Miami to Maryland
Capt. Freddie David
September 2, 2014
Haulover Inlet - Saltwater Fishing Report
We are now approaching our slow season. September is when the kids are gearing up to go back to school and the snowbirds are enjoying the beautiful autumn. Fall is when we get a chance to get caught up with boat and tackle maintenance, and to gear up for high season, which begins in November.
I was able to do a few trips in Miami earlier this month and was fortunate to travel to the Mid Atlantic for some white marlin fishing in the latter part of August.
Myself and a couple friends fished the Mid Atlantic 500 in Ocean City, Maryland. The Mid Atlantic is the second biggest tournament in the eastern Atlantic. There was 2.4 million dollars given out in prize money this year.
Our crew had never fished in Maryland so we were new to the game. The plan was to pre fish a few days prior so we could adjust to the waters and find the right conditions. The average run is 70 miles ( 3 hrs. out and 3 hrs in). On top of the 70 mile run the seas were 4-6 ft every day which made it even more challenging. After pre fishing a few days we caught a handful of white marlin but not in any numbers. Some of the local boats were averaging 5-7 fish per day but we were only averaging half of that. It doesn't matter how many fish you catch in this tournament. All the money is given out to the biggest one that hits the dock.
After two days of tournament fishing there were only two white marlin on the board out of 168 boats. The whites were 65 and 68lbs. which are relatively small. Day three rolled in and we had a nice one attack the teaser right behind the boat. I was able to pitch a small ballyhoo to the fish and after a half an hour we landed the fish. The crew was ecstatic when the white marlin hit the deck. This was the first time we fished the tournament and it was on a new boat. About an hour after we landed our fish there were twelve more that got boated. The big ones showed up!
When we got back to the dock our fished weighed 70 lbs. Shortly after, a boat weighed one 81 lbs. and after him a boat weighed a pair of 80lbers. That clinched 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. To our luck, the boats that weighed the bigger fish were over 50 ft. That pushed us into to the first place boat that was fifty feet and under. The crew and I were very content with placing in a prestigious tournament in waters that we never fished before.
Fishing Miami has continued to be very consistent this summer. There have been plenty of bonitas on the reef. Mixed in with the bonitas have been some nice wahoos, sailfish, tunas, and kingfish.
Offshore there are still lots of dolphin, wahoo, tuna and good numbers of swordfish being caught. Fall is peak season for swordfish in South Florida. We target these gladiators of the sea in the day or night. Swordfish are usually the last billfish on the bucket list and we get a lot of specialty trips just for this reason.
If you like fishing inshore, snook season has just opened. These great eating fish are pursued in the late afternoon into the night. We generally fish the inlets, bridges, and dock lights for them. We use light spinning gear for which make for a great fight.
I've had some great reports up the coast that the finger mullet are on their way down. Following these mullet are big game sharks, jack crevelles, bonito, lady fish, and tarpon just to name a few.
I still have some days open in September so if you would like to get on some of this South Florida action give me a call.
Capt. Fred David
www.charter-fishing-miami.com
(754) 244-2531
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