Miami Fishing Reports

Log

  • Dec 8

    Deep Sea Fishing Charters Miami

    Published December 8th, 2012

    Deep Sea Fishing Charters, This Week in Miami Deep Sea Fishing Charters Miami this week produced lots of action. North Current finally made an appearance and so did the fish! Kite Fishing off Key Biscayne, 12/1/2012 There was finally some north current and a decent edge although it was a little deep. Bait was great at bug light and we loaded up with threadfin herring in short order. Seas were 6-8 feet with a 20 knot ENE wind. All of the fish were caught in 220'-300'. There were scattered mahi schools and we had a single and a double on sails. All the fish were caught off the kite with 20lb high-vis Bullbuster Monofilament, check them out at http://bullbuster.net/ Definitely a great bite out there and our guests had a lot of fun. Final Tally- 3/3 sails, 12 dolphin to 15 pounds, and some bonito Deep Sea Sailfish in Rough Seas, 12/2/2012 There was smoking north current today and an 8-10 foot sea. We fished briefly in the morning before our guests got sick ...

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  • Nov 26

    No Motor Zone Redfishing

    Published November 26th, 2012

    As is typical of lightly pressured areas, No Motor Zone regions of Flamingo (and Florida for that matter) exempt anglers with engines from accessing these waters. Captain John and company decided they wanted to fish these areas, and had an interesting way of doing it. Using the 13' whaler as a mother ship, Captain John installed a canoe carrier and outfitted the whaler with a canoe, tackle, food, and a light amount of gear. Captain John and a guest slipped out into Flamingo and anchored the whaler well outside of the no motor zone to dispatch the canoe and gear. From here, John and george hit the redfish, trout, and snook all throughout the day. No motor zone redfishing is a blast with light tackle as the reds dont even notice the canoe going by. Snook as well are less spooky as the canoe slides by. It is an incredibly rewarding experience to be out on the water this time of year, because the bugs are thinning out, the air is ...

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  • Nov 25

    Grouper Trolling in Miami

    Published November 25th, 2012

    This past week has been a tough one offshore with bait being spotty and current offshore being almost nonexistant. We had 3 offshore trips that had interesting conditions, but Captain Nick was able to put everyone on fish regardless. Sunday-- November 18, 2012 Our first outing occured this past with a group that wanted some meat for the table. We loaded up on threads and runners at marker 21, and added a few more at bug before heading offshore. Reports from south spoke of zero current, so we set the spread out front of the can. Right off the bat the right short got chewed on before we could set the otherside. Only a few ahd passed before the "little fish" came right to the boat. We all got a glimpse of the 15lb king before it smoked off on a run. Our angler played it back in and we led it to the fishbox soon after. We reset that bait, only to have a healthy skipjack tuna crush it before we ...

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  • Nov 9

    Offshore Fishing Key Biscayne

    Published November 9th, 2012

    With winds picking up and clocking towards the north, we had high hopes for the morning. It was a chilly november morning--just the ticket for sailfishing. We got out to bug at the crack of dawn but baitfishing was not easy today. We slayed the runners but we caught the tide too early for herring. We managed two small herring and a spanish sardine with 3 dozen runners--not our preferred well full, but it would be suffice. We headed east and in short order we were kite fishing Key Biscayne in 130'. Winds weren't so bad just yet, probably around 12 mph, but the seas were 4-6 and rolling. As the day wore on the seas stacked to solid 6' with some larger waves thrown in. Unfortunately, the wind remained out of the NW for the majority of the morning, so there was less than a knot of current on the edge. Soon after setting the spread, a big hammerhead shark cruised through, but was uninterested in our baits. After watching him submerge, ...

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  • Nov 4

    Thresher Shark Fishing in Florida

    Published November 4th, 2012

    Thresher Shark Fishing in Florida We got a late start to do some daytime swordfishing. There was a light east wind and we heard a few decent reports so hopes were high. We headed straight out to the grounds and had a line in by 11: 30. There wasn't much current, only about a knot and a half. The first drift didn't produce a hit and ended after we busted off our weight. We had only soaked the bait for about 45 minutes and we moved north to take another drop. At about 1:30, we had just touched bottom and cranked up into the strike zone. Before we could get comfortable, the rod doubled over like we snagged bottom. The fish took off like a freight train and we were tight. Some strong initial runs showed that this was a big fish. We had 25 pounds of drag on the fish and he wasn't phased... The tug of war lasted 3 hours and we saw the silhouette of a massive fish after getting ...

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  • Nov 3

    Kite Fishing for Dolphin

    Published November 3rd, 2012

    Kite Fishing for Dolphin and Sailfish off Miami We left the dock at 8:30 for a morning trip to start up our group's bachelor party where they would head to the keys after the charter. We already penned up some threadfin herring earlier that week so we got to fly by the mayhem at bug and put lines in the water. There wasn't much current on the edge and things were a little slow at the start. It didn't take too long before a dolphin at the left short kite bait and started jumping. We came tight and got him in the cooler pretty quick. Soon after, we caught another dolphin in about 180'. We scooted out to a decent current rip in about 300' after boating the gaffers. We had a small shark cruise into the spread and we pitched a live bait to him. He inhaled the bait and one of our customers began bringing him to the boat. Midway through the fight, a sailfish destroyed the left ...

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  • Oct 21

    Sailfishing Charters in Miami

    Published October 21st, 2012

    Catching Sailfish in Miami Went out for a late afternoon trip from Coconut Grove for one of the first Sailfishing Charters in Miami this year. We hit Bug Light for bait and after a little while we caught enough spanish sardines and cigar minnows for the evening trip offshore. For kitefishing we usually employ baits that are around 5-6". This way they are large enough to make a commotion and attract the attention of nearby predators. Our baits today weren't very big kite baits but they would definitely do... We also netted some ballyhoo and we were off. We had some time constraints so we went straight out front and put up 2 kites with 6 baits. Right off the bat we caught a nice mackerel and a skipjack tuna in 120'. After a decent lull in the action we had drifted north of Key Biscayne. At this point we noticed decent current rip had pushed out with the tide and conditions were improving. We had begun to see signs of ...

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  • Oct 7

    Dolphin Fishing in Miami

    Published October 7th, 2012

    Bait was slim pickings everywhere, but we managed. Bug held baby gogs (awesome baits for dolphin fishing), and there were some pods of pilchards off the mark, but they were getting crushed by bonita which made it hard for us to fill the well any further. Without wasting any time we headed out. We made our way offshore, and after a few hours, came upon a large log loaded with triggerfish and baby tripletail. After working the area thoroughly for dolphin to no avail, we dropped jigs and live baits deep. For our efforts we got two 18" long weehoo. Without any more action, we moved on. In about 850' a bird was working its way over a few patches of weed. In this situation we prefer to use light tackle when dolphin fishing. In Miami, fish can grow to over 40lbs, and although the fight is always memorable, we prefer to take it one step further by using light and ultra light tackle. Deep sea fishing for dolphin is always ...

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  • Sep 20

    Daytime Swordfishing Miami

    Published September 20th, 2012

    We were pretty pumped to be back out after a solid 0 minutes of sleep. We had new guests for this outing and we were once again optimistic about the sword bite. Swordfishing can be done by day and by night, but the thrill of daytime swordfishing Miami rivals none. Big fish are present, and the fishery can be done without losing sleep. Catching a fish the night prior definitely helped morale despite the sleep deprivation, and the attraction of boating a big swordfish pushed us forward. Getting to the Swordfish From where we were docked our target area was around 30 miles away. After departing the marina we made our way to the edge of the Gulfstream, finally slowing when we saw blue water. From here we trolled from the edge to about 500' and caught 2 football blackfin in the process. Already content with a bit of table fare and the skunk off the boat, we ran the rest of the way to the grounds. The winds were picking up out of ...

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  • Sep 19

    Nighttime Swordfishing off Miami

    Published September 19th, 2012

    Swordfishing at Night We headed out after a late start. We had high hopes given the moon condition and time of year. There were decent reports to the north from a week prior and we were pretty optimistic about our chances of catching a Swordfish. The wind was light and variable which would end up being a bit of a curse but it certainly made for a tranquil night. Swordfishing in Miami at night is a very effectve way of connecting with a swordfish when the rise nearer to the surface to feed. We got to the grounds and set our spread. At first the winds were out of the south but after setting the spread they switched to the west with a nearby storm. This blew us a bit off the numbers and after a long unproductive drift we reset a tad shallower. Drifting for Swords Our next drift was a bit more interesting. We were lined up perfectly and got the spread oriented accordingly with the northeast wind. ...

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  • Sep 9

    Dolphin off Miami Beach

    Published September 9th, 2012

    We headed out with the intention of dropping for swordfish and catching some dolphin while out there (dolphin off Miami Beach are always a possibility). We made quick work of bait near bug and began the long trek out to the sword grounds. Upon arrival the conditions looked nice with a light east wind and manageable 3 knots of current. After a couple drops and no action we were distracted by some mats of weed sliding toward us. We hooked into a decent dolphin on a livie we had off the rigger opposite from the sword rod. We began retrieving the sword bait and kept an eye on the weed. After getting the sword bait up we went into dolphin mode. Its pretty common to find pelagics while out swording. Today we were lucky enough to run into schools of dolphin off Miami Beach near the sword grounds. We ended up catching about a dozen fish to 8 pounds and refocused on swordfishing. Unfortunately some pretty severe storms started sliding toward us ...

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  • Sep 1

    Snook Season in Miami

    Published September 1st, 2012

    Snook Season in Miami, September 1st-December 15th After checking the tides and making sure all our gear was packed up, Captain John and Brent loaded the wells with baits and looked for the fish. We arrived at the spot at a great time and it didn't take long... The tide was ripping but only minutes after setting up the first drift did John connect to the first fish of the night. After a short battle, the first slot fish was iced down in the cooler. It was a great way to start the season. A few minutes after Brent got a solid strike, and was worked by a large fish. After a solid battle this overslot fish came aboard for a few pictures before being released. Snook have a very specific slot, they must be between 28 and 33 inches to be kept.The action was hot at the beginning of the tide, but slowed significantly as the current picked up. We managed 5 solid fish for the night (2 in slot). All ...

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  • Jul 30

    Snook Fishing in Government Cut Miami Florida

    Published July 30th, 2012

    Snook Fishing Charters in Government Cut Miami With a gorgeous night in the forecast we headed out to our snook hole. We made a quick stop for bait and loaded up accordingly. The last several trips to this spot had produced excellent results and we were hoping tonight would be no different. We set up and began our routine. David got the first strike and after a quick but brutal fight, an 8 pound cubera made it to the gaff. Cubera Snapper in Government Cut We reset after the commotion and continued working the area. The next fish was a slob snook. Steve was on the rod in an effort to catch his first. After a couple minutes we landed him for a picture, dehooking, and a release. We kept working the area until the end of the tide. Our efforts produced some more very nice fish-We missed a few fish but the night was certainly a success. Everyone got a chance to pull on some big snook. Snook fishing in ...

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  • Jul 26

    Miami Beach Fishing Charters

    Published July 26th, 2012

    Miami Beach Fishing Charters literally occur right in front of the famed Nikki Beach and the adjacent venues that have made South Florida the cultured area that it is internationally known for. Government cut, the key shipping lane that brings both cruise ships and container ships to port holds a variety of gamefish that many anglers wouldn't even expect. Tarpon and snook are caught with regularity, with snapper, grouper, sharks, jacks, and many others will also intercept baits before either tarpon and snook can reach them. We headed out on the Blue Yonder with high hopes after a previously stellar night in North Biscayne Bay. Tonight's tide would be less favorable but more convenient as it was an evening trip. We loaded up on special baits and hit our spot. Things started off a tad slow as the sun lowered behind downtown. Our first fish was a nice jack crevalle. Shortly after, a small tarpon jumped out of the water after a live bait but didn't even ...

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  • Jul 23

    Miami Inshore Fishing Reports

    Published July 23rd, 2012

    Today's Miami Inshore Fishing Report is focused on tarpon and snook. Government Cut has been on fire lately during the night bite, with pinfish taking a very large share of slot snook and prehistoric tarpon. After checking the tides and seeing a window of opportunity for a hot bite, we headed out. We left the dock at about 11, giving the group just enough time to fill the well with our top secret baits. Among the snook and tarpon candy were pilchards and even a ladyfish. We couldnt wait to see what rose to eat that... We made it to the cut and setup our first drift. Fishing the Blue Yonder, we managed two flatlines off our bow rod holders, and three snook baits off the stern. Action was fast and furious tonight, as the tide slowed something crushed the ladyfish off the flatline. A large tarpon jumped and shook his head for a few minutes before he threw the hook. After we reset Grossman hooked up and successfully boated ...

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  • Jul 21

    Blackfin Tuna fishing in South Florida

    Published July 21st, 2012

    We got a late start and headed out for bait on a beautiful Saturday morning. There was a decent east wind and we were hopeful about the potential fishing conditions. It is late July and the summer pattern has set in with the exception of certain days when the wind kicks up. These days are a treat as you can catch fish you'd otherwise expect in Spring. Blackfin Tuna fishing in South Florida is ussually best during Spring, but as we know there are no fences, and fish don't follow calenders. In addition, you don't need to go far searching for dolphin because the edge can be hot. We already had some nuclear pilchards in the well that I have caged up and I'd been feeding for weeks. We still opted to load up with more bait. Palm sized jacks were thick at Bug with a small layer of pilchards still holding to the south of the mark. They were tough to paint on the sonar ...

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  • Jul 14

    Snapper Fishing in Miami

    Published July 14th, 2012

    Snapper fishing in Miami has been exceptional lately. We got out for a night time snapper fishing excursion Saturday, with some time thrown in with the kites. We left the dock at 4:30pm with 3 dozen penned up baits in the well. A 15 knot east wind kicked the ocean up nice, so we couldnt help but grab another few dozen pilchards and hang them off the kites. Pilchards are still thick E-ESE off the mark about a 1/4 mile out. We got a few in the nets, but we got full strings of sabikis so theyre still there. We arrived south past fowey at about 545, and got the first baits in the water not long after that. Great water color and current in 145, and it didnt take long before the first bite. First fish was a solid bonita that we boxed for bait. After resetting that mid, another two lines went off. One was a fat bonehead, and the other a football blackfin. We headed further south and trolled along the way, ...

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  • Jul 8

    Deep Sea Snapper Fishing in Miami

    Published July 8th, 2012

    Deep Sea Snapper Fishing in Miami with The Double Threat Crew is a night time adventure that is unlike many of our other trips. Tonight we trailered the Grady down to Blackpoint Marina to Launch South for some bottom fishing action. Armed with a bunch of spinning reels, a case of chum and 20lbs of oats, we headed out of Caesars just after dark and set up in 65' with a solid North Current. We had issues with our windlass so we werent able to set the anchor until 930 or so. We began chumming the area heavily and it wasn't long before the first mangrove came over the gunnel. As the night continued we were able to chum the Snapper all the way up to them chum bag, hookups occuring only seconds after letting baits back. This went on for the next 3 and half hours. There are a ton of combinations of terminal gear we like to try as we establish the chumslick. Some of us were armed with small ...

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  • Jul 7

    Dolphin Fishing Charters in Miami

    Published July 7th, 2012

    Well after having a blast last weekend, the owner of the 36' Contender wanted to go look for dolphin again. We left the dock at about 6:30, filled the wells with pilchards (still holding strong off the mark east of Bug) and headed ESE looking for signs of life (the typical start to most dolphin fishing charters in Miami). A 12 knot Eastern breeze kicked the sea up a bit, but it was still a beautiful day on the water. The plan was to look for flotsam, birds, or signs of fish, and pitch livies to the fish. The owner preferred not to troll so an array of spinners were rigged and ready with 5/0 matzuo j-hooks and 10 ft of 50lb Ande leader. Running and Gunning for Dolphin At about 730 we spotted our first few birds working a sargassum line in 1100'. There had been plenty of weedlines, but no life to speak of up until that point. The birds were holding over a small pod of schoolies so we got the skunk off the ...

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  • Jun 30

    Sportfishing Charters in Miami

    Published June 30th, 2012

    To start, Dolphin are the perfect targets for offshore sportfishing charters in Miami. The eat virtually anything, love to jump and take ridiculous runs, fight hard, make great table fare, and are a blast on light tackle. The day started off bright and early at 630 am. Clear skies and light west winds made for calm conditions. We headed offshore on a clients 35 contender in search of dolphin. Reports of larger fish were promising as we headed out. We stocked the baitwell and armed an array of spinners for casting baits under birds or weedlines, and trolling gear with artificials to cover fishy areas. We planned to cruise along at a fast pace to cover water. We made he trek past 400' and hadn't seen any signs of life. Same for 600' and 800'. At 900' we saw a few loose weedlines but no bird or bait activity. Finally at 1100' we began to see larger pods of fliers. We trekked back and forth between 1200' and 2000' when we finally saw a few birds working a ...

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