02-27-2005, 06:29 PM
After a few evenings of slow tarpon fishing during the Miami Boat Show, the action has kicked back into high gear. Haulover is the place and live shrimp is the bait of choice. The fish have been spread out from the inlet to about a 1/2 mile south along the beach. It is just a matter of figuring out where they are located on the evening you're out there.
Tuesday (2/22) evening we had light wind from the E/ESE. A north current along the beach gave us a very good drift speed and the tarpon were hot and hungry. Two strikes during our first drift had us starting the evening at 1 for 2. After dark, the fish moved further to the south than they have been thus far this season. Once we located them, we had action on almost every drift. Final total this evening was 5 for 6 with the tarpon being in the 30 to 70 pound class and 1 bluefish.
Wednesday (2/23) evening Bill Pfau from Canfield, Ohio had the opportunity to fish for tarpon for the first time in 25 years. The wind was SE @ 10 - 13 knots and once again the fish were spread out all along the beach. This evening we managed to land and release every other fish. With 4 shots at tarpon, we ended the evening at 2 for 4 and 1 giant ladyfish. Bill, I hope you don't have to wait another 25 years before you get the chance to go tarpon fishing again.
Friday (2/25) evening the forecast called for heavy rain. We got sprinkled on for about 5 minutes at 8:30 PM. The gloom and doom forecast kept one of the anglers home and it turned out that he missed a spectacular evening of tarpon fishing. The WSW/WNW wind @ 11 - 23 knots combined with an incoming tide gave us perfect conditions to slide across the face of the inlet. Richard (Dad) and Adam (Son) Herman and Adam's friend Kareem had there hands full fighting tarpon on almost every drift once it got dark. The fish this evening were also in a throw the hook mode on the first jump. We ended the evening going 3 for 9 on mostly 30 - 35 pound fish. Without mentioning names, the older Herman went 2 for 3 and the two younger anglers combined for 1 for 6. Even though the tarpon won most of the battles, everyone really enjoyed and got to participate in a great night of tarpon action.
Saturday (2/26) was the first time I've had the opportunity to fish during the day since last Friday. Seth Braunstein from Wilmington, Delaware allowed for a day of fishing around his seminar schedule. Catching bait at Government Cut was quickly accomplished and we were off to the fishing grounds. N/ENE winds @ 3 - 6 knots gave us flat calm seas. There was little to no current till you got out to over 200'. The action could be described as slow at best. Slow trolling pilchards produced 5 dolphin in the 6 - 12 pound class. They were all released to grow bigger. Drifting gave us action on a few bomber size bonito that gave Seth's arms a good workout. They too, were also released. Inside of 110', the lack of current allowed the triggerfish to nip away at our baits. One managed to actually eat the bait and get hooked. Of course, we released it too. The highlight of the day was the 25# kingfish caught on a straight mono leader and live bait hook. You've got to get lucky once in a while.
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters
305 620-5896 Charter
305 965-9454 Cell
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
[signature]
Tuesday (2/22) evening we had light wind from the E/ESE. A north current along the beach gave us a very good drift speed and the tarpon were hot and hungry. Two strikes during our first drift had us starting the evening at 1 for 2. After dark, the fish moved further to the south than they have been thus far this season. Once we located them, we had action on almost every drift. Final total this evening was 5 for 6 with the tarpon being in the 30 to 70 pound class and 1 bluefish.
Wednesday (2/23) evening Bill Pfau from Canfield, Ohio had the opportunity to fish for tarpon for the first time in 25 years. The wind was SE @ 10 - 13 knots and once again the fish were spread out all along the beach. This evening we managed to land and release every other fish. With 4 shots at tarpon, we ended the evening at 2 for 4 and 1 giant ladyfish. Bill, I hope you don't have to wait another 25 years before you get the chance to go tarpon fishing again.
Friday (2/25) evening the forecast called for heavy rain. We got sprinkled on for about 5 minutes at 8:30 PM. The gloom and doom forecast kept one of the anglers home and it turned out that he missed a spectacular evening of tarpon fishing. The WSW/WNW wind @ 11 - 23 knots combined with an incoming tide gave us perfect conditions to slide across the face of the inlet. Richard (Dad) and Adam (Son) Herman and Adam's friend Kareem had there hands full fighting tarpon on almost every drift once it got dark. The fish this evening were also in a throw the hook mode on the first jump. We ended the evening going 3 for 9 on mostly 30 - 35 pound fish. Without mentioning names, the older Herman went 2 for 3 and the two younger anglers combined for 1 for 6. Even though the tarpon won most of the battles, everyone really enjoyed and got to participate in a great night of tarpon action.
Saturday (2/26) was the first time I've had the opportunity to fish during the day since last Friday. Seth Braunstein from Wilmington, Delaware allowed for a day of fishing around his seminar schedule. Catching bait at Government Cut was quickly accomplished and we were off to the fishing grounds. N/ENE winds @ 3 - 6 knots gave us flat calm seas. There was little to no current till you got out to over 200'. The action could be described as slow at best. Slow trolling pilchards produced 5 dolphin in the 6 - 12 pound class. They were all released to grow bigger. Drifting gave us action on a few bomber size bonito that gave Seth's arms a good workout. They too, were also released. Inside of 110', the lack of current allowed the triggerfish to nip away at our baits. One managed to actually eat the bait and get hooked. Of course, we released it too. The highlight of the day was the 25# kingfish caught on a straight mono leader and live bait hook. You've got to get lucky once in a while.
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters
305 620-5896 Charter
305 965-9454 Cell
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
[signature]