BEST BET

Captain Jason Long of Best Bet Sportfishing Charters out of Key Colony Beach Marina in Marathon reported that sailfish are being caught offshore in 300 feet of water. … Just outside the reef, kingfish, cero mackerel are being caught on live pilchards and ballyhoo. … On the patch reefs, large mangrove snapper and yellowtail snappers have been biting live and dead baits. … Brook Ashley from Sebastian Bait and Tackle reported that anglers working the jetties and rocks are catching a lot of mackerel, bluefish, redfish and flounder. The mackerel, redfish and bluefish are eating live shrimp and silver spoons. The flounder are eating frozen finger mullet.

MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD

Captain Quinton Dieterle from the charter boat Cutting Edge reported sailfish season has started in South Florida. During recent trips his clients are having action from tailing sailfish and from sailfish that are eating live threadfin herring under a kite. Best action was outside of 100 feet of water offshore of Key Biscayne. … Fishing in North Biscayne Bay with captain Alan Sherman of Get Em Sportfishing Charters, local Michael Resnick and his fishing buddy Michael Zelenetz of Manhattan teamed up to catch and release eight jack crevalles to 10 pounds, seven bluefish and a mackerel. All of the fish were caught on live pilchards. … Eric Belanger of Canada and his grandmother Pauline Lacroix of Fort Lauderdale fished on the charter boat Happy Day Today out of Fort Lauderdale and caught a 92 inch sailfish that ate a live goggle eye jack fished under a kite in 200 feet of water offshore of Port Everglades.

KEYS

Captain Rick Rodriguez of Sea Horse Deep Sea Sport Fishing out of Whale Harbor Marina reported sailfish and kingfish are biting outside the reef. … Blackfin tuna and a few dolphins can be found in 120 feet of water and big mutton snappers are biting over the wrecks. … Mark Sanders of Key West wade fished the shallow flats near Bahia Honda State Park using a fly rod and a No.2 tan marabou Gotcha fly and caught and released three bonefish in one day.

TREASURE COAST

Mike Schelee from the Juno Fishing Pier reported plenty of mackerel, bluefish, whiting, jacks and ladyfish were being caught by pier fishermen. Best baits were silver spoons, live shrimp and pilchards.

FLORIDA BAY

Captain Richard Stanczyk out of Bud N Mary’s Marina in Islamorada fished the open waters of Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and found plenty of snappers, bluefish, mackerel, big bull sharks, cobia to 20 pounds, permits and goliath groupers to 100 pounds. Live pilchards, shrimp and pinfish were the preferred baits.

SOUTHWEST COAST

Lee Weiss of Fort Lauderdale fished with captain Pete Rapps of Rapps Fishing Charters out of Chokoloskee and released over a dozen snook to 36 inches, more than 40 sea trout while fishing live pilchards in the backcountry. Using live shrimp they also had sheepshead that was caught on the slack tide. … Captain Lisa Williams from Sea Gone Fishing Team out of Marco Island reported windy conditions have kept most anglers in the back bays and next to protected islands. In these areas plenty of sea trout with many over the slot size are being caught. Sheepshead to five pounds is being caught next to pilings and in the passes. Plenty of redfish in all sizes are being caught along the mangrove shorelines. Best baits have been a live shrimp fished on a jig.

FRESHWATER

Captain Pat Stevens from Slim’s Fishing Camp in Belle Glade reported that largemouth bass to 9.5 pounds are being caught in the boat trails on swim baits on the west side of Ritta Island and in the Barge Canal. Speckled perch to two pounds are being made by anglers fishing jigs in the daytime and minnows at night. Best areas have been in the first dynamite hole, Whities Hole and Tree Island. … Troy White of North Broward and his sons Ben and Jonathan and John Shaffner of New York teamed up to catch and release 36 peacock bass, 12 largemouth bass, snook and a Mayan cichlid using floating Rapalas. All of the action took place in the C-8 canal led by captain Alan Zaremba.

Capt. Alan Sherman