Aquatic Adventures Boat Club & Fishing Reports April 8th
In this week's Aquatic Adventures we take a look at an alternative to boat ownership. In South Florida there are a few boat clubs that offer an easier and often less expensive alternative. Today we take a look at Freedom Boat Club. Watch here...
Visit Freedom Boat club at... www.freedomboatclub.com
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Fishing Reports
Capt. Alan Sherman
"Get Em" Sportfishing Charters
Spring is here in South Florida and with it comes the Spring Break for kids in school and college, lots of business and plenty of baitfish and predators to keep the kids families' busy with bent fishing rods, big smiles, lots of great fish pictures and of course some sore arms. And this Spring is no different!
The fishing in Biscayne Bay has been great with a wide variety of fish being caught that included Spanish mackerel, bluefish, small and large jack crevalles, slot and over slot sea trout, barracuda, sharks and tarpon. Large schools of baitfish continue to hold in North Biscayne Bay and loading up the Get Em's two huge live wells has been fairly easy on most charters. During many charters nearby fellow captains have offered their over flow of baitfish to me and I have to them allowing all of us more time to get into the hot action. Casting live pilchards free lined and hooked to a Mustad 1/0 long shank hook, ¼ ounce red Hookup lures tipped with a Gulp three or four inch shrimp or Rapala X Raps, Flat Raps and Twitchin Raps has kept us in the action almost all day. The Bay fishing will continue to be great right through May and into July.
On the days when the weather has been decent I have found myself venturing offshore where my anglers have scored with Spanish mackerel, kingfish to 12 pounds, large bonitos to 15 pounds, dolphins a few blackfin tunas, cobia, arctic bonitos, mutton snappers and a few shots at sailfish. The fishing for the kingfish, blackfin tuna and sailfish will only get better as the days go by.
Fishing in Flamingo has been getting better now that the weathers is starting to warm up and lots of sea trout, jacks and ladyfish can be found in Florida Bay and in Whitewater Bay. Snook and redfish are available but require a lot more time to locate. Cobias, tarpon, sharks and tripletail have been bending rods and putting big smiles on my client's faces.
Fishing in the freshwater Conservation Areas has really taken off and will continue to get better every day due to the lack of rain we get in South Florida this time of year. The lack of rain lowers the water levels and there by pushing the fish into the canals where they become easy targets with soft plastics, shiners and Rapala floating minnows.
Recent Catches:
Fishing in the Everglades Conservation Area Tom K released 20 largemouth bass, pickerel, mud fish and Florida Gar using live shiners and Rapala floating minnows.
Rob E and Tray fished Biscayne Bay and caught sea trout, jack crevalles and barracudas using live pilchards.
Jerry C and Jeff fished the Patch Reefs and caught mangrove and yellowtail snappers, black, gag and red groupers to six pounds and lots of porgies.
Gene, Bill and Frank fished offshore of Miami with live pilchards and caught Spanish mackerel, mutton snapper, blackfin tuna and arctic bonitos using live pilchards.
Greg H fished Biscayne Bay and caught lots of mackerel, gag grouper, barracudas and sea trout using live [pilchards and Hookup lures tipped with a Gulp shrimp.
Steve, Joel and Dana teamed up to catch jack crevalles to 11 pounds, Spanish mackerel and kingfish to eight pounds fishing Biscayne Bay and offshore with live pilchards.
Sam R and his grandson fished for tarpon off o\f Government Cut and caught Spanish mackerel and bluerunners but never got a solid hook up from a tarpon even though dozens of them could be seen through the clear water right next to the boat.
David K and his son Corbin fished Flamingo and caught dozens of sea trout and ladyfish using Cajun Thunder floats and live shrimp and Corbin fought an estimated 80 pound tarpon to boat side that ate a ballyhoo hooked to a Hookup lure, released a 30 inch cobia, released a bunch of sharks and landed three tripletail to 9.5 pounds.
Rick K and his grandsons Justin and Brandon fished Biscayne Bay and hooked and lost an estimated 100 pound tarpon that ate a live pilchard fished under a Cajun Thunder float as well as Spanish mackerel, barracudas, sea trout and jack crevalles to 10 pounds.
Robert D and his son Daniel and friend Len caught fished Biscayne Bay and caught Spanish mackerel, and jack crevalles to 11 pounds using live pilchards.
Paul B and his son Logan caught over 20 Spanish mackerel, lots of sea trout and dozens of jack crevalles in Biscayne Bay using live pilchards.
Steve Dana and Joel fished offshore and caught and released over a dozen bonitos to 15 pounds plus a 12 pound kingfish before heading inshore where they released dozens of sea trout and jack crevalles using live pilchards.
Arnie and Mitch and Zach fished Biscayne Bay and caught and released two dozen sea trout in the 15 to 20 inch range using live pilchards free lined and under a Cajun Thunder float plus a dozen two pound bluefish and jack crevalles to 10 pounds.
That's it for now! Another group of charters in the next two weeks and more great catches and reports to come!
I do have scattered openings for the next three weeks so don't hesitate to give me a call so you too can have sore arms, big smiles and pictures of what you caught on the Get Em with Captain Alan Sherman!
Give me a call at 786-436-2064 or e-mail me at shermana@bellsouth.net
Let's go catch some Fish!
Check out my new web site and to read about the weekly catches and to see your pictures.
www.getemsportfishing.com
shermana@bellsouth.net
Check out my report in the Miami Herald's Sports section under Fishing Updates each Thursday, the Florida Sportsman Magazines South Florida Internet Fishing Report (www.floridaspotsman.com), my monthly Action Spotter Fishing Report for the South Region in the Florida Sportsman Magazine each month.
I have recently changed outboard engines on my 22' Pathfinder XL Tournament Edition Bay Boat. I had an opportunity to put one of the first Yamaha SHO 250 Four Stroke outboards on my boat and the difference has been just amazing. This engine has 25 more horsepower but carries 77 less pounds allowing me better hole shot while giving great cruising fuel efficiency. What more can a boater ask for?
I have been wearing a lot of Columbia Sports Wear on my fishing charters and the new Blood & Guts shirts are amazing. I have had mackerel, cobia and snook just splatter me with blood and one good washing and the shirts are as good as new. Check out their web site at www.columbia.com
Sponsors: Yamaha, Bob Hewes Boats, Maverick, Minn Kota, Lowrance Electronics, Daiwa, General Motors & Chevrolet, Rapala, Mustad, Pure Fishing, Gulp, Berkley, Precision Tackle, Cajun Thunders, Capt. Hank Brown's Hookup Lures, Hydro Glow Lights, Saltwater Assassins, Key Largo Rods, Lee Fisher Cast Nets, Smartshield, Master Repair in Stuart Florida, Power Pole, Stow Master Nets, superfishlight.com, Columbia Wear, Tempress Seating, Aluminum Fabricating Inc.
Capt. Alan Sherman
"Get Em" Sportfishing Charters
786-436-2064
www.getemsportfishing.com
Field Editor of the Florida Sportsman Magazines Action Spotter Report South Region
Field Editor of the Florida Sportsman Magazines Internet Fishing Forecast South Region
Editor of the Miami Heralds South Florida Fishing Report Thursdays Edition
I expect the fishing to be pretty consistent for the next three or four months with lots of SEA TROUT, JACK CREVALLES, LADYFISH, SPANISH MACKEREL, BLUEFISH, GROUPER, BARRACUDAS, SNOOK, TARPON and some POMPANO in NORTH BISCAYNE BAY and OFFSHORE of MIAMI KINGFISH, MACKEREL, SAILFISH and DOLPHINS available on the calmer days and in SOUTH BISCAYNE BAY lots of action from a wide variety of fish like the SNAPPERS, GROUPERS, JACKS, BLUEFISH, MACKERELS, POMPANO, LADYFISH, PORGIES, GRUNTS, SNOOK and BLUERUNNERS keeping anglers busy catching and releasing fish most of the day. FLAMINGO in EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK will have a huge amount of wildlife like the WHITE PELICANS, ROSEATTE SPOONBILLS, SKIMMER BIRDS,GULLS, OSPREYS, EAGLES, TERNS, EGRETS, HERONS, ALLIGATORS, CROCODILES, BOTTLE NOSED DOLPHINS, MANATTEES, SHARKS and TURTLES and of course the wide variety of fish that migrate into FLORIDA BAY and the GULF waters during the cooler months of the year. SNOOK, TARPON, REDFISH, SEA TROUT, SHEEPSHEAD, TRIIPLETAIL, BLACK DRUM, SNAPPER, GOLIATH AND GAG GROUPER, POMOPANO, COBIA, MACKEREL, BLUEFISH and I'm sure I am leaving a few other fish species out will be available to all anglers at one time or another throughout the rest of Winter and into the Spring.
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Knot Nancy Fishing Charters, Inc
Miami, FL
Lots and Lots of Action
Offshore there continues to be a mixed bag of fish. Kingfish have been running hot and cold. Sailfish please many anglers when there is north current. Bonito tire out many arms. Mutton snapper is a great table fare for those who work the various wrecks. Amberjack will definitely test your stamina and strength. Dolphin have made their springtime appearance. Blackfin tuna fishing has been happening most of the winter with smaller fish. They are now beginning to get bigger.
Inshore, the shrimp have been making some mild runs and that makes for some excellent tarpon fishing. The fish have ranged in size from 40 – 140 pounds.
Kip Kerr, Jeff Beckham, and Rick Perry caught bonito, snook, and tarpon at Government Cut and in the Bay.
Bob Moore and Andre Anastasi caught their limit of kingfish as well as blackfin tuna and bonito.
Manny Ariza and Rafael Rodriguez Ariza each caught their first tarpon at Government Cut. We took a DNA sample on one of the fish.
Jim Lefevre got back in form quickly by catching two tarpon on his trip to Government Cut. We got a DNA sample on both fish.
Mike Harris, Mike Connel, Andrew Martini, and Chris Basile saw the tarpon action explode on their 6 hour tarpon trip. The shrimp made a good run and the tarpon were there to feast on them. By the end of the evening, we had 9 shots and successfully landed 5 tarpon. One of the tarpon donated a DNA sample.
Mike Harris, Mike Connel, and Sean Hardiman fished the next evening. This time we caught and released 2 of the 3 fish hooked at Government Cut and 3 of the 4 fish we hooked in the Bay. We took a DNA sample on 4 of the tarpon.
Manuel Lecoca, Olivier Claux, Frederick Newman, and Thierry Bodson had to wait out the tarpon on their evening trip. Before the tarpon action started, we caught and released Spanish mackerel and bluerunners. It was getting toward the end of the trip when the tarpon turned on. The first fish put on a great show and each angler fought the fish when it got in the deep water of the main channel. The second fish was a little smaller, however, it too made it to the main channel and required the strength of all the anglers to get it to boat side for DNA sampling and release. DNA samples were taken on both fish.
The family of Tony, Sheryl, and Iszak Morgan saw plenty of action offshore with bonito, kingfish, dolphin, blackfin tuna, and bluerunner.
Eric and Randy Eichin saw action with 3 tarpon at Government Cut. The first fish jumped off on the first jump. A quick reset and we hooked up again. This time Eric fought and landed the fish. When the south wind calmed down after dark, we moved and Randy hooked up with his first tarpon. At first he thought it was a small fish because it was moving toward us so easily. The reason was it was heading for the deep water of the main channel. Then Randy realized he had something big on. The battle kept going back and forth. The battle wore on and neither the fish or Randy wanted to give in. Slowly the tide started turning toward Randy. When the fish finally came alongside, it was a whopping 140 pound fish. Nice going Randy. You pick on a real brute of a fish for your first tarpon. We took a DNA sample on one of the tarpon.
Gustavo Almanza, Isnardo Mojeron, Mario Rodriguez, and Robert Orosco saw action with bonito, barracuda, and kingfish. We had a sailfish on for a short period of time till it wore through the leader and released itself.
Eric Eichin was back for another tarpon trip. This time with his father, Don. Once again we had some stiff south wind and had to wait till it got dark for the wind to calm down. The trip was almost a carbon copy of the previous trip with his brother Randy. We had shots at three fish and landed two. The big one this time was 100 pounds. We took a DNA sample on one of the fish.
Todd Pierantoni, Mike and Andrea Brenner wanted to fish in the calm protected waters of the Bay. They were glad they chose to fish inshore as the wind was blowing 13 – 19 knots. All they wanted was action and lots of it. The first area we fished produced no action as did the second area. The third spot was the charm. By the end of their half day trip we had caught and released 30 jack crevalle in the 2 – 4 pound range using 8# spinning outfits.
Jim Lefevre, Bugs Nilles, and Bill Seiler had one whale of a tarpon trip. We started at Government Cut where we went 5 for 6 on live shrimp. We also had one tarpon on the Berkley Powerbait Rattle Shrimp. It threw the hook after several jumps. Before we headed into the Bay, we also caught and released two very large ladyfish. In the Bay, the action continued with 4 shots of which we landed and released 2 tarpon. That's a final total of 7 for 11 for the evening. We also took DNA samples on 3 of the tarpon.
Dave and Paul Rusilko saw tarpon action both at Government Cut and in the Bay. We were 1 for 2 at Government and 1 for 1 in the Bay. Paul used his fly rod and got 2 fish to bump his fly, however he did not hook either fish.
Three days of fishing with Brad, Stu, and Harold Coren, and Brad Kiassman produced action with kingfish, bonito, barracuda, cero mackerel, hammerhead shark, and dolphin.
We are now caught up again with the fishing action aboard Knot Nancy. I have days open in April so all you need to do is call and book a date to get in on the action.
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters, Inc
305-965-9454
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
