Keyes is the key to fishing fun
louise bolger | sun
Jonny, Joe and Jim Keyes are ready to assist
you in
all your fishing needs.
It may take a village to raise a child, but does it also take a village to catch a fish? You’ll probably need a different kind of village, but to those who take fishing seriously it's one that’s just as important.
Jim Keyes and his family had been owners of Island Discount Tackle since 2009 when the opportunity presented itself to take over the marina operation in 2011. At that time, they decided to blend both the tackle shop and the marina together under the ownership of the Keyes family. Paul and Sally Keyes and their three sons Jim, Joe and Jonny, have created a family owned and operated business catering to the needs of local fishermen and tourists.
The tackle shop stocks a full line of rods and reels like Shimano, Peen Reels, St. Croix Rods, G. Loomis and Star. They have live and frozen bait as well as a large assortment of boating gear and fishing licenses. They are staffed by fisherman, not salesmen, who really understand the needs of the recreational fisherman.
They also have an on-line store that is accessed through their website where you can order fishing gear or a gift certificate for the hard to please fisherman. But according to Jim Keyes, what Island Discount Tackle is really valuable for is in dispensing advice and acting as a clearing house of information about local fishing grounds provided by the charter captains and fisherman passing through the shop.
The 19-slip marina adjacent to the tackle shop provides transient, weekly and monthly slip space for boats up to 30 feet. Keyes Marina has the only mid-island commercial slips available and is a great asset for seasonal residents. Another great feature is a mechanic’s shop on site for engine repairs or to get you going for the season as well as gasoline at the marina.
If you’re interested in hiring a fishing captain for a half or full day, just call Keyes Marina, and they can set you up with an experienced captain. No need for you to make several calls checking on an individual captain’s availability Keyes can coordinate a charter that fits your schedule.
If you just want to fish off one of the piers or wade in the water they can point you in the right direction or just for fun stop by the marina in the afternoon when the charters return to watch the pelicans dive while the fish are being cleaned.
Keyes Marina has a parasail boat and snorkel, dolphin and sightseeing tours leaving from their docks and they plan on being involved in any future island shuttle service. Their goal is to tailor and grow their business to the needs of both tourists and locals.
Stop by Anna Maria’s own fishing village where it’s one stop shopping for all your fishing, charter, marina and entertainment needs. Does it take village to catch a fish? Maybe that and a couple of well placed hooks.
KEYES MARINA & ISLAND DISCOUNT TACKLE
5501 & 5503 Marina Drive
Holmes Beach
941-778-1977
888-779-2838
7 a.m. every day
Closes to accommodate the season
All major credit cards
accepted
www.keyesmarina.com