in the keys. There are also many wrecks that you can dive. However, on French and Molasses you are not allowed to collect. You can only collect on reefs that are NOT protected. It is very easy to tell; if a site has a yellow buoy near it, it is protected. Here is a star that I brought home! http://s870.photobucket.com/albums/ab270/justjoshreefer/?action=view¤t=DSC_0167.jpg&newest=1
That he is.
I hope I don't owe you a fee for using your pics, which are great by the way.:wave:
donkeys4hire
New member
You can collect Florida Ricordia and other softies. Most ornamentals too. All you need is a SW fishing licence. Check out myfwc.com
Digitalelectric
New member
Careful where you collect from.
justjosh
New member
Hah, thank you and not at all, spread the glory! :lolspin:
I am only 15 so I wont need the license! Wow, thanks guys I totally forgot about this post.
We are staying on Big Pine key, the house owner said there are spot reefs everywhere so Ill just snorkel around out there =D
Looks like Ill be collecting some ricordia and other stuff. any pistol shrimp by anychance?
We are staying on Big Pine key, the house owner said there are spot reefs everywhere so Ill just snorkel around out there =D
Looks like Ill be collecting some ricordia and other stuff. any pistol shrimp by anychance?
Agu
Premium Member
Was just talking with an experienced/licensed collector a couple of days ago. Ricordia cannot be collected with any hint of substrate attached. He's required to scrape them off rock with a plastic knife. With the huge amount of work and low survivability he no longer collects ricordia.
Pistol shrimp are easy to find if you turn over rocks. Catching them is not so easy. Even if you catch them realize they don't typically pair with gobies as do the indo-Pacific shrimp.
Best advice you got was to snorkel and enjoy the wildlife, then buy specimens from a licensed collector.
keywestcoralboy
Executive water changer
Agu is wrong, A 1'' piece of substrate is allowed while collecting Ricordia and zooanthia. and pistol shrimp are eaasy to catch
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