Combining Caribbean vibes with easy access from the mainland, the Florida Keys emit a unique energy—from the bustling patios of Duval Street to the tranquil waters of the flats.
A sight-fishing paradise, their crystal-clear waters give adventure anglers a rare opportunity to sight fish for some of the trickiest species—permit and bonefish, tarpon and barracuda. But like so many fishing paradises, hurricane season slams the Keys year after year.
Local fishing guide Randy Morrow has lived through 13 such storms. As he shares footage from Hurricane Irma’s wrath—including waiting out the storm, hunkered down in Cudjoe Key—he reflects on the damage and recovery of both the resilient locals and the fish in a new film by NRS Fishing: “A Resilient Paradise: Florida Keys”— the final film in its Resilient Paradise series.
nbsp;“The Keys are one of the most interesting places I think anyone can live,” says Morrow. “You feel like you’re on a Caribbean Island although you’re still in the States… and if you like to do water-based things, it’s a terrific place. Nothing can compare to the access to the water here…”
“I think the fish, they’ve lived with these things for eons. So they know where to go hide and then they know how to find food when they come back,” he adds.
Adds fellow angler Brooks Beatty: “There’s a certain energy that happens once you cross into The Keys. It’s infectious. The energy is electric. And it’s on and off the water. There’s a buzz when you’re down on Duval Street, and there’s the same energy when you’re out fishing on the flats.”
“The Keys have always been a place that has a kind of allure to it… It’s not the number of fish that you catch. It’s more about the opportunity to be around stuff that you just can’t be around anywhere else in the United States. There’s no other place you’re gonna get bones, tarpon and opportunities at permit like you do in the Keys.” –Jameson Reddin
Full film on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/cKiiqoo-hYI