+- Fishing Forum (https://bigfishtackle.com/forum)
+-- Forum: Florida Fishing Forum (https://bigfishtackle.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=350)
+--- Forum: Florida Fishing General (https://bigfishtackle.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=21)
+--- Thread: Offshore Still Slow, Tarpon Back on Track (/showthread.php?tid=202641)
Offshore Still Slow, Tarpon Back on Track - KnotNancy - 05-22-2005
Fishing in the Haulover to Government Cut area continued to be on the slow side this past week. The main culprit remains the lack of current. Even when we find blue water, there has been no current. The one bright spot has been that the tarpon have finally turned on the way they should be for the May time frame. They have settled in to feeding on crabs on a consistent basis.
Sunday (5/15), Eileen and Sandy got to go on a trip that we had to be rescheduled due to very windy weather. We fished straight out front of Haulover in the 90 - 200 foot range. Wind from the E/ESE @ 10 - 15 knots gave us a 3 - 5 foot sea condition. The first strike of the morning was a kingfish on the downrigger. Next, a houndfish on a flatline. A 100# hammerhead shark ate a pilchard on the kite and Sandy had her hands full for several minutes until the shark ate through the mono leader. The final action of the morning was a sailfish that came up on the short kite bait and proceeded to knock it off the hook. Then it went to the long kite bait where it got the leader tangled on its bill and came up jumping and never got the bait.
Tuesday (5/17) evening was the night before the tarpon finally turned back on. The fish were rolling throughout the area, however, they weren't in much of a feeding mood. Our first and only shot at a tarpon this evening resulted in a jump and a thrown hook. Our next strike hooked up and turned out to be a bonnethead shark. On Wednesday evening, the tarpon turned on and have remained consistent with their feeding just prior to the dusk period and after dark.
Friday (5/20) morning, the lack of current continued in the Haulover through Government area. Wind from the ENE/E at 6 - 12 knots had two of the anglers dealing with motion sickness. The downrigger once again was the main technique that produced the strikes. The first kingfish was under size and was released. A houndfish on a flatline was also released. The next downrigger strikes was a decent size king. A porpoise decided it liked the fish better than we did and we got the head and gills with the porpoise getting the better part of the deal. After that, we moved south and fished off the Twins were we pulled the hooks on a fish that once again struck the downrigger bait. Moving offshore to 500 feet, we found pretty blue water with no current. The last move of the morning was to the Miami sea buoy. In 106' with dirty green water and no current, we caught a 10 pound dolphin. The final drift of the morning got us a barely legal kingfish on the downrigger.
Saturday (5/21) morning we made our first run offshore looking for dolphin. We found lots of good looking weedlines and large rafts of grass. The first dolphin we found was undersize and couldn't even eat the bait. At 16.5 miles, it was time to start back in. Working numerous weedlines finally gave us 1 schoolie size dolphin. Back in on the reef, we once again were fighting no current ugly green water conditions. After several moves back toward Haulover, we found some blue water with some current. The downrigger bait got hit within minutes of putting it down. The result was another barely legal kingfish. After putting the fish in the box, the blue water had pushed out well beyond our 130' depth and the 3/4 day trip was over.
Saturday (5/21) evening, the father and son team of Mark and Sam got to spend some time together while tarpon fishing. Sam was up first and got the largest fish of the evening. We took the tour of the south side of the jetties and then into the main channel. The 35 minute battle ended with Sam releasing a 120# tarpon. The next fish threw the hook with its first jump. The next drift had Mark hooked up with a very manageable 50# fish that was released. Then the wind died off and a lull in the action came. A move to deep in the tarpon area got Mark hooked up again with a very nasty 110# tarpon. Several times, he thought the hook had pulled only to find out that the tarpon had reversed its field and charged back and under the boat. I had my hands full with countering the tarpons moves. In the end, Mark prevailed and the fish was released. By this time, the wind had died completely and the only way to get any forward drift was to bump the boat forward with the engines. When we came tight on the lines, the rod bent over and Sam caught a bonnethead shark. The evening ended with a 3 for 4 in the tarpon category.
As you can see, the lack of current has made fishing a challenge. Reports from clients and friends who have gone out in the afternoon have been that the current has picked up some and with it so has the kingfish and sailfish action. With this in mind, an afternoon/evening trip for right now will help improve the chances for more action. Give me a call and lets get your trip scheduled.
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters
305 620-5896 Charter
305 965-9454 Cell
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
[signature]