Everglades days -Biscayne Bay nights, 14 Feb 2014
Capt. Bob LeMay
February 14, 2014
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Bookings have slowed a bit recently but the fish are around in good numbers. The great news these past two weeks has been the appearance of tarpon everywhere as the water finally warmed up a bit. If the night time lows in Miami each night are right around 70 degrees you can bet the tarpon (great big ones in the 'Glades and smaller ones in Biscayne Bay) will be available day after day (or night after night on a falling tide...). That's been the case for us - of course as I write this we've finally gotten another cold front so the tarpon will do a disappearing act until it warms up a bit (probably by next Wednesday for all you tarpon fans).
Our first big fish came almost ten days ago when I had local anglers Tony Muina and Kiki Lopez aboard. That day Tony caught and released a backcountry slam of snook, redfish, and trout while inviiting one redfish home for the table. Kiki, a long time bluewater angler jumped off a really big tarpon (I called it at 100lbs - but it was larger than that) on a live bait early that day. The fish stayed attached long enough for 8 to 10 jumps and three long runs before the hook pulled...When it's mild in the winter Whitewater Bay is one of the only places in south Florida where you can find big tarpon up shallow in four to six feet of water for sightfishing. That day the wind was blowing a bit so we never saw a fish - but drifting a big live bait through an area where they hold was just the ticket.... Later that day Kiki also saw and cast a small jig to his very first sawfish. After a brief fight (where one more sawfish left a mark or two on my skiff...) we carefully released it to swim away in very good condition. Here's a pic or two from that day...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/MuinaTonybigtrout_zps26066946.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/MuinaTonybigtrout_zps26066946.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
All of Tony's fish that day were on Gulp tailed jigs and he kept busy...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/LopezKikimuinatonysawfish_zps33a4b77a.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/LopezKikimuinatonysawfish_zps33a4b77a.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Here's Kiki's first sawfish taken and released in less than 2 feet of water. He tossed his lure at a puppy shark but the saw beat the shark to the lure... It was a bit less than five feet long....
A few days later I had Mike Sorrel, a visiting angler from Orlando aboard.... That day tarpon were the sole target and we were strictly fly fishing. We found great numbers of fish in Whiitewater from 80 to a lot bigger but the fish all were very difficult. Most were seen at very close quarters and spooked away from us no matter what the presentation was... After getting nothing but refusals we made a long run to a nearby river and found many, many more fish, mostly a bit smaller. Mike managed two bites but the fish just wouldn't stay connected. We were literally in tarpon all day long and came away vowing to get another shot when they were actually feeding (and they will turn on shortly....). The big fish will remain in the interior for another six weeks or so then begin to show up in numbers along the Gulf coast of the 'Glades in April. This entire time is pretty much my idea of tarpon heaven (when they're eating properly....).
Our last dance with the tarpon came just two nights ago and was much closer, in Biscayne Bay. Every night on the falling tide small fish (averaging 20 to 40lbs, with a few much bigger....) will load up in the urban areas of the Bay between Miami and Miami Beach. That night I once again had local angler Brad Golub and visiting angler Vince aboard. Vince on the fly rod - Brad using light spinnning gear with a lure. That night the fish were hungry and just a bit crazy (more about that later...). The very first spot we visited, a docklight, had one very nice sized fish cruising back and forth. After a few casts with a 9wt rod Vince put the fly where the fish could see it and we got the fun of watching it follow for a few feet then just attack the fly... Vince didn't stay connected long but it was spectacular while it lasted. Our next spot, by a bridge was even better. That night we jumped at least eight fish at one spot or other and the fish were striking lures (DOA shrimp) or flies (the Night Fly) equally well. As the night progressed the fish got hungrier (and it possible, crazier). Anyone that hooks up on a small tarpon up to about 40lbs at close quarters can testify to just how crazy things can get with a jumping fish right next to the boat.... Two fish in a row went so ballistic at the beginning of the fight that they actually ran into my pushpole knocking it off the cleats... A fish or two later Vince had a nice thirty pounder near the boat and as I was preparing to take photo the fish jumped right in the boat with us...
A crazy tarpon in the boat is a serious problem since their heavy slime coating make them impossible to grab as they're beating up everything in sight... We finally managed to control the fish, and release it -much the worse for wear. My skiff was covered with scales, slime, and various other fluids and all of us just took a break to recover... At any rate here's one of the fish from that night...
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/VinceGolubBradniteT_zpsc3a8062a.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/VinceGolubBradniteT_zpsc3a8062a.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/VinceGolubBradflyTarp1_zpsb7710b62.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/VinceGolubBradflyTarp1_zpsb7710b62.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[img][img][URL=http://s235.photobucket.com/user/lemaymiami/media/fishpics/VinceGolubBradflyTarp2_zps58be1a78.jpg.html][IMG]http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee111/lemaymiami/fishpics/VinceGolubBradflyTarp2_zps58be1a78.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
This weekend it will be trout, redfish, and snook with maybe a big grouper or two as well. Once it warms up again those tarpon had better look out!
Tight Lines
Bob LeMay
(954) 435-5666
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