Best bet

Captain Michael Avinon from Findictive Charters out of Naples reported having success on its 12-hour offshore Gulf charters. During these charters, his clients have had limit catches of red snapper up to 18 pounds and gag groupers up to 30 pounds. Plenty of red grouper are being caught as well. Red snapper season on the Gulf Coast remains open until Monday, and gag grouper season stays open until Oct. 31.

Miami-dade/broward

Captain Jimbo Thomas on the Thomas Flyer charter boat out of Bayside Marina reported offshore fishing for kingfish, dolphin, blackfin tuna and wahoo was slow except for sailfish and false albacore that have been hitting in depths from 100 feet out to 260 feet of water on live threadfin herring. Gary Gomer of Aventura landed a 90-pound wahoo while trolling a rigged horse ballyhoo offshore of Miami. Cal Levy and Gary Gomer, both from Aventura, fished with captain Eric Reynolds on the Real Deal offshore of Carysfort light at night in 125 feet of water and landed three cubera snapper to 30 pounds using live yellowtail snapper for bait.

KEYS

Captain Brian Cone from the charter boat Contagious out of Islamorada reported plenty of dolphin in sizes from heavy-lifters to slammers can be caught in the Gulfstream. Cone has been chasing flocks of sooty terns that are tracking some of the largest dolphin offshore. Besides the dolphin, small blackfin tuna are being caught on vertical jigs over the humps, and plenty of vermillion and yelloweye snapper can be caught in the deep water just inside the Gulfstream’s edge. During the sixth annual Junior Dolphin Tournament out of Islamorada, Tyler Auner, 16, from Islamorada had the largest dolphin of the tournament, a 40-pounder. Tyler fished aboard the Reel McCoy out of Bud N’ Mary’s Marina with captain George McElveen. Also aboard the Reel McCoy were Robert and Thomas Orr, Josh Shroder and Pemron Burrows, all from Islamorada. The team had a combined dolphin catch weighing 76.4 pounds, earning all of them first-place trophies. Captain Bill Hauck on the party boat Sea King out of Marathon reported night snapper trips are producing plenty of mangrove and yellowtail snapper.

TREASURE COAST

Captain Glyn Austin of Going Coastal Charters out of Brevard County reported sea trout fishing has been good in the river. Snook, tarpon, jacks and large schools of ladyfish are holding in the Sebastian River and in Turkey and Crane creeks. Snook also can be found under the docks. Breeder redfish are feeding on small crabs on the outgoing tides, and large snook are eating live shrimp during the incoming tides in the Sebastian Inlet.

FLORIDA BAY

Captain Bob LeMay reported having plenty of action along the coast outside of Shark River. Casting jigs, soft plastics and flies along the mangrove shorelines, his anglers had continuous action from hungry snook, redfish, tarpon, sea trout, snapper and sharks. Captain Nestor Alvisa from Hooked on Flamingo Charters reported catching plenty of sea trout and mangrove snappers free-lining cut pinfish and ballyhoo over the deeper grass flats in Florida Bay.

SOUTHWEST COAST

Captain Terry Pitz of Fishing Southwest Florida out of St. James City reported tarpon from 40 to 200 pounds are available along the beaches and in the sound. Live bait and flies have been getting the strikes. Red fishing is on fire as long as the tide is moving. Tailing reds can be found on the shallow grass flats, and many of the oyster and sand bars are holding fish. On the higher tides, redfish can be found along the mangrove shorelines. Shrimp, shiners and cut bait have been the top redfish catchers this week. Along the beaches, lots of sea trout are being caught over the grass flats. Jacks, mackerel, cobia, pompano, grouper and sharks are in good numbers offshore.

FRESHWATER

Jessica Baker from Slim’s Fishing Camp in Belle Glade reported panfish anglers using red worms, wigglers and crickets are catching limits of shellcrackers and bluegills fishing early and late in the day around Kramer Island, the Dynamite Hole, Airport Hole and in the Rim Canal. Largemouth bass are being caught in the same areas around the deeper grass lines on wild shiners, and skinny dippers in the gold digger, Houdini and frog colors.

Capt. Alan Sherman

shermana@bellsouth.net