Fall fishing is here!
Capt. Jim Hobales
October 1, 2015
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fall fishing is here!
092215
I am fishing Flamingo today with Matt from San Diego, he said he's caught allot of fish but never a Tarpon or Snook. I figured we had a shot at Tarpon there have been plenty of juveniles around. It didn't take long and we had several hits and misses and there was a little feeling out process. These little guys hit so hard the tendency is to set the hook, when you do they are gone. The key is to keep working the lure until the fish is pulling line once I explained it to Matt we landed a bunch of Tarpon up to 10 lbs. Matt also caught a Snook and a trout to get an "Inshore Slam" .
092515
I am in Key Largo today with my son James getting ready for the "Take Stock in Children's Tournament". We got out this morning looking for bait, Mullet muds and fish in general. While working a shore line I noticed the water humping up across the bay we were in. We worked our way over and it was a couple acres of mullet and they were getting blown out of the water.
We made some cast into the muds and immediately I hooked a 60 lb. tarpon which threw my jig on his jump. We continued as the Tarpon were all around us, now it was James who hooked a 80 pound and it was strait up in he air. The Tarpon shook his head and the twitch n rap came flying out of his mouth. We were trying to net a few mullet and that when we noticed these 2 – 15 lb Snook just lying on the edge of the mullet mud. We did not mess with them because we were coming back here during the tournament, we didn't make it back till Sunday and they were all gone.
This tournament starts right after the captains meeting on Friday night and you have to get your score card in by 4 on Sunday gives you plenty of time to catch your fish. I was with James at the captains meeting waiting on his partner Mitch who was stuck in traffic on the turnpike. We passed on the Friday night fishing an opted for waking up at 4 A.M. and running to Flamingo and catch the last part of the "Super Full Moon". My plans did not work out in the early morning we didn't catch our first fish until 1020, James had a 18 inch Trout and Mitch a 19 incher. I was waiting on the tide to get back to the area where we had done so well 2 weeks prior in another tournament. We had run 35 miles and the fish didn't bite we only caught 1- Snook, 1 – Redfish and hooked an 80 lb. Tarpon. I kept telling them don't worry the bite going t be late in the day, its nice to be right some times. At the end of the incoming tide the fish turned on and it was fast and furious for and hour and a half. We were catching Redfish, Snook and Tarpon so everyone's happy. The only problem is they aren't tournament winners! The Reds were up to 24 inches and the Snook to 27 and of course Tarpon don't count. The bite slowed down and we hit a bunch of spots hoping for 1 big fish but it never came. It was late, we had already fished a 14 hour day and everyone was beat. I decided lets go and we will get up early and do the same tomorrow. Running across FL. Bay in the full moon lit sky was awesome, we got on our first spot but no one home. The second was full of Jacks and a couple Sharks destroying our topwater lures. We did get a big hit off a redfish but he missed the bait! We moved around and committed to a spot that had a giant mullet mud we pitch baits under the trees and had a bunch of fish. The first was a Redfish that spit the bait and a couple that we couldn't identify which let go of the baits and then the Sharks found us. We ended up with a 24 1/2 " Redfish, big Jacks and Sharks. We had one other spot which has produced for us the last 2 years producing big Snook, but not today. The weather turned bad, rain storms were circling us so we called it a day.
75 inches won the tournament it was tough fishing for everyone we turned 69 1/2 inches so we were close. Mitch took 2nd place largest Trout.
I am fishing Flamingo today with Friend Jorge Fernandez and we are looking for some Tarpon, it didn't take long and we are in them pretty good. I had Jorge throwing a Twitchin n Rap and the Tarpon were knocking out of the water. The first fish came pretty quick and then they got picky Jorge hooked and had them blow up on the lure but wouldn't commit to it. The fun is when they blow up on it anyway! We changed gears and found some Snook giving the Tarpon a break. The Snook were crushing his Gulp Shrimp, he caught 6 or 7 more Snook and a Redfish. The wind switched directions on us and he bite quit, we moved on a found some Jacks and Snappers on a point. One last shot at Tarpon, we ha a couple blow ups but again missing the lure.
The fishing is really good right now in Everglades National Park, things will only get better the next few weeks. The other fishing that will start off of Miami Beach shortly is the mullet run, Hurricane Joquin off the east coast will definitely drive the baits our way. Next week could be interesting. I will be fishing the "Romp in the Swamp" this weekend over in the upper part of the 10 Thousand Islands. If your interest in anything I have written about give me a call at 305 333 8149.
Capt. Jimbo
http://www.caughtlookincharters.com
Flamingo Fishing Forecast:
Mullet run is coming!
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