I'll be visiting the Keys from March 14th - the 20th. I'm going to be Kayaking a lot around Bahia Honda Park (I Think). I have intentions of bringing my 8wt fly rod and a lot of salfwater flies with me. I'm looking to hook up with anything crusing the flats or mangroves. Crossing my fingers for a hungry bonefish. This will be my fist trip to the keys with a fly rod and I'm looking for any information / hints / tips / advice that could be thrown my way.

Not sure where Bahia Honda is but I have made several trips in the backwater at Islemorada. Sight casting with light spinning. Snook, juvy tarpon, bonefish, permit, shark and tripletails. I'm sure you will do good, look for the bait busting.  The water is shallow and clear, you will see the fish a long way off.

bahia honda is my favorite park in the keys. some of the best big tarpon fishing in the world is right there. you will see some guides there fishing for tarpon. the road runner, jim bourbon, and many other guides will be there in the early morning and late afternoon. watch which span they are fishing, and when they leave, go to that span. there are permit, big jacks, big snapper and a whole plethera of other palagics that roam that area. if you go out back (in the gulf of mexico) you can catch snapper, grouper, and if you snorkel, lobsters. to the east is the old henry flagler bridge which holds fish as well. if the fishing is slow, buy yourself a barracuda rig which is basically a long flourecent tube looking bait with a treble hook at the end and you will catch all the cudas you want. be very careful in the bay between the new bridge and the old bridge, there are LOTS of HUGE bull sharks and hammerheads. have a great time and be sure to clean up after yourself if you are camping, because the park rangers are extremely nice, but extremely intolerant of tourist who litter and don't abide by the rules. that park is usually in the top 10 beaches in the world according to that dude Mr. Beach. if you have never been to bahia honda you are in for a real treat---it is beautiful. enjoy!

ps if you can't get live bait, ask one of the tarpon guides and they may be willing to sell you a couple.