Good weather produces multi specie days!
Capt. Jim Hobales
February 9, 2017
Flamingo - Saltwater Fishing Report
020317
I am fishing Flamingo today with Brian and Papo, we got an early start and were set up in a creek before the crowds got there. The Tarpon were rolling all around us as they pitched live Shrimp into some run offs and trees. We had a few small snapper bites and then Brian hooked a Snook but it wasn't happening, the creek was getting busy so I decided to leave. Brian had asked about Cobia's so we ran off shore and fished an area they cruise thru. We set up and had some action from Snappers, Mackerel, Grouper, Grunts and few that we couldn't stop as we waited for a Cobia to pop up. Eventually we had a couple follow our baits up but refused to eat. We changed it up and ran some traps for Tripletails only finding one that wasn't big enough to even catch. We ended the day catching Trout,Mackerel, Jacks and Ladyfish. On the way in we stopped one last spot and Papo hooked a big Snook, there was some excitement for a few minutes and then the fish threw the Gulp jig. We laughed it off but that kind of hurt, we headed only to find out other people fishing today didn't do so great. It made us feel a little better!
020817
I am with Tim from Colorado and his friend Paul who lives here, we are down at Flamingo. I decided to go back country today hoping to find some Tarpon laid up. On our first couple spots we had no tide movement so we kept moving north. I was just trying to bend their rods before looking for Tarpon, well it happened. Paul is hooked up to a big old Snook which ate a Shadow Rap Shad, the fish exploded and took of on a couple long runs but ran under a log. We trolling motored up on it and it spooked off and cut us off. I was keeping an eye open for Tarpon blowing up but only saw a few. I ran to my bait spot and found some big Pilchards and quickly put them to use. I set up in a river and thru a handful of live chummers out and we were on, Tim had a Tarpon doing what Tarpon do. It didn't last long and the Tarpon threw the hook. I put another big bait on and as soon as it hit the water it was eaten. Paul had a Tarpon hooked up and it is jumping all over the place and it thru the hook. I baited up again and this time Paul is hooked up solid and the fish is running and staying down, this helps allot.The Tarpon put up a good fight and e eventfully released it at boat side. We had one more hook up and jump off.
Playing with the Tarpon we missed the incoming tide down at the creeks, by the time we got there the tide was way up into the trees. We ran back in to Whitewater Bay and a Redfish spot and they were there, not giants but they were Redfish. Time and Paul both caught 2 each and we moved on. I wanted to chum up some Snook on the way in only to find Trout, Jacks and Ladyfish. I said I got one last spot and we emptied the live well attempting to chum them up. nothing happening then all of a suddenly Tim is hooked up to a big fish which is trying to get him under the trees. I was telling him pull this way pull that way and we got it out and what a nice fish it was. With all the pilchards I threw out this Snook ate a Gulp Shrimp, go figure. It says it right on the jar "Gulp it out fishes live bait".
The guys were tired and we headed in, Paul was quite the story teller from the minute he got on the boat until he left he had stories interesting guy!
Capt. Jim Hobales.
www.caughtlookincharters.com
follow on Instagram @caughtlookincharters
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