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Pompano Beach & Ft. Lauderdale
Capt. Ryan McBride
February 1, 2008
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
Report for 1/21-27 and Hogsbreath Key West Report
The past week the fishing has been good. A good showing of kingfish, though not like in past years. There are just too many people that have found out about the winter kingfish bite. The grouper bite has been good and most wrecks are holding a supply of them. You just need to have good weather and the right current to target them right. The sailfishing has been hot if you have the right conditions. I heard of up to 13 fish in a day caught and 6 in a half day. That is what we expect this time of year down in South Florida. The Mayors Cup sailfish tourney was this past weekend and the top boats had 10 fish over two days so the fishing either slowed or the bite to the south is slower.
We fished the Hogsbreath tournament in Key West this weekend and had our best finish in an SKA event. Day one we started close and moved west as the day went on. Lots of sharks was the story of the morning. I don't think we caught a kingfish until maybe 10am. Fishing around 35miles west we caught our first kingfish about 20lbs. on the slow troll. We switched to kites and caught blackfin tuna. Back to slow troll and a black grouper off the downrigger, couple cudas and another king this time around 35lbs. Reset and this time the biggest bait we had in the livewell goes out on the downrigger. Past our spot where we had caught our two previous kings and the big bait goes off, and keeps going. You just know when you have the right fish on, it all of a sudden gets real quiet on the boat. The fish was foul hooked the lead hook in the side, the wire leader through her mouth, the stinger back around and caught on the mono. It was a real tense moment with only 2 inches of wire hanging out of the kings mouth until the mono, one shake of her head and it would have been bye bye kingy. Greg Haskins stuck her and it was high fives all around. I was figuring her around 48lbs, others including my brother were saying lower around 42lbs. It was 11:00 and we fished the area for another 2 hours and we started heading back. We fished out front for a little bit and headed in for the opening of the scales at 3. A handful of boats already there is usually a bad sign but we ended up with the first 50lber. of the tourney at 50.09. It only lasted for two boats, when Salty Marine weighed the 55lber. but can't complain about 2nd place for the day. I guess the 40's and 50's everywhere up and down the coast were really just 40's because thats what rounded out the top 15.
Day Two we started on the same spot and Salty Marine and others were sitting there already, we were really the slowest boat there. On the day we really only caught cero macks, sharks and saw some nice dolphin and ajs. No kings and when the front came through we just had to believe that our fish would stand in the top five. We finished early and got to the scale with the boat on the trailer just after weigh in started to find out we had been bumped to 3rd by .3lbs. Kind of like missing biggest fish in the PBSC Showdown by .6lbs c/o Pop-a-Top but good job to Tek and the Rascal team for weighing the only 50 of day two at 50.4lbs.
This week the sailfishing should remain strong and the kingfish should be consistent. Bait fishing should improve as the moon goes away and if the weather allows the swordfishing should be red hot. Untill next week.
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