Deep Sea Fishing Ft.Lauderale on Happy Day Today with Capt. Zsak
Capt. David Zsak
December 14, 2010
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
Cold day this morning here in sunny South Florida, winds out of the north, northwest 12-15 mph - Sea conditions 2-3 ft.
Mr. Auellan chartered the Happy Day Today to do some deep sea fishing in South Florida off of Ft. Lauderdale. We started off by trolling Ballyhoos for surface baits and two plainers, one with a pink sea witch with a Bonito strip and the other with a 3 ½ blue reflector spoon. We had some live Goggle Eyes in the bait well, which I planned to use later in the trip, looking for that color change, the avenue that Sailfish like to migrate in. Trolling around, we hooked up with some King Fish, 5-8 lbs, and some Black Fin Tunas, which is a tasty meal grilled or baked. The color change of the seas was in around 200 ft. of water, but there was no current. In this condition the best way to hook up fish is to position yourself over wrecks, so we set up the kite with our live bait on top of an artificial wreck off of Ft Lauderdale in South Florida that has been there since 1981. We have 34 artificial wrecks in Broward County South Florida off of Ft. Lauderdale. These wrecks hold Groupers, Snappers, Cobia, Wahoos and a variety of different species, including Sailfish. Wrecks will maintain baits around them and in return predators are there to feed on them. So with no currents, it is an excellent place to start.
As we were flying the kite, waiting for sailfish to arrive, I told Mitch to put down a live bait on the bottom for a Grouper or Snapper. Within 20 minutes, the deep rod bent over. The question now was, What is it? Grouper? Snapper? After another 15 minutes of fighting the fish, the angle of the line started to rise to the surface – this is a tell sign that it could be a grouper or a Snapper. If you raise these fish off the bottom quickly, their bladder blows up and raises them to the surface, making it easier for the angler. I looked behind the boat 100 ft, and there was the fish coming to the surface. "Nice Snapper", I yelled down. Mitch gaffed the fish and put him in the fish box. That is going to make a fine meal – any way you prepare it - it will be good.
Time was running out as we sat waiting for a Sailfish bite. Right before the fat lady blows the whistle, there he is on the left long, dorsal fin out of the water, as the Sailfish swam around the bait. He was not very aggressive. Mitch grabbed the line off the rod tip to pull the bait out of the water and drop it repeatedly to entice the fish to bite – it worked. Off went the Sailfish, taking the bait and jumping in and out of the water, doing his acrobat. After he was hooked up for 5 minutes, the fish decided not to play any more and spit out the hook, swimming away. Mr. Auellan said, it was not as important for him to catch the Sailfish, as it was to see the performance of the Sailfish dancing and tail walking on the water, and he thanked me for a very enjoyable fishing trip.
We headed back from our 4 hour deep sea fishing charter trip to the dock at Bahia Mar, in South Florida, Fort Lauderdale. This ends another successful and adventurous fishing excursion on the Happy Day Today with Captain Zsak.
Target Species:
Snapper
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