Best bet: Three types of billfish offshore of Miami
BEST BET
Captain Ray Rosher of Miss Britt Charters out of Bayshore Landing Marina in Coconut Grove reported this past week his boats hooked and landed three types of billfish while fishing offshore of Miami. Bob Hunter of North Carolina released a white marlin using a trolled purple and pink Mahi Magnet, Peter Walsh released a roundscale spearfish using a blue and white Mahi Magnet, and Michael Codlentz of New England landed a swordfish. Along with the billfish, his customers landed blackfin tuna and dolphins. All of the action took place in depths from 800 to 1,800 feet of water.
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD
It didn’t take captain Dave Kostyo of Knot Nancy Fishing Charters out of TNT Marina in Keystone to get back into catching fish after a long overdue vacation. On his first full-day charter of the week, Kostyo’s clients got into a solid dolphin bite. Using live baits and trollers, his clients caught more than 35 dolphins to 19 1/2 pounds, releasing all but 15 dolphins. The catch was made 24 1/2 miles offshore under large floating mats of Sargasso weeds offshore of Miami. Captain Jay Cohen of Spellbound Fishing Charters out of Haulover Marina reported day charters offshore of Haulover Inlet are producing almost nonstop action from bonitos. Mixed in with the bonitos are some nice-size kingfish, small dolphins and a few wahoo. The fish are feeding in depths from 100 to 250 feet of water.
KEYS
IslamoradaSportFishing.com reported most of the good dolphin fishing is 30 miles offshore of Islamorada. The dolphins are holding to floating debris. Over the Islamorada Hump, blackfin tuna are biting but big sharks are grabbing the tuna as the fishermen reel them in. Over the reefs, the yellowtail bite has been excellent. Mixed in with the yellowtails are a few mutton and mangrove snappers. On the edge of the Gulf of Mexico near the Yacht Channel, inshore fishermen are catching sea trout, snapper, jacks and ladyfish. These fish are eating jigs bounced over the grassy bottom.
TREASURE COAST
Tom Turowski from the Sebastian Inlet Bait and Tackle reported jetty fishermen willing to fish in the rain are catching limit catches of mangrove snappers and few legal-size mutton snappers. There have been plenty of jacks, some big redfish and catch-and-release snook. Captain Charlie Conner of FishTales Charters out of Port St. Lucie reported the early-morning sea-trout bite continues to be good over the shallow grass flats. The trout are eating DOA lures. Redfish are being caught along the mangrove shorelines and under the docks. Loads of snapper are in the river right now and can be caught on cut bait fished around the docks and bridges.
FLORIDA BAY
Captain Jim Hobales of Caught Lookin Charters reported he has been using his shallow drafting flats skiff to get up high on the Florida Bay flats, where his clients targeted tailing redfish, sharks and snook. Using his bigger bay boat, he found a big mud along First National Bank. With a few casts of his net he caught horse pilchards, finger mullet and pinfish, but nothing would eat the baits there except catfish. Working the shoreline north to Sable Creek, his clients caught snook, sea trout, ladyfish, jacks and big lemon sharks.
SOUTHWEST COAST
Captain Todd Geroy of Captain Todd G. Geroy Charters out of Naples reported while he recuperates from foot surgery his son, captain Ben Geroy, has been taking care of business. With water temperatures closing in on 90 degrees, the best action has come during the early mornings. Working some of the smaller bays near the Gulf entrances, his clients have had some quick shots at tarpon. The tarpon have averaged 30 to 100 pounds and have been eating live and dead baits plus Bagley’s finger mullet and Heddon Lucky 13’s. Lots of 4- to 7-foot lemon sharks are feeding in the bays. Live bait snook fishing continues to be good early in the day. The snook have been feeding along docks and shorelines that have blown down trees.
FRESHWATER
Alan Zaremba of Worldwide Sport Fishing Inc. reported the canals in the Everglades continue to produce steady catches of largemouth bass. The best action has been early in the day before the storms rolling, and the fish are eating Rapala floating minnows. Peacock bass fishing has slowed a little because of moving water that has made the waters muddy.
Capt. Alan Sherman
This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Best bet: Three types of billfish offshore of Miami."