Miami - Haulover to Fowey Light
Capt. Dean Panos
March 12, 2001
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
3/12/01
The week started with intense winds from the NW. With winds gusting above 35 mph, I was questioning why we were fishing. With the hot sailfish bite to the South, we ran to Triumph. The sailfish bit good that day as we hooked at least 8 sailfish and a few dolphin and bonita. The wind slowly died as the week went on, and on Thursday we had very little wind.
On Thursday I fished with a client named Jack. Jack is one of those guys that instantly becomes your friend. Jack is retired and vacations in Florida for the winter. This was my first charter with Jack, but we had spent quite a bit of time on the phone previous to the trip. He was a bit worried that the sailfish would move through our area before he would get his shot. Jack had been apparently been trying to catch a sailfish for over ten years. He had tried other charters, but be it the weather was too rough, weather was too nice, wrong time of the year, or any other excuse, the sailfish have always eluded Jack. Jack was originally planned to fish with me last Sunday, a since the winds were up, Jack decided it would be too rough for him to enjoy it. Wouldn't you know it, but Sunday was a great day for sailfish. Many boats caught 10 or more that day.
Well Thursday came around; there was very little wind, green water and a South current. All three combined spell miserable sailfishing. Our first drift South of Fowey produced one dolphin on a kite bait. Kite bait with no wind? We had to use helium to keep the kite up. A little chatter on the VHF revealed a slight north current and better looking water in front of Pacific. We picked up and ran to Pacific. Still no current we ran just south of Pacific were we found a small eddy of North current and blueish clean water. After a few minutes, we had a sailfish on the flatline with a threadfin herring. Jack went about his business, and soon we had our first offiicial sailfish release. Unfortunately we got the fish to the boat (leader to the rod tip makes it official), and the hook pulled before we could get a good picture. Ecstatic that he got his first sailfish, but wished he could have got some pictures. Next drift, long kite bait gets nervous, and BAM, another sailfish on. This one we got to the boat and got pictures. Jack is in heaven. Third drift, another sailfish on a flatline. Got him to the boat and got pictures. Fourth drift we got into the bonitas. It was roughly 1:30 and Jack was exhausted. He says, lets go home, we caught sailfish, dolphin, bonitas, and I don't think I have the strength for another sailfish. As he was aying that and I was retrieving the kite and kite baits, a hot sailfish eats the rear kite bait, and Jack lands yet another sailfish. We ended up 4 for 4 on the sails, and what made it rewarding was primarily that Jack accomplished his quest in grand fashion. Be it that we found blue water and North current, or that the man upstairs decided it was Jack's day, but most of the fleet reported slow fishing with an even slower sailfish bite. It just goes to show you, sometimes it is YOUR day.
For great fishing adventures and for dreams that are meant to come true - Book a trip with a local charter captain.
Tight Lines and Good Fishing,
Capt. Dean Panos
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