Offshore Miami 6/18--6/22/2012
Capt. Nick Gonzalez
June 24, 2012
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
Monday 6/18
Clear skies and an 18 knot ENE wind made it seem like midwinter in south florida, not mid June. The weather was perfect for popping the kites up, so after spending some time loading the wells (pilchards were thick 1/4mile off bug) we headed out.
Dirty water and sargasso were everywhere out front so we headed south. We finally found a rip in 190 with cleaner water a few miles south of fowey and popped the kites up.
We had a cutoff right off the bat, then a pair of small dolphin came through. One munched the right mid and stole the bait then came to the right short where he found the hook. The other fish found the left mid kite bait and was hooked immediately. Nick and margaux both brought the dolphin in without any issues.
After the double the sargasso began to clog our lines so we reset back south. Just after setting all six baits a tuna clobbered the small pilchard on the left short. After another short fight Nick swung the football into the boat.
We reset the short and not long after a Sail came up on the right long. After Brent fed him and hooked up, Alex came down from the bridge and settled in for the fight. The acrobatic sail took only a few minutes to bring to the leader, and we got the release in short order.
With that release we called it a day and headed back towards the marina.
Final Tally--1 sailfish, 2 Dolphin, 1 blackfin tuna, and a small cuda
Thursday 6/21
We left the dock at about 730 ready for anything. This time of year serves as a transitional period for fisherman. Fish have thinned out on the edge, and winds are typically lighter than winter, so kite fishing isn't so easy. At the same time though, pelagics are few and far between offshore so trolling usually turns up an equal amount of action.
After filling the wells with bait we decided we had enough wind to pop the kites up. We settled in an area just south of fowey, popped six kite baits up, a deep rod, and a flat line and began the waiting game. Action was slow to say the least. The radio was dead, and those that ventured offshore found nothing so they returned to the edge to soak kite baits as well. At about 1130, something smoked the right short and took off on a blistering run on the blue side of a deep rip (220'). The angler had just gotten comfortable when whatever it was bit through the leader.
We rerigged and reset, and began waiting again. As Nick was tending to the kite baits, the long swam deep, and was inhaled by a sail. After an acrobatic display our first angler handed the rod off to the second (he got tired), then the second handed the rod off to the third (after he also got tired). Our third angler put the heat to the fish and we had a successful leader touch 15 minutes later.
We snapped a few pictures, planted a tag in its side, and revived it before calling it a day and heading back in.
Final Tally-- 1 big Sailfish
Friday 6/22
The morning started off clear with a 9 or 10 knot breeze. We got off the dock at 7 with hopes of a hotter morning bite than yesterday. After spending a few minutes searching, we found the pods of pilchards 1/2 mile east of bug and filled the well in short order.
We headed south and put the kites up on an edge in 150'. The light winds only allowed us to fish 4 baits. At about this time the first clouds came through and storms began to form offshore. After a half hour we had to pull the kites because of the rain. We moved offshore a ways and cut the engines in 375 to begin a beam-to drift in the flat ocean.
We had just set the bow flat and deep rod (among the 6 other baits in the cockpit) when the deep rod went off. A few minutes of fighting had an angry bonita boatside. Feder reset and redeployed the deep rod, which went off minutes after with another angry bonehead. Another bait was sent deep off the bow, and it didnt take long before something found it. Something toyed with the bait for a minute, then the line slackened. Feder reeled line like a mad man, and came tight to a sailfish who had just started his dance on the surface when the hook pulled.
After that fish came unglued, the wind picked up a bit. We tried again at the kites, hoping we could deploy them while drifting side-to. the kites refused to fly though, so we pulled out the helium balloons and popped 5 more baits up. heavy rains came through all through out the morning, and the seas picked up a bit. Action was slow after the missed sail, so we pulled the spread and moved shallower and a bit further south to power drift.
We reset the kite baits in a building sea, and put a chum bag out to entice the kings to eat. A cero mackerel obliged us by killing the left short, giving Garret a fun fight. After resetting the short bait, a good sized king drilled the long bait. Garret brought the fish to the boat a few minutes later, and was happy to take a picture with the 15lber.
Just as we were about to reset the baits, another squalline came through. We stowed the kites and deployed a spread of livies to bump troll around the edge. An hour into that endeavor--in the pouring rain-- Nick spotted a Sail trailing our left long bait in 135'. Feder dropped back and came tight to that fish, when the left short popped as well. Jack and Garret fought the double for a bit when Garrets fish threw the hook. We cleared the lines and chased Jacks fish, which was lit up and giving everyone a wild boatside show. We got the clean release after some acroboatic jumps, and boated the fish for a few quick pictures before reviving her and letting her go.
We redeployed the spread soon after, and came upon a few birds working a bucket in 150. A few dolphin came up and toyed with our baits, and the boys had a blast reeling in the grasshoppers. We boxed one but released the other. We moved on but that proved to be the last action of the day.
Final Tally-- 1/3 on Sailfish, 2 Dolphin, a cero mackerel, 2 bonito, and a 15lb King
Miami Fishing Forecast:
Sails are still in the area with 1-3 bites expected in a full day outing. Dolphin have been shallow with the heavy winds, but are mostly smaller schoolies. The run of big blackfin tuna has thinned out unfortunately, but smaller footballs are eager to eat livebaits. Springtime wahoo are always a possibility on the edge, as are smoker kings. The kingfish bite has been most consistent in around 150' and they respond best to live bait fished in a chum slick. The dolphin bite will hopefully pick up with the warming weather, though kitefishing and drifting the edge has been the best bet at producing bites.
Target Species:
sailfish, dolphin, blackfin tuna, wahoo, kingfish, cero mackerel, cobia, amberjacks, mutton snapper
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