Fished Port Everglades with Nate, Kevin, Joshua and David. We got off to a bit of a late start, instead reaching the fishing grounds closer to 9am It was a nice morning with just a light breeze from the South and West. About 1 to 1.5 seas with a very strong North current, but relatively fat with just enough ripple. I was able to hook a small Blackfin tuna early on a deep wreck at about 300ft. The tuna bight got challenging as the sun started to rise and the bright light and heat started to warm the waters.
 With the current really really strong and ripping to the North, I was dropping 150g vertical jigs as far down as possible. This seemed to be the area the fish were most active. A fellow angler was able to catch a decent King on a ballyhoo plug, but I wasn't able to get a hookup on a King or bonita.
 This larger than average sized Almaco Jack did hit deep in over 280ft close to a wreck. They're tremendous fighters even on medium heavy tackle. I used 50lb braid with a 40lb leader. Fortunately this isn't one of the toothy fish that could give you problems, not sure I would have been as lucky with a large King, since this fish did take a while to reel in. Overall the fishing wasn't bad. It was slow for bottom fishing, but there certainly was activity. as lucky with a large King, since this fish did take a while to reel in.

I normally fish with a medium heavy rod, either a spinning or conventional. I tend to favor the lightest tackle I can get away with.  I have a Penn Battle, but that outfit would absolutely get crushed by a Amberjack, even the smaller ones.    This spinning jig outfit I have is fairly new, it's only the second time on the water I've used it.  The rod a Starrod Aerial, under 6' and a Fin-Nor Lethal 60 spinner with 50lbs braid.   They're impressive reels.  You get about 30lbs of drag, which is impressive for a reel under $100. You can prob still get it under $90.  I doubt you'll find any reel that gets close to 30lbs of drag for this price.
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Next time I'd go with much heavier jigs. perhaps closer to 250g. The hookups are much more difficult if your lure isn't vertical

Islamorada Patch Reefs May 24, 2016

Fished Islamorada patch reefs during the morning and afternoon 10:30am - 3:30pm.   Left Miami about 6:30 and arrived at Islamorada close to 8:30.   We fished the shallows at about 40ft hoping to catch some small baitfish to take to the deep, but fishing was really slow. Many undersized yellowtail  and waters were relatively calm at 1ft.  Clarity was clear for the most part at the tide was going out after 10:30am.

We also tried to slow troll on the way out to the deeper waters.  Yo-zuri deep diver plugs, but no bites at all.  Near the reef/light sanctuary we were marking more fish. Not necessarily getting hookups, but this would have been a better spot to start prospecting.  Most of the other boats were there for a good reason.  There were also more birds around signaling baitfish and predators were in the general area.

Managed to get at least a few hookups when we approached the 100ft depth.  Hook my first Cero Mackerel with a 150g  Gypsy Vertical Jig.  When I got him to the surface I noticed about 3 other followers were also chasing the jig, so the mackerels were certainly around, but they really wanted a live bait, or a fast moving one like a jig, not the dead bottom baits were were using on the patch reefs.

Boiler at the Bubble

Good fishing last week in our home waters out at Haulover. Unlike the past few weeks where the action was slow. It finally started feeling like Spring fishing.  Pleased to share the video we did during the few hours we were chasing fish.

Lots of Kingfish around just skyrocketing and smashing pods of ballyhoo near the rips.  We several Kings both on live baits and on jigs.  We expect the bite to be even better next few outings into next month. Looking forward to the next adventure already, so hope to share that with you.  Stay tuned.

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Into the Blue

I'm pleased to say we'll be back posting some fishing reports , now  that we've got the boat back up and running.  With lots of hard work and dedication by the Capt,  he's  replaced the 16ft boat, with a bigger 28ft HyrdaSport gun.     So we'll be fishing the Blue waters and having a lot of fun filled adventures.  

. On March 15, 2016 Capt EMH and I headed out of haulover to see if we could fish the wrecks. It was a dead calm morning, so unlike the past few weeks, we wouldn't get beat up trying to duck and dodge huge waves and swells. It looked sort of promising at first with bait and fish activity near the beaches

I'd have to say fishing was challenging.  The water was pretty clear, maybe a little to clear, and there was little to no breeze.   Things got a little better when the tide moved in.  It seems as though the early  part of the incoming tide is when you have a good chance for the Kingfish bite.   I managed to hook a few small bonitas and  1 decent Kingfish on the vertical jig.   A benthos 150g in pink.  I really like these jigs.   Perhaps it's their action and the glow in the dark when they're down deep.  I'll have to try the other brands to really compare  if it's actually the jig, or just the action imparted with them.

 

Scott with a sweet Snook we caught and released in Sanibel.  Good times man.
This kid's got an uncanny way of working plugs. I don't know how he's able to  work plugs so well but he catches anything and everything with them.  This snook though
took your classic white nylon jig.  Another of our favorites, especially during the summer months.

Peanut Peacock

Johannes with a Peacock bass we caught on flies in the canals. This one's a peanut size, the big ones would be a blast to snag on a flyrod.   Johannes caught this one with a fibre pattern on a circle hook.    I've always hated to use circle hooks with flies. Maybe it's just me, or it's just in my head, but I don't feel as confident with the hookup and strikes.

I love the new synthetic materials we use for fly tying today, but with the hooks, I'm still pretty old school.

Oct 27, 2011 Juno and the Blues

This was the best day during the Fall of 2011. Throughout most of Nov, the weather was either blown out or we just had rains that killed any chance of good fishing. Good thing there were days like this when we caught a load of Blues. During this morning, we had near perfect conditions.

Dec 1, 2011 - Deerfield

Left about 2:30pm to Deerfield. Low tide was about 5pm, so we caught the tail end of the low tide, and the wind was stiff N 18-20 with higher gusts, lots of chop. We just chicken rigged a box of squid and didn't get any action until a little over an hour before the sun went down.

Can't say enough about that chicken rig, even at close distance and the contraption that it looks, the fish just ignore it and take it out. The hooks were 3/0 offset Eagle claw J-Hooks. They're really superb, even if used multiple times.
Caught over 10 runners including a good sized Bar Jack. My best catch was a small undersized Grouper , with a hookup jig tipped with squid. Overall a good afternoon of catching with JC.