North Biscayne Bay Fishing Report

Who would believe that it is February and the weather is still like summer here in South Florida. The boat show is just a few days away and I will be helping out in the Key Largo Rod Booth #2205 in the Big Game Room area. Rick Berry owner of Key Largo Rods will have a huge supply of his finest rods on hand from light tackle on up to the big game stuff. If you’re in need of a new fishing outfit and haven’t been able to see his line now is the time. Fishing in South Florida has been interesting to say the least. Depending on what day and location you fish can mean the difference between a good day on the water and a great day. Fishing in North Biscayne Bay has turned up some large sea trout for the anglers that have put in the time to explore the bay and locate the fish. Some of these fish have been way over 20 inches and it has taken a lot of casts to get that one good strike. With warmer conditions daytime snook action in the bay has picked up but the bait has been the problem. I like to give my clients their best shot at a North Biscayne Bay daytime snook by putting a frisky live pilchard on the end of the hook. The pilchards have been in Government Cut meaning a run to the inlet is necessary to get the right bait and then a run back into the bay to target the snook. Some large jack crevalles, a few mackerel a nd some snappers have made up the remainder of a North Biscayne Bay day. South Biscayne Bay has seen some action on 15 inch mutton snappers on some days we have had quite a few of them in that size but hardly any have been the 16 inches needed to keep. Small red, gag and black groupers are mixed in with the snappers but they too have been on the small size. We have had a little action on the Spanish mackerel but warm weather has kept them from schooling up in the numbers I like and we haven’t seen a pompano in South Bay for a while. Along the beaches we have had some tarpon action but we need calm weather to target them. Offshore we have had action on kingfish, bonitos and dolphins and recently loads of sailfish showed up just outside the outer reef line but once again the weather has made this fishing mostly for the big boaters. The key for me to fish offshore is catching a day with calm conditions and then being chartered on that day. Flamingo sustained a large fish kill but only a small portion of the fish stocks there were killed. Fishing in Flamingo has been the most predictable fishery recently. On calm days the rock piles and markers have produced cobias, goliath groupers, bluefish, pompano, snappers, sharks and Spanish mackerel and in the channels of Florida Bay snook, redfish, tarpon and sea trout have been biting along with the jacks and ladyfish. On the windy days fishing in the backcountry in the rivers and creeks have been good for snook, redfish, sea trout, black drum, sheepshead, gag and goliath groupers, snapper, jacks, ladyfish, pompano and an occasional permit. So all in all fishing remains quite good and if you’re lucky to catch a day between the cold fronts you may actually see one of those incredible days you hear people brag about. I have plenty of scattered open dates to accommodate anyone looking to wet a line and catch some fish. I just ordered my new 2008 22’ Pathfinder and should have it in operation in a few months. If you know of anyone looking for a 2005 22’ Pathfinder Tournament Edition that is loaded and in great working condition powered by a Yamaha 2006 HPDI 200 outboard engine that has 2 years left on the warranty have them give me a call and I’d be glad to take them out for a test drive. Clear some time on your calendar and call me at 786-436-2064 or drop me an e-mail at [email protected] . Check out my report in the Miami Herald’s Sports section under Fishing Updates each Thursday, or tune into the Florida Sportsman Magazines Live Radio Show on WMCU 1080 on the AM dial every Saturday morning from 7 to 8 AM. Check out my new web site and see the monthly catches! Check out my weekly South Florida Fishing Report at www.floridasportsman.com and my monthly South Florida Fishing Report in The Florida Sportsman Magazine each month. We continue to broadcast the Florida Sportsman Magazine Live on WMCU 1080 AM every Sat. morning from 7 to 8 AM where we get up to the minute fishing forecasts from so me of the top Capt.†™s in South Florida like Capt. Jimbo Thomas on the Thomas Flyer, Capt. Bouncer Smith on Bouncers Dusky, Capt Skip Bradeen on the Blue Chips Too out of Whale Harbor Marina, Capt. Mark Schmidt on the Sundancer out of Murray’s Marina in Key West and Capt. Wayne Conn on The Reward Fleet, Captain Jay Cohen on the Spellbound out of Haulover Marina and more. Sponsors: Yamaha, Bob Hewes Boats, Maverick, Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics, Daiwa, General Motors & Chevrolet, Rapala, Mustad, Ande Lines, Pure Fishing, Precision Tackle, Capt. Hank Brown’s Hook Up Lures, Hydro Glow Lights, Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, Saltwater Assassins, Fishbites, Key Largo Rods, Lee Fisher Cast Nets, Smartshield, Master Repair in Stuart Florida. “Tight Lines & Great Fishing” Get Em on The "GET EM" Capt. Alan Sherman “Get Em” Sportfising Charters Inc. Cell 786-436-2064 Home 305-757-5503 www.getemsportfishing.com