A little bit of everything
Capt. Jim Hobales
July 15, 2008
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
071208
I'm with Rob, Betty and Mary today at Flamingo the Morning started out pretty good with a couple of good hits and then both Mary and Betty landed nice Snook. There were plenty of Tarpon rolling within casting distance but the bugs were bad and we eventually had to move. We were in Whitewater Bay and the conditions looked great, we found some bait on one of my favorite points with fish busting the bait; but no bites! We moved around trying to find some moving water but the bugs were brutal and the ladies didn't like it. Rob had a real nice hit, the rod doubled over and the fish was pulling drag, when it didn't come up I told him it was a nice Goliath Grouper. It was around a 6 pounder and it fought great. We ran to the Gulf and made our way to the Tarpon grounds, they were rolling and free jumping but would not bite. We made our way to a Trout flat where they caught 50 or so Trout, Jacks, Snappers and Ladyfish. It was a short day so we made our way back to the marina.
071308
I am with Rick and his son Fisher who is 6 years old (he fished and acted much older)from San Diego. There wasn't much tide but we caught the end of the outgoing and beginning of the incoming, I thought it would be enough to get the Snook going but they didn't respond at all. I netted some 6 inch Mullet and moved into a spot I know holds Tarpon, even though we couldn't see them. It didn't take long and we were hooked up to a big fish pulling plenty of drag. The 12 lb rod was doubled over, we were using a circle hook which normally get the Tarpon in the top jaw. The rod went limp. the fish just stripped the bait off the hook. I rigged up a second bait and we were off again! This time the Tarpon jumped 6 feet in the air and then jumped again and again lading on the line breaking it. There was a storm moving in on us and it shut the Tarpon off but the Sharks made an appearance. Fisher caught a small Black Tip
We made a run for a safer area and we worked it hard but no bites. We had a 8 foot Lemon Shark up on the edge of a flat so we pitched a bait to him, Fisher showed what he could do when the Shark ate the bait. Fisher is all of 40 lbs and the Shark was easily in the 150 lb range, he fought it with so much skill and beat him. It was impressive on 12 lb tackle! We moved up onto Snake Bight and fish the pot holes, the fish turned on we caught big Trout, 5 lb Jacks, a 20 inch Snapper, and plenty of Ladyfish, while hoping for a big Snook. The low pressure, SW winds and week tide movement shut the fish down. This really was a tough day we ran from lightning, rain and wind but we stuck to it and managed to catch plenty of fish wearing out Fisher to the point he was snoring on the ride out of the park! This was great trip with Rick being an unselfish father and letting Fisher catch all the fish!
This weeks full moon should increase the tide movement and the Snook should be back to normal. I heard the Snook bite in the inlets was on fire the last few nights.
Flamingo Fishing Forecast:
The big tides this week should produce some Snook bites.
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