We just finished another super trip to Bimini. We were there with the Aizpuru family, dad Rick, sons Matt and Dan, and their friend John Mahoney. The weather was flat calm with 88 degree highs.
The first day we ran across the Gulf Stream, checked in with Bahamas Customs and our hotel and then went fishing. We tried a couple wrecks on the bank and caught small black grouper, tons of big blue runners, barracuda, yellowtails and a couple of nice sharks for the boys. We stopped on a ledge on the way back to the island and scored some 2 to 3 pound gray snapper for dinner.
Day two started with a 25 mile run to the south. We found the yellowtail snapper to be very hungry. You could catch them as fast as you baited your hook. For spice we added a few cero mackerel on pilchards and a barracuda on fly. About noon, the current picked up and the fishing slowed. This inspired us to run up on the bank and try another wreck.
At the wreck, Josh, my fellow crew member and I could not keep the guys rigged. They were catching sharks, barracudas, blue
several fish fell to the fly
runners, groupers and who knows what. The action was non-stop. Rick got a shark on fly and John tricked a barracuda into eating his fly as well. It was obvious why everyone slept all the way back to the hotel pool.
Day three produced a couple big sharks for the boys. Matt got a 80 pound reef shark and Dan got a 150 pound hammerhead. When the current picked up the big yellowtail snapper turned on. It was fast action for them as well as cero mackerel and some sea monsters that would occasionally eat the yellowtails if you wound too slow.
Day four was planned as a slower pace as we continued an urgent search for a big grouper. The Aizpurus snorkeled a shallow wreck with nurse sharks and barracuda plus all the snappers and other reef fish. Then they explored a shallow ledge with beautiful reef fish and corals. In the afternoon we tried a deep drop north of the island with no results. I was beginning to worry that John would go home without his dream grouper. I ran 14 miles to a very good deep grouper spot. We dropped 1250 feet down and soon hooked up. The fight was on. 15 minutes latter the cat shark had been caught and released. The next drop produced some good snapper bites and we seemed to have one on, but the hooks came up empty. We dropped again. We had a good bite, but we were hung in the bottom. We jerked, we pulled with the boat, we pulled harder with the boat, we tightened the drag and pulled some more. The sinker broke off, but the rod stayed bent. We had a fish on. John pushed the button as the fish rose from 1290 feet below. It was his 25 pound mystic grouper. Smiles and cheers went up all around.
Double black grouper
It was after 4 and the boys needed some action before hitting the pool. We tried one wreck, but nothing happened. We tried another wreck and as soon as the chum hit the water, the yellowtail snapper were solid behind the boat. It was fast action on light tackle. Suddenly the heavy deep rod was slammed. Matt jumped on it and caught a 24 pound black grouper. Another grouper ate the bait as it was going down on the very next drop. John scored with a 18 pound black grouper. The yellowtails were joined by rainbow runners and Dan got a good black grouper on the bottom before we headed to the pool.
The action for 4 days had been great. Fresh fish for dinner every night, plenty of fish for everyone to stock their freezers for great dinners over the next month, super memories, but it was time to head back to the real world. Day 5 would be passed by searching for dolphin, tuna and billfish while trolling west for home. Of course with this group, that would mean plenty of action. 10 miles from Bimini we found our first weeds, birds and fish. 3 to 6 pound dolphin surrounded the boat and were ready to eat. Just as action got hot and heavy, Matt hooked a monster on a light action bonefish rod with 12 pound line. I called for everyone to clear their lines as Matt went to work. 90 minutes latter Matt had beaten the biggest 35 pound bull dolphin anyone will ever see. It had the profile of a 45 pound fish, but the scale said 35. It was a spectacular battle, won by a fine angler.
Every ten miles we would find another little school of dolphin. We caught a couple on fly and plenty of catch and releases on bait as well. Then 16 miles off Miami Beach we found the dream floater. It was an Amazonian log. This piece of natural wood was at least 10 by 6 by 3 feet. It was surrounded by dolphin, a couple sharks and assorted other offshore fish. We finished our trip with nonstop action on fly rods and spinners catching and releasing fish from 4 to 14 pounds till the bait well was empty and the arms were tired.
July is fast approaching. Bimini beckons and the prime months for swordfish are upon us. Snook will be filling the inlet Let?s plan some great fishing adventures. E-mail capt.bouncer@att.net
