Gale Warning's
Capt. Jim Hobales
December 27, 2010
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
TONIGHT
NORTHWEST WINDS 26 TO 31 KNOTS NEAR SHORE, FREQUENT GUSTS TO
GALE FORCE.
122610
I am at Flamingo today with the Armstrong family, Jeff called and set it up for 3 boats originally but everyone wanted to go so we ended up with 5 boats and 14 anglers. We had a cold front coming thru and the guides and the Armstrongs all decided we could get it done. I wasn't really sure, they were calling for gale warnings and I woke up to some really hard rain squalls. Jeff called me at 4:45 AM and asked if we were on? I said yes, see you at 7 AM at the dock. We all looked at each other as we were leaving and shook are heads, then headed off to Whitewater Bay. The winds were blowing about 25-30 mph as we got into open water and hit our first couple spots.
I had Jeff and his niece's Julia and Christian, either had fished before. They were energetic and really picked up casting quickly. The first fish they caught were 2-3 lb Ladyfish which is a great fish for kids and beginners. We were out in the open and the wind gust were around 35 mph and cold, after an hour of Ladyfish we moved on and did the same with Trout and more Ladyfish. They counted every fish and were having a blast not something you expect out of teenaged girls. I was busy unhooking a fish, Christian actually reached into the live well dipped a Shrimp and put it on her hook! They were into it and Jeff was just enjoying it and really letting them have the best spots on the boat.
I asked Jeff if he wanted to try for Groupers and they said yes. We ran to a river spot and caught about 15 Mangrove Snappers, until one of them got hit on the way up. I cut the Snapper in half and Jeff cast it back into the hole, it got slammed. Jeff landed the 20 inch Gag Grouper, after a few pic's we tossed it back. I still had the other half of the Snapper so I rigged it up and handed the rod to Julia and it got slammed hard! Julia fought the fish, it came to the surface and swirled. I told Jeff I thought it was a Goliath Grouper but I hadn't caught one since the big freeze last January. The fish made it back into the trees after a great battle but I wasn't going to let him get away. I repositioned the boat and got my hands on the line and actually pulled the 10 lb Goliath out of the tree. We had it right next to the boat when it made one last surge and the line nicked the tree and broke. It was cool because I have not seen one in the back country all year, they did not fair well in sub 50 degree water temps last January. We had a long boat ride back and I have never seen so rough, it was easily 3 feet in open water with wind gust in the 40-50 mph range. We made it back and because of the ride of my Pathfinder we were dry and safe in some nasty conditions.
We were the last ones to return and everyone was cold, some wet and all were like school kids full of excitement and stories of their day. It shows the fish bite day in day out we just have to go!
I Have some opening's if your coming to town for the Orange bowl game. check out the special below.
Christmas special!
Half day trip in Bicsayne Bay $300. 4 hours, you pick the time $300. Evening Tarpon fishing is on 4 hours $300.
This is a $100.00 discount off the going price, let's catch some fish. Tarpon are here let's do it.
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