South Florida fishing report feb. 22

[Ashley@Dons Bait and Tackle]

All the elements finally came to gather for a beautiful weekend that we haven’t seen for several months. With no fronts to interfere with everyone’s desire to get out the reports have been red hot.

Offshore the dolphin showed up in big numbers with several fish in the 20-30 lb class being caught. While trolling for dolphin on the outside of the reef (in 100-150 ft) some wahoo were also being caught while trolling. The sailfish bite has been consistent with reports of 3-5 bite days the norm. Most people seem to be slow trolling goggle eyes or ballyhoo. Others choose to kite fish with between 4- 6 lines out with goggle eyes the preferred bait although large pilchards or thread herring seem to work as well.

The patch fishing is where most of the action seems to be. The reports on the patches in 15-30 ft are none stop. The hog snapper bite has been all time with fish in the 4-6lb class caught regularly and limits seem to be no problem. There are also plenty of large muttons on the patches with fish up to 15 lbs being caught. Through in a mix of yellowtail, porgys, mangroves, and spanish and cero mackeral and the mix is complete.

The flats fishing in the bay has been slow with only a few reports of bonefish being seen. Most of the bonefishing has been on the oceanside flats from Ceasar’s Creek north. The fishing on the on the ocean has been great for bonefish this week with reports of 4-6 fish days the norm and up to 9 being caught last Monday by Capt. Bob Branham and his angler. These fish are typically in large schools, mudding in 2-4 ft of water. These fish seem to be bigger than your typical schooling witnter time fish. The average fish has been between 5-7lbs with larger fish up to 12lbs being caught. The only other activity in the Biscayne Bay area has been the tarpon bite in the cooling canals around Turkey Point. During these colder spells the fish move into these canals which are 10-30 ft deep. They can be hard to catch with the preferred techniques of either freelining a large live shrimp, shrimp on a jighead, or live pinfish the most productive.

Flamingo has stayed consistent with the winter time fishing techniques providing the most fish. Fishing deeper holes, run-offs, undercut banks, and areas with a lots of current are holding the most fish. Shrimp on a jighead will provide the most action for sheepshead, redfish, and black drum. The trout bite has been excellent the last week with large numbers of fish being caught at the middle grounds and other areas around first national bank. Popping cork and shrimp seem to work well, but throwing artificials has been producing plenty of fish. Yes, the makeral are back and this week they moved back into the gulf in a big way. Spanish up to 8 lbs where caught and they werre caught by the hundreds. If your looking for a sure bet for the kids or the family this would be the perfect situation. The fish are in such a large area but ,areas close to flamingo such as Sprigger Bank, Sandy Key, Oxfoot Bank, and Schooner Bank having plenty of fish. Great way to get out and catch some fish.

The fishing on the flats has remained a little slow with only a few reports of fish being caught in 2 or less feet water coming in. There have been some good days of sight casting for redfish, but most of those reports have been coming from the back in whitewater and areas farther to the north. The water in the back has been clear and there are even a few snook being caught. The fishing in whitewater and other areas in the back have definitely been turning on here lately and I would imagine it will only get better as more fish make their way back into whitewater and beyond.

I hope the weather and the fishing stay as good or get better in the coming weeks. As I write this it is poring down rain at 5:00 am Monday morning. Thanks Ashley

[alex25]

This project will provide a breakthrough in collaborative research involving the marine science and recreational fishing communities," Hueter said. "The fishermen deserve great credit for embracing this new approach. By working together to develop a 21st-century, conservation-oriented alternative to the more traditional kill tournament, the Mote Center for Shark Research and tournament organizers hope to provide a national model for the responsible use of marine resources."

Supporting tournament organizers in this collaborative effort are Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah; Luke Tipple, director of the Shark-Free Marinas Initiative; and John Land Le Coq, co-founder of Fishpond USA, a prominent outdoor and fishing equipment retailer. All involved share a view that this event should become the "next generation" model for shark fishing competitions. "Shark-Free Marinas has been involved with the Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge since its inception and is in full support of its methodology," Tipple said. "Sharks need protection and we need to manage the ways we utilize their stocks. In the past, some shark fishing tournaments have killed reproductively capable sharks, which are a dwindling resource. This catch-and-release format offers the best of both worlds, allowing the sport of shark fishing to directly contribute to our scientific understanding of their population status and functional life history."
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