Fishing Report for Miami, Florida

Welcome to the icy south. We have had some great fishing and some slow fishing on Bouncer’s Dusky 33 this week, but it ends on a up beat. We had to resort to fishing the wrecks for amberjacks, almaco jacks and yellow jacks at times this week. Really we were fishing for the grouper that were being caught on wrecks from 120 to 250 feet deep, but we must have hit the wrong wrecks or followed the lucky anglers to the same wrecks. At least the jacks fight great. Kingfish action got better as the week went on with 10 pound fish fairly common. I talked with a friend that had several nice cero mackerel off Elliott Key during the week, but the only spanish mackerel I heard of were well to the north. Sailfish action has been awaiting some north bound current. This picked up during the week and if you stayed till the end of the day, you would get several shots at sailfish by days end. You had to stick with it, because your hot action may come latter than 4 PM. Tarpon hate cold water and with the week starting out with 68 degree water it did not look good for tarpon. Tarpon were evident at Government Cut on the incoming tide during the day, but the bite was slow at best. At night the big guys were no where to be found. Monday evening there was a fair shrimp run and we cashed in on the fish enjoying the buffet. We fished along the jetties and got a snook and 3, 15 to 25 pound tarpon. With no wind in the middle of the week we were able to get in a swordfish trip. We were after a swordfish on fly, but to hedge the bet, we put out the natural spread as well. We put the lines in the water at 6:10 and hooked a double header at 6:50. By 7:10 we had tagged and released a 40 pounder on 80 pound tackle. From then till 11:15 we fought and enjoyed over a dozen thrashing jumps with and from a beautiful swordfish over 300+ pounds. This spectacular damsel of the sea was tagged and released in excellent condition after all aboard had patted her on the flank. I hope the pictures come out! Join us in some fun fishing when Mark Sosin’s Salt Water Journal comes aboard Bouncer’s Dusky 33. We will be seen on TNN at 10:00 AM EST Saturday, Feb. 1st and again on March 15th. The hot tarpon season usually starts about the first of Feb. The sailfishing just gets better through the next couple months. Big king mackerel are best in March and April. And the tuna start in May. I hate to have to turn down anglers, so plan ahead and get in your reservations before all the dates are gone for the next several months. Summer Swordfish trips are filling quickly, so make those reservations soon.