Hawk's Cay was developed in 1984 from the original 1960s-era Indies Inn on Duck Key, which survived the otherwise devastating Hurricane Donna. It was greatly expanded in the 1990s, and how has both standard guest rooms and fully furnished villas. I wanted to be as close to the fishing as possible, so my wife, two children, and I opted for a two-bedroom, two-bath villa with full kitchen that overlooked a cove. I walked out the door and fished every day, catching grunts and snappers and missing a barracuda.

Fishing is a pervasive theme here. On the wall near the front desk is a mounted 158-pound tarpon, caught by resort manager Don Johnson near Tom's Harbor Bridge, the span that leads to the resort.

The store at the marina on site sells bait and tackle, so gearing up is easy. Bring the family, because those who don't fish can snorkel nearby reefs, kayak to an uninhabited island (which has a bonefish flat; next time I'll stow a rod in the -¿yak), and swim the pools and private lagoon here. For information on rates, floor plans, and fishing opportunities, go to hawkscay.com or call 800-432-2242.

One other advantage of Hawk's Cay: If you want to try fishing elsewhere, all you need to do is leave the resort and make a left, which will bring to you to Marathon, the Seven Mile Bridge, and Key West. Make a right and you'll head up the island chain to Islamorada and the world famous Bud N' Mary's Fishing Marina (800-742-7945; budnmarys.com), which is what I did one day, and had one of my best days of fishing ever.

TIP: One of the many enjoyable aspects of Keys fishing is that you never know what you might catch, even if you're targeting a particular species. If you intend to keep fish, stay legal by picking up "Fish With Limits,-¿ an 8x10-inch laminated chart that has color illustrations of Florida species along with applicable length, limit, and season information (see image above). The snapper species are especially difficult to identify, and this card makes it easy. It costs around $7.