Boy am I losing track of time. It is hard to believe that September is coming to an end. I guess I better update my fishing reports more often.
September started with a flight back from Cape Cod and a return to south Florida's great fishing. We fished with John Ortiz and some of his buddies on September 3rd. They had a good day of bottom fishing. They caught a couple gray groupers to 20 pounds, a 9 pound mutton snapper, 3 big porgys, 3 king mackerel and a couple big horse eye jacks.
We fished that evening for swordfish, but all we had was 1 shark bite.
The next night we headed out for swordfish with Brooke, Joe and Brian. What a difference a day makes. The weather on Monday night was terrible. We had light winds, but heavy rain. We suffered through it and scored well with those swordfish. We brought home a 49 inch swordfish for dinner and then tagged and released fish of approximately 100 pounds for Brain and 300 pounds for Joe. Joe battled his fish for 3 hours and 20 minutes. When tagged, this fish swam off as if never fought.
Tuesday night Brooke, Joe and Brian took the easy route under cloudy skies and breezy conditions. We fished the inlet and caught 3 snook from 27 to 32 inches.
Wednesday night it was back after those swordfish again. Brooke caught a estimated 130 pound swordfish that got tail wrapped and expired on the line. I guess it is swordfish dinners all around eastern NY. Brian tagged and released a healthy 60 pound swordfish and then the bite ended. Not a bad 3 days, or I mean nights of action.
One of Brooke's swordfish
Thursday night we caught 2 snook in the 37inch class and 3 big jacks.
Friday, John Ortiz brought some other buddies out. The action was a bit slower that the previous trip, but they ended the day with a total of 5 mutton snappers, 1 mangrove snapper, 6 bonito and a big spinner shark.
Saturday Mark Sosin and I spent the day with Delfin Pernay and his wife. We caught a load of big bonito, including several shots at fish on fly and landing a 15 pound bonito on fly. This was Delfin's first major fly catch.
Monday the 11th we headed off for Bimini. It was a great week of entertaining and having fun with 27 Dusky boat owners. Over the next 7 days we shared snorkeling, deep dropping, marlin trolling and shallow wreck fishing with a whole bunch of great people. We caught queen snapper, mystic grouper, snow grouper, yellow eye snapper and scum brod in 700 to 1400 feet of water. We caught cobia, african pompano, yellowtail snapper, jacks and sharks on plugs and bait over shallow wrecks. We missed a blue marlin. We even trolled up barracudas, yellowtails, an ocean tally and a big yellow jack on Rapalas. Oh yeah. I almost forgot we finished a couple bottles of coconut rum during the week too.
Kevin got a pair of Queens
We got back to Miami on Sunday and were blown out of an evening swordfish trip. We went after those swordfish Monday night and caught two fish around 100 pounds. One tagged and released and another for the guys to dine on when they get back to the Cayman Islands.
Tuesday we tried the lattest swordfish method. Trolling for the long billed monsters. The weather was bad, the Coast Guard used up my favorite hour, the first hour after dark, with an inspection at sea and the swordfish did not bite. I guess we all have to have a bad trip now and then. At least the company was good and we knew we were trying something new. The angler was in on the risk and enjoys challenges. He is Marty Arostegui and is very good at perfecting the impossible. We will catch them next time.
Cobia thrill everyone
Friday night we fished with the Renzi family the boys, Gianni and Bobby stole the show as Gianni tagged and released a nice swordfish and Bobby wore out a 150 pound shark before releasing it.
It is very important for all concerned swordfish anglers, NO MAKE THAT ALL CONCERNED ANGLERS, to come to a public hearing Wednesday night at the Broward County Public Library at Broward Blvd and Andrews Ave. at 7 PM. The issue is swordfish harvest and there is even talk of bringing back longlines off our coast. That means less swordfish, sharks and a lot less sailfish for us to enjoy. PLEASE JOIN US in a peaceful show of support for our quality speakers who will talk of our concerns for the fishing future off our coast.
Then let's go catch some swordfish or those hot schools of fish coming south in the fall migration. E mail me at captbouncer@bellsouth.net
