 |
Biscayne nights, tarpon on fly, 12 August 2013
Capt. Bob LeMay
August 11, 2013
Biscayne Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
This past week we've been fly fishing primarily - and all aimed at the local tarpon babies (fish less than forty pounds, mostly). The urban areas of Biscayne Bay hold lots of them under bridges and around one docklight or other. With a late falling tide we were on the water each night between 10pm to about 3Am four nights out of five... All that's needed for this kind of action with a fly rod is an 8 to 10wt rod with floating line and a few small white flies (our primary fly is the Night Fly in size 1/0 or 2/0). Almost all the fish we're seeing now are around docklights -we saw very few under bridges.
I'll let the pictures show the results....
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/CipollaJohn1_zpsb025fd8c.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/CipollaJohn1_zpsb025fd8c.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
IMG]
[URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/CipollaJohn2_zpsa9c7fba7.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/CipollaJohn2_zpsa9c7fba7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
This was angler, John Cipolla's first tarpon to the boat, between 25 and 30lbs on a 9wt. He jumped a second one later on but this was the only one that stayed connected all the way home....
Two nights later I had Virginia angler Chip Harding aboard for several nights and we got after them - but early on it was only jack crevalle, ladyfish, and speckled trout for his efforts with the fly. We had a few follows from tarpon but none acted very hungry at all. When they finally began feeding he got two in a row on his 10wt. One was up under a bridge (and when it was finally at the boat we were about 500 meters from where we hooked up - a very strong, hot fish...). His second was taken at close range right in the middle of a small docklight... For a while there I thought every tarpon we found had lockjaw....
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/HardingChip1_zpse1ce58d5.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/HardingChip1_zpse1ce58d5.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[img][img] [URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/HardingChip2_zps697817b9.jpg.html][IMG]
[img][img][img][img] [URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/HardingChip3_zpsea96c75f.jpg.html][
Although this isn't a peak time for night tarpon (late winter into spring, then June and July are outstanding times to fish them) there are still plenty of fish to toss flies at. Nothing like watching one turn on and come after your fly....
Out in the Everglades now the tarpon fishing is still improving daily with lots of small fish that eat popping bugs and small maribou flies as well as lots of adult tarpon. As far as the giants go things will get better and better as we move towards September and reach a peak in early October. That may just be my favorite time to fish the giant tarpon -when they're gorging to get ready for winter....
Reds, snook, and trout are daily targets now in the 'glades as well. Many, locally are looking forward to the first open snook season in three years (it opens on 1 September..) on the gulf coast of Florida. With a very carefully controlled slot limit a single snook will feed a family for those wanting to take one home....
Tight lines
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
More Fishing Reports:
|
|
|
|
