STORY BY: Benny Blanco
PHOTOS BY: Nick Kelley
LOCATION: South Florida
Although the Florida Keys are a hot spot for tourism, the area is better known to locals, guides, and anglers around the world by a more legendary title — the birthplace of flats fishing. Since the 1940s, most of the world records for tarpon, permit, and bonefish have been earned in these waters. Between the shallow waters, tides, and the fish themselves, the Keys is the most technically challenging fishery on the planet, and a magnet for anglers from all over. Captain Benny Blanco takes us through his experience in the waters and what he’s doing to maintain them for future generations.
As a kid growing up in Miami, there was a lot of concrete but not a lot of opportunities to be out in nature. And coming from a family of lawyers, doctors, and scholars, fishing wasn’t in my blood. But the second I first saw a tiny little fish in a creek, I felt drawn to it. I couldn’t believe no one else was as enamored as I was. I was the only one who caught the fishing bug in the family and even that early on, I knew I needed to be in, on, or around the water. I just followed that feeling, dove directly into it, and 26 years later, I make a good living doing what I love — being a guide in one of the most beautiful places out there, the Florida Keys.
SHALLOW WATERS, DEEP POTENTIAL
The history of the Keys tells you how incredible this place is. Dense and basically uninhabitable upon its discovery hundreds of years ago, the implementation of transportation from the mainland to the island helped the Keys attract visitors from all over. As the population grew and word of the incredible fishing spread, the Keys evolved into one of the most popular fishing destinations in the world and one of the only places you can target the big five — snook, redfish, permit, bonefish, tarpon — in one day. To many, the Keys offer an opportunity to visit a Caribbean fishery in the United States.
As the birthplace of salt water sight fishing with a fly rod, every single fly fisherman comes here to test their merit. Because if you’re good here, you’re good anywhere. With most of the fishing taking place in water less than 3 feet deep, it's one of the most technically challenging fisheries in the world, and requires a great understanding of fish patterns, water flows, boat position, and overall, just damn good eyesight.
A LOVE FOR THE FLATS, FISHING, AND TRADITION
From a guiding perspective, the Keys are a highly competitive place to be, but there’s also a community aspect that gives it a unique vibe — very laid back but professional. We take our fishing seriously. We want our clients to experience what we know and love about our home waters, so we’re getting the boat ready, making a plan, and focusing on what needs to be done. But in a flip of a switch, we’re drinking key lime margaritas at Lorelei and listening to Jimmy Buffet.
There’s a love for the flats, for fishing, and for tradition among not only the guides, but also the greater community as a whole, including marina owners and homeowners. A lot of the kids that grow up here become guides which shows how much the tradition is woven throughout the community.
POSITIVE PRESSURE
There’s a lot of heart for the physical place itself, and conservation exists in every aspect because we know if we don’t fight for it, we could lose it.
COVID sent a lot of people outdoors and with that the interest in the flats is growing rapidly. One of the more challenging aspects of fishing right now is the demand on guides, which can be a double-edged sword. It puts a lot of pressure on the fishery, but it allows us to teach people that we need to protect it. While having more people on the flats than ever seems like a detrimental thing, it means we also have more people than ever willing to fight to protect them.
Flip Pallot and Jose Wejebe, who are legendary figures in Florida fishing, have been huge players in conserving the flats, and it's important we continue their work. Some of the greatest advice Flip ever gave me was, “There will be times where you don’t feel like the work we’re doing is making an impact, but that’s when you take a break. You go fishing and forget about everything for however long you need to, because when you come back you have to keep pushing. You can never say you’re out.” Every time I’ve followed that advice, I’ve come back stronger.
“THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT BUT WHAT HAS REMAINED FAIRLY CONSTANT IS THE LOVE FOR THE FLATS, THE FISH, AND THE TRADITIONS OF FLATS FISHING IN THE KEYS.”
AN ANOMALY OF OPPORTUNITIES
There is incredible fishing in Louisiana, and up the coast there’s incredible tuna fishing in Boston, and Texas is renowned for its redfish, but in the Keys, it’s an anomaly. There’s so much opportunity here to experience different species and different waters. I feel fortunate that regardless of the weather or water conditions, there’s always fish readily available. Some days, I can rely on redfish and on others I can be challenged by tarpon.
It sounds cliche to say but the Keys are sort of an oasis. With 550 sq. miles of flats in the Florida Bay, you can be on the water and not see any buildings, allowing you to get away from anything and everything. Where else can you do that? It’s truly a one of a kind place.
Captain Benny Blanco is a fishing guide and conservationist in South Florida. His passion for fishing has taken him from the sea to the stage, working closely with Captains for Clean Water to advocate for the protection and restoration of the Everglades and aquatic ecosystems in the Keys.