Before I say anything about the fishing, I'd like to apologize to for the delay since my last report. Now let's get down to the recent action. I guess that if there is one word to describe things right now it would have to be VARIETY. Besides the usual sailfish, we have also been catching our fair share of kingfish, bonito, dolphin (mahi), and even some cobia. Another species that rolls into town this time of the year is the blackfin tuna. So far they have eluded us but I know they will continue to come through and that it is only a matter of time before they begin finding our baits. Anglers who prefer to fish inshore have been rewarded with good tarpon fishing both in and around the inlet and around the bridges. Most of the tarpon are being caught at night but there have been some fish landed during daylight hours.
During the winter and spring no fish is more sought after than the spindle beak more commonly know as the Atlantic sailfish. The sails have not disappointed this year especially on days when the conditions are right. Here in the Miami area the most favorable conditions occur on days when we have a strong North current and winds from northerly quadrant. Even on days when the conditions have been less than perfect we have still managed to catch at least a sail or two.
Kingfish have also made a strong showing this spring and continue to increase in both size and numbers. It seems that as of late we are catching kings on almost every trip with some close to 30#. Other area captains that I've spoken to are also reporting good kingfish catches with many fish in the "smoker" category. Most of the kingfish are being caught inside the 120' mark. Hot kingfish action will probably continue for some time to come.
Mahi or dolphin as they are locally known will continue to be caught along the edge especially on days with Easterly breezes. Lately it seems that most fish have been pretty small with some fish even too small to keep. Look for this to change very soon. Some of the largest dolphin of the year will start showing up to our waters in the next few weeks. Many of these fish can top the scales at 30, 40, and even 50 lbs. In the fishing community these are know as "slammers" or "super slammers". Slam one of these bad boys against the deck and you'll know how they got their name.
If you love to fish but don't like the motion of the ocean then tarpon fishing is your best bet right now. Tarpon have been biting very consistently this year especially on nights when the shrimp are running. Most of the fish have been hanging in and around Miami's Government Cut but there have also been a lot of fish caught around area bridges. Tarpon provide a battle second to none and will be available for at least a couple more months.
We'll there you have it! Spring is here and so is our best fishing of the year. Look for the warming trend to continue and for the fishing to get equally hot. If you're interested in getting in on the action, check out my website www.FishingCharterMiami.com or give me a call at (786) 266-0171.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Orlando Muniz
Nomad Fishing Charters
www.FishingCharterMiami.com
(786)266-0171
