ridiculous breezes
Capt. Jim Hobales
April 12, 2009
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
040609
Today I am Flamingo fishing with Mark and Cody from Ohio. The winds are supposed to pick up as a front pushes thru so I decide to go into Whitewater Bay. On the way out of Buttonwood Canal the small Tarpon were rolling and no one coming thru I let them cast at them, Mark hooked a 36" Tarpon. The morning was beautiful and the fish responded our first stop. Mark started it off with a big Snapper and a couple big Trout, then Cody found where the Snook were lying and put a few in the boat. This went on for an hour and then the bite just stopped, on to spot # 2. Mark was casting a live Shrimp with a popping cork and Cody was using a chartreuse paddle tail. The bite was on but it was only Trout, after catching a bunch we netted some Mullet and were off to a good Snook spot. We arrived and I power poled down and rigged up a Mullet. I told them were to cast as I put out the live bait and it was fast and furious! Snook and Jacks on almost every cast and Mark hooked a 25 inch Trout, meanwhile a monster Snook hit our Mullet behind the boat. I sat and watched it hit it knock it out of the water and miss it the bait came back completely scaled. I pitched another bait out to the same spot but it never got hit.
The bite slowed and I knew Cody wanted a Tarpon so we went looking, but now the winds were up. I covered a bunch of water and just didn't find them thick or cooperative. I stopped at a Gag Grouper spot and they both caught 3 lb Goliath Groupers. We finally got on some Tarpon in a couple different creeks but they showed no interest. I watched one blow up on a bait but still did not eat our mullet. I took them to a Goliath Grouper spot where they get big and we use 1-2 lb Jacks for bait. I pitched a bait into the hole and told him hold on , this isn't a Bass and he going to pull you in! He couldn't believe that his fish almost pulled him in and said "I want to do that again".
This time he lasted a little bit longer, Its like riding the mechanical bull! He was ready, I cast the next bait into the hole and the Goliath chased the Jack out of the hole and smashed hit on the surface! Cody put the heat on him keeping him from getting back into the trees. He brought him boat side and we snapped a few photos of the 20 lb Goliath and let it go. It was Marks turn, the bait hit the water the fish ate it and he cranked it in. that's just not the way it works normally. There is supposed to be some frustration! We had 10 baits and hooked 10 fish. These guys were beat so we headed to the ramp.
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040709
I am with Mark and Cody again today, I stayed out front in Florida Bay because the winds were west to N.W. 20-25 mph. A late season major cold front is coming thru today and will make it interesting. I have enough spots to hide all day from the wind at least I thought I did. We started out and things looked promising but there was no bite, we watched baits get busted but not on our lures. I saw a pod of mullet and netted some it never hurts to have them. We worked hard all day on high percentage spots and it just didn't happen. We did have a couple Mullet get hit by Snook but they just didn't stay hooked up. Today Mark fished alone because Cody slept all day like he was sea sick. I was really confused by this but still worked hard for Mark. We got into Tarpon that were actively busting mullet but again would not eat ours. I had Mark throwing a top water on a shallow flat and it got smashed but no hook up. . I put baits out for Sharks and they wouldn't eat. This cold front really had things messed up and by now the winds were around 30-35 mph. we stuck it out but only managed some Trout, Jacks,and Ladyfish on a difficult day.
041009
I am fishing Flamingo today with Brian and his dad Jerry, I decided to fish Whitewater Bay because we had a straight south wind which was blowing into Florida Bay and I could find plenty of protection back there. The first couple spots we stopped at we slow, we are on a full moon with a extremely high tides. I told them we would have to run north to catch the tide falling and we did. I pulled up to a spot with the wind and tide going in the same direction this is what we need for a good bite. I had netted some mullet and put them to work while Brian cast a X Rap. Brian had a big follow up and I told him to cast right back in top the same spot. The lure got blasted and the Snook was in the air and up set pulling and running all over the place. I knew the Snook was big but she was so black it was hard to tell from a distance. Brian finally got her close enough to see and we were excited about the size. Brian brought the Snook boat side and I lipped her with the Boga grip, this fish was much bigger than I thought. I lifted the big female up and checked the weight, almost 20 lb. I said. We took some photos, then Brian spent 7 or 8 minutes reviving her. I told him we really have to make sure she's ready to go, so just hang on to her for a while. He didn't mind looking at his prize catch while making sure she would be fine.
It was now Jerry's turn, he caught several Snook although not as big as Brians. Jerry found the Trout mixed in with the Snook and must of caught 10 or so. There were some big Snappers along with a 10 lb Goliath Grouper in there as well. The winds were really starting to blow so we moved around from spot to spot. The bite slowed and the mullet weren't even getting hit. It was late so I said let's go play with the Golaiths. We had caught some 2 lb. Jacks that make great bait and they didn't last long. Brian couldn't believe the power of the Goliaths, we went thru a couple Jacks and the bite just stopped.
I hooked up a Mullet and the big goliath came out and just inhaled it, Brian battled the fish back and forth and it finally got into a tree and cut him off. We did this 10 more times and they Goliaths won today even though Brian was close a couple times. It was late and we headed in but Brian and Jerry were definitely satisfied.
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Flamingo Fishing Forecast:
It getting better for Tarpon, Snook, Bonefish, and Permit every day. The mullet have moved in and the bigger fish are eating them.
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