Happy New Year
Great Winter Time Fishing in South Florida
Fishing for Snook Black Drum, Red fish, Bonefish in Biscayne Bay and Flamingo
December 2009 oops 2010!

Well I finally got a day off so I figured I wake up early to write a little something about our fishing for the past 2 weeks, and after I write this I will be off with some friends for a little fun fishing of my own.

Well we will start in Biscayne Bay …. I have only fished Biscayne Bay 3 days out of the 2 weeks with some of the best Bone fishing I have seen in the past year. On all 3 occasions tailing fish were on just every flat, ocean side or in the bay on a falling tide. We had an afternoon were we chased fish from flat to flat and managed to hook 1 but pulled the hook. On the other we had over 30 shots on tailers with a fly rod but could not seal the deal. And 1 day we managed to boat 3 bones on live shrimp. ALL tailers were seen or caught within 6 hours of a weather front moving in!
I have not had the Chance to fish for the Mutton Snappers but I can imagine this will be excellent with the water temps under 70 on a calmer day.

In Florida Bay “Flamingo” I have had 1 real slow day out of the past 2 weeks. We have been using jigs tipped with shrimp in slower current around mud banks lined with trees with a lot of snags (which causes the bait store to make more money) but never less it produces a good bite. Mike Love and son Michael combined for 25 Reds a hand full of nice Snook with 15 to 20 Black Drum averaging 3-5 lbs and other species for a good Rod bending day. Greg Reutzel boated a 30 lb Black Drum on a white jig tipped with shrimp fished in a small creek on the first part of the outgoing tide. And we have had some nice hook ups that we could not stop either, which I know 1 was a big Red that came to the surface just after the hook up but he was lost to the trees just 2 days ago up in Harney River.
Also up in some of the rivers to the north of White Water Bay the Grouper bite has been great. Gag and Black Grouper up to 30 inches, they have been eating just about everything you throw at them once we find a good hole. We find them by trolling lures once we get a hit we turn around mark the spot and use either pinfish or plugs. The rest is secret!
We are fishing the last part of the incoming tide and the first part the out going tide around structure and deeper water and you will find Snook Trout Reds and Black Drum.

Out front of Flamingo the Trout bite has been off the chain with a fish caught just about every cast, some Trout have been up to 4 pounds we have been using skimmer jigs with Trout Tout bodies in pink or tipped live shrimp. Also up on some of the flats we were finding a fair amount of Snook and Reds sitting in pot holes warming up on the first part of a rising tide but most were spooky and would not eat.

I am hoping for a nice warming trend but anything is better than this! I don’t like the cold, 90 degrees and calm are nice days with tailing or gulping fish everywhere is what I like. Well that is just around the corner. But if we get some calm hot days in between fronts we will get the large Tarpon in the back country in January and February…heck I have been wishing for that for weeks now! But it will happen. Also for those fishing close to the Miami area, Biscayne Bay we should find a nice Bonefish supply when the weather warms up, but for now I will be fishing the Mutton Snapper this week on the patch reefs and the finger channels while we have the cold. The bite should remain good with plenty of action at Flamingo either fishing moving water for Snook and Reds or Spanish mackerel and Cobia on some of the wrecks. Bottom line is there is plenty of good action out there so have fun.

Good luck and stay warm …I wear long Johns!!!
Capt. Jim Hale
www.floridasportfishingcharters.com
786-255-1788