Lack of baitfish makes fishing tough!
Capt. Alan Sherman
May 23, 2008
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
Windy weather conditions have been the norm for the last month or so and all of my charters have had to be worked around the wind. Due to the lack of bait and the heavy boat traffic on the weekends in North Biscayne Bay I have been taking my clients to Flamingo and fishing the back country of Whitewater Bay where on every trip my clients have been rewarded with steady action on a wide variety of fish. With winds as high as 25 miles per hour we have been working the protected shorelines in Whitewater and Oyster Bay's with ¼ ounce Hook Up lures tipped with Gulp baits and having steady action on snook, redfish, sea trout, jacks, ladyfish, mangrove snappers, sharks, goliath groupers and an occasional tarpon. The fishing has been easy and most of the time the anglers are either blind casting at the shorelines or casting into the open water where some large tarpon, snook and sharks have been laid up on the bottom. On every trip we have had opportunities to cast at snook, redfish, tarpon and goliath groupers that have been either cruising down the bank or holding under trees. Most of my anglers have been excited at sight casting to juvenile goliath groupers. Once located these hungry groupers are eager to attack anything thrown their way.
Once the winds lay down I will turn my attention to Florida Bay and the Gulf shorelines where large snook can be caught in numbers for catch and release and redfish, tarpon, snapper, jacks, ladyfish, goliath groupers, large sharks and tripletail will be available on almost every trip. With water temperatures rising baitfish will return to Florida Bay and the Gulf shorelines and double digit catches of snook and redfish will be common. These fish will hit live baits, Rapala Twitchin raps, X Raps and ¼ ounce Hook Up lures tipped with Gulp baits. Large sharks will be in good numbers and are already on the flats as we speak. Tarpon can be found in good numbers during the summer and always find a way to take a bait intended for something else.
With the winds coming down the bugs will return to Flamingo but don't let them keep you from having a Flamingo experience. Wear light long sleeved shirts and pants and have some repellent ready. Horse flies and mosquitoes are worst around the land and a lot of the fishing is done where the bugs are not. The past three years have seen very little summer bugs and this year may be the same. Because of the warmer temperatures fewer boats and anglers are fishing the park and the tourist season is over leaving the park to just a few guides and anglers. Bring plenty to drink and start drinking water before you get to the park and you will be fine the whole day. Polarized sunglasses and long brimmed hats will allow you to see a lot of the fish that will cruise the clearer shallow flats.
North Biscayne Bay trips are producing lots of sea trout plus a few snappers during day trips and as soon as the winds die down I will start making late afternoon trips that start at 6PM and end at 10PM where we target snook and tarpon for catch and release.
Summertime is a slow time of the year for most fishing captains and guides and trips can be booked on the spur of the moment easier but better if you give me a day or two notice though!
Recent Catches:
Fished Jeff, Dave and Doug in Whitewater Bay and the guys were casting Hook Up lures tipped with Gulp baits and caught and released loads of trout, snapper, snook, redfish, ladyfish and goliath groupers.
Had Paul Fass and his buddy Bernie on a trip into Whitewater Bay where the guys landed six out of eight goliath groupers to 15 pounds, lots of sea trout, snappers, jacks, ladyfish, redfish and two snook that spit the hook.
On Saturday after Hosting the Florida Sportsman Live Radio Show broadcast on WMCU at 7 to 8 AM on the AM dial I participated in The Mast Academy's Annual Fishing Tournament as their Weigh Master. The turn out was good and the participants had a great time fishing with their families and friends in a tournament that generates money for the Schools shark studies. Russel Firtel caught the heaviest fish a 28.5 pound blackfin tuna and Paige Owens a 15.5 pound kingfish. The anglers from kids to adults caught a wide variety of inshore and offshore fish with the bulk of the fish being released.
Fished with Mike, his wife Paulette and their sons Shaun 5 and Jake 3 in North Biscayne Bay and once again the bait was no where to find but the sea trout and mangrove snappers eagerly ate the live shrimp we fished under a Cajun Thunder.
Fished with a few old buddies from the past and we headed to Flamingo to fish the protected shorelines of Whitewater Bay. Once in Whitewater Bay Terry and Ralph threw almost everything in their tackle boxes while I stayed with the Hook Up lure and Gulp baits. We each caught snook, sea trout, jacks, snapper, ladyfish and goliath groupers but I did manage a great sighted fished tarpon that in haled a Gulp shrimp on a Hook Up lure and thrilled us with a lightning run that almost stripped the reel plus at least three incredible jumps before throwing the hook.
Fished with my family and we started in North Biscayne Bay where we searched for what seemed like hours for bait with little success. Normally I would not have spent that much time looking for bait but we wanted to get offshore and fish for the blackfin tunas, kingfish, dolphins and sailfish that have invaded the Southeast Coast. With a couple of ballyhoo, a few small threadfin herring, a bluerunner and a few silver mullet we headed offshore. Well you heard me talk about the windy weather we have been having well this day was no different. South to Souteast at 15 to 20 or more. Seas were 3 to 4 with a few bigger. Lots of whitecaps but we were determined to make the best out of what we had to work with. Once offshore of Government Cut it was apparent that heading back in against the wind and waves was not smart so we got to the depth we wanted to fish and put the lines out. We started at the color change but the conditions kept pushing us offshore. The current and wind had us traveling north so I kept bumping the boat inshore. Things were very slow and maybe would have been better had we had lots of pilchards and been able to chum but before we got close to Haulover Inlet we hooked up on a fish that stripped the reel that ate a ballyhoo on the way down. We stopped the fish and got it to the boat only to find out that it was a bonito. Just before heading in we hooked up on a nice hammerhead shark that gave us a thrill before cutting the line. We had a great North West line for Haulover Inlet so we rode the waves back into calm water to end another great family day on the water.
Sponsors: Yamaha, Bob Hewes Boats, Maverick, Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics, Daiwa, General Motors & Chevrolet, Rapala, Mustad, Ande Lines, Pure Fishing, Precision Tackle, Capt. Hank Brown's Hook Up Lures, Hydro Glow Lights, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Saltwater Assassins, Fishbites, Key Largo Rods, Lee Fisher Cast Nets, Smartshield, Master Repair in Stuart Florida.
"Tight Lines & Great Fishing"
Get Em on The "GET EM"
Capt. Alan Sherman "Get Em"
Sportfising Charters Inc.
Cell 786-436-2064 Home 305-757-5503
www.getemsportfishing.com
[email protected]
Miami Fishing Forecast:
Fishing in North Biscayne Bay will have its ups and downs now that summer is setting in. Early mornings and late afternoons into the evenings will be your best bet at catching snook, tarpon, sea trout, snappers, jacks, ladyfish and barracudas. With calmer conditions getting offshore becomes a possibility.
Target Species:
Snook, Tarpon, Sea Trout, Snappers, Jacks
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