Last night I went out to see if there were any tuna out there breaking the surface and maybe I could run some lures rigged with squid over the top of them. It was a little choppy out there so I could not see very much. Usually, I see this activity in the morning out 90 to 120 feet deep, sometimes shallower.
At the dock someone asked if I had any luck. “Not today” the usual response. The guy told me that he had been going out 8 miles off shore into very deep water and he hooked up on the dolphin. I am considering it now the seas are flat. However, I should probably bring someone with me. I usually keep 200 feet as my boundary line.
On Saturday, I tried to head south. There is a reef out there at about 30 feet deep and some navigational light towers. I had been out there before on a very calm day and I was out of this world. I think we were almost near Homestead we went so far south. We caught several yellow tail. This would be a perfect place to take the family for fishing.
Lobster season is here. I think. I have some snorkel gear anyone know were I can go?
So my next time out I was thinking about my gear and lightening up my gear. I am after all the Haulover Small boat. Why am I pulling big time gear? I should be pulling something appropriate for my boat. Secondly, I think I am missing some bites because my gear is too heavy and I can not troll like the other boats. My hull is a displacement hull and to reach the speeds that I think you should be trolling at the boat would be mushing and I am not going to do that.
I fish out fo keystone Marina, and head into the blue through Haulover. I usually fish the weekends but sometime play hookey and catch a mid weak break.
Lobster season is on...I suggest for your first time you head to the Soliders Key in Biscayne bay (12NM from us). Keep it simple. Fly a "Diver Down" flag Stay near the boat and make sure you have a "Bug Permit" cause they will catch you and fine you. Try the shallows that have some drop off (around 8 Ft) and look under submerged debris and grass ledges. It's a blast and sometimes very rewarding.
Regadarding your gear. I'm not sure what gear you run, but for me, in Southern Florida waters, I keep it light. I don't troll, especially with the high gas prices. I "run and gun" all year round. I might stop and fish 8 diff. marks in the morning. Since your boat is under 20 FT. I wouldnt run past the first shipping lane (3 Miles out). Haulover can get really ugly quickly, and with a few big boats running through there it gets worse. Inside of that line, there is enough traffic to come and help rather quickly (Make sure you have VHF radio). I dont fish at night, so I can't help you there.
I keep six rods on my boat. All rigged. Two Spinning, medium heavy duty with 20 LBS. braided line, I adjust my leaders (Flouro) to meet my seasonal or target species needs. I can quickly rig these rods as flat lines with live bait (Sails/Dolphin/Bonito), or add a bit of weight to drop down for Snappers/Groupers.
I add two TLD25 rigs, one with 20 LBS Line but this time it's mono, and the other with 40 LBS. Mono (in case a big boy comes around). I also adjust my leader to meet my needs, so if I'm using them for bottom or mid depth, I can add weights and change out the leader to deal with toothy fish. The Last 2 rods are my pitch pods. These are Penn 975 with 20 LBS braid. I keep one rigged with a live bait 8/0 hook and 50 LBS flouro leader (Bimini twist into Uni knot). This I keep if a cobia/Sailfish or schoolie doplhin show up, and I can quickly pitch them a live pilchard or piece of cut bait. On the second pitch rod, I keep medium heavy jigs tied on with a short wire leader. I use this in case I come upon a nice floating item like a board or weed patch, and drop it down to see if anyone (wahoo) is home.
The most important thing, in my humbble opinion, is being able to have flexible gear. To be able to switch from bottom drop fishing in 30 Feet, to re-rig to fish the current in the Gulfstream. The spinning rods can be fished so manhy ways by changing out your leaders, adding weights and using diff. lures or hooks for live/cut bait. Keep a full range of leaders so that you can pull of 10 feet or so, and change your presentation around.
If you have any other questions, post it up. And I will either answer or find you the answer.
Went out last Sunday looking for lobster. We tried to run south towards Miami Beach and tried to dive the Jose Cuervo Bar. It was supposed to be 10 feet deep but instead it was more like 25 feet. Too far to dive down. Afterward, we went north and found a string of rocks in 10 feet of water. No lobster...yet. I was told the mini season took a toll on the lobster population.
King fish sound like they are biting. I heard they are out at 120 feet. A live pilchard on some wire will do the trick. I am still have not caught a tuna yet in the AM. usually at 90 feet deep.
Next, Sat. I plan to be out by 6AM done fishing by 9:30 AM and to my secret lobster spot by 10 AM.
I cut out of work early on Friday and was at the marina by 1pm. On the way out I came by the bait boat. Luck for me and lucky for them. I picked up whatever bait was left and headed out. They recommended to go between 30 to 40 feet to target Kings. I ran out to 60 set up and when I got back to 30 set up a new drift. I had so much bait I threw out handfuls of them. A friend of mine said to skip them off the top of the outboard and that will stun the fish a little so they swim erratically when they get into the water. This did not work out for me because I got into the trigger fish.
Next step was to troll. It was a Florida Perfect Day. Nothing better in the world when the temperature is the same outside as it should be inside. Especially when there is blue sky. I trolled at 60 feet and hooked a King fish. I pulled it in sideways. It must have bitten and got caught on the hooks. Not the first time this has happened. Once at the boat we release the fish and called it a day.
I think it is more of a effort to bring the fish home then to release it. I have some flags of the local fish and I put the flag up after I catch one. To me that is equally fun.
you are in a great spot there in haulover. nice new marina too. is jammo still there? look for him in an old beat up live aboard, he can get you live bait anytime, just go by and ask or put in your order.
i luv that inlet, a little tricky with that sandbar but lots of party action inside there. beautiful blue water. been "stuck" there a few times.
sounds like most of your action has been at the Twin Towers, i caught a few Sails out there. nice spot and close too! good luck!
I got out this Saturday. The bait today was Jumbo Sardines. “MoonRaker” (sorry if that is not correct) was selling the bait outside the charter boats in Haulover. The ocean was flat, this is the usual condition for me since I have a small boat. I ran out to 170 feet and noticed a color change so I figured this was the spot. I deployed the live bait and they ran like crazy. I had a quick bite and that was it for the day. 9 AM came around and all reports on the radio claimed to be a slow day.
For the new few months it is going to be tricky. When the ocean is flat I would like to take advantage condition and head off shore. When it is rough I would like to go after the snook in the inter-costal waterway.
This time of year is also a good time to clean our the tackle box and get supplies. I tend to stay away from the bass pro shop and prefer to go to boater world. On the list this year is new line for the offshore rods. I was thinking either green or pink for the line color. Lots of lead weights. I have been drifting a lot lately and I think I need to be able to get the bait to 60 feet deep 30 feet deep and then of course something for the surface so I am going to plan accordingly.
Well that is it. The boat show is coming up this month. Of course I am going to go to that. I am going to take a look at the Everglades boats. It doesn’t hurt to have goals. Maybe I can start a new blog called the Haulover medium boat report.
Got out on the water today at 8AM. It was a little late. Not sure why I can't wake up early anymore. I went out to 135 feet of water and put in two live pilchards. When I was feeding the line on the first pilchard I felt a bite but it was just a quick bump. I thought at first a toothy king fish. I reeled in the line and it was cut clean.
I put out the second line and hooked a nice shark but the leader did not last very long. The shark was sitting off the boat like a dog around the dinner table so I clipped on some wire leader and decided to play. The shark swam over to the bait. Unfortunately, not much of a fight. I even tried to provoke it to make a run for it but I had the drag too tight. I had it close to the boat for a while and tried to one hand it to the camera phone to get it's picture and then he ate through the line.
Not sure if sharks swim by themselves or do they swim with bigger friends. This shark would be about 4 1/2 feet long. Afterwards, I did not stick around and headed.
My strategy for flat seas today was to begin in the 130 to 140 zone and then as the morning progresses move to 160 and eventually 180. After that the fishing is over.
Went out this morning. The wife wanted to come so there was a major delay of at least on hour so we did not get out on the water until after 8 AM. It was too hot.
I really need to go out when it is dark and be fishing when the sun come up.
Needless to say you can imagine how the day went.
I try to buy bait from Lester, but when I can not Moonraker is usually out there. Today I told Lester about my "shark" I use quotes for a reason. I stated it was brown and Lester asked me if perhaps it was a Cobia.
Now that I think of it. He was right it was a Cobia and I missed out on several great dinners. Oh crud.
I am going to take a day off this week and get my Cobia back. I am guessing he will be in 130 feet of water at 7 AM directly in front of Haulover Beach. I am going to use a live pilchard and a weight. Get the bait down to about 30 feet and hope he comes back.
I have been doubling my line before the swivel with a bimini twist to add line strength, but when I look at it in the water I believe it hinders my capture ratio because the fish can now see the line.
I am going to change my setup to be single line and see if this makes a difference.
Went out this weekend and did not catch a thing not even a bite. It was very windy out and tough to get offshore. Remeber I am the small boat so pushing common sense doesn't make any sense.
I work in a hotel along the beach. In the morining meeting the staff mentioned the guest have been calling from their to report sharks swimming near the swim markers. They were tarpon. I asked what time of day they were there and I would be out to solve the problem. Never caugh one of them but would like to. I was told large live shrimp.
I took the day off of work today to enjoy some weekday fishing. I bought a casting net and went to find some bait. I met oen of the local charter boat fishermen and he taught me some tricks.
We decided to hook a tarpon near the marina. We chummed up the water and had the tarpon near the boat. However, when I put the piece with the hook in the tarpon were gone. I tried to give the line a tug and low-and-behold, we had a shark on the line. I gave it a strong yank and set the hood. We maneuvered the boat away from the pilings and I fought the shark for a good 30 minutes. I must admit I was exhausted. We landed the shark on the boat and measured it with a tape measurer. 70 inches long. Not too bad.
Special thanks to the guys on "spellbound" for showing me a few tricks.
That is it for the day I am beat. Time to buy a new gaff.
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