SUMMERTIME FISHING ON THE GET EM WITH CAPT. ALAN SHERMAN
Capt. Alan Sherman
July 1, 2011
Miami - Saltwater Fishing Report
South Florida's fishing has been as unpredictable as the weather. This makes planning a fishing outing very difficult. For months we were in a terrible drought that was great for the freshwater fishing but not so good for the snook fishing.
Fast forward a few weeks and now we are getting pounded with daily rains and a Tropical Storm has formed in the Western Caribbean. What's next?
Well it doesn't really matter because fishermen fish no matter what the weather is. If it's cold we put jackets on, when it rains we don the foul weather gear and if it's hot we take off as much clothing as we can or wear some the great technical clothing that helps keep your skin protected from the sun but keeps you cool.
So how's the fishing you might be asking? It depends on the day you go and where you go. Because I trailer my boat I can go where I think the fishing is best that week. One day it might be North Biscayne Bay, the next South Biscayne Bay, offshore , Flamingo or freshwater fishing in the Glades. I always try and steer my clients to where I think we will do best.
Fishing in North Biscayne Bay has been challenging. Recently there has been no baitfish worth catching and fishing with except a few pinfish so the past three trips I made in North Biscayne Bay we fished a few live pinfish and cast artificial lures like the Rapala X Raps, Twitchin Raps and Flat Raps plus Hookup lures tipped with a Gulp or Trigger X shrimp. Air temperatures have been reaching the upper 80's and at times the low 90's so fishing early has been the key to getting into the best action. Working the grass flats in the Bay my clients had steady action from sea trout but most were under 18 inches, they also caught small barracudas, mangrove snappers, had shots at small bull sharks and lost an estimated 80 pound tarpon that ate a live pinfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float. When tides were right we had a few shots at snook as well.
South Biscayne Bay has been good for bonefish but this is not a species that I target much mostly because my boat is not built for that fishing.
Offshore fishing when the weather allows has been good for false albacore also known as bonitos that have been in the 10 to 230 pound range and will fight to your tired and these fish have been caught on live baits when we have had them and on light tackle. We have also had scattered action from dolphins two 10 pounds and had a sailfish on for one jump before the fish spit the hook.
I have not fished Flamingo recently but the fishermen that have had caught redfish, snook, sea trout, mackerel, tripletail, jacks, ladyfish, snappers and sharks.
My best charters have been in the Everglades Conservation Areas where largemouth bass, panfish and a ton of alligators have been stacked up in the canal systems. This fishing has been with soft plastics and Rapala floating minnows. With the recent rains we are having water levels are starting to rise in the Glades but I suspect that it will be a while before the fish will be able to move out into the flats and scatter.
RECENT CATCHES:
Today I am in North Biscayne Bay for a half day with Jason and Marilyn and their dad Dr. Tache. Baitfish was not available today so we were throwing Hookup lures tipped with Gulp and Trigger X shrimp. The fishing was tough but the guys caught sea trout, barracudas, and lizardfish and had a shot at a 60 pound hammerhead shark that hung around the boat for a few minutes.
My son Zach was in town and we got out twice together. The first day we caught threadfin herrings and went offshore looking for dolphins but found none so we moved closer to the reef where we caught three kingfish in the 10 pound range plus six big bonitos. All of the fish were caught on live baits attached to 4/0 Mustad Ultra Point short shank hooks. On day two we fished the patch reefs off of Key Biscayne and caught few red and black groupers plus a few mangrove snappers and porgies using frozen pilchards.
Today I have Mike G and his nephew Raul in North Biscayne Bay. We are fishing a half day in the afternoon. On this charter I was able to cast net about 100 big pilchards that we used for tarpon, snook and jacks. Raul released two jacks, lost two tarpon and a big snook and Mike released a snook and a jack before we moved on. In our last spot Raul released a nice snook that ate a live pilchard fished on the bottom.
Today I am part of an 8 boat charter out of Key Biscayne. The fishing was tough but the guys made the most of it by releasing quite a few barracudas and sea trout.
Today I am fishing with Jeff Weakly of Florida Sportsman Magazine and an intern named Will out of Holiday Park. Will had the hot hand and released close to 20 bass while Jeff and I released about a dozen together. We were casting soft plastics and Rapala floating Minnows.
Back at Holiday Park with Pat M. for a half day. Pat was casting plastic lizards and released over 20 largemouth bass to two pounds while I released about a dozen on Rapala floating minnows.
Today I have Jeff B from Channel 4 news and we are filming a short segment for his Aquatic Adventures series. The bass were biting and we released 30 fish to three pounds casting Rapala floating minnows and soft plastic lizards and the alligators were thick.
I went back out in the afternoon and fished by myself and released 15 more bass to 5 pounds casting lizards and Horny Toads.
Today I am back in North Biscayne Bay with Bobby G and his buddy Jerry. Bait was tough so I bought some freedom Lester of Lester's Live Bait. Fishing was tough again but the gives release a bunch of trout, barracudas, snappers and lizardfish.
That catches us up for now!
I do have scattered openings for the next three weeks so don't hesitate to give me a call so you too can have sore arms, big smiles and pictures of what you caught on the Get Em with Captain Alan Sherman!
Give me a call at 786-436-2064 or e-mail me at [email protected]
Let's go catch some Fish!
Check out my new web site and to read about the weekly catches and to see your pictures.
www.getemsportfishing.com
[email protected]
Rick Berry of Key Largo Rods (www.keylargorods.com) recently got in a new shipment of jigging rods. There model numbers are 843 and 844. These are 7 foot spinning rods with a lot of beef that will easily handle 12 to 30 and 15 to 40 pound braided line and a one to two ounce vertical jig. I have been using them for live bait fishing for snook, tarpon, sailfish, bonitos and dolphins and am very excited about the strength and feel of these new rods. I can't wait to give them a shot on snapper and grouper on the reefs! Check out the Key Largo Rods web site or give the shop a call and have a few made up.
Want to stay cool and look like you belong on the water? Than gear up with some Columbia Sportswear! For starters slip on a pair of cool fitting and quick drying Aruba III Zip Off Pants. They are so light you won't even know you're wearing them and they quickly turn into shorts if you feel the need. Find yourself in Flamingo in Everglades National Park where at times bugs can be a problem then add The Bug Shield long sleeve shirt that has the new Insect Blocker technology that keeps six-legged pests at bay and it offers Omni-Shade UPF 40 sun protection, and Omni-Wick advanced evaporation technology that keeps you cool, dry, and collected - leaving you free to focus on the adventure at hand. And then last but not least slip on a pair of Omni Free gloves and neck-buff that is outfitted with a UPF 30 sun protection enough sun protection to get the Skin Cancer Foundation's seal of recommendation.
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.
I have recently changed outboard engines on my 22' Pathfinder XL Tournament Edition Bay Boat. I had an opportunity to put one of the first Yamaha SHO 250 Four Stroke outboards on my boat and the difference has been just amazing. This engine has 25 more horsepower but carries 77 less pounds allowing me better hole shot while giving great cruising fuel efficiency. What more can a boater ask for?
I have been wearing a lot of Columbia Sports Wear on my fishing charters and the new Blood & Guts shirts are amazing. I have had mackerel, cobia and snook just splatter me with blood and one good washing and the shirts are as good as new.
Check out their web site at www.columbia.com
Sponsors: Yamaha, Bob Hewes Boats, Maverick, Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics, Daiwa, General Motors & Chevrolet, Rapala, 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, Power Pole, Stow Master Nets, superfishlight.com, Columbia Wear, Tempress Seating, Aluminum Fabricating Inc.
Capt. Alan Sherman
"Get Em" Sportfishing Charters
786-436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com
Field Editor of the Florida Sportsman Magazines Action Spotter Report South Region
Field Editor of the Florida Sportsman Magazines Internet Fishing Forecast South Region
Editor of the Miami Heralds South Florida Fishing Report Thursdays Edition
Miami 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 SAILFISH and DOLPHINS available on the calmer days and in FLAMINGO in EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK will 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 the Summer.
Target Species:
LARGEMOUTH BASS, SNOOK, TARPON, REDFISH, SHARKS, DOLPHINS, SAILFISH
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