Log
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Nov 3Kite Fishing for Dolphin
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 21Sailfishing Charters in Miami
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 7Dolphin Fishing in Miami
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 20Daytime Swordfishing Miami
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 19Nighttime Swordfishing off Miami
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 9Dolphin off Miami Beach
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 1Snook Season in Miami
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 30Snook Fishing in Government Cut Miami Florida
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 26Miami Beach Fishing Charters
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 23Miami Inshore Fishing Reports
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 21Blackfin Tuna fishing in South Florida
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 14Snapper Fishing in Miami
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 8Deep Sea Snapper Fishing in Miami
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 7Dolphin Fishing Charters in Miami
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 30Sportfishing Charters in Miami
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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Jun 22Kite Fishing in the Rain
The morning started off clear with a 9 or 10 knot breeze, but of course that didn't last long. We braced ourselves for a day of kite fishing in the rain. After spending a few minutes searching, we found the pods of pilchards 1/2 mile east of bug and filled the well in short order. We headed south and put the kites up on an edge in 150'. The light winds only allowed us to fish 4 baits. At about this time the first clouds came through and storms began to form offshore. After a half hour we had to pull the kites because of the rain. We moved offshore a ways and cut the engines in 375 to begin a beam-to drift in the flat ocean. We had just set the bow flat and deep rod (among the 6 other baits in the cockpit) when the deep rod went off. A few minutes of fighting had an angry bonita boatside. Feder reset and redeployed the deep rod, which went off minutes after with another angry ...
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Jun 21Offshore Miami Fishing Charters
We left the dock at about 730 ready for anything. This time of year serves as a transitional period for fisherman. Fish have thinned out on the edge, and winds are typically lighter than winter, so kite fishing isn't so easy. At the same time though, pelagics are few and far between offshore so trolling usually turns up an equal amount of action. After filling the wells with bait we decided we had enough wind to pop the kites up. We settled in an area just south of fowey, popped six kite baits up, a deep rod, and a flat line and began the waiting game. Action was slow to say the least. The radio was dead, and those that ventured offshore found nothing so they returned to the edge to soak kite baits as well. At about 1130, something smoked the right short and took off on a blistering run on the blue side of a deep rip (220'). The angler had just gotten comfortable when whatever it was bit through ...
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Jun 18Miami Sailfishing Charters
Kite fishing is the name of the game on every one of our Miami sailfishing charters. By using kites, we are able to suspend 3 baits from one kite line, keeping frisky live baits struggling on the surface. 2 kites, 6 baits, and blue offshore waters make for serious sailfishing conditions, especially when you add wind and North current to the equation. Clear skies and an 18 knot ENE wind made it seem like midwinter in South Florida, not mid June. The weather was perfect for popping the kites up, so after spending some time loading the wells (pilchards were thick 1/4mile off bug) we headed out. Dirty water and sargasso were everywhere out front so we headed south. We finally found a rip in 190 with cleaner water a few miles south of fowey and popped the kites up. We had a cutoff right off the bat, then a pair of small dolphin came through. One munched the right mid and stole the bait then came to the right short where he found the ...
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Jun 8Light Tackle Kingfish in Miami
Live Baiting for South Florida Kingfish A few inconveninces in the morning had us out a bit later than expected. But things took a turn for the better when we got our share of bait, and headed for the edge. In the Spring you can have your shots at landing light tackle Kingfish in Miami during a full day offshore trip. Kingfish are most at home in the middle of the water column. When the weather roughens up they are usually eager to eat kite baits and flatlines, but more often than not a well presented mid-depth bait will get bit 9 times out of ten. In spring, 40-50lbers are not uncommon, and today we even boated one without wire leader. Dead Drifting for Kingfish We cut the engines in 140 and began our dead drift with 6 kite lines and 5 flat baits with a jig working everywhere in between. Only minutes into the drift did the kings crash the party. First bait out was a gog on the cabo, which got ...
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Jun 4Key Biscayne Snook Fishing
The group decided to hit a special spot in Biscayne Bay for a night of Key Biscayne snook fishing. Supposedly during the outgoing tide last night the bite really picked up. The plan was to capitalize on what would hopefully be a stronger tide promoting more feeding activity. The last couple trips were very successful and hopefully this one would be more than what we anticipated. We loaded up with bait (super secret spiny fish) and headed to our spot. The bite was hot... with fish popping periodically and fast bites. The first fish was in the mid 20 inches and was released quickly. After pulling the hook on another, we landed a 35'' fish. After this guy we caught another snook in the mid 20'' range. After that we caught another cookie cutter fish around 33''. We kept at it with our drifts and lost a few more mystery fish that couldn't be stopped by locked down drags. We eventually caught another snook around the same size which was just ...
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