Best Bet

Captain Jamie Owens from the party boat Atlantis out of Haulover Marina reported that his anglers are catching gag groupers from 22 to 51 pounds in depths between 120 and 240 feet of water off Haulover Inlet. The hot bait for the groupers was double plugs of ballyhoo fished on the bottom. On the surface dolphins to 38 pounds, kingfish and blackfin tuna are being caught on the surface to half way to the bottom on vertical jigs and ballyhoo.

Miami-Dade/ Broward

Mike and Jake Reiner of Connecticut fished off Miami Beach with captain Bouncer Smith and caught an estimated 140-pound swordfish, dolphins, and went 1 for 2 on wahoo and then moved along the beach and released three tarpon and a ladyfish. … Steven Raffoni of California had numerous shots at bonefish on fly while fishing South Biscayne Bay with captain Jorge Valverde of Low Places Guide Service. After many unsuccessful attempts with the fly, Raffoni settled on using a live shrimp and released a 61/4-pound bonefish. … Nick Conomos from Anglin’s Fishing Pier on Commercial Boulevard reported that fishermen are catching lots of Spanish mackerel, lesser amberjacks and mutton snappers in the daytime when the wind is from the east pier. At night the bluefish and bluerunners are thick.

Florida Keys

Locals Bravid Harris, Mike Fierro, Jamie Owens and Jorge Camilla fished aboard the Sweet E Nuff with captain Dave “Sugar” Sugarman out of Marathon in 80 to 120 feet of water and landed wahoo to 55 pounds and kingfish to 30 pounds off the surface. Fishing over hard bottom resulted in black groupers in the 14- to 20-pound range, limit catches of yellowtails and mutton snappers from five to 14 pounds. … Captain Brett Hogan on the charter boat Huntress out of Key Largo reported night fishing the outer reef is producing nice catches of yellowtail snappers. … Captain Dexter Simmons of Key West Fly Fishing Charters reported finding baby tarpon in the creeks, channels and canals and large barracuda on the shallow flats out of Key West.

Treasure Coast

Captain Tom Van Horn of Mosquito Coast Charters reported low clear water in the Indian River Lagoon is producing quality catches of sight caught snook, redfish and sea trout. … Captain Charlie Conner of FishTales Charters out of Port St. Lucie reported plenty of sheepshead is available throughout the Indian River. The sheepsheads have been holding around the dock and bridge pilings and black drum have been mixed in with the sheepshead. Best baits have been shrimp and fiddler crabs. Pompano have been scattered in the Indian River and the redfish are coming from under the mangroves and docks.

Florida Bay

Locals Dennis and Vicky Horn fished out front of Flamingo in Florida Bay and caught 33 sea trout to 23 inches, a dozen sheepshead and black drum to 5 pounds, pompano, bluefish, a 101/2-pound snook, jacks, snapper and ladyfish. All of the fish ate jigs tipped with shrimp and plain jigs bounced off the bottom. … Captain Jim Hobales reported finding plenty of sea trout, jacks, ladyfish, a few large tarpon and redfish in the channels of Florida Bay nearby the Flamingo Marina.

Southwest Coast

Captain Lisa Williams of Sea Gone Fishing charters out of Fort Myers reported finding redfish on the oyster bars and in the deep water in the Ten Thousand islands. Best baits for the reds have been jigs tipped with shrimp. Sea trout are roaming the grass flats and eating shrimp under popping corks on the incoming tides. Tripletails have arrived offshore in numbers and sheepsheads have moved inland and can be caught on moving tides around structure. … Captain Rob Modys of Soul Mate Charters out of Fort Myers reported an offshore structure has been holding snapper, grouper, trigger fish and sheepshead.

Freshwater

Captain Michael Shellen of Shellen Guide Service out of Buck Head Ridge on Lake Okeechobee reported lunker-size largemouth bass fishing has been red hot. Best bass action has come along the outside grass lines and the bass have been eating wild live shiners. … Captain Alan Zaremba has been working the C-8, L-5, C-15 and L-30 canals and catching big numbers of largemouth bass to three pounds, peacock bass to 3.5 pounds plus bluegills and cichlids. Most of the fish were caught using poppers and Clouser minnows on fly tackle.

Capt. Alan Sherman

shermana@bellsouth.net