South Florida Forecast
February 06, 2025
By Capt. Alan Sherman
Capt. Alan Sherman covers Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable, including Pompano Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Homestead. Contact info: shermana@bellsouth.net ; (786)436-2064; www.getemsportfishing.com
Feb. 7-9 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots late Friday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Advertisement
Shrimp have been running at night on the outgoing tides. Tarpon have been ambushing the shrimp at the mouths of the ocean inlets as they head for the ocean. Drifting live shrimp in these areas is the best way to get the tarpons. The offshore bite has been challenging with exception of sailfish, dolphin fish and blackfin tunas. The sailfish have been eating live baits fished under a kite in depths between 100 and 300 feet of water. Dolphins have on occasions come into the spread and eaten some of the baits intended for the sailfish. Blackfin tuna continue to be caught off of the deepest artificial reefs and rock piles. The tunas are being caught on live pilchards and vertical jigs. Daytime wreck bottom fishing was slow. Nighttime reef fishing when the current is moving with the wind has been good. Yellowtail, mangroves and mutton snappers have been eating small baits fished with the lightest weights. It takes a good 30 minutes of chumming to get the fish in a feeding mood. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:22.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay fishing has been very good for sea trout but not for much more than that. The sea trout have been averaging 13 to 20 inches and have been eating the NLBN 1/4-ounce jig heads tipped with a 3-inch paddle tail. These baits work well with a steady slow retrieve. Once you locate the fish you will get a strike on almost every cast. There have been small mangrove snappers holding over rocky bottom in the bay. Live shrimp has been working well on the snappers. At night along many of the bridge shadow lines, tarpon, snook, sea trout, and snappers have been attacking almost every shrimp that passes by them. The action is happening on the outgoing tides. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:30.
Advertisement
South Bay
Light winds have made sight casting at tailing and cruising bonefish over the Oceanside flats from Bear Cut south to Ocean Reef. Bonefish have also been feeding over the mainland flats from Dinner Key south to Card Sound Road. Look for the bonefish to most active on the early incoming tides. Large live shrimp make great baits for the bonefish. The Finger Channels have had plenty of small mangrove snappers and small jack crevalles for catch and release action. Live shrimp fished near the bottom will keep you in the action. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:47 in the morning.
Flamingo
An early morning low tide in Florida Bay will provide steady action from small snook, redfish, and sea trout in Snake Bight Channel, Tin Can, and Palm Channel. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder or a jig head tipped with a live shrimp will get you in on the action. Small tarpons have been feeding along the Florida Bay island shorelines. Bigger snook have been biting along the coast. A live pinfish cast near the downed mangrove trees is getting the strikes. Spanish mackerel can be chummed to the boat when anchored south and west of Sandy Key. Again a live shrimp on a jig or a shrimp under a float will get you the Mac’s. If this side waters stay warm, expect the big tarpons to move into Whitewater Bay. These tarpons will eat a live pinfish, medium size blue crab, or an artificial lure that temples a mullet. Look for tolling tarpons or free jumping tarpons to help you locate the fish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:14 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 4:57 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Jan. 31-Feb. 2 Report During the hottest summer days in South Florida, fishermen often read or hear fishing reports that say we are experiencing the summer doldrums. That’s when our fishing slows down. You never hear that during the months of January or February because it’s not hot but it can be a bit cool and sometimes cool enough to chase fish out of our areas or just stop them from feeding. Well, that’s kind of what we have seen in recent weeks offshore and inshore of Key Biscayne.
Surface water temperatures dropped into the mid 60’s this past week shutting down the bite from many of the fish we like to target. However, there still remained some outstanding fishing if you know what to target, and when and how to target those fish. At night, especially during the outgoing tides, bay shrimp were heading to the ocean. Tarpons in the 40 to 60 pound range, snook, and jack crevalles were slurping them off the surface making for some hot fishing during cool nights. These fish can be targeted along the Bear Cur bridge, the Rickenbacker bridge, Government Cut and the Cape Florida Channel. Drifting large live shrimp in these areas or casting and retrieving anything that resembles a live shrimp should provide you plenty of action. Adding some weight to your rig could get you some extra strikes from snappers, snook, and groupers.
Joey and Bryant getting into a hot sea trout bite. (Photo by Capt. Alan Sherman) Sea trout have been very active over the shallow grass flats in the bay. Casting the NLBN jig heads with a 3” soft plastic tail has been providing my clients with non-stop trout action. The offshore angler armed with plenty of frisky live baits will see enough sailfish in the 100 to 200 depths to provide periodic action throughout the day. If you get lucky you might have pods of 6 or more sailfish attack your baits at one time. Kite fishing is the best way to target the sailfish. A few dolphin fish or a blackfin tuna often will find one of your baits while waiting for a sailfish. A few kingfish, wahoo, and lots of barracudas might eat your baits. On the bottom over some of the artificial reefs in 200 feet of water, vermillion and mutton snappers can be targeted with cut squid or live baits. The night bite has been tough over the reefs due to the windy conditions. Those that have tried their luck have had a mixed bag of bluefish, a few snappers, and grunts.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Jan. 24-26 Report Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The cold weather that hit South Florida this past week dropped water temperatures into the 60s. That’s low enough to shut most fish down from feeding. If you can find some water temperatures in the 70s you increase your chances of finding a few hungry fish. Places to look for the higher water temperatures might be the ocean inlets and along the Gulf Stream. You might see some hungry tarpons in the ocean inlet feeding on live shrimp. A few large yellowjacks and jack crevalles could also be something feeding in the inlets. Big barracudas are being caught on the outside of the inlets and over many of the natural reefs. Outside of the outer reef and along the Gulf Streams edge beside barracudas there have been some kingfish, bonitos, and a few sailfish. On the bottom during the daytime and over the artificial reefs, a few vermillion snappers, amberjacks and mutton snappers. At night a few snappers, bluefish, blue runners and grunts were being caught in the dredge holes and on the outer edge the reefs. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:28.
North Biscayne Bay
Cold water has chased most of the baitfish and Spanish mackerel, juvenile kingfish and bluefish out of the bay. Hopefully, they will return when the temps come up. Sea trout are still in the bay but might not be feeding till late morning or afternoon. Look for the trout to be holding along the deeper edges of the flats. Quite a few small jack crevalles are scattered throughout the bay. The nighttime snook and tarpon action has slowed. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:28.
South Bay
Your best bet this weekend might be the Finger Channels in South Bay. With some of the deepest waters in the bay and strong tidal flows from the ocean, this is where I would expect most fish to be hiding. Live shrimp would be the best baits this week in the channels. I would expect the bonefish to return to the flats once the water temperatures stabilize. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:45 in the morning.
Flamingo
Look for almost every fish in Florida Bay to be holding from the cold in the deeper channels that have strong tidal flows. Fish a live shrimp or piece of shrimp on a jig head that stays close to the bottom. Expect the bites to be light even from a large fish. The creeks, canals and rivers from East Cape canal north to Shark River will provide some action from snook, redfish, black drum, sheepshead and sea trout. Once again, live shrimp and a jig might be the best rig for these fish. A Cajun Thunder flush on a shrimp might get some action as well. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:30 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 5:18 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Jan. 17-19 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southwest at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon fishing around the ocean inlets continues to be good at night and during the daytime. The tarpons are feeding mostly on the outgoing tides and they have been eating shrimp. The offshore bite has slowed with the changing weather conditions we have had this week. Kite fishermen are getting shots at sailfish almost everyday. Having some very frisky live baits makes the difference when kite sailfishing. The sails have been biting along current rips in depths from 100 feet of water out to 300 feet of water. Along the outer reef, a few kingfish are biting. Look for the kings in depths between 90 to 200 feet of water. A few bonitos are mixed in with the kings. Live and dead ballyhoos, pilchards and threadfin herrings have been getting the bulk of the strikes. Small blackfin tunas continue to be schooled up over the deeper artificial wrecks and rock piles. Vertical jigs and pilchards is your best baits for these fish. Dolphin fish have been scarce. The daytime bottom bite has been mostly a mixed bag of vermillion snappers, red groupers, triggerfish, porgies and small jacks. These fish are being caught over rocky bottom and shallower artificial reefs. Cut bait has been catching these fish. The night reef bite has been fair with bluefish, mackerel, grunts, lane, yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snappers. The outside of the reefs had been the better places to fish. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:11.
North Biscayne Bay
Baitfish schools in the bay have had undersized king mackerels, legal size Spanish mackerels, jacks, bluerunners and barracudas feeding on them. Trolling Rapala X Raps around these baitfish schools will keep you busy. The shallow grass flats of Biscayne Bay continue to provide action from sea trout, barracudas, jacks, and ladyfish. The NLBN 1/4 ounce jig heads tipped with a 3-inch soft plastic tail is getting a lot of these fish. A Cajun Thunder float and a live shrimp is a deadly combination on the flats. The nighttime tarpon bite has been very good in the bay. Hit the bridges with large live shrimps on an outgoing tide. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:48.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been best on the incoming tides in South Bay. The Oceanside flats have been the most productive for the bonefish but there has been fish on the mainland flats too. The bonefish have been heading for deep water when the fronts hit and then return to the flats a few days after the fronts. Large live shrimp is the best for the bonefish. The Finger Channels are loaded with small mutton snappers. In Biscayne National Park, mutton snappers must measure 19 inches from tip of nose to tip of longest tail fin. You are allowed only five mutton snappers per angler. The snappers have been eating live shrimp and pilchards fished on or near to the bottom. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:18 in the morning.
Flamingo
A warning to boaters with large boats that are launching from the Florida Bay boat ramp. The depth in the main channel has been so low on the low tides when the wind is blowing from the north that getting stuck in the channel has been a real problem. Once you get out into Florida Bay, trout, small snook, black drum, redfish and sheepshead have been eating Iive shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float or attached to a jig head. The Florida Bay channels have been producing these fish. The Parks boundary markers have been holding some big snook, cobia, black drum and redfish. Use your side scan to help you locate a fish to cast a shrimp or pinfish to. The inside creeks and rivers around Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay continues to produce catches of sea trout, redfish, small snook, and snappers. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:43 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:51 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Dec. 10-12 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south at 15 to 20 knots late Friday and then Saturday through Sunday the winds are forecasted to be 15 to 20 knots out of the north.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon and snook fishing continues to be good in the ocean inlets at night. Large live shrimp have been the top baits for these fish. For tarpons fish the shrimp near the surface. For the snook fish the baits near the bottom. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano and snook have been biting off the Oceanside jetties and piers. The mackerel and bluefish are biting pilchards and silver spoons. The pompano and snook are going for shrimp. The cooler temperatures have made the offshore bite tough. Kingfish continue to be caught off the outside of the outer reefs. Trolling rigged ballyhoos or drone spoons with a planer attached to your line helps get your baits to the depth that the kings are holding. Chumming and fishing live pilchards is another way to get the kings to bite. A few sailfish have been caught in depths between 100 to 200 feet of water. Fishing large live threadfin herrings under a kite is getting the sailfish strikes. Dolphin fish were scarce this week. Blackfin tunas continue to be caught on live pilchards and vertical jigs over many of the deeper artificial reefs and rock piles in depths from 200 to 500 feet of water. Daytime bottom wreck fishing is producing almoco jacks, amberjacks, and a few genuine red snappers. Live pinfish and squid is a good bait for these fish. Nighttime reef fishing has been good for lane, mangrove, yellowtail and mutton snappers. Bluefish, jacks and grunts have made up the remainder of the nighttime catch. The reefs in 50 to 90 feet of water have been the best. Low tide at Government Cut Friday nightwill be at 11:32.
North Biscayne Bay
A few mackerel, bluefish, and bluerunners have been shadowing the few baitfish schools in the bay. Casting shiny lures around the baitfish schools is one way to catch these fish. Sea trout continue to eat the 1/4 ounce NLBN jig heads and 3” soft plastic tails. Scatter cast around the edges of the flats or on top of the flats that have 3 feet of water over the tops of the bay grasses. The nighttime tarpon bite has been good along the shadow lines of the bay bridges on the outgoing tides. A free lined live shrimp is the bait for these tarpons. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:41.
South Bay
South Bay has had loads of under size mutton snappers and small kingfish that must be 24” to the fork to be legal. Kings have a grey dorsal fin and Spanish mackerel have a black dorsal fin. Both species have been eating live shrimp and pilchards and have been providing lots of rod bending action. The snappers have been in the channels and the mackerels have been roaming the bay. Bonefish have been biting on the incoming tides in South Bay. The mainland flats south of Dinner Key have been providing hood bonefish action. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:58 in the morning.
Flamingo
The colder weather has pushed many of the snook, redfish, sea trout, drum and sheepshead into the deeper channels and in the notes along the Florida Bay islands. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is a good rig for the island motes. A live shrimp hooked to a jig head is the way to go in the channels of Florida Bay. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had a few snook, redfish, sea trout, and snappers feeding along the island points that have a depth of three to six feet. A live shrimp fished on the bottom is the way to go for these fish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:02 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:32 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Jan. 3-5 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 15 to 20 knots late Friday. Saturday winds will be out of the northeast at 15 knots and Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the northeast at 10 knots. The Atlantic grouper season closed on Jan. 1st. If you catch a grouper and plan on keeping it, it would be wise to go to www.myfwc.com to make sure you are not breaking a law.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Bay shrimp have been moving from the bay to the ocean at night on the outgoing tides. The runs have not been consistent but when they run the tarpon have been slurping them off the surface. During the daytime when the waters near the surf have been churned up, pompano, snook, bluefish, and Spanish mackerels are being caught off the Oceanside piers and jetties. The pompano are being caught on live sand fleas and shrimp, and the snook are biting live shrimp. The bluefish and mackerels are eating live pilchards. The offshore bite has slowed and that is typical of January. A few sailfish are being caught in live baits fished under a kite. A few dolphin fish have taken baits intended for the sailfish. Kingfish have been scattered along the outside reef. A few bonitos and barracudas are being caught in dead ballyhoos slow-drifted behind the boat. The best action is happening from the outside of the outer reef to 300 feet of water. Small blackfin tuna are being caught over some of the deeper wrecks and rock piles. The tunas have been deep and can be caught on vertical jigs or by live chumming. Once the tunas start eating the live baits you can catch them on almost anything thrown in their direction. Daytime bottom fishing has produced some big genuine red snappers that have eaten squid. The red snappers are being caught over deep wrecks. Nighttime reef fishing is producing a mixed bag of snappers, grunts, bluefish, grunts, small groupers and bluerunners. Cut bait fished near the bottom is getting the job done. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:16.
North Biscayne Bay
Cooler waters have made sea trout fishing more difficult. The best trout bite is coming late in the morning and into the afternoon. Jig heads and shrimp imitation baits fished near the bottom is getting most of the strikes. The trout are most active in depths between 2 to 4 feet of water over grass and in areas where there is a good tidal flow. Small kingfish and Spanish mackerel are roaming the bay and can be caught on live pilchards fished under a Cajun Thunder float. Fish these baits in areas where baitfish schools are present. Nighttime tarpon action has been good along the shadow lines of the bay bridges near the ocean inlets on the outgoing tides. A large live shrimp free-lined to the bridge is the way to go for these tarpon. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:46.
South Bay
Bonefish has been good on both sides of South Bay when water temperatures have had a chance to stabilize between cold fronts. Look for the bones to be feeding on the mainland flats south of Dinner Key. Look for bonefish on the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. The action is taking place on the incoming tides. Large live shrimp are the way to go for the bones. The Finger Channels are loaded with under-size mutton and mangrove snappers. This is great rod-bending action but not much for dinner. Fish live shrimp and pilchards near the bottom for these fish. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:16 in the morning.
Flamingo
Look for snook, redfish, blackdrum, sheepshead and sea trout to be in all of the deeper channels where the waters are warmer. Put shrimp on a jig head and let it sit or retrieve it slowly to get these fish on your hook. A Cajun Thunder and a live shrimp fished along the channel edges or up close to the mangroves works well on these fish. If the weather is nice then expect Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, tripletails and cobias to be in good numbers out in the Gulf. A live shrimp under a float works well on all of these fish. Anchor and chum in 10 feet of water is where these fish normally are. Give the spot about 20 minutes to find the chum. If nothing happens move on. The inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay has been slow with the cooler waters. The best action is taking place along the deeper mangrove shorelines that have a good tidal flow. Fish shrimp bear the bottom for snappers, redfish, sheepshead, sea trout, and black drum. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:38 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 11:10 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Dec. 27-29 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 15 to 20 knots late Friday and Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be from the southeast at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon fishing in the ocean inlets has been very good on the evening outgoing tides. Shrimp have been running at night and tarpon have been slurping them off the surface. From the Oceanside piers and jetties, a few mackerel, bluefish, bluerunners and pompanos are being caught. Kingfish and Spanish mackerel are biting live pilchards in 40 to 60 feet of water. Anchoring and live chumming is bringing them to the boat. Outside the outer reef, kingfish, bonitos, sailfish and a few dolphin fish are being caught on free-lined live baits, live baits fished under a kite, and drifted fresh ballyhoo and sardines. The fish have been biting in depths between 80 to 200 feet of water. Over the deeper wrecks and rock piles, blackfin tuna are being caught. Most of these tunas are small and have been close to the bottom. A few dolphin fish are being caught in the Gulf Stream along broken weed lines and from under floating debris. Large amberjacks are taking live baits fished near the bottom. The jacks are holding over wrecks outside of 200 feet of water. Along the outer reef in depths from 100 feet of water to 120 feet of water, yellowtail and mutton snappers plus a few large red groupers are biting. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:20.
North Biscayne Bay
Look for a few Spanish mackerel, bluefish, lots of jack crevalles and ladyfish to be stalking the baitfish schools that have been moving through the bay. Sea trout continue to be available and have been moving higher up in the shallow grass flats. The NLBN jig heads and 3-inch soft plastics have been catching all of these fish in the bay. The Rapala X Raps are also caching fish and can be slow trolled around the schools of bait. A live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float makes a nice combination for these fish. At night along many of the bay bridges, tarpons have been feeding on live shrimp fished near the surface. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:09.
South Bay
The finger channels have been loaded with small under size mutton snappers. A few yellowjacks, small groupers, loads of small jack crevalles, grunts and big bull sharks. Spanish mackerel, small kingfish, and bluefish are scattered in South Bay. Anchoring and chumming and fishing live shrimp or pilchards under a float is getting bites from these fish. Bonefish are being caught on both the Oceanside flats and the mainland flats. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:26 in the morning.
Flamingo
Look for snook, redfish, sheepshead, sea trout and black drum to be looking for a live shrimp fished near the bottom attached to a jig head, or a live shrimp fished under a noisy Cajun Thunder float in and along the edges of the channels and along many of the islands in Florida Bay. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, lane snappers, jacks, bluerunners and ladyfish can be chummed to the boat and caught on live shrimp in 10 feet of water just to the south and west of Sandy Key. Look for tripletails lurking under the crab trap buoys as you travel from one location to another. The creeks leading into Shark River, Oyster Bay and Whitewater Bay have been producing snook, redfish, sheepshead, snappers, sea trout, and Goliath groupers. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:28 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 6:32 AM.
Dec. 19-22 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 10 to 15 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sunday winds are forecasted to be from the northeast at 10 to 15 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Last week’s big winds and high seas kept most fishermen off the water resulting in few if any fishing reports. Now, with more normal winds, we can get back out on the water and see what’s biting. The first shrimp runs of this season happened at night last week. Shrimp were running on the outgoing tide and tarpons and snook were feeding on them. Snook season closed on Dec. 15th. The ocean inlets and bay bridges near the inlets is where that action was happening. Off the ocean piers, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano, a few small cobias, jacks and bluerunners were being caught. Outside the outer reef, kingfish were biting in 100 feet of water. The guys trolling feathers with strips of bonito deep with the help of a planer were getting the most strikes. Sailfish should be around in decent numbers and looking to eat a frisky live bait fished from under a kite in depths over 250 feet of water. Dolphin fish should be out in the bluewater as they look to chase down schools of ballyhoos and flying fish. Keep an eye out for frigate birds quickly dropping to the surface of the ocean. That’s a great sign that the bird is over feeding fish. Blackfin tunas can be found over many of the deeper artificial reefs. You may need a vertical jig dropped to the bottom and jigged to the surface to get the fish feeding. Vermillion snappers were biting cut squid before the winds picked up. If the current isn’t bad drop some bottom baits to the bottom. The wrecks outside of 300 feet of water have been holding the most fish. Nighttime reef fishing should be good for yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snappers. Bluefish, mackerel, kingfish, groupers, grunts and bluerunners can be found on the reefs in 40 to 60 feet of water. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:51.
North Biscayne Bay
Before the winds picked up, sea trout were biting good along many of the shallow flats that have shoal grass. The best bite was near the channels. The NLBN’s were getting lots of strikes. A few mackerel, bluefish, bluerinners and jack crevalles were feeding along the channel edges. Especially if baitfish schools were nearby. At night under the lighted dock lights snook and tarpons can be targeted for catch and release. A live shrimp is the ticket for these fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:16.
South Bay
Bonefish should be eager to take your bait this weekend. Hit the flats on the Oceanside and mainland side of South Bay. A large shrimp cast near a tailing or cruising bonefish during the early part of the incoming tide won’t be ignored. The Finger Channels should be loaded with undersize mutton snappers for rod-bending action. Mixed in with the muttons might be some legal mangrove snappers, bluerunners, yellowjacks, bluefish and Spanish mackerel. Use live shrimp and pilchards for the best action. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:46 in the morning.
Flamingo
High water in the morning in Florida Bay will allow you a good shot at fishing the shorelines along the coast for snook, redfish, black drum, sheepshead and sea trout. A live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float and a live shrimp hooked to a jig head is a deadly combination for these fish. If the waters aren’t too choppy, look for Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano and many other predators out in the Gulf looking to eat anything that looks like a live shrimp. Anchor in 10 feet of water south and rest of Sandy Key for these fish. As your running look for tripletails shadowing the crab trap buoys. Again a live shrimp will get you a quick strike from a tripletail. The inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay and Whitewater Bay can be targeted for snook, redfish, drum, snappers, Goliath groupers and sea trout. Look for these fish to be holding along undercut shorelines and the island points. Above shrimp fished on a jighead or under a float gets these fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:49 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 5:02 AM.
Dec. 13-15 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
If the marine forecast holds up for this weekend you can expect the offshore waters to be extremely rough. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 15 to 25 knots and possible gusts to 30 knots late Friday through Saturday. Sundays winds will start to subside but will still be northeast at 15 to 25 knots. We will have a full moon on Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon and snook had been biting well in the ocean inlets but with the weather report and the full moon tides I would expect the inlets to be a bit dangerous even for a large center console. From the ocean piers, snook, pompano and bluefish might be biting live shrimp or sand fleas. The offshore bite slowed last week with a few sailfish being caught along with a few kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tuna and dolphin fish. If your boat can handle the six to nine foot seas that are supposed to be offshore this weekend then you might have a shot at some of these fish. The best bite was happening between 90 to 200 feet of water. Bottom fishing will be a challenge day and night due to the big seas. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:39.
North Biscayne Bay
I would expect the bay to be a bit choppy this weekend but there will be some protected waters to fish in the bay. With a northeast wind, the north side of most shorelines will give you some relief from the wind. The east side of the bay might be fishable as well. Look for sea trout to be feeding along the edges of grass flats. The NLBN’s have been catching a lot of sea trout. Eastern Shores, Dumfoundling Bay and the sea walls and mangrove shorelines can be targeted with artificial baits for snook, jacks, and snappers. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:45.
South Bay
Bonefishing may need to be put on hold this weekend due to the windy and rough conditions. The Finger Channel however might provide some action from bluefish, jacks, snappers, and small groupers. Fish the bottom with live shrimp. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:02 in the morning.
Flamingo
Target the shorelines from Snake Bight north to Middle Cape where the waters will be protected from the northeast winds. Love shrimp on a jig head or fished under a Cajun Thunder float might be your best bet for catching snook, redfish, sea trout, drum and sheepsheads. You may have to wait for the tide to start coming in before you can get close to the shorelines. The backcountry will have lots of protected shorelines for you to target snook, redfish and sea trout. Casting artificials to the mangrove shorelines will get you into the action. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:05 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:01 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Dec. 5-8 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 10 to 15 knots late Friday. On Saturday and Sunday expect winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Our water temperatures from the bay to the ocean had been in the mid 60s to the low 70s this past week. Most of the fish we want to target prefer water temps above 70 so that’s what you want to look for before you put your baits out. Tarpons had been biting good at night but the bite slowed a bit with the low water temperatures. Once the temps come up a few degrees I would expect the tarpon bite to pick up again. Free lining live shrimp had been the best way to get a tarpon bite. Oceanside pier fishermen have been catching a few bluefish, bluerunners, jack crevalles, pompano and Spanish mackerel. Live shrimp, pilchards and shiny artificials are what you will need to catch these fish. The offshore bite slowed due to the rough conditions offshore. The fishermen who did go offshore found some nice dolphin fish to 25 pounds, a few nice kingfish to 20 pounds, a few Spanish and cero mackerel, bonitos and more sailfish than we have been seeing. Maybe the big swells created by the north winds and north currents have turned the sailfish on. Fishing large live baits under a kite has been the way to go for the sailfish. On the bottom over artificial reefs in depths between 120 to 240 feet of water, vermillion snappers were being caught on chicken rigs with cut squid and bonito. The night bite was producing a mixed bag of snappers, bluefish, grunts, bluerunners and toros. The dredge holes and reefs in 40 to 60 feet of water was producing some of the best action. High tide at Government Cut Friday late afternoon will be at 5:57.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters were in the mid 60s and that’s pretty cold for most South Florida fish. Even though there are decent-sized schools of bait in the bay, unfortunately there have been few mackerels or bluefish feeding on them. Sea trout fishing slowed with the cold water, too. The best bite has come late in the morning after the water temps have come up a few degrees. Fish the parts of the shallow flats that have a decent tidal flow for the best trout action. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float is the best rig for the trout. The nighttime tarpon and snook bite was only fair this past week. Look for this fishery to get better as the water temperatures rise. The dock lights and bridge lights that have a good tidal flow will be the best places to target the snook and tarpons. Use live shrimp for these fish. Low tides at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:02.
South Bay
With bay waters temperatures in the 60s, the bonefish have high tailed it for deeper waters. The best bite in South Bay this past week was for mackerel around the markers in the bay and then for mutton snappers in the Finger Channels. The mutton snapper fishing is for mostly catch and release because 99 percent of the muttons are under the 19-inch minimum legal size limit in Biscayne National Park. The muttons seemed to be everywhere for myself and my son on Wednesday. We caught them using live pilchards. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:32 in the morning.
Flamingo
Cold water has pushed most of the snook, sheepshead, blackdrum, redfish, and sea trout into the deeper channels. Fishing a live shrimp near the bottom or under a Cajun Thunder float is the way to get these fish on your hook. Expect the bite to get better as you get close to mid day then taper off as the sun sets. Often when the water gets cold, bites are light even when it’s a large fish. When the winds lay down, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, cobia, and tripletails can be targeted from an anchored boat in 10 feet of water. Chumming with frozen blocks of chum while fishing a live shrimp free lived or under a float is how many of these fish are caught. The inside water mangrove shorelines that have a depth of over six feet of water with a tidal flow is where the snook, redfish, sea trout, and snappers will be. Fish live shrimp for these fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:37 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 4:01 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Nov . 29-Dec. 1 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 10 to 15 knots late Friday and 5 to 10 knots out of the west. Saturday and Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the north at 15 knots. We will see a new moon on Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon fishing in the ocean inlets especially at night has been quite good. The silver giants are feeding mostly on the outgoing tide and eating large live shrimp fished near the surface. Snook season is still open and snook are being caught in the ocean inlets using live shrimp, pilchards, and pinfish. The snook have been near the bottom. When the water along the beaches and past the end of the jetties and piers, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalles, and bluerunners are being caught. For these fish use live shrimp, pilchards, sand fleas, and shiny artificial lures. The offshore bite has been decent. Spanish and cero mackerels are being caught in depths from 40 feet out to 100 feet of water. Live pilchards have been getting g the bites. Kingfish to 20 pounds, bonitos, and sailfish are being caught in depths from 100 feet of water out to 240 feet of water. Live baits have been the top catchers of these fish. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with strip of a bonito belly deep in the water column is getting li fish and a few wahoos. Dolphin fish were more scattered this week. The few that were caught were in depths outside of 400 feet of water. On the bottom, a few decent mutton snappers were biting. The mutton snappers were being caught over rocky bottom in depths outside of 100 feet of water. At night over the natural reefs, bluefish, yellowtail snappers, grunts, jacks, bluerunners, and toros made up the bulk of the catch. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:10.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters have temperatures that have dropped a few degrees. The cooler temps have been good for sea trout fishing, bluefish, jacks, and Spanish mackerels. Look for the trout to be higher up on the flats now and expect the bite to get better as the sun warms water. If you want to target mackerel and bluefish in the bay then look for diving terns and pelicans to help you locate where the baitfish schools are. Once you find the bait then troll or cast shiny artificial baits that resemble the baitfish in the area. Keep an eye out for small explosions on the surface to tell you locate where the fish are. Nighttime snook and tarpon action has been good. Look for the tarpons on the outgoing tide along the bay bridges. The snook will be feeding under the lighted docks in the bay. Live shrimp is the ticket for these fish. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:02.
South Bay
Bonefishing has been good along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. High water in the morning will have the bonefish feeding up in the flats. Look for small muds to help you locate where the fish is. Cast a large live shrimp in front of that mud and chances are good you will get a solid hookup from that bone. The mainland flats south of Dinner Key have been good for bonefish. Captain Jorge Valverde likes to run along the flat looking for bonefish that have spooked from his boat. Once he passes the fish he will circle back and pole his way up on the flat where he thinks that fish is heading. It worked the day I fished with him. The Finger Channels have been providing good action from snappers, jacks, blue runners, and grunts. Live shrimp and pilchards have been working in these channels. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:19 in the morning.
Flamingo
The outside waters of Florida Bay and the shorelines near Shark River have been very muddy. If on the day you choose to fish the winds are not blowing g and the water has cleared then expect snook and redfish to be up on the flats or in the nearby channels depending on how cold it is. If it’s cold fish the channels with live shrimp on a jig. Work the bait slow and expect the strike to be light. A Cajun Thunder float and a live shrimp is a deadly combo in these areas. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, and tripletails have been around in good numbers out past Sandy Key. Anchor in 10 feet of water and chum while you fish live shrimp for these fish. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays continue to provide steady action from sea trout, redfish, and snook, hit the deeper shorelines that have a tidal flow for the best action. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 10:25 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:24 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Nov. 22-24 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
The first significant cold fronts will be moving through South Florida changing our comfortable weather and throwing our marine life into a spin. Summer maybe over. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the north at 15 to 20 knots late Friday through Saturday. By Saturday night winds will be northeast at 5 to 10 knots.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Up until the cold weather moved in, snook fishing in the ocean inlets was excellent. Now with water temperatures dropping I would expect the snook fishing to slow down. The fish will still be in the inlets but possibly a lot less active. Look for bluefish, Spanish mackerel, bluerunners and jack crevalles to be willing to take a flashy artificial lure, live shrimp, or pilchard. The offshore bite had been consistent when it came to kingfish, Spanish and cero mackerels, bonitos, and dolphins. These fish were biting just outside the outer reef to about 300 feet of water. Live pilchards and ballyhoos were getting a lot of the strikes but guys are trolling Sea Witches or drone spoons with a planer to get the baits deeper in the water column. With the north winds we might see more sailfish in our area. A frisky live bait fished under a kite is the way to get the sails on your hook. The by-catch might be dolphin fish, blackfin tuna and wahoo. If dolphins are on your mind, most of the dolphins caught recently had been singles or doubles and were caught inside of 400 feet of water. Blackfin tunas were being caught over the deeper wrecks and rock piles. If you see midwater fish on your depth spy set while cruising over these areas then there is a good chance that they are there. They can be chummed to the surface with live pilchards. Or you can drop a vertical jig to the bottom and there is a good chance that you will hook up as you work the bait to the surface. On the bottom, a few decent-size mutton snappers and amberjacks were being caught on live pinfish while fishing artificial wrecks in depths between 100 to 240 feet of water. At night and during the daytime, decent-size yellowtail snappers were being caught in good numbers. The tails were biting in depths from 80 to 100 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:53.
North Biscayne Bay
Colder water from the recent cold fronts will shut the inshore snook and tarpon bite down till the bay waters stabilize. The colder temps might spark a nice bluefish, pompano and Spanish mackerel bite. Look for these fish in the main channels in the bay where the water is deeper. Trolling shiny artificial lures is a great way to locate these fish. Once located you can catch them on live shrimp and pilchards. Sea trout normally respond well even when the waters are cold. You may find the fish less active early in the morning. Very easy to catch after the sun has been up for a while. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is deadly on the sea trout. Look for the trout up on the shallow flats in the bay. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:01.
South Bay
Bonefishing in South Bay was very good before the cold weather set in. It usually takes a couple of days for the fish to move back up on the flats after any significant temperature drop. The finger Channels can be very good during and after a cold front. Live shrimp or pilchards fished free-lined or on the bottom when the tide is moving often gets action from snappers, groupers, porgies, jack crevalles, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and barracudas. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:31 in the morning.
Flamingo
North and northeast winds will allow you to fish the mainland shorelines without the wind hampering your day. Cooler water temperatures will push the snook, redfish, sheepshead, black drum and sea trout into the channels and along the shorelines that have some depth. A live shrimp fished on the bottom or a shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float is the way to go for these fish. Expect the fish to be slow to eat and the bites to be light. If the winds allow, you can head out to the Spanish mackerel grounds. Anchor in 10 feet of water south and west of Sandy Key. Put a block of chum in the water and fish a live shrimp on a jig head or under a float and once the fish catch the scent of the chum the action should be red hot. Besides the mackerel, pompano, tripletail, cobia, bluefish, sea trout, lane and mangrove snappers, bluerunners, jack crevalles, ladyfish, and sharks will all be on the menu. The inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay will provide action from snook, redfish, sea trout, mangrove snappers and goliath grouper. Hit the island points that have a decent tidal flow for the most action. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:38 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 7:05 AM
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Nov. 15-17 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 10 to 15 knots late Friday. Saturday and Sunday winds are forecasted to be northeast at 15 to 20 knots. There is a full moon Friday night.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Tarpon, snook and jack crevalles have been biting in the ocean inlets. The best bite is on the last two hours of the outgoing tides. The fish are eating live shrimp, mullets, pilchards and the NLBN line of baits. The ocean piers have had decent action from Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jack crevalles, snook and a few pompano. Live shrimp and pilchards have been the best natural baits on the pier. Artificial lures that resemble shrimp and pilchards have been catching a lot of these fish. Spanish mackerel are being caught in depths between 40 to 80 feet of water. Anchoring and chumming with live pilchards in these depths has been a good way to get these fish behind the boat. Just outside the outer reef to 300 feet of water, kingfish, bonitos, dolphin fish, sailfish and a few wahoos were being caught. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with a bonito belly strip has been effective on the fish. Blackfin tunas have been biting over the deeper wrecks and rock piles in depths between 400 to 500 feet of water. Live bait chumming on the cloudy days has brought these fish to the surface where they can be caught on free line live baits and with small artificial baits and vertical jigs. Daytime bottom fishing has been good for large mutton snappers and amberjacks. The muttons are eating large strips of bonito, live pilchards and ballyhoo. The amberjacks have been going for vertical jigs and live pinfish. Nighttime reef fishing has been good for an assortment of snappers, grunts, bluefish, toros and kingfish. Cut bait and whole ballyhoos are getting the strikes. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:52.
North Biscayne Bay
After weeks of high winds the waters of North Bay have finally started settle down. Sea trout are more scattered now than they had been before. Look for the trout, mangrove snappers, jacks, barracudas and ladyfish higher up on the flats. Casting the NLBNs with a slow steady retrieve is getting a lot of these fish. Snook, tarpon and jack crevalles are being caught in Maule Lake, Dumfoundling Bay, and way up in the Intra Coastal Waterway. Live pilchards cast to the sea walls and next to the bridge pilling has worked good on these fish. The nighttime tarpon bite has been good along the shadow lines of the bay bridges. Large live shrimp free-lined on the outgoing tide is getting the tarpons. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:49.
South Bay
The Ginger Channels have been producing a decent amount of snappers and yellowjacks. Anchoring and chumming with live pilchards helps you locate where the fish are. Bonefishing has been good along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. Large live shrimp is what I use for these fish. The mainland shorelines are producing decent catches of snook, small tarpons, jack crevalles and barracudas. Look for these fish around the baitfish schools. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:06 in the morning.
Flamingo
High winds continue to plague the Florida Bay waters and fishermen. Floating grass and muddy waters is what most outside fishermen found once they hit the water. The best action in Florida Bay was happening on the lee side of the islands that had green waters. Here snook, tarpons, sea trout and redfish were being caught. Live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float and jig heads tipped with a shrimp produced the most action. The backcountry of Oyster and Whitewater Bays had some of the best action in Flamingo. Snook, snappers, Goliath groupers, sea trout, redfish, ladyfish and jack crevalles were being caught along most of the island in these bays. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 11 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 8 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS Nov. 7-11 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
Another week of very windy conditions and another windy forecast for this weekend. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots late Friday before turning more east northeast at 20 to 25 knots and gusts to 30 knots Saturday through Sunday. Late Sunday, finally winds may start calming.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The offshore waters up and down the coast have been rough and dirty all week. Few fishermen braved the high seas so fishing reports were few. If you head offshore this weekend, expect dolphin fish to be feeding along the blue water edge. Kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonitos, blackfin tunas are all possibles but probably will be finicky. Fly a kite and fish some live baits under that kite and I’m sure there will be a sailfish or two looking to eat one of your baits. Expect all of the action to be happening in depths from 80 feet of water out to the blue water edge that may be in 200 to 300 feet of water. Pier fishermen can expect action from bluefish, pompano, snook, a few Spanish mackerel, catfish, and small sharks. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:20.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters are so choppy and dirty from all of the windy weather we have had. The cleanest waters are on the east side of the bay and in the Intra Coastal waterways north into Dumfoundling Bay. Sea trout, small jacks, ladyfish and small barracudas can be targeted on the east side of the bay, The NLBN 3” jig heads and 3” soft plastics have worked very well on these fish. Up in Dumfoundling Bay look for jack crevalles, snook, small tarpons and barracudas. Cast the NLBN’s at the shorelines will provide you with action. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:29.
South Bay
South Bay has little protection from the wind and rough waters. If you can get to the Finger Channels expect dirty water and fish that will be slow to take a bait. If you can get to the backside of the ocean islands you might find a few bonefish, small tarpons, barracudas, and sharks to target. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:59 in the morning.
Flamingo
The outside waters of Florida Bay will be rough, muddy and tough to fish. If you can find some green water outside that is where the fish will be. Your best bet is to fish the inside waters of Shark River, Oyster Bay, and Whitewater Bay. With so many islands and shorelines to toss artificial lures, you should have no problem catching snook, redfish, sea trout, snappers, jacks, ladyfish, and Goliath groupers. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:01 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 5:49 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 31-Nov. 3 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 20 to 25 knots late Friday through Saturday. Late Saturday and Sunday the winds will be east at 20 to 25 knots. Expect offshore seas to be rough. We will be under the effects of a new moon this weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
If the big winds ever die down, the fish are hungry and in good numbers offshore. Up and down the coast fishermen were and still are when they can get out catching good numbers of kingfish and Spanish mackerel with a few nice cero mackerel mixed in. The action is taking place between 80 to 140 feet of water. Live pilchards are working best on these fish but fresh ballyhoo and Spanish sardines are getting bit as well. Anywhere signs of baitfish in the area shows up, that is where you will find the fish. Mixed in with the kings have been bonitos, sailfish, and wahoo. Blackfin tunas have been biting plastic squids and small spoons trolled way back behind the boat. Look for the tunas in depths between 300 to 600 feet of water. Dolphin fish have been caught in areas where schools of ballyhoos can be seen showering on the surface. In the Gulf Streams waters that have been closer to shore due to the high winds, dolphin fish have been found under floating debris. Bottom fishing has been off because of the rough seas. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:18.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters have been fairly green despite the high winds. Over the grass flats there has been a great bite from sea trout, jacks, bluerunners, barracudas, bluefish, mackerel and pompano. The NLBN baits have been killing these fish. Snook and small tarpons are being caught in the ocean inlets when fishable and up Dumfoundling Bay. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 11:05.
South Bay
Rough waters have made just reaching South Bay a challenge. If you can make it out there then you should find Spanish mackerel, bluefish and maybe a pompano or two holding behind the channel markers. In the channels expect some snappers, jacks and small groupers. The flats might have some bonefish to catch if you can see them. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:22 in the morning.
Flamingo
If you get lucky and there is a northeast wind, the outside shorelines might provide some calmer waters and good fishing for snook, sea trout, and redfish. When the waters calm down Spanish mackerel will be waiting for you south and west of Sandy Key. The backcountry waters of Whitewater and Oyster Key have provided fishermen with the most protected waters in Flamingo to fish. The island shorelines have had plenty of small to medium size snook, redfish, and sea trout to target. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 12:17 PM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 9:18 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 25-27 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 15 to 20 knots throughout the weekend. That’s a lot better than last weekends forecast of winds over 30.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Calmer conditions set in late in the week and finally allowed offshore fishermen to get back out on the water. Pier fishermen might see good action from Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jack crevalles and pompano. Flashy lures are good for the blues, macs and jacks and sand fleas and goofy jigs are good for the pompano. The offshore waters were pretty murky inside the reef, but once you got offshore a bluewater edge was waiting for you. Along this edge dolphin fish to 20 pounds were looking for something to eat. These dolphins were traveling as loners or in pairs. Before the stormy weather hit this past week, kingfish, bonitos, small blackfin tunas, barracudas, and sailfish were being caught in good numbers. This action was taking place in depths between 300 feet of water into the reef. Over the artificial wrecks and rock piles inside of 200 feet of water, look for mutton snappers, yellowtail snappers, and large red groupers to be looking for a live baitfish or a fresh ballyhoo plug. Nighttime reef fishing should produce some decent yellowtail and mutton snapper fishing. The reefs outside of 40 feet of water would be the best reefs to try. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:28.
North Biscayne Bay
The waters of North Bay continue to be stirred up. I fished the bay on Tuesday and struggled to catch a few barracudas, lots of small jack crevalles, and only one sea trout. Baitfish schools were scattered and small jacks were chasing some of the baitfish schools. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:01.
South Bay
Calmer conditions could lead to better bonefishing. Normally the Oceanside flats south of Soldier’s Key would be the better flats to target the bones but you might see more in the backside of the island flats that have cleaner water. The Ginger Channel’s will provide some rod bending action from hungry jack crevalles, yellow jacks, barracudas, and small snappers. Live pilchards and shrimp are the best baits for these fish. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:18 in the morning.
Flamingo
The waters of Florida Bay will most likely be muddy and have a lot of floating grass on the surface and dead grass on the bottom. For the best fishing turn your attention to the backcountry where snook, redfish, and sea trout continue to provide decent action in somewhat sheltered waters. Hit the island points that have a decent tidal flow or the shorelines that are holding baitfish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:45 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 10:01 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 18-20 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the NE at 15 to occasionally 30 knots late Friday through Sunday. Expect seas offshore to be very rough and at times dangerous.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
If the forecast holds, fishing offshore will be for the fishermen who have large ocean-going vessels. Even on these boats you can expect to be tossed around a lot. Kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonitos, dolphin fish and a few sailfish were being caught on live baits and fresh ballyhoo and Spanish sardines before the big winds hit. The best action was taking place along a dark blue edge that had been moving in and out with the outgoing tides. One day that edge was up close to the outer reef and the next it was in 300 feet of water. The kingfish and Spanish mackerel were being caught around the sewer outfalls. Bottom fishing along the reef and over rocky bottoms in depths from 60 to 120 feet of water was producing small mutton snappers, legal size red groupers and yellowtail snappers. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:03.
North Biscayne Bay
The inshore waters of North Bay and the waters in Maule Lake and Dumfoundling Bay will have some of the most protected waters from the winds. Expect some action from mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, ladyfish, snook, tarpons and barracudas. Hit the seawall and mangrove shorelines with NLBN 3 inch soft plastics or live finger mullet and pilchards. If you’re able to acquire a bunch of live pilchards by throwing a cast net or buying them from Lester’s Live Baits, chum the areas your fishing to help you locate where the fish are holding. The grass flats on the east side of the bay have been providing action from sea trout, ladyfish, mangrove snappers and jack crevalles. Casting soft plastics and jig heads continues to produce a lot of the fish but a live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float is also getting the fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:40.
South Bay
South Bay will be tough to fish this weekend with the high winds and choppy conditions. The Finger Channels will provide some action from small mutton snappers, jacks, grunts, bonnethead sharks, and bluerunners. Expect the waters to be murky and the fish to be slow at biting your hooks. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 11:13 in the morning.
Flamingo
The waters of Florida Bay had but a few days to clear up after Hurricane Milton. Large snook and redfish were being caught along the shorelines near Cape Sable. Now a cold front has left us with winds that will muddy up the waters and make almost all of Florida Bay tough to fish. The backcountry waters will be somewhat protected and will provide action from ladyfish, jack crevalles, mangrove snappers, Goliath groupers, lots of catfish, a few snook, redfish and small tarpons. The best spots will be the points of the islands that have some water movement. Casting live shrimp and soft plastics in these areas will keep you in the action. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 4:21 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:02 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 11-13 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 20 to 25 knots late Friday. On Saturday winds will come down to 15 knots out of the east. Sunday expect winds to be 10 knots out of the east. Even though winds will be dying down from what they were mid week, expect the offshore waters to be milky, have weird currents and finicky fish waiting for the waters to settle. The inshore waters will be loaded with freshwater that was pumped through the salinity dams into the bay.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Before Hurricane Milton interrupted our lives, lots of baitfish had moved into our area. A lot of the baitfish schools have headed south but more will move into our area from the north. Before the weather got bad, snook and tarpons of all sizes were biting along the beaches and in the ocean inlets. Big jack crevalles and the first bluefish and Spanish mackerel of the season were being caught from the beaches out to 40 feet of water. Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, bonitos, a few sailfish and wahoo were being caught where ballyhoo schools were present. Dolphin fish were caught as shallow as 40 feet of water when chasing schools of ballyhoo. Blackfin tuna were being caught over deep artificial reefs and over rock piles in depths between 360 feet of water out past 500 feet of water. Dolphin fish were scattered offshore. With little floating debris offshore it was hard to locate the fish unless a piece of magical debris was spotted. Dolphins were also found under frigate birds. The best depth for the dolphins was between 800 to over 1,000 feet of water. Often after a big storm moves through our area this time of year, big schools of small mutton snappers and red groupers swarm the offshore reefs. It’s not uncommon to see these fish all the way into the surf. This action normally happens three or four days after the blow. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:51.
North Biscayne Bay
Bay waters will be loaded with freshwater due to the storm. The best fishing should be near the ocean inlets or on the east side of the bay. Find the baitfish schools and the sea trout, mangrove snappers, jacks, mackerel, ladyfish, and barracudas should be right on their tails. Look for tarpon in the canals throughout the bay. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:21.
South Bay
Hopefully by Sunday the flats of South Bay will have cleared enough to allow for some sight casting bonefish and permit action. A late morning low tide will mean that bonefish will be feeding in two feet of water or less. As the ocean waters flood the flats expect the bonefish to start tailing along the island shorelines. The Finger Channels might be loaded with small mutton and mangrove snappers plus small groupers. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 11:33 in the morning.
Flamingo
I wouldn’t expect the outside waters of Florida Bay to be that fishable till next week. Better check with the Park to see if the road into Flamingo is open. If it is, the backcountry waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays might be the best option. There might be a lot of freshwater in these areas, but tarpon, ladyfish, redfish, and mangrove snappers don’t mind brackish waters that are more fresh than salt. The closer you get to the Gulf the saltier the water will be. If the fishing g is slow inside then work your way to the coast. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:29 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 9:06 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Oct. 4-6 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east to southeast at 10 to 15 knots late Friday and into early Saturday before increasing to 15 knots and gusting to 20 knots late Saturday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Schools of silver mullets and finger mullets are migrating along our Oceanside coasts. Tarpons of all sizes, snook, big jack crevalles, large barracudas, and sharks are feasting on these mullets. To get into this action you need to be there when the mullet schools pass by. It’s almost like there is day or two in between each group of migrating mullets, meaning if your timing isn’t right you won’t see any mullet schools or action. To get a strike from these predators you will need to separate your bait from the thousands of other mullets. Take a live mullet and fish or on the bottom or cut its tail fins so that it struggles to swim. This will help the predators find your bait. Lots of one to three-pound Spanish mackerel are feeding on ballyhoo schools outside the outer reef. If you see ballyhoo then you will have located the mackerel. The mackerel can be caught with shiny artificial lures, NLBN artificials, live ballyhoo, and live pilchards. A few kingfish, bonitos, blackfin tuna, and sailfish have been caught outside the outer reef but not in numbers. Dolphin fishermen will have to get lucky to catch a few. Trolling rigged ballyhoos and artificial lures from 600 to 1,000 feet of water is your best bet at catching a few fish. Floating debris and weedlines were hard to find. Look for frigate birds dropping to the surface to help you locate a school of feeding dolphins. There has been reports of large dolphins chasing schools of ballyhoos in depths as shallow as 40 feet of water. Daytime bottom fishing continues to be good. Small mutton snappers, yellowtail snappers, and large red groupers are biting over hard bottom in depths from 90 feet of water out to 130 feet of water. Nighttime reef fishing continues to be good for yellowtail, mutton, and mangrove snappers, plus bluerunners and grunts. Target the greens in 40 to 100 feet of water for these fish. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 10:24.
North Biscayne Bay
Find the baitfish schools and the sea trout, mangrove snappers, ladyfish, jack crevalles, and small barracudas will be there. Casting the BLBN jig heads and soft plastics will keep you in the action. Nighttime snook and tarpon action continues to be good along bridge shadow lines, dock lights, and in the ocean inlets. Live mullets, shrimp, and pinfish are getting the strikes. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 5:54.
South Bay
An early morning incoming tide will bring cool ocean waters to the flats of South Bay and the bonefish will be tailing high up on the flats. Hit the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. The flats around Totten Key, Cutter Bank, and the Arsenicker flats will have enough bonefish tailing or mudding. Hit the Finger Channel’s for nonstop rod-bending action from snappers, jacks, bluerunners, and barracudas. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 5:24 in the morning.
Flamingo
The waters of Florida Bay have been slow clearing up since last week’s storm. Snook, redfish, and tarpons were being caught in areas that had clean water. Snook, redfish, tarpons, sea trout, and snappers were being caught along the shorelines from the Sable creeks north to Lostmans River. The islands in Oyster and Whitewater Bays have been providing spotty action from small snook, redfish, sea trout, Goliath groupers, and snappers. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 4:45 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 10:14 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 27-29 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
Now that Hurricane Helene has moved far enough away from South Florida, winds will slowly come down, our waters will clear, and the Fall Migration will have kicked in. NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the south at 15 to 20 knots late Friday, then south at 10 to 15 knots early Saturday before diminishing to 5 to 10 knots late Saturday and Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean
Fishing for snook, large jack crevalles, barracudas, sharks and medium-size tarpons was very good before the storm moved in. Schools of finger mullets have arrived in South Florida along with big schools of small baitfishes. By Saturday I would expect this fishing to return in a big way. The offshore bite was spotty before the weather went south but by Saturday look for kingfish, Spanish mackerel, bonitos, blackfin tuna, sailfish, wahoo and dolphin fish to be in decent numbers and hungry. This is the time of the year when these fish start feeding on ballyhoo and small flying fish schools and often turning their noses up in everything else. Look for raining schools of ballyhoos and flyers to help you locate the fish. Day and nighttime bottom fishing was pretty good for yellowtail snappers and the fishing should return with small-to medium-size mutton snappers being a big part of the bottom catch. Remember mutton snappers must measure 18 inches total length but 19 inches in Biscayne National Park. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:50.
North Biscayne Bay
Schools of baitfish continue to attract a lot of attention from mangrove snappers, jacks, blue runners, barracudas, sea trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Find the birds diving on the baitfish schools and that’s where the fish will be. The NLBN artificials, live baitfish, and flashy and noisy artificials will get you the strikes. On Tuesday we kept 10 mangrove snappers to 16 inches, plus a few yellowjacks and released another 15 legal-size snappers and over a half dozen snook to 35 inches. We fished from Government Cut to Dumfoundling Bay. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:29.
South Bay
Once the weather calms and the waters clear, fishing should not only return to what it was but much better. Expect lots of small mutton snappers, mangrove snappers and yellowjacks to be looking for something to eat in the Finger Channels of South Bay. Live pilchards and shrimp fished free-lined or with a small weight should keep you in the action. Bonefish and permits will slowly return to the shallow flats of South Bay as the waters calm down and clear up. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:46 in the morning.
Flamingo
By Saturday winds will have come down to a fishable level but the waters will be muddy and full of floating grass. This will complicate fishing in Florida Bay and all the way up the coast. Expect lots of catfish to be looking for something to eat. If you can find some clean waters in Florida Bay, then that is where your best chances of catching some quality fish will be. Fishing the backcountry of Whitewater and Oyster Bays plus the rivers and creeks leading out to the Gulf of Mexico could be your best bet at making a catch. Before Helene arrived fishermen were having good success on sea trout, snook, redfish, Goliath groupers. and small tarpons in the backcountry. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:06 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 7:41 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 20-22 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots throughout this weekend. The Fall migration is underway and a host of small baitfish are in our area with plenty of fish feeding on them.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef Look for snook and tarpons to be hungry on the late night and early morning outgoing tides. The snook have been eating the NLBN baits fished near the bridge pilings, along the jetty rocks, the drop off in the channels and along the Oceanside beaches. The offshore bite continues to be spotty for kingfish, bonitos, sailfish, blackfin tuna and barracudas. Plenty of these fish are being caught in depths between 90 to 240 feet of water but not in big numbers yet. The first Spanish mackerel are showing up in our area and some decent size cero mackerels are mixed in with them. Plenty of yellowtail snappers are being caught both day and night over the natural reefs when the current is manageable. Anchoring and chumming seems to be the best way to get the fish to the boat. A few nice mangrove and mutton snappers plus jacks and grunts have joined in on the bite. Dolphin fishing continues to be challenging. The schools of small ballyhoos and flying fish are just starting to show up and that is what these fish are looking to eat. Keep your eyes open for baitfish showering on the surface. Often dolphin fish will be the fish chasing them. Match the hatch if you want to catch these fish. Way offshore in 800 to 900 feet of water, black belly rose fish are being caught on the bottom with cut squid and bonito. The High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:14.
Find the baitfish schools that are near a grass flat or on the grass flats and chances are great you will be catching mangrove snappers, sea trout, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jacks and barracudas. You might even hook up to some medium size tarpons, snook and bull sharks. The NLBN 3-inch jig head and a 3-inch paddle tail soft plastic has been deadly on these fish. Just cast it and retrieve it with no wrist action and it won’t be long before your fishing rod is bending. Nighttime snook, tarpon, snapper and jack crevalles have been stacked up on some of the dock lights and bridge pilings in the bay. The best spots have been the ones that have a good tidal flow. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:55.
Schools of baitfish have been sliding south along the Oceanside flats south of Key Biscayne. Snappers, jacks, barracudas and sharks have been feeding on the baitfish. Bonefishing has been good on the Oceanside flats. The fish have been most active on the incoming tides. Spotting tailing fish has been easy with the flat calm mornings that we have had. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:25 in the morning.
Big snook and redfish have been biting along the shorelines of Florida Bay. Big high tides have made it easy to get close to many shorelines that were normally out of reach of most anglers. The NLBN artificials and chunks of ladyfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float have worked well on these fish. If you’re looking for sea trout and mangrove snappers, then head south of Sandy Key and fish the channels in between the shallow flats with artificials and chunks of pinfish under a Cajun Thunder float. The inside waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have had lots of freshwater and big high tides. These tides have allowed the fish to get way under the mangrove shorelines and making them hard to target. If you can find some pilchards then chum with them and if you hit the right spot, snook, redfish, small tarpons, ladyfish, mangrove snappers and Goliath groupers will start popping these baitfish making them easier to target. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:36 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay high tide is at 4:41 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 13-15 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be light at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend. Wind directions will be shifting from southeast to west and north. Signs of the beginning of the Fall Migration has started to show up in South Florida. Schools of small bait fishes and some mullet schools have been in our areas.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook fishing along the Oceanside beaches and in our ocean inlets has been good. The best bite has been at night during the low tides. The offshore bite has been slow due to very strong currents and unsettled weather. The currents have subsided allowing fishermen to take advantage of a very good vermilion and yelloweye snapper bite. These snappers are being caught over wrecks and rock piles in 300 to 450 feet of water. Cut squid and bonito strips fished on the bottom is the way to go for these fish. Along the outer reef, kingfish, blackfin tuna, bonitos, wahoo, and barracudas continue to be scattered along the coast. Because the fish are so spread out it’s best to troll pink and blue drone spoons or Sea Witches tipped with a bonito belly strip and a planer in depths from 100 to 260 feet of water. Zig zagging your boat in between these depths helps you locate what depth of water the fish are holding. Make sure you fish any current rips, artificial reefs, and the waters outside the ocean inlets. A few sailfish and dolphin fish have been caught in these areas. If you’re targeting dolphin fish then head offshore till you hit blue water. Once out in the Gulf Streams waters start looking for birds and floating debris. Dolphin fishing has been slow but if you find some magical floating debris then your chances of scoring big increase. Daytime wreck fishing continues to produce big amberjacks. The jacks are eating live small bonito. Yellowtail snappers are being caught day and night over the natural reefs in depths between 60 to 100 feet of water. Anchoring and chumming while you fish small baits with light weights is the way to get these bottom fish going. Nighttime reef fishing is also producing catches of mangrove, mutton, and lane snappers. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:18.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout fishing continues to be very good over the shallow grass flats of North Bay. My clients have been catching plenty of trout using the NLBN 3” jig head tipped with a 3” paddle tail soft plastic. Make a long cast, let the bait sink, then retrieve the bait at a slow to medium speed with no action. If there’s a fish near by it’s going to eat it. Mixed in with the trout have been mangrove snappers, jack crevalles, barracudas, and large ladyfish. Nighttime snook and tarpon action has been good on the outgoing tides. These fish are eating live shrimp and pilchards. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 6:50.
South Bay
Light winds this weekend could make sight fishing bonefish and permits a lot easier. The high morning tides will have the fish high up on the flats or close to the island shorelines. Have live shrimp ready for the bonefish and silver dollar size blue crabs for the permits. The Finger Channels have had a lot of small mutton and mangrove snappers to target. Jack crevalles and yellowjacks have intercepted many baits intended for the snappers. Live pilchards and shrimp have been the top baits. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:07 in the morning.
Flamingo
An early morning low tide will have the fish in the channels till there allows them enough water to get up on the flats. Expect plenty of small snook, redfish, small tarpons and sharks to be in these channels. Live shrimp, pilchards, or small pinfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float and jig heads and soft plastics is all you need for these fish. Lots of mangrove snappers and sea trout will be feeding in the mullet muds and pot holes over the flats south of Dandy Key. Jig heads and soft plastics and Cajun Thunder floats with a chunk of pinfish is what will catch these fish. Snook, tarpons, and redfish have been scattered along the coast. Sharks have been a big problem along the coast. The backcountry has had a lot of bugs and freshwater. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 7:04 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 5:31 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Sept. 6-8 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 10 to 12 knots throughout the weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook season on the Atlantic coast is now open and one snook between the sizes of 28 inches to 32 inches may be kept per angler per day as long as they possess a saltwater fishing license and a snook stamp. Snook have been in decent numbers in the ocean inlets and along the ocean beaches. The snook has been feeding on live pilchards, pinfish, shrimp and mullets. Many of the strikes from snook are coming near the bottom, and the outgoing tides have been best. A few tarpons, jack crevalles, snappers, barracudas and sharks are being caught in the same areas. The offshore bite has been fair. Stormy weather made fishing a bit more difficult this past week but the overcast skies did cool things off a bit. Kingfish in the 3- to 10-pound range, bonitos, barracudas, and a few blackfin tunas were biting in depths from 90 to 300 feet of water. Fishermen were using freelined live baits, live baits fished under a kite, and fresh dead baits to catch these fish. The best way to catch these fish was to deploy a planer and fish a pink Sea Witch tipped with a strip of bonito belly. Using this technique allows you to cover more water that results in your baits finding the scattered groups of fish. Start offshore of an ocean inlet and then head south or north changing your depth till you find some fish. A few sailfish have been caught in these areas. Dolphin fish continue to be scattered offshore. The dolphins have been encountered in the blue waters of the Gulf Stream under birds and under floating debris. Bottom fishing with live and dead baits around artificial reefs is producing decent-sized mutton snappers, vermillion snappers and amberjacks. The natural reefs have had good yellowtail and mutton snappers biting cut Spanish sardines, strips of squid and bonito both day and night. Let your baits slowly descend to the bottom for best results. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 11:30.
North Biscayne Bay
The best action on North Bay has been from sea trout and mangrove snappers. The trout are being caught along the edges of the grass flats that have a good tidal flow. The tidal flow brings food to the ambushing sea trout plus cooler water. The snappers are being caught on the edges of the flats, in the pot holes on the flats and over hard bottoms in the bay and next to pilings. Live shrimp and pilchards have been the top baits. Nighttime snook and tarpon action has been good under lighted dock lights and along the shadow lines of the bay bridges. A large live shrimp fished in these areas have been getting the strikes. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 7:05.
South Bay
Calmer conditions this weekend will help you spot tailing bonefish and permits along the Oceanside flats south of Soldiers Key. Once the tide changes to incoming you should start seeing the fish moving along the shorelines and over the flats. A large live shrimp will get the bonefish and a silver dollar size blue crab is what the permits are looking for. Sharks, barracudas, small tarpons, and yellowjacks can be targeted over these flats as well. Live pilchards work well on these fish. Mutton, mangrove, lane, and yellowtail snappers are being caught in decent numbers over the patch reefs in Hawks Channel. Live shrimp and pilchards is the way to go for these fish. The Finger Channels continue to produce spotty action from snappers, jacks, barracudas and sharks. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 6:35 in the morning.
Flamingo
If you own a shallow-water skiff then you might find some hot action from snook, redfish and tarpons on the top of the shallow flats of Florida Bay. Look for cruising fish or cast into the potholes with soft plastics for these fish. As the tide recedes look for these fish to drop into the channels and runoffs. Sea trout and mangrove snappers are being caught in mullet muds in the channels and tops of the flats south of Sandy Key. A Cajun Thunder float and a chunk of pinfish makes for a great rig to catch these fish. Snook, redfish, tarpons and sea trout are being caught along the shorelines of the coast. Hit the down trees and creek and canal mouths with live baits and NLBN 3-inch jig heads and 3-inch paddle tail soft plastics for these fish. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have been buggy but have been producing decent action from small tarpons, snook, redfish, and sea trouts. Target the island points and shorelines that have downed trees for the best action. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6 AM and at the mouth of Ponce De Leon Bay low tide is at 11:19 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 30-Sept. 1 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast at 10 to 15 knots throughout the weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The snook bite along the surf and in the ocean inlets continues to be good. Snook season opens September 1st. The offshore bite slowed a bit, mostly due to the unsettled weather that we have been having. Kingfish to 20 pounds, lots of bonitos of all sizes, barracudas, sharks, and an occasional wahoo and sailfish was biting just outside the outer reef out to about 300 feet of water. These fish were being caught trolling, drifting and from anchored boats. The action had been best straight out from the ocean inlets and in areas that have artificial reefs nearby. Dolphins and small blackfin tunas were being caught outside of 400 feet of water but both fish were scattered. On the bottom over the deeper artificial reefs, large amberjacks and a few black groupers were being caught on large live baits. Yellowtail snappers were biting both day and night over the reefs in 80 to 90 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:19.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout continue to provide steady action in North Bay. The fish are holding along the edges of the grass flats. Look for diving terns to help you locate the small baitfish that the trout are chasing. The NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3” soft plastic tail and a live baitfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float are both catching these fish. Mangrove snappers and large jack crevalles have been mixed in with the trout. Snook, tarpons, jack crevalles, and barracudas have been biting in Eastern Shores, Dumfoundling Bay, Maule Lake and in the Intracoastal Waterways north of Lehman Causeway. Live pilchards, mullets and artificials that resemble these baitfish. Nighttime snook and tarpon action was fair this week. But with an early evening outgoing tide, the dock lights and bridge shadow lines should provide plenty of action . High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:41.
South Bay
Windy and stormy days this past week made fishing the flats for bonefish and permits a challenge Both of these fish are much less spooky in these conditions but spitting the fish is the challenge. The Finger Channels continue to provide plenty of action from snappers, grunts, jacks, barracudas, and sharks. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:58 in the morning.
Flamingo
Low water in Florida Bay in the morning should provide some good fishing for snook, redfish, small tarpons, and sea trout. You will need to find some clean water because that’s where the good fish will be and not the catfish that live muddy water. Later in the day as the tide rises look for snook, redfish, and tarpons along the mangrove shorelines along the coast. A live shrimp, pilchard, or pinfish fished under a Cajun Thunder float is deadly in these areas. Expect good numbers of snappers and sea trout to be looking for a soft plastic attached to a jig head over the banks south of Sandy Key. Lots of rain this past week put a lot of freshwater into the backcountry. It also fired up the mosquitos. Look for small tarpons to be feeding on small minnows pushed out of the mangroves by the freshwater. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:05 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 6:59 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
August 23-25 Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 10 to 15 knots throughout this weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
If you can get to an ocean inlet an hour or so before the tide starts to come in you should be able to enjoy an hour or so of catching and releasing snook. Look for the snook to be feeding along the rocky jetties and near the bottom where the drop off is. Use large live shrimp, pinfish and jig heads tipped with a soft-plastic tail that can be bounced off the bottom. The early morning offshore bite has been very good for bonitos and kingfish. These fish are feeding on live pilchards, threadfin herrings, ballyhoos and fresh sardines. Vertical jigs are getting the fish too. Start your drift on an east wind in 160 feet of water and fish your way into 80 feet of water. Once you start getting hits look to see how deep you are and work that depth of water. Trolling drone spoons and feathers tipped with bonito strips was getting these fish plus a few wahoo and barracudas. Once the sun gets up high, by 11 AM the bite ends. A few sailfish have been caught recently in these depths of water. Dolphin fish continue to be scattered offshore. Start looking for floating debris and diving birds as you head further offshore. The dolphins have been small to medium-large in size. Wreck fishing in the daytime is producing a few amberjacks, and yelloweye and vermillion snappers. Live pinfish can be used for the jacks and strips of bonitos and squid works for the snappers. Cubera snappers bit well on the full moon over some of the wrecks in 90 to 140 feet of water. Sharks have been a problem when targeting the cuberas. The bite on yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snappers has been best when the current and wind are traveling in the same direction. Use silversides, squid and cut Spanish sardines for the snappers. Hit the deeper reefs in 60 to 100 feet of water for the snappers. Low tide at Government Cut Friday late afternoon will be at 6:02.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout have been aggressive over parts of the shallow grass flats in the bay. My guys on Wednesday had them up to 21 inches using live threadfin herring and NLBN soft plastics. The bite was red hot. Released them all and left them biting. Small tarpons, jack crevalles and snook have been eating live pilchards in the canals, mangrove shorelines and along the sea walls in the upper parts of Eastern Shores, Dumfoundling Bay, Maule Lake and the Intra Coastal. Nighttime tarpon and snook action is good, especially during the outgoing tides. Live shrimp and any artificial lure resembling a live shrimp have been getting the strikes. The action is happening under the bay bridges and under the lighted dock lights that have a current. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:13.
South Biscayne Bay
Bonefish continue to be active along the Oceanside flats from Key Biscayne south to Ocean Reef. Quite a few small permits have been feeding in the same areas.,use a live shrimp for the bonefish and a small blue crab for the permits. The best action has happened early and late in the day on the beginning of the incoming tides. The Finger Channels are producing plenty of small snappers, barracudas, needlefish, and jacks. Live shrimp and pilchards are the top baits for the channels. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:43 in the morning.
Flamingo
An early morning high tide in Florida Bay will give anglers a shot at targeting small tarpons, redfish and snook along the island shorelines, the moats along the islands and the mainland shorelines. A live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float or a jig head tipped with a soft plastic is all you need to catch these fish. Sea trout and mangrove snappers are biting in the channels and banks south of Sandy Key. These fish have been eating chunks of pinfish born live pilchards fished under a Cajun Thunder float. The creek mouths and canal mouths have had some big snook that are willing to eat live pinfish on the bottom. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had plenty of snook, redfish, and sea trout to target but the bugs have been bad. The island shorelines and points have been the spots to hit. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 6:58 AM and at the mouth of Shark River high tide is at 4:51 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 16-18 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the northeast at 5 to 20 knots late Friday and into Saturday. By midday Saturday winds are forecasted to be out of the east at 5 to 10 knots. Full moon will be Monday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Late-night tarpon fishing has been good in the ocean inlets, especially during the last of the outgoing tides. Snook are not in season but can be caught for catch-and-release action. During the outgoing tides in the ocean inlets, snook have been eating large live threadfin herrings and pinfish. Get your baits deep to where the fish are holding with an egg sinker. Schools of all baitfish are scattered along the surf. Shadowing these baitfish schools have been snook, tarpons, barracudas and jack crevalles. The NLBN 3/8-ounce jig head and 3-inch paddle tail soft plastic has worked well on these fish. The offshore bite has been best from day break to 11 AM. After that, the bite has tapered off till just before dark. Kingfish to 20 pounds, lots of bonitos, barracudas and a few wahoo is what’s biting during the mornings. Large live baits, fresh ballyhoos and vertical jigs have been the top baits. Work the depths from 260 feet of water into 80 feet of water for these fish. The waters straight outside of the ocean inlets and any artificial reef between these depths have been best for these fish. Dolphin fish were tough this past week. The fish that were caught were mostly under frigate birds and floating debris. Start looking for signs of fish once you get outside of 600 feet of water and then work your way out to 1,200 feet of water. A few swordfish were caught in 1,800 feet of water during the daytime near the bottom. Nighttime reef fishing continues to produce nice catches of yellowtail snappers. A few mangrove and mutton snappers have made up the rest of the catch. The best action is happening over the reefs in depths from 60 to 100 feet of water. Use small weights and bait your hooks with silversides, or cut squid, ballyhoo, or Spanish sardines. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:58.
North Biscayne Bay
Small baitfish schools are scattered throughout North Bay. Small snappers, jack crevalles, ladyfish and barracudas can be found feeding on these baitfish. Most of the baitfish are too small to put on a hook, so cast the NLBN jigs and paddle tails around these baitfish schools. Sea trout and mangrove snappers have been biting early and late in the day. Look for these fish along the drop-offs of the grass flats. The best action is happening on the flats that have a good tidal flow. The NLBN’s worked well on these fish. Up in Eastern Shores, Maule Lake and Dumfounding Bay, schools of small tarpons and jacks can be targeted with live baitfish and an assortment of soft plastics. Nighttime tarpon fishing has been good on the outgoing tides along the shadow lines of the bay bridges and under many of the lighted dock lights. Large live shrimp have been best for the tarpons. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:13.
South Bay
Look for early morning bonefish to be tailing along the Oceanside island shorelines and the mainland shorelines. The calm slick mornings that we have had recently has made spotting those silver tails easy. Toss a live shrimp near one of those tails and hang in. The Finger Channels continue to provide steady action from small snappers, jacks, and barracudas. Live shrimp and pilchards have been the top Finger Channel baits this week. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:30 in the morning.
Flamingo
Low water in Florida Bay will provide steady action from snook, small tarpons, redfish and sea trout. Look for these fish on the edges of the channels, at the mouths of the run offs, and in the channels. As the tide starts coming in expect similar action along the shorelines, channel mouths and creek mouths along the coast. Plenty of sea trout, mangrove snappers, jack crevalles and ladyfish will keep you busy over the banks south of Sandy Key. Look for mullet muds to help you locate the best spots to target. The NLBN baits work well in these areas. You can also use the Cajun Thunder’s with a live shrimp, pilchard, or chunk of pinfish for these fish. The backcountry of Whitewater and Oyster Bays have had decent action from sea trout, snook, small tarpons, and redfish. The mosquitoes have been bad in the backcountry. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:23 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 6:36 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 9-11 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southwest at 5 to 10 knots late Friday and then southeast at 5 to 10 knots Saturday through Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Catch-and-release snook and tarpon fishing continues to be good along the Oceanside beaches, jetties and inlets. Large live pilchards, threadfin herrings and large shrimp have been the top natural baits for these fish. The Savage shrimp and NLBN 3-inch paddle tail soft plastics and jig heads are good choices as an artificial offering for the snook and tarpons. The party boats have been doing well on kingfish, bonitos, barracudas and an occasional sailfish. These fish have been biting along the outer reef line out to 200 feet of water. The charter boat fleet has been catching wahoo trolling Sea Whitches tipped with a bonito strip just outside the outer reef. Late in the day in depths between 300 to 400 feet of water, small blackfin tuna have been biting small feathers and squids trolled far behind the boat. Dolphin fish continue to be scattered offshore. Finding floating debris outside of 400 feet of water and fishing live baits and chunks of fresh ballyhoos has produced dolphins, wahoo and tripletails. Daytime bottom fishing over wrecks in depths outside of 300 feet of water is producing yelloweye and vermillion snappers. Cut squid and bonito strips are good choices for these fish. Nighttime reef fishing is good for yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snappers. The deeper reefs in 60 to 100 feet of water have had the most action. Silversides, cut squid and ballyhoo chunks fished with the least amount of weight it takes to reach the bottom is the best way to get these fish. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:21.
North Biscayne Bay
A lack of baitfish of size and lots of freshwater that had been dumped into the bay has made fishing difficult unless you fish for sea trout over the grass flats and am able to find an area up in the Dumfoundling Bay, Maule Lake and Intra Coastal Waterway north of the Lehman Causeway, where schools of 5- to 10 pound tarpons and large jack crevalles have been holding. Nighttime snook and tarpon action continues to be good on the late outgoing tides. Fish the lighted docks and bridge shadow lives with large live shrimp for these fish. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:28.
South Bay
Bonefish continue to be targetable along the Oceanside flats of South Bay. The best action has been along Elliot Key in the mornings and late afternoons. Look for tailing fish and cast large live shrimp at them. The western shorelines of South Bay from Dinner Key south to Card Sound Road have had bonefish and permits to target. Have some silver-dollar size blue crabs ready for the permits and soft plastic baitfish baits in case a tarpon slides by to give you the flats Grand Slam. The Finger Channels have had a lot of needle fish, barracudas, some yellowjacks and snappers to target. Live shrimp and pilchards have been catching these fish. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:58 in the morning.
Flamingo
Finally the winds have subsided and hopefully the waters have cleared from the week of south and southwest winds from Debby. With an early morning high tide in Florida Bay look for redfish and snook high up on the Florida Bay flats. The shorelines along the coast should have snook and redfish to target as well. A live shrimp or pilchard fished under a Cajun Thunder float is deadly for these fish. The NLBN baits is a great artificial to use in these areas. Sea trout and mangrove snappers should be easy to catch in the channels and or holes over the flats south of Sandy Key. A live shrimp, pilchard or chunk of pilchard fished on a jig head or under a float will keep you in the action. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had some decent action from sea trout, snook, redfish, snappers, small tarpons and Goliath groupers. The NLBN line has many bait choices that will get you plenty of strikes from these fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 7:26 AM and at the mouth of Shark River high tide is at 5:24 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
Aug. 2-4 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east at 15 to 20 knots Friday night. Saturday through Sunday winds are forecasted to be out of the southeast at 15 to 20 knots. Keep an eye on the weather this weekend as a tropical system moves closer to South Florida. We will have a New Moon on Sunday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook for catch and release have been biting in the ocean inlets. The best bite has been on the last of the outgoing tides. The snook have been eating large live shrimp, live pilchards, threadfin herring and pinfish. Get these baits near the bottom for the best results. The offshore bite was what we might expect in the middle of the summer. High water temperatures have kept the kingfish, bonitos, sailfish and blackfin tuna biting but for a few hours in the early mornings. Get your baits deep for the best results. Quite a few large barracudas have been caught this week. The cudas have been eating ballyhoo. Dolphin fish have been scattered offshore. Some anglers found them in depths between 400 to 600 feet of water but small and others found them outside of 1,000 feet of water. The fish caught in the deeper water were a bit bigger. Look for the birds to help you locate the fish. Daytime wreck fishing when the current allows produced vermillion and yelloweye snappers. These fish were mostly caught on cut squid and strips of bonito. Look for the snappers around the wrecks in 260 to 450 feet of water. Nighttime reef fishing continues to be good for yellowtail, mutton and mangrove snappers. The snappers have been biting over the reefs in 45 to 90 feet of water. Cut squid, Spanish sardines and silversides were getting the most fish. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:28.
North Biscayne Bay
Very hot water temperatures have made fishing North Bay challenging. Baitfish schools in the bay have been very small and scattered. A few trout, barracudas and mangrove snappers were caught early in the day over the grass flats. The best areas to target were along the deeper edges of the flats and in areas that had a decent tidal flow. The fish were eating NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3-inch paddle tail soft plastic and jig heads tipped with a Gulp shrimp. The nighttime small- to medium-size tarpon fishing was good this week. The action was on the outgoing tides and along the bridge shadow lines and under lighted dock lights. Large shrimp free lined was the best way to get the bites but the jig heads and soft plastics work as well. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:45.
South Bay
Look for tailing bonefish early in the morning and before the sun gets up too high. Good areas to target the bonefish would be along the Oceanside shallow flats south of Soldiers Key south to Ocean Reef. With high water early in the morning you may need to pole your way to the shallowest parts of the flats before you see that shiny tail. A large shrimp or a jig head tipped with a Gulp shrimp cast in the direction of that tail might just get you that silver ghost on your line. The finger channels continue to provide action from small snappers, barracudas, groupers, and needlefish. Live pilchards and shrimp are your best choices for bait in this area. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:02 in the morning.
Flamingo
If the winds stay down and the rains hold off, look for redfish, snook, sea trout, jacks and sharks to be biting in Snake Bight, Palm Key, Tin Can and Frank Keys. Jig heads tipped with shrimp, pilchards, pinfish and soft plastics cast along the edges of the channels, up close to the mangroves, and into the runoffs will get you some good strikes from these fish. Mangrove snappers and sea trout can targeted in the channels of First National Bank, Sandy Key and the channels south of Sandy Key. Fish small pinfish, pilchards and shrimp under a Cajun Thunder float for these fish. The backcountry of Whitewater Bay and Oyster Bay have had some good action from snook, redfish, snappers, sea trout and Goliath grouper. Hit the downed trees, shorelines of the islands and points for these fish. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:59 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 7:53 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
July 26-28 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the east to southeast at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Look for snook to be feeding in the ocean inlets on the last of the outgoing tide just before dark. Fish a large shrimp, live pilchard, pinfish or threadfin herring near the bottom and you should get a number of hookups from the snook, plus tarpon, snappers, jack crevalles and yellowjacks. Snook are out of season but can be caught if released quickly. The offshore bite has seen a lot of bonitos, a few kingfish, barracudas, an occasional sailfish, and plenty of sharks biting just outside the outer reef. The best bite is happening early in the morning. The fish are eating on live baits, fresh ballyhoo and vertical jigs. High-speed trolling just outside the outer reef out to 200 feet of water produced a number of wahoo this past week. Dolphin fish continue to be scattered offshore. The dolphins were mostly legal-size fish to about 10 pounds. Look for the dolphins outside of 600 feet of water out past 1,000 feet of water. The dolphins have been under birds, under floating debris and along weed lines. Daytime wreck fishing is producing nice catches of vermillion and yelloweye snappers when the currents allow. Hit the wrecks in 160 feet out to 350 feet of water and fish cut squid on the bottom for the snappers. The nighttime snapper fishing continues to be good. The catch has been made up of mangrove, yellowtail and mutton snappers. The snappers are being caught over rocky bottom in depths between 45 feet of water out to 90 feet of water. The fish were eating cut squid, ballyhoo, Spanish sardines, and silversides. Low tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 7:18.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout have been biting along the outer edges of the sea grass flats in North Bay. The trout have been biting live shrimp and pilchards under a Cajun Thunder float and the NLBN jig heads and 3-inch paddle tails. Mangrove snappers and small barracudas are feeding on the flats. Snook and small- to medium-size tarpons are biting in the brackish waters near Haulover Inlet, the Oleta River and up into Maule Lake. Live mullets and pilchards have been getting the strikes. Nighttime snook and tarpon action has been decent along the bridge shadow lines and along the lighted dock lights in the bay. These fish have been jumping on a large live shrimp or artificial shrimp. Low tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:36.
South Bay
Look for bonefish and permits to be tailing and hungry early in the morning. The Oceanside flats and the flats in South Bay have all been holding fish, especially during the last hour of the outgoing and the first hours of the incoming tides. The Finger Channels and patch reefs have been providing action from small snappers, grunts and jacks. Live pilchards and shrimp fished near the bottom while chumming with frozen chum is how the fish are being caught. Low tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 9:06 in the morning.
Flamingo
High water in Florida Bay will have the snook, reds and tarpons high on the flats and way up to the mangroves. From a shallow drafting skiff work the potholes and runoffs with weedless soft plastics. Along the mangrove shorelines, a shrimp under a noisy Cajun Thunder will get these fish to come out from the cover. Sea trout and mangrove snappers have been eating soft plastics and chunks of pinfish in the channels and over the deeper grass flats south of Sandy Key. A few big tarpons are in the area and willing to eat a live pinfish under a float. The shorelines north of Middle Cape and in the creeks and rivers have had snook, redfish and a few tarpons to target. The waters of the backcountry of Oyster and Whitewater Bay have been providing action from small tarpons and snook. Hit the shorelines that have schools of small minnows with the NLBN jig heads tipped with a 3-inch paddle tail for these fish. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 8:30 AM and at the mouth of Shark River high tide is at 6:37 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
July 19-21 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
I need to apologize to everyone that reads this fishing report. I’m not sure how it happened but it seems that the tides I posted were not right. I found out maybe like you did when on Saturday on my way to Flamingo, expecting a low tide in Florida Bay in the morning I actually had a high tide. With that said I am sorry. Use my report as a guide to help you wherever you choose to fish but do your due diligence and double check. There will be a full moon on Monday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
The snook fishing in the ocean inlets during the daytime and at night has been good. The snook are out of season but can be targeted for catch and release. The best baits have been live shrimp, pinfish, pilchards, and threadfin herrings fished close to the bottom. Flare Hawk jigs bounced off the bottom is a good choice if you like artificial baits. The offshore bite has slowed unless you hit the water at sunup. The bite is over by about 10 AM. During the early mornings, kingfish, bonitos, small blackfin tunas, barracudas, and a few wahoo are being caught. Live baits fished near the surface or fresh drifted Spanish sardines and ballyhoos fished a few feet below the surface is how to get these fish. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with a strip of bonito belly and using a planer to get the bait deeper in the water column can help you stay on the bite later into the day. The best depths to target is 100 to 200 feet of water. Dolphin fishing had been hit and miss but picked up this past week. The best catches have been made out past 600 feet of water when floating debris is located. Under the floating debris, legal size dolphins and some decent size tripletails are being caught. Otherwise, smaller dolphins are being caught under diving terns and along weedlines. Daytime bottom fishing over the deeper wrecks has produced some snowy groupers. Large mutton snappers are being caught over the shallower wrecks. Squid baits are getting the snowy grouper bites and live ballyhoo, chunks of speedos, and cut bonito strips is getting the mutton bites. Nighttime reef fishing continues to produce limited catches of snappers. The snappers are biting cut baits in depths from 45 feet of water out to 90 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 8:17
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout continue to be the most productive bay species to target. The trout can be caught over the grass flats in the bay early in the day. Once the sun gets up high the sea trout move to deeper waters along the edges of the flats. Live shrimp or pilchards fished under a Cajun Thunder float or the NLBN 3” paddle tail soft plastics are good choices for these fish. A few barracudas and snappers are mixed in with the trout. Snook and small tarpons have been biting north of Haulover Inlet. Look for these fish in the Oleta River area north to the Lehman Causeway. Live pilchards is a good choice for these fish. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 9:30.
South Bay
The Finger Channels have been producing some nice action from yellowjacks and jack crevalles. The NLBN 4” mullet with a weedless BKK 2/0 hook has been my go to bait for these fish. Long casts and quick retrieved will get the fish excited. High water over the shallow bonefish flats means the fish will be feeding way up on the flats early in the morning and then late in the afternoon. Look for tailing fish over the skinniest waters and cast a large shrimp in their direction. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 8:47 in the morning.
Flamingo
As I stated earlier in this report, I had expected a low tide in the morning in Florida Bay this past weekend but soon realized that it was a high falling g tide. With that information I changed my plans and fished the coast from Curry Key north to East Cape and had plenty of action from snook, redfish, sea trout, snappers, ladyfish, and a few catfish. I had two of the BKK hook companies representatives onboard and used BKK hooks with shrimp and BKK weedless worm hooks with the NLBN 4” mullets. Casting to the shorelines and downed trees the Klaus from Germany caught his first redfish, snook and sea trouts for a backcountry slam. He was using live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float and Michele from Germany fished the weedless mullets catching redfish and snook. The fish continued to bite till the tide forced us away from the shorelines. After that the big thunderstorms forced us back to the boat ramp. The inside side waters of Whitewater and Oyster Bay have been buggy but productive for snook, redfish, sea trout, and small tarpons. The island points and shorelines have had the best action. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:34 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 7:37 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
July 12-14 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sabl e
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast to east at 10 to 15 knots throughout the weekend! There will be an extra lobster mini-season on Sunday for Florida residents.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Snook fishing in the ocean inlets has been good on the outgoing tides. Snook are out of season so they must be released after catching. The snook are biting large live shrimp, pinfish and pilchards. The best action has been along the rocky shorelines and the drop-offs into the channels. The offshore bite has been tough. A few kings, bonitos, wahoo, barracudas, blackfin tuna and sharks are being caught just outside the outer reef to about 300 feet of water. Quality live baits have been tough to come by. Trolling Sea Witches tipped with a bonito strip either near the surface or deeper in the water column with the help of a planer not only covers a lot of water but is producing a lot of the strikes. Dolphin fishing has been dreadfully slow. A nice weedline developed midweek in about 600 feet of water but there was no life in it. The few dolphins caught this past week were small and under terns. Daytime reef and deck fishing produced a few nice mutton snappers, yellowtails and amberjacks. The nighttime reef fishing has been very good for mangrove and yellowtail snappers. A few mutton snappers and plenty of grunts made up the rest of the catch. Cut bait fished with the lightest weights it takes to get to the bottom is producing the most fish. The reefs in 45 to 50 feet of water are producing best. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 6:20.
North Biscayne Bay
Sea trout and mangrove snappers have been the best bets this week in North Bay. The best action has been early in the morning and on overcast days. The fish are biting along the drop-off edges of the grass flats where the water is a little deeper and where there is a tidal flow. A live pilchard if you can find some fished free-lined or from under a Cajun Thunder float has caught both of these fish in decent numbers. Casting a jig head tipped with a Gulp shrimp is getting the fish for the artificial fishermen. The NLBN jig head tipped with 3-inch soft plastic is another artificial that’s catching fish. The nighttime snook and tarpon bite has been fair. Look for these fish to be holding along the bay bridge shadow lines and under lighted dock lights. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 8:09.
South Bay
Big jack crevalles and nice-sized yellowjacks are roaming the Finger Channels. Chumming the channels with live pilchards is one way to locate the fish. Once they start popping your chum baits you can pitch them a live bait or cast a BLBN mullet at them. Either way, you should get some quick hookups. Once fish are feeding on the oceanside flats during the last hour of the outgoing tides and during the first two hours of the incoming tides. Look for tailing fish during these tidal stages and then cast a live shrimp in their direction. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 7:26 in the morning.
Flamingo
Look for snook and redfish to be feeding along the sides of the Florida Bay channels. Both of these fish will strike a live shrimp on a jig head or a live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float. Once the tide starts to flood the flats, both of these fish will move up onto the flats. Plenty of sharks are in these areas and can be caught with a big chunk of ladyfish or mullet. Tarpons have been feeding on mullets along the coast. Snook are holding at the mouths of the canals, rivers and creeks. Sea trout are feeding in the channels in the Sandy Key area. Look for the mullet muds and that’s where the trout will be. The inside waters of Oyster and Whitewater Bays have had good numbers of snook, redfish, sea trout, snappers, and Goliath groupers to target. Fish the mangrove shorelines along the islands paying close attention to the island points and downed trees. Low tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 9:28 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 6:32 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com
July 4-7 Report Deerfield Beach to Key Largo & Flamingo to Cape Sable
NOAA Weather is forecasting winds to be out of the southeast to east at 5 to 10 knots throughout the weekend. There will be a new moon Friday.
Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Haulover, Government Cut to Ocean Reef
Large tarpons have been feeding in the ocean inlets at night. The top bait this week was a frisky live mullet. The offshore bite had been fair this past week. Along the outer reef a few kingfish, lots of bonitos, barracudas, and a few wahoos were caught. The depths between 90 to 200 feet of water is where this action has been. On the bottom in these depths a few mutton snappers, vermillion snappers, and red groupers were caught on squid, bonito strips, and live pilchards. Blackfin tuna, small, have been caught over some of the deeper artificial reefs. Vertical jigs was what many used to catch the tunas. Dolphin fish thinned out and moved much further offshore. If you’re looking for dolphins start looking once you get outside of 600 feet of water. As you head offshore keep an eye out for diving terns, frigate birds, floating debris, and weedlines. The nighttime bottom fishing has been good for mangrove, mutton, and yellowtail snappers. Grunts, bluerunners, and toros has made up a big part of the catch. Cut squid, Spanish sardines, and silversides have been the top bottom baits. Hit the reefs in 25 to 90 feet of water. High tide at Government Cut Friday night will be at 9:30.
North Biscayne Bay
Big schools of mullets have been moving around the bay. If you can find a school, there is a good chance you will see tarpons, snook, big jack crevalles, barracudas, sharks, and sea trout feeding on them. Nighttime tarpon and snook fishing has been good in the ocean inlets, along the shadow lines along the bay bridges, and under lighted rocks. Live mullets, pinfish, and shrimp were the top baits. High tide at Indian Creek Saturday morning is at 10:47.
South Bay
Bonefishing continues to be good over the shallow flats both on the ocean side and along the western shorelines of South Bay. The best action has been early in the mornings and then again late in the afternoons. A few permits and tarpons have been feeding over these flats. Use a large shrimp for the bonefish, a silver dollar size blue crabs for the permits and tarpon. The Finger Channels have had an assortment of small snappers, grunts, barracudas, and jacks to catch. Live shrimp has been the top bait in the channels. High tide at Soldier Key on Saturday will be at 10:04 in the morning.
Flamingo
Plenty of snook, nice redfish, jacks, ladyfish, and sharks have been biting along the sides of the flats in Florida Bay. The best action has been during g the last two hours of the outgoing tides. On a recent charter my clients caught six redfish to 22 inches and a 15 inch black drum using a live shrimp fished under a Cajun Thunder float. They also had 20 snook to 26 inches using 3” NLBN paddle tail and a 1/4 ounce jig head. There were plenty of jacks, ladyfish, and sharks to be caught. Quite a few snook and sharks can be caught along the outside shorelines from East Cape North to Shark River. Hot the points of the creek mouths, the river mouths and the bars along the outside. A live shrimp on a jig head works well in these areas. The inside waters of Coot Bay, Whitewater Bay and Oyster Bay have been very buggy. High tide at Flamingo in Florida Bay on Saturday will be at 5:05 AM and at the mouth of Shark River low tide is at 8:47 AM.
Capt. Alan Sherman shermana@bellsouth.net (786)436-2064 www.getemsportfishing.com