BEST BET

Captain Jay Cohen from the charter boat Spellbound out of Haullover Marina reported fishing off of Miami has been very good with a large variety of fish being caught. Kingfish catches are being made in depths from 40 feet out to 120 feet of water. Blackfin tuna, dolphins and sailfish are being caught on live baits along the bluewater color change. Fishing the wrecks and ledges is producing large gag groupers, a mystic grouper, snowy groupers and large amberjacks.

MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD

Captain Mo Estevez of New Dawn Charters reported bonefishing has been good in the mornings on the Oceanside flats in South Biscayne Bay and on the west shorelines flats in the afternoon. Locals Seth Sanford and Steve Fill fished off of South Biscayne Bay with captain Alan Sherman of Get Em Sportfishing Charters and caught more than 60 fish that included red groupers to 24 inches, gag and black groupers, mangrove snappers to 17 inches, yellowtail snappers to 14 inches, mutton snappers, porgies, bar jacks and bluerunners that ate live pilchards and shrimp. Fishing aboard the charter boat Huntress out of Key Largo Fisheries Marina with captain Eric Scoble in 300 feet of water, Marc, Nicholas, Laetitia, Jean and Michele Tibi and Pascal and Anouk Ohayon from Miami and Paris landed over 30 dolphins, bonitos and blackfin tuna. Howie Scharlin, 9, of Miami, landed a 37.28 pound African pompano that may become a new world record in the International Game Fish Small Fry Division. The great catch was made aboard the Lisa L with captain Mike Puller of Miami. Also on board were Eric Kleinman and Scharlin, of Miami.

KEYS

Captain Rick Rodriguez of Sea Horse Deep Sea Sport Fishing charters out of Islamorada reported schools of ballyhoo are attracting a lot of attention from sailfish and kingfish in 60 to 120 feet of water offshore of Islamorada. Captain Mark Schmidt of Sun Dancer Charters out of Key West reported offshore sailfish and dolphin are biting. On the rock piles in Hawks Channel there have been plenty of groupers, snappers, cero mackerel, barracudas and sharks. In Key West Harbor little tuna and Spanish mackerel are available and eating live shrimp and pilchards. On the Gulf side in the basins and channels anglers are catching plenty of jacks, ladyfish, snappers, sea trout, pompano and sharks.

TREASURE COAST

Captain Glyn Austin of Going Coastal Charters from Palm Bay reported flounder fishing in the ocean inlets has been good. Pompano have arrived in good numbers and can be found along the spoil islands, the south beaches and the inlet flats where they are eating sand fleas and shrimp. Snook, tarpon and redfish action has been very good around the cold fronts in the Ocean Inlets. Plenty of black drum were being caught on peeled shrimp next to the rocks. Along the beaches spinner sharks, mackerel and some tarpon catches were being made. Offshore anglers were catching grouper and lots of red snapper plus a few cobia, sailfish, dolphins and kingfish.

FLORIDA BAY

Jack Dressner and his grandkids Chole and Joshua Grant and father Chris, all from Miami, fished Flamingo with captain Mike Hutchinson and caught sheepshead, black drum, ladyfish, redfish and snook on live shrimp cast to the mangrove shorelines. Captain Bob LeMay reported his clients continue to do well on large gag groupers, snook to ten pounds, lots of sea trout, redfish and a few large tarpon fishing the Rivers leading to Ponce de Leon Bay.

SOUTHWEST COAST

Captain Pete Rapps of Captain Rapps Fishing Charters out of Chokoloskee reported excellent trout fishing has been taking place on the incoming tides in the creek and river mouths and on the outside flats. Redfish, sheepshead, black drum, Spanish mackerel, snook, tripletail to 22 pounds and silver trout are being caught along the outside shorelines, in the river mouths and along the mangrove shorelines on live shrimp.

FRESHWATER

Captain Michael Shellen of Shellen Guide Service out of Buck Head Ridge on Lake Okeechobee reported largemouth bass catches are averaging around 25 to 40 fish. Best action has been on the east side of the lake from Taylor Creek down to J&S. Live wild shiners and skinny dippers have been the best baits this week. Terry and Debbie Wison, of Arizona ,fished a full day with captain Alan Zaremba in Lake Ida and caught 31 largemouth, peacock and sunshine bass fishing floating Rapala lures and live shiners.

Capt. Alan Sherman

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