GET ON THE GET EM FOR THE FALL MIGARTION IN SOUTH FLORIDA
Capt. Alan Sherman
October 4, 2012
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
Back in Business and just in time for the beginning of the Fall Migration in sunny South Florida. My finger has healed and I have had the opportunity to fish a few times with my son Zach and with a handful of clients. Each day that I was on the water I could see signs of a migration taking place. Schools of pilchards and Spanish Sardines continue to move through the Bay. One day they are easy to find and the next nowhere to be found. Recently with a little searching I have had no trouble filling the live wells. Schools of mullet are also entering the bay and attracting the attention of hungry tarpon, big jacks and sharks. On two recent trips in North Biscayne Bay we were lucky to see and then experience some hot fishing created by the Fall Migration. On the first occasion my son Zach and I witnessed a huge school of silver and black mullet that had just entered the bay from the ocean. What caught our attention was the crashing white water and single mullet that were trying to evade hungry tarpon, sharks and big jacks. After cast netting dozens of mullet plus an estimated 7 pound jack crevalle that was quickly released we began using those mullet for bait. For the next two and half hours we had nonstop action from big jacks that broke our line and from some of the hungriest small to medium size tarpon I have seen in some time. These fish ate practically every mullet that we cast at them and at times they didn't care if the mullet was dead or alive. End result was four tarpon releases and over 15 in the air.
A few days later in a totally different location in North Bay with a charter we found ourselves surrounded by a large school of black and silver mullet. After cast netting way more than we could use in a day and placing what we needed in our bait well we began releasing the unwanted mullet. As the stunned mullet tried to gather their senses hungry tarpon began a feeding frenzy that resulted in many shots at tarpon and one release.
Yesterday during a full day charter in North Bay we totally blacked out the live well with large pilchards. After releasing a three pound trout and a jack that hit pilchards fished under a Back Bay Thunder at the same time fishing slowed. We lost a big bottom fish on some rocks and released snapper, trout, barracudas, big needlefish and bluerunners but the fishing was less than exciting. For ¾'s of the day no tarpon or snook were spotted. In our last location the tarpon were spotted. Mostly small fish in the 10 to 30 pound range. We had them all around us but never landed one. End result was two broken lines, one lost snook and four tarpon in the air. We had our baits hooked to Mustad #1 and 2/0 Ultra Point Hooks.
That's how it is now but every day the fishing in North Bay will change. As of today the big schools of finger mullet have not arrived but that can happen in an hour. As water temperatures drop Spanish mackerel will become available teamed up with bluefish, large ladyfish and large jacks. With the arrival of all of this baitfish our local fish species and the migrating fish species will be having a field day in our Bay.
I fished Flamingo in Everglades National Park last week with longtime customer Pat. We had great tides for where I wanted to fish but the action was very slow. One small redfish was released and a bigger red and a snook came off on the way in. A few sea trout, jacks, snapper and ladyfish also were released but the real action with big reds and snook never materialized in this area. Reason, I believe was the large amount of freshwater that has made its way into Florida Bay. We spotted two alligators which only happens when there is a large presence of freshwater plus the water was crystal clear. We worked our way north and ended up with a legal redfish and four snook releases and over six snook that came off on the way in including a monster mystery fish that we pulled the hook on. We were fishing live pinfish under a Back Bay Thunder and pinfish hooked to a ¼ ounce Hookup lure.
I am often asked when is the best time to fish? Normally I answer with "When you Can". From now till December everyday no matter what the weather is is the best time to fish. Miss a day during the Fall Migration and you may have missed the best fishing of your life!
All of these fish were caught using Key Largo spinning rods, Daiwa Advantage spinning reels and Stren and P-Line lines.
What are you waiting for? Pick up the phone and lets go catch some snook!
Many Thanks to Yamaha outboard engines, Pathfinder Boats, Bob Hewes Boats, Continental Trailers, Haber Vision Sun Glasses, Daiwa Fishing Reels, Key Largo Rods, Minn Kota Trolling Motors/ Talon Shallow Water Anchor/ Hummingbird Recorder/GPS, StowMaster Nets, Lee Fisher Nets, Hookup Lures, Mustad Hooks, Rapala lures/Trigger X, General Motors/Chevrolet, Berkley Products, P-Line Products, Grand Slam Aluminum Fabricating Inc., Precision Tackle/Cajun Thunder Floats, Florida Sportsman Magazine, Columbia Sportswear, P-Line!
I have many open dates in my calendar so if you're interested in getting in on some hot snook and sea trout action give me a call at 786-436-2064 or drop me an e-mail at [email protected]. Let's set it up today!
www.getemsportfishing.com
[email protected]
Check out my report in the Miami Herald's Sports section under Fishing Updates each Thursday, the Florida Sportsman Magazines South Florida Internet Fishing Report
(www.floridaspotsman.com), my monthly Action Spotter Fishing Report for the South Region in the Florida Sportsman Magazine each month.
Sponsors:
Yamaha, Bob Hewes Boats, Maverick, Minn Kota, Daiwa, General Motors & Chevrolet, Rapala, Suffix, Trigger X, Mustad, Pure Fishing, Gulp, Berkley, Precision Tackle, Cajun Thunders, Capt. Hank Brown's Hookup Lures, Hydro Glow Lights, Saltwater Assassins, Key Largo Rods, Lee Fisher Cast Nets, Smartshield, Master Repair in Stuart Florida, Stow Master Nets, Columbia Wear, Tempress Seating, Aluminum Fabricating Inc.
Miami Fishing Forecast:
Fishing Forecast:
I expect the fishing to be pretty consistent for the next three or four months with lots of SEA TROUT, JACK CREVALLES, LADYFISH, BARRACUDAS, SNOOK, TARPON in NORTH BISCAYNE BAY and OFFSHORE of MIAMI, KINGFISH, BLACKFIN TUNA, SAILFISH and DOLPHINS will be available on the calmer days and in FLAMINGO in EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK we always have a huge amount of wildlife like the WHITE PELICANS, ROSEATTE SPOONBILLS, SKIMMER BIRDS,GULLS, OSPREYS, EAGLES, TERNS, EGRETS, HERONS, ALLIGATORS, CROCODILES, BOTTLE NOSED DOLPHINS, MANATTEES, SHARKS and TURTLES and of course the wide variety of fish that migrate into FLORIDA BAY and the GULF waters during the cooler months of the year. SNOOK, TARPON, REDFISH, SEA TROUT, SHEEPSHEAD, TRIIPLETAIL, BLACK DRUM, SNAPPER, GOLIATH AND GAG GROUPER, POMOPANO, COBIA, MACKEREL, PERMITS, BLUEFISH and I'm sure I am leaving a few other fish species out will be available to all anglers at one time or another throughout the rest of Spring and into the summer. And don't forget about the freshwater fishing in the Glades. Any day now water levels will drop and the fish will move into the canals and LARGEMOUTH BASS AND LOTS OF PANFISH will be available.
Target Species:
Target Species: SNOOK, TARPON, MACKEREL, TROUT, REDFISH, DOLPHINS, SAILFISH, SHARKS, COBIA
More Fishing Reports:
