South Florida is in a transition period as we move out of our summer pattern and into the beginnings of Fall. If you have been keeping up with my fishing reports you have noticed that this has been one of the weirdest summers in a long time when it comes to fishing and weather. And this has not been a good thing! Even though we have had some outstanding fishing adventures the weather has kept us at the dock and off the water more than usual. Almost every fishing guide has been eagerly waiting for our Fall migration to start so we can get some more reliable fishing action that almost always takes place during the Fall months. October is the month most expect this to happen but it is already happening here in South Florida.
Each year I write about the exciting Fall fishing that takes place here in South Florida. I am always urging my clients to take advantage of this fishing. It is truly nether best time of the year to get into the best action all year. Each year a small group of my clients get in on this action and it is almost always the same people each year. Many plan their whole years around this migration knowing what great fishing can be had in our calm protected bays of Biscayne Bay and Flamingo. I urge you if you have not fished during the Fall migration than you are surely missing out on a great and exciting time to be on the water!
Schools of immature baitfish have been holding in Biscayne Bay and some bigger baits are moving south along our beaches as I write this report. In Biscayne Bay we have had non-stop action using live baits and Rapala X Raps, Skitter Walks and SubWalks. Casting at actively feeding jacks crevalles, large ladyfish, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, large sea trout, snook, small tarpon and barracudas has been very exciting. This has been easy fishing! I have cruised around Biscayne Bay looking for birds diving on the surface and then casting these hard body plugs in the area and have had a blast. We have also had some sea trout to 26 inches and 5.5 pounds that have eaten live baits and yesterday we lost two tarpon in the 10 to 50 pound range that ate live baits fished under a Cajun Thunder float.
Offshore on Friday we got into a Fall feeding frenzy of jack crevalles in the eight to 10 pound range. These fish ate our Rapala plugs like there was no tomorrow. Mixed in with the jacks were some big bluerunners and 30 to 40 pound sharks. Fishing with plugs and live baits in 100 feet of water we had great action from bonitos and lost a few nice bottom fish.
Flamingo fishing has been very good. Slot size redfish and slot size snook are eating our pinfish and Gulp baits hooked to a ¼ ounce red Hookup lure jig. We are also catching snapper, sea trout, jacks and ladyfish in the Park but the snook and redfish have been pour targeted species.
I was in Steinhatchee Florida a few weeks ago with my family and another looking for scallops. Unfortunately he scallops were nowhere to be found due to the huge amounts of rain that that area had received before we got there. We did take a few fishing rods with us and had a great time catching sea trout, jacks, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, black sea bass, sharks, catfish, redfish and snappers. It was truly a great time!
Last week I spent five days in Key West with my wife and son. My daughter had to work. One of my clients has a condo in the Truman Annex that she rents out and we had a great stay there. The accommodations were great and located in walking distance of all of the places you want to see while in Key West. I trailered my boat down and kept it at Murrays Marine. That put us close to so many great lobster spots and good fishing. We lobstered three days and it took us a half day to find these tasty creatures but once we did we had no trouble limiting out each day. Best thing was we lobstered in the morning and fished in the afternoons. We had limit catches of yellowtails and quite a few dolphins and a wahoo. I apologize for not having any pictures of this trip.
Well that catches us up for now.