Miami, Florida - Offshore

What’s your pleasure? Sailfish, Dolphin, Kingfish? And how big do you want them? Ten pounders? Twenty Pounders. How about a forty pound Kingfish or Dolphin? Why not a fifty pound Sailfish thrown in for good measure. It’s all possible. They are all here and waiting to be caught. The recent Southern Kingfish Association tournament held out of Miami Beach Marina this past week, saw plenty of thirty pound Kings. Anglers were using live Goggle Eye, Blue Runners, and Mullet to catch the “smoker” size Kingfish. The area off Virginia Key, called the “boil”, was the hottest area. Many anglers fishing the tournament reported plenty of Sailfish hook-ups while fishing for the Kingfish. In fact one angler stated that he broke off five Sails on purpose by clamping down on the spool and breaking them off. This past week, there has been a ripping current offshore, which was probably responsible for the great action. From Key Largo to Miami Beach, the Sailfish were pouring through. Many anglers caught as many as five fish in a day. Deep blue Gulf Stream water flooded the reefs and brought the Dolphin close in along the edge. Anglers found them while kite fishing for Sails as well as trolling for them a little further offshore. Last week there was a weedline in 500 feet of water that produced over fifty Dolphin for one angler. You should start seeing classic Dolphin conditions develop during the next month. During calmer days, weedlines will begin to form, and should be an excellent place to start looking for fish. Also, petrels, small diving birds, will start to migrate with the Dolphin, and pinpoint schools of feeding fish. The bottom bite has been average. There have been Amberjack on the wrecks. Mutton Snapper have been found along the edge of the reef from 100 to 180 feet of water. If I was going to try to fish for Muttons this time of year, I would fish the area from Pacific Reef to Carysfort Reef with live Pilchards or Pinfish. Use enough weight to keep your bait along the bottom, and start your drift in 200 feet of water and drift into 100 feet. I prefer a fifty pound leader for Muttons, however, you may lose your rig to a large Grouper with the lighter leader, but you will get more hits from the Muttons. And there will be big Grouper caught this month. April is a great time to target Grouper along the deeper reefs and wrecks as well. I would fish the same as I would for Muttons but I use fifty pound test line and eighty pound test leader. April 30th is the date for this years, David and Mary Alper Grand Dolphin Fishing Tournament. There will be $5500 in prize money. $ 300.00 entry fee per boat. Weigh-in will be at the Jewish Community Center on 11155 SW 112 Ave in south Dade. For more information call 305-271-9000 ext 241. Professional captains are welcome On Thursday nights, from 7pm to 8pm, at the Old Cutler Raw Bar, South Dixie Highway and SW 184 Street, come listen to “Fishing South Florida Style”. This is an hour long live radio show hosted by Mike Pace, Captain Rob Fordyce, Captain Marty Locke, and Captain Mark Houghtaling. Offshore and inshore fishing topics are covered during the live radio broadcast, and you can pick up a few tips from the radio hosts after the show. You can also catch the show on Thunder Country 100.3 FM. Captain Mark Houghtaling wants to hear from you. Send him your latest catches and pictures to15920 SW 85 Ave. Miami, Fla. 33157, or E-Mail him at [email protected]. Capt Mark also has a charter fishing service ,you can call him at 305-253-1151 or check out his web page at http://www.magicfin.com For free safe boating and personal watercraft classes call the Coast Guard Auxiliary at 305-820-8411, or the United States Power Squadron at 305-238-4807.