BEST BET

Captain Jamie Owens from the party boat Atlantis out of Haulover Marina reported the catch of a 60-pound Warsaw grouper that was caught by angler Bravid Harris of Miami. Harris was using a butterflied bonito fished on the bottom in 300 feet of water offshore of Haulover Inlet. Captain Bobby Probst on the party boat Mucho K out of the same marina came back with three dolphins plus some big kingfish. Two of the dolphins were 20 pounders and the third was 38 pounds.

MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD

Captain Mo Estevez of MiamiBonefishing.com reported before the heavy weather set in lots of tarpon were moving along the Oceanside flats. Bonefish in good numbers were feeding on the west and east shallow flats in South Biscayne Bay and at night medium-size tarpon continue to feed under many of the bay bridges. Captain Andy Roydhouse of Fishingheadquraters.com out of Ft. Lauderdale reported the catch of a 300-pound mako shark that was caught on the charter boat Out of the Blue with captain Adam Reckert and Bobby Diaz. The giant shark ate a whole bonito in 350 feet of water offshore of Ft. Lauderdale.

KEYS

Captain Bill Hauck from the party boat Sea King out of Marathon reported recent winds and rain have dirtied up the water and the yellowtail fishing offshore of Marathon has turned on. Large mutton snappers and groupers were being caught by anglers fishing bigger baits on the bottom. Captain Bob Fernicola of Key Largo Charters reported that working the Florida Bay shorelines and creek mouths has produced large snook, five-pound jacks and slot-size redfish. Over the grass flats plenty of quality size sea trout, a few pompano and lots of jack and ladyfish are being caught on jigs and soft plastics. Fred and Pat Bartlett of Stuart fished with captain Chuck Brodzki out of Islamorada for two days and caught and released 11 tarpon up to 95 pounds using live crabs in the Florida Bay channels.

TREASURE COAST

Tom Turowski from Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle reported a lot of oversize snook are being caught on live shrimp and jigs in the inlet. Plenty of mullet, mojaras, pilchards and some croakers are in the inlet and these baitfish are attracting a few redfish, flounder to eight pounds, small snappers, large jacks and Spanish mackerel. A few big permits and a 25-pound cobia were caught off the jetties on the outgoing tide. Henry Caimotto from the Snook Nook Bait & Tackle out of Jensen Beach reported before the bad weather set in offshore anglers were catching kingfish and dolphins north of the St. Lucie Inlet in 80 feet of water trolling ballyhoo. Cobia and permits were being caught off the Sand Pile and mutton and lane snappers, grouper and big amberjacks were eating sardines fished on the bottom from 60 feet out to over 100 feet of water.

FLORIDA BAY

Captain Bob LeMay reported finding large redfish along the shorelines from Shark River to Lostman’s River. Large snook are being caught and released near almost every creek mouth and in the rivers goliath and gag groupers, trout, sharks and a sawfish are being caught. Locals Lazaro Arrojo and his son Chris teamed up to catch snook, redfish, sea trout, ladyfish and a large sawfish along the shorelines of Shark River. Their guide was captain Alan Sherman of Get Em Sportfishing Charters.

SOUTHWEST COAST

Captain Butch Rickey of BarHopp’R’ Kayak Fishing out of Fort Myers reported working the shallow grass flats near the Sanibel Bridge his anglers were having a ball catching plenty of sea trout on jigs and soft plastics. At times they have had schools of jacks up to 33 inches in length within casting range. These jacks are chasing big schools of baitfish. Working the mangrove tree shorelines with chunks of ladyfish fished on the bottom was how they have been catching plenty of slot-size redfish.

FRESHWATER

Captain Michael Shellen of Shellen Guide Service out of Buckhead Ridge reported the recent full moon kept the bluegills feeding in the local canals as well as in the areas of the Harney Pond, Indian Prairie, J&S and Buckhead Ridge canal. The panfish are eating red worms, crickets and grass shrimp under floats. Largemouth bass are being caught along the Kissimmee grass lines near the North Shore and Observation Shoal. Live wild shiners and soft plastics are getting the basses attention.

Capt. Alan Sherman