3 minute read
Q&A with Conservation Captain Rob Kramarz
Captain Rob Kramarz
Key West, Florida
What makes the Florida Keys unique for flats fishing?
To me, the Keys are such a vast and diverse biosphere that on any given day you have the opportunity to pursue multiple species in areas that can change within a 20-minute boat ride. You can start your day on the oceanside flats, then work your way out back and fish on grass flats or mangroves, then move to channel edges and then finally make it to the Gulf edge flats.
What kind of work have you done with BTT?
Most of the work that I have done with BTT deals with Project Permit. I had the honor back in 2014 of being involved with the first two permit to ever have been tagged with satellite tracking devices, which are used to assist in the science of understanding their movements.
What is your favorite guiding story?
Hands down my favorite guiding story would have to be a father and son team from Boston who booked three days of permit fishing in May 2014. Not really the best month to book for permit, but it was a nice break from the tarpon grind. The weather of the first two mornings was not even close to the forecast, and it was dismally raining, but conditions improved enough both days that we could get the afternoon in. Over these two afternoons, father and son each captured their first permit, and they had each hooked four permit with both getting three to the boat. Eight permit in eight hours of fishing! Unreal. Their last day had beautiful weather, but we were scaring every fish we encountered. I could sense the frustration in both, so as we made our way back to the ramp, they explained that they were perplexed as to why they were not catching on this perfect day. To ease or add to their confusion, my response was simple… “That’s permit fishing!” I also asked them to give me a call when they finally realized what they had accomplished in those three days. Well, that call only came in 2019, but now we get to continue the hunt together for permit twice a year!
How do you try to be environmentally-friendly as a guide?
There has definitely been an increase in plastic pollution since I’ve become a guide. I have started requesting that my clients not purchase single-use plastic for a day on the water. I also ask them to help out by pointing out and picking up any ocean debris, and we do our part to make the Keys as pristine as possible. Kick Plastic!
