Log
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Aug 28Planer Fishing for Kingfish
Kingfish at a Glance Kingfish are always a welcomed gamefish while fishing in tropical waters. They fight hard and are great to eat. Kings are present in South Florida year round with bigger fish around during the cooler months. We catch kings every month of the year using a variety of techniques. You can find more information on kingfish here: Kingfish Species Information When you look at the anatomy of a kingfish you will notice distinct characteristics that are evident for all fish in the mackerel family. With long slender bodies, these fish are designed for bursts of speed. King mackerel lack the stamina of tuna and billfish but they are excellent hunters. They have razor sharp teeth and "slash" baits while they are hunting. This approach usually cuts their prey in half, killing it instantly. If baits are near the surface kings will sometimes "air out" on the bite. I have seen kings jump as high as 15 feet out of the water on kite baits. ...
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Aug 16Planer Fishing Basics
Traditional Trolling Spreads Trolling is a very old, effective technique for targeting a variety of gamefish. Employed in every corner of the world, this technique has proven effective for everything from small mouth bass to grander marlin. The theme is simple, move forward at any speed and put some lures or baits behind the boat. Lures and baits vary; everything from 1” jigs to 20lb skipping tuna may end up in the spread depending on the species of fish you are targeting. Regardless of what ends up behind the boat, the concept remains the same; cover ground with baits on the surface hoping for a bite. Trolling is one of the many techniques we incorporate during our miami fishing charters. Unfortunately, conventional trolling spreads may have multiple lines behind the boat but surface baits still only cover a small percentage of the water column. Some people argue that the boat is a great teaser. Fish “raise” from the depths to investigate commotion on the surface. I think the ...
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Aug 1Hatteras Renovation- New Boat!
About a year ago I began the search for a new boat. With careful consideration I decided the right boat would be a 43 Hatteras but I needed one that was already repowered. Finding a Hatteras from the 1970s that is still in good shape isn't an easy task. After looking all over Florida and even flying to Texas and New Jersey, I finally found the right boat. Located in WIldwood, New Jersey was my diamond in the rough. The boat was already repowered with Cummins 450c engines which is a modern 6 cylinder engine. In addition, most of the boat was rewired and the interior was in good shape. She seemed like a great boat to refurbish so I pulled the trigger. I bought a boat over 1,000 miles away that needed some work. I knew it would be a long year.
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Mar 25Spring Fishing off Miami
Fishing Action Heats up in Spring. Hands down, my favorite months to fish Miami's offshore waters are March-May. This season we have seen string numbers of sailfish pushing down the line, good numbers of quality kingfish, the ever present bottom bite, and are just starting to see the springtime Mahi bite that got very good around this time last season. Due to the gulfstreams presence along our continental shelf, the majority of our action happens between 100' -- 220' of water. Although flat lines can and will get bit, the activity behind a 6 line spread of kite baits really draws the most predators to the transom. Aboard the Blue Yonder we do our best to always hang as many kite baits as possible, while accenting the spread with flat lines and bottom lines to make sure as much water as possible is covered. So far this season the number of sailfish migrating down our coast has been impressive. This last month we have been averaging around 3 sailfish per trip, withmany more ...
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Aug 14The Captain's Dilemma
Backing into the slip with a rigger full of release flags and a box full of fish is the best feeling in the world. We bust our asses every trip to put our clients on fish so we can relive this feeling. We are very competitive and it bothers us to know that someone else came back to the dock with more fish. As professional fishermen, we should be one of the top boats on each given day. Reminiscing about an epic trip is usually short lived. When we wake up each morning, yesterday's catch is only relevant in the context of how it will influence today's fishing. Regardless of what we've been catching, each new group steps onto the boat with high expectations. To keep them happy we have to fill the box every day, regardless of the conditions. Mother nature constantly conspires against us. We don't step foot into a stable work environment each morning. Our office is influenced by a number of factors. ...
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Nov 3Mullet Run Fishing Techniques
The Mullet Run The north winds and dry air that follow the first few cold fronts each fall put an end to summer year after year. During October and November, Mother Nature tends to have schizophrenic tendencies. One day it might be in the mid 80s but the next might dip into the 50s. Yes, 50-degree weather might not sound cold to most of the country but to us Miamians, it is reason for concern. Fall means it is time to dig up the hoodies and jeans because winter is right around the corner. What does this mean for the fish? Most of the fish that inhabit our waters are to some extent migratory. Traditional pelagic species such as swordfish, sailfish, and mahi-mahi aren’t the only fish that move around. Squid engage in vertical migrations each as they rise and fall through the water column without ever seeing the light of day. Snapper and other bottom dwellers might sneak into shallower waters with dropping temperatures. Pinfish might abandon ...
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Jul 12Miami Fishing Camp
Double Threat Fishing Camp Living in Miami has a number of benefits but too many people miss out on what makes Miami such a special place to grow up in. For five days captains Nick and Brent helped show 5 kids how wonderfully rewarding the ocean can be through our Miami Fishing Camp. Our Miami fishing camp is a hands on approach for teaching kids about the different angling opportunities Miami has to offer, while supplementing the experience with knowledge on the ecosystems that make our marine systems so important. It was an incredible week filled with fish and fun, and we can confidently say the kids have a true passion for fishing. With five full days of fishing at our disposal, we were able to give the kids a well rounded fishing experience by sampling all of what Miami has to offer. Every day held something different in store for the group, and there was never a dull moment. Late spring is still a period of time marked by ...
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Jul 5Stalking the Flats
Sight Fishing in Miami The acres of shallow flats that border south Biscayne Bay serve as my hunting grounds, right in Miami's backyard. These beautiful expanses of water stretch across the entire length of the bay, serving as a barrier that protects the inland coast from the open ocean. Every day, twice a day, an entire bay full of water flows across these shallows making its way offshore. Then, at the turn of the tide, fresh water flows right back in completing the cycle. During both tidal periods life is swept across the flats where fish of all sizes take part in feeding on the unsuspecting critters that flow by with the current. The bonefish and permit that frequent these areas are constantly foraging for food in water less than two feet deep, making them excellent sight fishing targets. In its finest form, sight fishing unearths our most primitive and hard wired instinct-- the need to hunt. From my vantage on top of the poling platform, I still have issues ...
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Feb 26Winter Sailfishing off Miami- Epic Bite
The Winter Sailfishing Has Been Phenomenal The past week we had a stellar bite off Miami. Sailfish, tarpon, snook, swordfish, and more were caught. The fishing picked up following the first genuinely significant cold front of the year. With a few more cold fronts heading our way, expect it to get even better. Weather- There are several cold fronts moving into our area. Temperatures will be dropping into the low 50s at night and the low 70s during the day starting on Thursday night (Feb. 28th) and lasting until at least mid next week. These cold fronts will be accompanied by light to moderate north winds. What does this imply for fishing in Miami for the next few weeks? Perfect weather and lots of fish. Winter sailfishing at its finest. Offshore Fishing- The fishing during the past week was phenomenal. The average boat caught 5-10 sailfish per day with dolphin and kingfish mixed in (we caught 6 sailfish, 2 kingfish, and 10 dolphin on Wednesday). We even heard a few reports of up ...
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