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North Biscayne Bay Fishing Report
Capt. Alan Sherman
October 14, 2004
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishig North Biscayne Bay
with Capt. Alan Sherman
Hurricane season continues through October and into November and by now I’m sure we are all novice meteorologists with all of the hurricane action that has taken place this year. Hopefully we have seen the last one for this year. As much as we all hate to see the damage and death that a hurricane can cause hurricanes do have a positive side to their characters. Hurricanes act as a cleaning agent in the bays and oceans with their high winds and heavy wave action which stirs up the bottom sediments allowing them to be pushed far offshore where they do less damage to the fragile marine life inshore and near shore. After a bad storm passes by once the waters have had a chance to settle the fishing usually explodes with almost every species of marine life feeding on whatever bait has been deposited in that area.
October fishing can be one of the most exciting times of the whole year. The weather is right in the middle, not too hot and not too cold. The fall migration of baitfish and predators has been in progress for a few weeks and all kinds of baitfish are moving into North and South Biscayne Bay as well as the Keyes and Flamingo. In North Biscayne Bay expect to see schools of pilchards, Spanish sardines, threadfin herring, finger mullet, silver mullet, black mullet and glass minnows scattered throughout the bay. Snook, tarpon, speckled sea trout, jack crevalles, ladyfish, mangrove snapper, barracuda’s, sharks, bluefish, Spanish & king mackerel, pompano and even a cobia or two feeding on these schools of baitfish. A keen eye is all you need to spot the birds working the bait schools. Once you have located the bait a 6’ to 10’ ¼” or 3/8” West Coast cast net thrown on the edges of the bait schools will provide you with a days worth of bait. If you make the mistake of throwing your net right into the middle of one of these schools of baitfish you may find it impossible to lift the net and all the bait into the boat. Most of the excess will probably die so hit the edges of the bait schools and what you catch will stay a live much longer.Don’t have a net or don’t like to throw one then anchor up current of a baitfish school and drop a block Capt. Mark’s Chum over the side. Make sure you allow the chum about 30 minutes to start defrosting before you put it in the water and you will have bait swarming right behind the stern. Drop a Sabiki rig into the school and your in business. I like to hook one of the fresh live baits that I caught onto a 1/0 to 2/0 Mustad black long shank hook. If there are any toothy fish near by the long shank hook will give you a better chance at catching them and the black hook won’t scare off the other less aggressive fish. Fish near the schools of baitfish and the predators will be near by. This time of year every fish I just mentioned might be hooked off of one baitfish school. Again keep your eyes open and keep scanning the bay around you for birds diving and surface explosions. Mackerel, jack crevalles and yes even speckled sea trout will be exploding into these schools of baitfish. If you prefer to throw artificial lures then try a Hook Up Lure or bucktail jig in a ¼ oz. or 3/8 oz. size. Tip the lure with either a soft plastic tail in a baitfish style or a piece of Fishbites or both. Bounce the lure off the bottom or retrieve it fast and you should get plenty of action.
Expect to find sea trout around the grass flats with jack crevalles, ladyfish, sharks, tarpon and snook feeding side by side in the baitfish schools. In the open water again around the baitfish schools mackerel, juvenile king mackerel, bluefish, jack crevalles, the first pompano of the year and ladyfish will be feeding almost all day. Rock piles, wrecks, bridge pilings and jagged channel edges will hold plenty of mangrove snappers and some of the first grouper of the fall season. Live baits fished on the bottom with the lightest weight possible will put the bait right in their faces. For the snappers you might be able to get away with some of your lightest tackle but to keep the groupers out of the rocks 12 to 40 lb. tackle may be necessary.
At night expect to find snook, snappers, tarpon and ladyfish feeding on small to medium
size Spanish sardines around the bridge light shadows, inlets and dock lights. 12 to 20 lb.
tackle will be necessary to keep these fish from breaking you off on the pilings. Cast your
free lined live baits at cruising fish and hang on. These fish must be turned quickly if you
intend to land them. Capt Hank Brown Hook Up bucktail jigs in the 3/8 to ½ oz size in white & red or yellow & red tipped with a plastic Bass Assasin worm aand a piece of Fishbites strip for scent bounced off the bottom will get some real good hits from snook & tarpon.
October may be your last chance to fish in calm & mild conditions until May so don’t let the days pass you by without trying your luck.
Recent Catches:
Jerry C. fishing in North Biscayne Bay and just offshore caught and released Spanish & king mackerel, snapper & red grouper, 1 tarpon and many jack crevalles and speckled sea trout.
Tighe Shomer fishing in North Biscayne Bay went 2 for 4 on tarpon then released jack crevalles to 8 lbs. then topped things off with a released 30” snook caught on a surface plug.
Bill Bufe his brother Karl & dad Karl caught & released speckled sea trout to 16”s and a dozen jack crevalles in North Biscayne Bay.
Craig Myers and his wife Gayle and his dad Glenn caught and released dozens of jack crevalles on live pilchards in North Biscayne Bay.
Paul Fass & Donald Kaplan caught & released close to 60 Spanish, cero & king mackerel while fishing just off of Bakers Haulover. They also caught yellowtail snapper, red grouper, bluerunners, amberjack and bonitas. They were fishing with live pilchards & Spanish Sardines on 6 to 10 lb. spin.
The great fishing we are experiencing right now will continue until the real cold fronts move in around late November and chase our fish further south. So give me a call and book a trip soon so you too can get in on the hot action. “Tight Lines & Good Fishing" Capt. Alan Sherman Catch me on WAXY 790 AM on the Florida Sportsman Live Radio Show every Sat. morning from 8 to 9AM. call 786-436-2064 to book a trip www.getemsportfishing.com [email protected]
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