Fish are literally jumping in the boat in Florida Bay
BEST BET
IslamoradaSportFishing.com reported the offshore charter fleet has been having steady action from dolphin fish up to 20 pounds. The dolphins have been under birds and near floating debris. Over the Humps large amberjacks have been bending rods. Along the outer reef plenty of yellowtail snappers are biting in the chum lines and on the bottom mutton snappers and groupers are being caught on live baits. Kingfish, bonitos and a few sailfish and wahoo are being caught just outside the drop off. The surface fish are going for live ballyhoo and speedos. Light tackle fishermen have been catching good numbers of sea trout and mangrove snappers in the channels of Florida Bay. The snapper and sea trout are eating soft plastics and cut pinfish. Along the shorelines from East Cape to Middle Cape plenty of catch-and-release snook are biting live baitfish and a wide assortment of soft plastics.
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD
Captain Jimbo from the charter boat Thomas Flyer out of Bayside Market Place in Miami reported the fishing offshore of Miami has been less than spectacular but well worth trying. Along the outside of the outer reef a few nice kingfish, lots of bonitos, a few wahoo and a decent number of sailfish are being caught on live baits fished near the surface and with large spoons and feathers trolled deep. Further offshore along the Gulfstreams edge blackfin tunas can be found. Dolphins are being caught in depths from 400 feet out to over 1,000 feet of water when you can find that magical piece of floating debris. Captain Thomas Zsak from the Topshotfishing Charters out of Ft. Lauderdale reported having plenty of action kingfish, barracudas, blackfin tuna and bonitos in 120 feet of water offshore of Port Everglades. The fish are being caught using a 3 1/2-blue reflector drone spoon and a No. 8 planer and with a chartreuse sea witch and a double-hooked bonito strip.
KEYS
Captain Chris Johnson from SeaSquared Charters in Marathon reported his clients have been catching plenty of mangrove and yellowtail snappers during his daytime fishing trips. Mixed in with the snappers are some under-sized gag and red groupers and some big nurse sharks. The bottom fish are eating cut baits. During Johnson’s shark fishing charters his clients are catching big lemon sharks and a huge hammerhead shark.
TREASURE COAST
Captain Charlie Conner of FishTales Charters out of Port St. Lucie reported the St. Lucie River is loaded with glass minnows. Feeding on the minnows in the ocean inlets have been jacks, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and bonitos. Along the mangrove shorelines that have deep water snook for catch and release can be targeted. Most of the fish have been under the mangroves where the water is cooler, so you have to skip your baits up and under the mangroves to get the hits. There has been snook, redfish, snappers and sea trout under many of the docks that have deeper water.
FLORIDA BAY
Andy Yaffa and Mitchell Widom of Miami fished out of Flamingo with captain Eric Herstedt and caught and released 17 snook to seven pounds using jigs, a 150-pound lemon shark and a tripletail that jumped in the boat. Each angler also released tarpon estimated to be in the 130-pound class using fly tackle.
SOUTHWEST COAST
Captain Jon Fetter of Catch the Cure Fishing Charters out of Estero Bay reported big schools of white bait have been holding along the beaches and in the bay. Lots of snook, jacks, ladyfish, tarpon and a few redfish are feeding on this baitfish. The snook are holding along beaches, under docks and in the passes where free-lined white bait can quickly get you a strike. In the bay there have been schools of small tarpon that can be targeted with live, white bait fished under a float.
FRESHWATER
Captain Alan Zaremba of World Wide Sportfishing Inc. reported the best freshwater bite this past week has come early in the day. Fishing the South Florida urban canals with AZ quarter ounce Jungle jigs, Berkley minnows, Storm Chug Bugs and Clouser minnow flies his clients have had steady action from peacock bass to seven pounds. Snook, tarpon, Mayan cichlids and a few largemouth bass have also been part of the catches.
Capt. Alan Sherman
shermana@bellsouth.net
This story was originally published August 3, 2016 at 5:59 PM with the headline "Fish are literally jumping in the boat in Florida Bay."