Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
Includes Pompano Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Homestead.

Sept 3-5

Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable

With Hurricane Earl out of the picture, South Florida boaters and anglers should see a drastic improvement to our weather. South to Southwest winds at 10 to 15 miles per hour is predicted for this Labor Day weekend.

Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef

Strong winds from the east and stormy conditions hampered most South Florida fishermen this week. Offshore anglers had to fish in stormy rough conditions that made fishing a bit difficult. Anglers that did make it offshore found a mixed bag of action that consisted of a few kingfish, enough bonito action to keep a fishing rod bent, an occasional sailfish, wahoo and a few blackfin tuna. Dolphins continue to be scattered and at times far offshore. Bottom fishermen during day trips are finding a good amount of lane, vermillion and mutton snappers in depths from 100 to 160 feet of water plus some large amberjacks on the shallower wrecks from 120 to 200 feet of water. Nighttime bottom fishing has been good for yellowtail, mutton and a few mangrove snappers. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:40.

North Biscayne Bay Inshore

North Biscayne Bay has had a lot of freshwater pumped into it from the salinity dams in Greynolds Park, Miami Shores, Belle Meade and the Miami River. Bull sharks have been feeding at the mouth of the canals that the freshwater flows out of and some large jack crevalles have been in the same areas. Casting Rapala X Raps and Twitchin Raps around the mouths of these canals could get you a solid hook up. Seatrout are feeding on the grass flats outside of these canals and artificial lures like the ¼ ounce red or chartreuse Hookup lures tipped with a Gulp shrimp or jerk bait has been getting a lot of hits and fish. Cajun Thunders with the same artificial rig is working well on the trout and Rapala X Raps, Flat Raps and Twitchin Raps are getting strikes from the trout, jacks, blue runners and barracudas. Quite a few mangrove snappers have been feeding over the grass flats. Live baits have been small and the shrimp are almost too small to put on a hook. Snook and small tarpon have been feeding mostly at night around all of the ocean inlets and under dock lights and bridge shadow lines. The largest live shrimp you can find is a good choice around the dock lights and bridge shadow lines and large plugs like the Rapala Magnums can be trolled in and around the inlets for the snook and tarpon.

South Biscayne Bay

Windy and overcast conditions have made fishing bonefish and permit a challenge but that fishery should bounce back this weekend with clearer skies and lighter winds. With south and southwest winds predicted this weekend a good bet might be to check out the shallow west shoreline flats and the oceanside flats of South Biscayne Bay that have protection from the wind. High outgoing tide will let bonefishermen get up close to these shorelines where slick calm waters may help you locate tailing and cruising bonefish and permit. Cast the largest live shrimp or smallest blue crab that you have at these fish or try an artificial skimmer jig in the pink or brown colors tipped with a piece of dead shrimp or artificial shrimp or crab scented bait. Have a silver dollar sized blue crab hooked to a 2/0 short shank hook in a bucket of salt water just in case a permit swims in range. Barracudas and sharks will be stalking the flats as they try to ambush anything that comes in range so have a silver plug like a floating Rapala X Rap or a dead small ballyhoo hooked to a 3/0 short shank hook and a short piece of wire to protect your mainline from the toothy critters sharp teeth ready just in case one these quick striking and fast running predators comes into casting range. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:35 in the morning.

Flamingo in Everglades National Park

With windy conditions and lots of rain this past week fishing remained pretty good in Florida Bay. Lots of small rat redfish have been holding in many of the deeper channels and motes that surround some of the Florida Bay islands. You won’t know they are there unless you bounce small baits off the bottom. Hookup lures tipped with a three inch Gulp shrimp have been responsible for double digit catches of these redfish. They are too small to keep but plenty of fun for catch and release. Along with these small redfish there have been large schools of jack crevalles in the two to six pound range and lots of ladyfish that are feeding on schools of small ballyhoo, pilchards and glass minnows. If you are looking for bigger fish try catching a live well of large pinfish and hook them to a ¼ ounce red Hookup lure and toss them next to the drop-offs of the channels and then let the pinfish slide along with the current until it gets hit. Large redfish and a few snook, tarpon and lots of sharks have been eating the pinfish like they are candy. All of this action is taking place in Florida Bay. Like catching large sharks then put a piece of ladyfish on a Cajun Thunder float with a heavy mono leader and a 12 inch piece of number four wire attached to a 6/0 short shank hook and hold on. Lemon sharks in the 50 to 150 pound range have been thick in Florida Bay along with a few bull and blacktip sharks. Floating grass has made fishing more difficult but still well worth the effort. Over deeper grass flats lots of mangrove snappers and seatrout are available and while you’re running around from spot to spot keep an eye out for free floating triple tail. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:37 AM and in Whitewater Bay low tide is at 7:45 AM.

shermana@bellsouth.net | www.getemsportfishing.com

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