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Miami, Florida - Offshore
Capt. Mark Houghtaling
February 7, 2000
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing Report February 20, 2000 Mark Houghtaling
If you think the Sailfishing should be good this time of year , you're right, it is. Two hundred and eightyfive Sailfish were caught last week during the Ocean Reef Yacht Club Presidential Sailfish Tournament. The conditions were marginal at best, with dirty water, slow current, and periods of no wind, but the fish prevailed and made fishing exciting for the sixty boats that fished the tournament. Captain Marty Locke on the "Naked Furniture" explained that the fish were moving in pods. If your boat could get into a pod of fish, you were guaranteed a good bite. At one point during the tournament the Dolphin became so thick they became a bother to the anglers trying to hook up a Sail. First place boat was the First Class with 13 fish. Second boat was the Naked Furniture also with 13 fish , but they were beat on time, and third place went to the Final Chance with 11 fish. First place angler was Tom Garvey releasing 11 fish on the First Class, second place angler was Rick Gunion fishing aboard the L&H with 8 fish, and third place angler was Mike Levy aboard the Predator releasing 6 fish.. Top lady angler was Nancy Brooks fishing on the Key Lime and she released a total of 6 fish.
Dolphin fishing was good this past week. They were cruising the reef feeding on small flying fish that have invaded the area. While cleaning Dolphin this week, I found many fish with their stomachs stuffed with flying fish. Many times you will hear captains talk about a "shower"…and it's not the one they take once a week. They are talking about an event that happens when gamefish chase a school of baitfish such as flying fish and the baitfish take to the air in a "shower" to get away from their prey. This is a common site this time of year when the Dolphin are in the area and are chasing these flying fish. It is almost a sure sign of some type of gamefish in the same area. When you see it happening, try to position your boat in front of the shower and wait for the fish to come your way. Present them with a live bait fish and the rest should be history.
Kingfish were biting in the area of Government Cut in the early morning hours. Anglers fishing in 60 to 90 feet of water were finding Kings from 6 to 12 pounds. Pilchards and Threadfin Herring were working best. Pilchards have been seen inside Government Cut near the large ships tied up to port.
One angler reported good patch reef fishing off Elliot Key. The Muttons were hitting live Pilchards. They were small but legal size (16"). He also reported catching a few legal size (20") red Grouper and three Cero Mackerel. This cooler weather should help the reef fishing.
There is a proposal to privatize Haulover and Black Point Marinas. Your tax dollars have built these marinas and now they want to take them away. I can see a private vendor moving into these marinas and making things very expensive for the average boat owner. There is already a private vendor selling gas at Black Point Marina and the people who dock their boats at a slip or have it placed in dry storage have no choice but to pay inflated gasoline prices. What happens to the yearly ramp fee we pay now? Will it stay the same? Or, will I have to buy one for one marina, and another to go to a county run marina. There are many unanswered questions that need to be addressed now. Let your County Commissioners and your County Manager, Merrit Stierheim , know how you feel about this issue .Let them know you are against the request for Proposal 195, the Privatization of County Marinas.
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