After weeks and weeks of wind, we finally got back out together and hit the Florida Keys patch reefs for a throwback day that turned into pure chaos—in the best way. We broke down what we’re actually looking for when we say “patch reef fishing,” from reading the marks above the bottom on the sounder to seeing how the fish stack up when you’ve got a chum bag out. We were in less than 10 feet of water and still managed mutton snapper, a weird toothy houndfish-looking surprise, and nonstop sharks that kept Elizabeth BUSY all day. The sharks were relentless, but we handled every one safely and got clean releases, which matters to us even when the bite gets wild. We also stuck a legal mutton (just over 19 inches) even while running a stealthy 15 lb leader. Then we brought it home and turned it into dinner: I filleted that mutton after it sat packed in ice overnight, and we experimented with an oyster pan setup—oysters, shrimp, and mutton down in the “butter and juice” zone—plus a blackened pan piece on the side. The surprise winner was the mutton cooked in the oyster pan because it basically poached in butter and oyster juice, and it was unreal.