BEST BET

Captain Lou Brubaker out of Islamorada reported finding a lot of sea trout, mangrove snapper and slot size redfish in the Florida Bay near Flamingo. Tarpon also have been biting in that area. … Out in the Gulf over rock piles and wrecks, goliath grouper continue to eat anything that gets close to them. His clients are hooking monsters, only to have the groupers break their heavy lines. A lot of permit, jacks, sea trout, pompano and a few cobia are being caught off the rock piles.

DADE/BROWARD

Captain Mo Estevez of Miami Bonefishng.com reported bonefishing has been good on the oceanside and western shoreline flats of South Biscayne Bay during early morning and late afternoons when the tide is just starting to come in. These conditions will be happening in the middle of the day this weekend, but there should still be plenty of tailing fish for sight fishermen. … Small quarter-size blue crabs have been the top baits this week. … During the 13th Annual Horizons Fishing Tournament in Palm Beach County, Matthew Alligood fishing on the Catch One took top honors with a 54.6 pound wahoo. … Captain Dean Panos of Double D Charters out of Keystone Marina reported daytime swordfishing trips are producing at least one fish each trip up to 200 pounds. … Closer to shore, loads of bonito and a few kingfish to 30 pounds are being caught outside of 100 feet of water. Small dolphin continue to be thick in the Gulfstream.

FLORIDA KEYS

Captain Richard Stanczyk from Bud N’ Marys Marina in Islamorada reported tarpon have been eating dead baits on the bottom at night next to the bridges. … In Florida Bay, a lot of snapper, ladyfish and sea trout are available. Out in the Gulf, lots of small permit, a few cobia and goliath grouper to 350 pounds are biting. … Captain Chris Johnson from SeaSquared Charters in Marathon reports that this is the month to catch big mutton snapper to 20 pounds on live ballyhoo and cigar minnows over the wrecks and artificial reefs. … Mangrove snapper fishing at night on the reefs and patches continues to be good. Dolphin are biting early and late in the day when things are cooler. … In the backcountry, plenty of sharks are available to bend your fishing rods. IslamoradaSportfishing.com reported heavy lifter and gaffer-size dolphin have returned to the Islamorada area. … Working from 16 milesto 20 miles offshore is where these dolphins have been feeding.

TREASURE COAST

Captain Charlie Conner of FishTales Charters out of Port St. Lucie reported getting out at sunrise and fishing until 10 a.m. has been the key to having some action in the Indian River. Redfish are starting to school in the river over the flats and can be sight fished with DOA shrimp and CAL jerk baits. … Sea trout are still going for top water baits early in the day. Plenty of mangrove snappers are scattered throughout the river. Live or dead shrimp are getting the snappers. Snook for catch and release are biting around the jetties and bridges.

FLORIDA BAY

Captain Jim Hobales of Caught Lookin Charters reported finding snook to 38 inches, legal-size redfish and sea trout to 24 inches while fishing the potholes of Florida Bay with live pinfish, jig heads tipped with soft plastics and Rapala Twitchin Raps. … Captain Bob LeMay reported having steady action from snapper, sea trout and jacks working the shorelines along the coast out of Shark River. His anglers tangled with big sharks, groupers, snook and released a 19-pound redfish.

SOUTHWEST COAST

Captain Butch Rickey of BarHopp’R Kayak Fishing out of Fort Myers reported his fishermen are working the flats of Pine Island Sound with fly and spoon and catching snook, redfish and sea trout. Fishing recently has been tough with lots of fish being spotted but not many feeding.

FRESHWATER

Captain Pat Stevens out of Slim’s Fishing Camp in Belle Glade reported water levels are holding and a lot of shellcrackers and bluegills are being caught on live worms and crickets in the Rim Canal and the Airport Hole. … Bass are schooling in open water around the deeper grass lines near Ritta and Pahokee Rocks. Look for birds and surface splashes to locate the bass schools. … Ryan Bernard of Missouri fished the C-100 canal with captain Alan Zaremba and released 20 peacock and largemouth bass plus red Midas cichlids, and they spotted tilapia using baby Torpedoes, Zara Spooks and Blakemore bucktail jigs.

Capt. Alan Sherman

shermana@bellsouth.net