Local Legends Of The Keys Fishing Scene

🐠 Local Legends: Legendary Fishermen and Women of the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys have a long tradition of turning anglers into icons. Whether it’s through skill, storytelling, or pushing the sport forward, a few names rise above the rest. From world-record catches to groundbreaking TV shows, these local legends helped shape what fishing in the Keys looks like today.

Let’s dive into the stories of some of the most unforgettable names in Florida Keys fishing—including a few that helped bring it to the world’s attention.

🎣 José Wejebe – The Spanish Fly

José wasn’t just a fishing guide—he was a storyteller, educator, and one of the most influential figures to ever fish the Keys. His show, Spanish Fly, aired for over a decade and gave people across the country a front-row seat to the magic of fishing in the Keys.

He had a natural style—laid back but razor-sharp when it came to technique. Whether he was poling across a flat for bonefish or tossing plugs for tarpon, José made it look effortless. But behind that ease was serious knowledge and deep respect for the ocean.

Tragically, José passed away in a plane crash in 2012, but his legacy lives on. The José Wejebe Spanish Fly Memorial Foundation continues to support community causes and keep his spirit alive on the water.

🎣 Flip Pallot – The Flats Fishing Philosopher

If you’ve ever sight-fished the backcountry or dreamed about skimming across the shallows in a poling skiff, you’ve been touched by Flip Pallot’s influence—whether you know it or not.

Flip was a pioneer of modern flats fishing, especially fly fishing for tarpon, bonefish, and permit. He brought a poetic edge to the sport with his show The Walker’s Cay Chronicles, blending storytelling, philosophy, and serious angling skills.

He helped design some of the first skiffs built specifically for shallow water fishing and mentored a generation of guides and anglers. And while Flip is deeply connected to the Everglades and Biscayne Bay, the Keys were (and still are) a major part of his playground.

Ask any serious flats angler who influenced them, and Flip’s name comes up—every single time.

🎣 Ernest Hemingway – The Original Big Game Angler

Hemingway helped make deep-sea fishing famous in the Keys. In the 1930s, he was pulling in marlin and tuna from the Gulf Stream and writing about it back at Sloppy Joe’s. He brought the Keys into the spotlight—and gave fishing a little literary flair while he was at it.

🎣 Captain Skip Bradeen – Mr. Islamorada

Known for his boat Blue Chip Too and his larger-than-life personality, Skip Bradeen spent over five decades guiding anglers in Islamorada. Part fishing guide, part entertainer, part historian—Skip is a local institution.

🎣 Barbara Andersen – Queen of the Tarpon

Barbara made her mark in a sport dominated by men. With hundreds of tarpon under her belt and several tournament wins, she showed what precision and patience can do on the flats.

🎣 Jack Brothers & The Laidlaw Sisters – Quiet Giants of the Water

Jack, the reef expert from Marathon, and the Laidlaw sisters, early women guides in the Upper Keys, proved that legends don’t always need a camera crew to make their mark.

🎣 These Legends Weren’t Just Fishing

They were building something—an identity for the Keys. They influenced how we fish, how we treat the water, and how we tell the stories that come from it.

Whether you’re throwing a fly in the mangroves, trolling the deep for mahi, or just watching old episodes of Spanish Fly, you’re connecting with a legacy.