Tough conditions but a few good bites!
Capt. Jim Hobales
April 30, 2010
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
042310
I am fishing with Paul and Lucy from Toronto in Government Cut today. We had a strong outgoing tide but it didn't help the Tarpon bite, fortunately for us everything else in the ate. Lucy had the hot hand she caught Black Grouper, Red Grouper, Big Mangroves, Yellowtails, Hog Snapper, Mackerel, Grunts Margates, Blue Runners and Chubs. Paul was excited for his wife who was having a blast. Paul caught as many species plus a nice Barracuda. The high light of the day was watching the schools of Tarpon swim up on the light colored bottom on there way into the cut. Paul said he had never seen anything like that before.
042610
I fished Whitewater Bay today with Allen and his son Sam, they are from England but Sam resides in Atlanta. The morning started off with a bang, Sam was casting a Twitch n Rap and had a giant hit
which stayed down briefly then the 39 inch Snook broke the surface. The fish looked much bigger than the 16 lbs. it weighed on the scale, none the less a monster Snook considering the winter we had. We bounced around running from serious wind and squalls catching Jacks, Trout and Ladyfish. The rain had been clearing quickly until some serious stuff moved in and we had to bury the boat upagaist the highest mangroves we could find. It cleared a bit so I ran back towards the marina, we hit a point with some moving water. Add a strong wind and it made a ripping current which the Snook we stacked up in. Allen caught 3 Snook between 5-10lbs back to back to back. We probably could have caught more but we had lightning strike really close so we packed it up and ran! We decided to leave and will be back tomorrow.
042710
I am with Sam and his dad Allen again today, we got on some laid up Tarpon early and had some cast in the vicinity but no bite. The conditions were great so we ran to the Gulf, they weren't so great when we go there. We fished out front of Flamingo all day and the winds picked up to @ 20 mph. The bite was slow, we had full moon west wind and "banana nut bars". Bananas are bad luck don't bring them on the boat in any form! We did manage a couple fish with a 13 lb. Snook being the best. Sam caught a nice Lemon Shark and his dad had a couple big Sharks hooked up and lost after a long battle.
042910
This morning I fished with Brad and his wife Ellen in Government cut. It started off a little slow then Ellen's rod doubled over, after a short battle she landed a keeper size Red Grouper. "Grouper have to be released until May 2". I knew the Tarpon bite would be slow because of the full moon so we just tried to bend the rods. Ellen had the hot hand catching a few more Groupers, Yellowtails, Snappers, big Spanish Hogfish, Grunts and finally had a 120 lb. Tarpon pick up her bait. The fight was brief but exciting! Brad caught his share of fish as well but was more excited seeing his wife's rod doubled over. Brad ended up with a 22 inch Black Grouper which was a good quality fish. We ended up the day in the bay catching 20 Trout on Twitch n Raps.
I had an afternoon Trip with Brad and Mark and the action started quick. The Pelicans were diving on bait schools and Mark had a big hit at the boat but pulled the plug away. We moved out to the mouth of Government Cut and the surface erupted with fish busting baits, big Jack Crevalles. Brad and Mark fired Twicht n Raps into the school and we had a double hook up.
Brad Lost his and Mark landed a very tough 12 pound Jack.
The baits were still busting and we followed the diving birds, Brad had a big hook up that was peeling line. 10 minutes later he pulled up a 20 lb. Barracuda. The night was filled with assorted fish and ended up with Mark hooking a Tarpon for a short while until the Tarpon decided it was time to end the game. We stayed out a little longer and then called it a night.
Flamingo Fishing Forecast:
When the wind dies the fishing is much easier but they have been biting in the windy conditions.
Tarpon in the gulf have shown up pretty good all the from Flamingo south to Islamorada
Target Species:
Tarpon on both coasts!
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