Temperate Weather Has Lots of Bonefish in Biscayne Bay
Capt. Jim Hale
February 29, 2008
Biscayne Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
For all you sight and fly fisherman the past six weeks has been very good for stalking bone fish. On warm days in between cold fronts they have been pushing up on the flats to play. Most of the fish I am finding are small schools of mudders and tailing fish pouring in an outgoing tide and are not spooky, in fact, in one area that we have been fishing, most of the fish are swimming around the boat waiting for us to feed them. I have been fishing this school for several weeks with good outcomes. Eric Johnson from Long Island, New York fished with me and found this out by bringing 2 bones to the boat on fly, one at 8 lbs and another at 12 lbs with plenty of shots at more fish. Also Mathew St. Jermain and David Torbert from here in Homestead fished this week and Mathew caught his first 2 bones sight fishing on the flats with spinning gear. Great job guys!
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF BONE FISH IN BISCAYNE BAY for Feburary on SOME days I am seeing well over 100 bones! With all the hot temps lately and warm water there are also mega permit around they are acting like it is April. That should change back soon when we will get a cold blast this week and put the crazy fishing to rest or until this weird so called winter goes away again! I don't like the colder months and the past 2 months have made me grin and I am actually enjoying this winter!!
I've been tying my own fly patterns and they have been working well. One of which is a small shrimp pattern in olive fur with pearl chenille gold with gold flash, and tan craft fur with pink flash and silver body with pearl chenille brown on a Mustad 34007 #4 hook.
North of Flamingo in the back bays the big Tarpon are here to play with warm water and calm days , the largest tarpon to the boat so far is an estimated 110 lbs taken on a X-RAP with plenty more around the 80 + in lb range. On fly the large everglades flies are working well for big fish, this week James Dillard of Miami jumped 6 and boated a fish at 100 lbs. A cold front this week will push them out for a little while but they should return when it warms up.
Windy and cloudy days can push fish down and out and weekends can be tough for Tarpon too with a lot of boat traffic around, this can push these weary fish around so if you are fishing for Tarpon and you see a line of boats please give them room and find other fish… there are a lot around, the slightest motor noise can ruin a anglers day and mine!
In Florida bay the sight fishing has been a little tougher than last year. Last year reds and snook were plentiful. Lately I am finding good fishing early in the day on outgoing clean water. Larger redfish are starting to show up in small schools with singles and doubles too tailing on the flats.( These fish are kinda skinny, I know they spawn in low light months so maybe they are just starting to munch!) For anglers learning to salt water fly fish this can be a blast. The last week large snook are in pot holes to the east!
When it has been windy and making Florida bay look like chocolate milk we have been tossing artificals around the mangroves in moving water, with results of snook to 10 lbs and plenty of redfish.
Good luck,
Capt. Jim Hale
www.hurricanesportfishingcharters.com
786-255-1788
More Fishing Reports:
