Webmaster's Note:
Due to numerous emails about the "practice of Dolphin fishing" I would like
to make the following clarification.
The fish we are referring to as dolphin, as it is called in the Keys and
south Florida, is a fish, also known as the Dorado and
Mahi-Mahi. This is not the Dolphin mammal.
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Last
Updated: 08/07/2018
Quick Glance
Provided by staff writer Captain Russ Pellow
visit him online at
www.RustyIV.com
Captain Russ also answers questions in our Ask The Captain Forum
Check it out!
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Offshore: |
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The Dolphin bite has been the same as the past
few weeks. The main body of Dolphin are from 20 to 25 or more miles
from the dock. There have been some fair to good catches of Dolphin
closer with some small throw back Dolphin in the mix. The Backfin
Tuna on the Islamorada hump have been cooperating nicely some days
with Tuna hitting small black and red feathers. Then other days,
when there are no current rips to be seen on the Hump and then no
birds working the action slows down. Captain Travis on his
Indigenous charter boat out of Bud and Mary’s Marina did some
dropping and boated a Swordfish mid week. |
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Reefs: |
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The reef bite is pretty much all about the
Yellowtail Snapper, with some nice Mangrove Snapper too. All along
the reef from Molasses to Alligator and below near Tennessee Reef
the Snapper are biting well. Captains are anchoring in water from 50
to 90 feet deep and chumming hard. Mixing oats with softened chum
and using a ladle to cast the slurry mix off the transom creates a
cloud that the Snapper cannot resist. While drifting baits on light
12 pound spin gear the Yellowtail Snapper are accompanied by some
real nice Mangrove Snapper also. There will be some nuisance fish in
the chum like Bermuda Chubs and Filefish that will annoy you by
eating your bait before the Snapper. And, also occasionally there
may be some Bull Sharks hitting hooked Snapper, but that is the food
chain. |
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Gulf and Bay: |
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The Trout and Snapper are still going strong in
most of Florida Bay. Up north along the shoreline Captain John
Gargan has been catching lots of Trout and often keeping some for
dinner by using the old tried and true popping cork method. Down to
the west where the bay meets the Gulf the Trout are in good supply.
With the hot water the Mangrove Snapper are absolutely voracious.
While drifting and jigging for the Trout you will get non stop
Snapper bites and hooking the ones large enough to get the hook. In
this area the Tarpon are still in good supply and will be prowling
the banks and sitting in the channels feeding on Mullet, Crabs and
all manner of forage that thrives in that rich area. Fishing a live
bait under a float or a fresh chunk of Mullet, jack or ladyfish on
the bottom will also prompt action from Tarpon and Sharks. |
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Flats, Backcountry and Flamingo: |
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In the Flamingo area there will be good supplies
of Trout living and feeding in the lush grassy lakes. Drift a live
bait such as Shrimp, Pinfish or Pilchard and you will find Snook and
Redfish in the channels or up shallow in potholes. Captain Lou
Brubaker set up next to an island where the tide ran deep under the
Red Mangroves and got into Snook and Redfish casting Shrimp and
Pinfish. Sometimes the juvenile Mangrove Snapper will hit your bait
over and over and drive you crazy but persevere and you will be
rewarded. |
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Last
Updated: 08/07/2018
Capt. James Chappell's Fishing
Report
Provided by Catchalottafish Charters
visit him online at
www.Catchalottafish.com
305-803-1321
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Hello everyone and welcome back
to this week’s report! A little windy this week with a lot of rain
in the area making conditions a little less than favorable. Offshore
fishing this week has been a bit on the tough side with a lot of
shakers in the area. Not the norm for this time of year, but nice to
see they are making new ones nonetheless. We usually see these
numbers in June, but with the NE commercial quotas having been met
should mean these fish will be coming back down creating an
incredible fall fishery for these guys. Still some decent fish
around, but we are really having to weed through the small ones to
find the better fish. The Sword grounds have been less than
desirable this week due to the weather, but the boats that have made
it out have produced a few decent fish. The humps have been decent
this week with some fat football sized Tunas, a few AJ’s and Almaco
Jacks, but the sharks have been tough on anything deep. On the reef
the Mangs and Yellowtails have been loving this weather and continue
to eat out of the chin bag. This fishery is as good as it gets right
now, so don’t miss out on it. The deeper reef and wrecks are still
trying to come together, but no great shakes by any means. Some
nicer kings are starting to show up, but the Muttons and Groupers
have not been too easy. We’ve been able to catch a few, but the bite
has been tough. Fishing has been ok as a whole, but fishing for a
variety has been the key. The weather for the weekend is looking
like the same as we’ve had all week, but hopefully things will pick
up a bit. Have a great weekend everyone! See ya next week!
Tight Lines,
Capt. James Chappell |
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