South Florida fishing report: June 24, 2015
BEST BET
Captain Nick Stanczyk out of Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada reported the inshore shallow-water guides have had caught bonefish to 11 pounds plus a few permits, pompano and redfish. The inshore guides fishing near Flamingo in Florida Bay are having success with catch-and-release snook, redfish and tarpon. Most of the action is along the beaches and creek mouths north of East Cape. Lots of hungry sharks are around for rod-bending fun.
MIAMI DADE/BROWARD
Captain Bouncer Smith of Bouncers Dusky fishing charters out of Miami Beach Marina reported during his recent offshore fishing charters his clients have been catching sharks to 350 pounds, mutton snapper, bonito, blackfin tuna, dolphin, kingfish, barracudas and a few sailfish. All of his action has come offshore of Miami Beach in depths between 100 to 900 feet of water. Captain Paul Roydhouse of Fishing Headquarters charters out of Fort Lauderdale reported the drift boats at night are catching lots of yellowtail and mangrove snapper on the reef. The Sportfishing boats are catching blackfin tuna, bonito, kingfish, wahoo and dolphins offshore of the outer reef. Most of the dolphins this past week have been eight to 10 miles offshore and have been found under birds and under floating debris.
KEYS
Captain Bill Hauck from the party boat Sea King out of Marathon reported his boat is catching plenty of mangrove snappers on the reef at night. Hauck also reported yellowtail and mutton snapper and a few groupers are being caught each night as well. The bottom fish are eating cut squid, ballyhoo and silversides. Captain Lee Daniel Kerbel of Inner Circle Sportfishing Charters out of Key West reported almost all of the dolphins they have caught this past week have come outside of 600 feet of water. Most have been small schoolies, but there has also been plenty of gaffer-size fish, too. Wreck fishing in 180 feet or deeper has been good with plenty of amberjacks, large mutton snapper, vermillion snapper and sharks. Live pinfish have been the top bottom baits.
TREASURE COAST
Nedra Maxwell with the Sebastian Inlet District reported the waters around the Sebastian Inlet have been clear, making it difficult to fool some of the smarter fish around the inlet. Mangrove snapper have been the top fish caught this past week, and a few large snook were caught and released. Large over-size redfish are being caught but must be released.
FLORIDA BAY
Captain Jim Hobales of Caught Lookin Charters reported finding schools of redfish up on the shallow flats of Florida Bay. At times, the redfish schools were so tightly packed that they turned the water red and ate everything thrown their way. Hobales reported there have been huge schools of pilchards, threadfin herring and small finger mullet along most shorelines and creek mouths from East Cape Canal north to Shark River. With all of the bait around, it has been tough to get the snook and redfish to cooperate. Lots of big sharks have been keeping his clients busy while waiting for a snook or tarpon bite.
SOUTHWEST COAST
Captain Todd Geroy of Captain Todd G Geroy Charters out of Naples reported tarpon fishing has slowed a bit, but if you are on the water before sun up, there are hungry tarpon looking for a crab fished under a float to eat along the outside beaches. Large schools of pompano have been holding along the beaches and have provided some hot action for his clients. The pompano are eating small jigs and shrimp. Large spawning snook, with many fish in the 40-inch class, are being caught and released in his area. The snook are going for sardines and soft plastics fished around the outside creeks and points. Redfish have been mixed in with the snook.
FRESHWATER
Alan Zaremba of Worldwide Sport Fishing Inc. reported a lack of rain recently has once again dropped the water levels in many of the canals in the Everglades. Largemouth bass, chain pickerel and lots of panfish have been eating flies, Rapala floating minnows and soft plastic worms. L-38W canal has been good for largemouth bass, panfish and chain pickerel. The urban canals are also producing good action from peacock bass, Oscars and Jaguar Gaupote’s. The C-8 and C-4 canals have been producing peacock bass.
Capt. Alan Sherman
This story was originally published June 24, 2015 at 8:26 PM with the headline "South Florida fishing report: June 24, 2015."