08-22-2004, 04:34 PM
This past week, our trips were of an exploratory, snook, and late afternoon nature. Fish were caught on all the trips with some being better than others.
The exploratory trip had us checking out numbers for various rock piles, wrecks, rubble, and modules. The numbers were accurate to within 1/100 on the GPS. We fished several of the areas using both a drift and anchor method. The results were good with fish ranging from grunts and triggerfish and moving up to lane and mangrove snapper as well as cero mackerel. We also had several fish get us back in the structure and cut us off.
The snook trip was for a half day at St. Lucie Inlet. Catching both sardines and greenies (herring) did not take very long and with both livewells full, it was time to go snook fishing. At location number 1, the tide was still trickling out. The action was almost instant and by the time the tide changed and the fish shut off, eleven (11) fish in the 24 - 36 inch range had been landed and released. The water at location number 2 had cleared up and schools of snook could be seen cruising across the bottom. After anchoring, the first two baits out got immediate action and then the fish shut off. Continued effort resulted in no action, so with a dwindling bait supply it was time to catch more bait. It only took about 15 minutes, and we were back at location 2. This time a drift method was used and the large fish (40 inches) of the morning was caught and released. Once again the fish shut off. Moving on to location 3 resulted in no action. Anchoring up at location 4 got us action of some type on almost every cast. The snook (16 - 24 inches) were much smaller at this location. With all our bait used up, it was time to call it a morning. The final results were 23 snook caught and released.
The late afternoon half day trip required a lot of searching for just a few fish. Starting at Haulover Inlet in 150 feet and no current resulted in a triggerfish caught on the bottom drift outfit. We didn't even know we had the fish on till the outfit was reeled in to check the bait. The next stop was in 180 feet at 77th Street at the north end of North Shore Park and still no current. Once again the bottom drift outfit got all the action and 2 large bluerunners were caught and released. Continuing south, the Twins area was next. This time there was good current in 120 feet, however, there was no fish action. By the time we reset to try again, the current had moved out to 320 feet. At the Miami Sea Buoy, the current was ripping north. A school of bonito crashed the live chum and a flat line hooked up. The downrigger ball was raised to the surface after popping the line loose from the clip. The thought was to get another fish on the downrigger line as it came up. It was a good idea, however, the outfit with the fish on crossed the rising downrigger line and when it came tight, the hook pulled. Once again by the time we reset, the current had moved offshore. The final move was to the Cuban Hole area. By now, you've probably guessed, NO CURRENT and NO ACTION.
We'll be out again this coming week. Will we find current and better action?? Check back next week and see. Meanwhile, my website www.knotnancy.com has had a make over. There is a new look and more information to read, so check it out when you get a chance and drop me a line at nkostyo@bellsouth.net
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters
305 620-5896 Charter
305 732-2628 Beeper
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
[signature]
The exploratory trip had us checking out numbers for various rock piles, wrecks, rubble, and modules. The numbers were accurate to within 1/100 on the GPS. We fished several of the areas using both a drift and anchor method. The results were good with fish ranging from grunts and triggerfish and moving up to lane and mangrove snapper as well as cero mackerel. We also had several fish get us back in the structure and cut us off.
The snook trip was for a half day at St. Lucie Inlet. Catching both sardines and greenies (herring) did not take very long and with both livewells full, it was time to go snook fishing. At location number 1, the tide was still trickling out. The action was almost instant and by the time the tide changed and the fish shut off, eleven (11) fish in the 24 - 36 inch range had been landed and released. The water at location number 2 had cleared up and schools of snook could be seen cruising across the bottom. After anchoring, the first two baits out got immediate action and then the fish shut off. Continued effort resulted in no action, so with a dwindling bait supply it was time to catch more bait. It only took about 15 minutes, and we were back at location 2. This time a drift method was used and the large fish (40 inches) of the morning was caught and released. Once again the fish shut off. Moving on to location 3 resulted in no action. Anchoring up at location 4 got us action of some type on almost every cast. The snook (16 - 24 inches) were much smaller at this location. With all our bait used up, it was time to call it a morning. The final results were 23 snook caught and released.
The late afternoon half day trip required a lot of searching for just a few fish. Starting at Haulover Inlet in 150 feet and no current resulted in a triggerfish caught on the bottom drift outfit. We didn't even know we had the fish on till the outfit was reeled in to check the bait. The next stop was in 180 feet at 77th Street at the north end of North Shore Park and still no current. Once again the bottom drift outfit got all the action and 2 large bluerunners were caught and released. Continuing south, the Twins area was next. This time there was good current in 120 feet, however, there was no fish action. By the time we reset to try again, the current had moved out to 320 feet. At the Miami Sea Buoy, the current was ripping north. A school of bonito crashed the live chum and a flat line hooked up. The downrigger ball was raised to the surface after popping the line loose from the clip. The thought was to get another fish on the downrigger line as it came up. It was a good idea, however, the outfit with the fish on crossed the rising downrigger line and when it came tight, the hook pulled. Once again by the time we reset, the current had moved offshore. The final move was to the Cuban Hole area. By now, you've probably guessed, NO CURRENT and NO ACTION.
We'll be out again this coming week. Will we find current and better action?? Check back next week and see. Meanwhile, my website www.knotnancy.com has had a make over. There is a new look and more information to read, so check it out when you get a chance and drop me a line at nkostyo@bellsouth.net
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters
305 620-5896 Charter
305 732-2628 Beeper
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
[signature]