There is no better time to go fishing then now. Offshore the fishing is outstanding. Sailfish, kingfish, dolphin, blackfin tuna, and bonito will stretch your line and test your angling skills. Inshore, the tarpon are still hungry and willing to do battle with you both at the Inlets and in the Bay. The wind has been up, however, that will not last forever. If you can handle some big sloppy seas, then you'll experience some great fishing. Whether you like to kite fish, use flatlines, fish the bottom, get down with downriggers, or use a combination of some or all, you'll find action with all these techniques.
Steve Demilliano, his Dad, Joe, and friend Darrin Barritt started offshore with catching bonito, kingfish, and barracuda. As dusk came on, it was time to move inshore where the tarpon were quite cooperative. At trips end, we had add 2 for 3 on tarpon to the offshore catch.
Brad Coren and John Gonell chose a very light wind day to fish. Early in the morning, there was just enough wind to fly the extra light kite without helium. We put out one bait and minutes later, Brad was hooked up with what would weigh in as a 24 pound dolphin. As Brad was fighting his dolphin, John was fighting his first fish ever, a very respectable 13 pound dolphin. Both fish made it to the fishbox and the fillets made for a great meal.
Gary Rosenbaum treated his son, Grant to a tarpon trip. On this evening, the tarpon played a bit hard to find. We started on the south side where we went 1 for 2. After that they shut off. A move to the north side and we found the fish again. This time we hooked up a double header for a brief period of time. One fish hooked solid and the other gave us back our hook on its first jump. Grant started the fight and did everything he could until he asked his dad to take over. Gary continued the fight that took us back around the north jetty, into the main channel, and in to Smith & Wollensky's where the fish was released.
Walt & Michael Wilkowski, Fred Sprano, and Ray Kalita had tarpon fishing on their minds. They were down for two evenings of fishing. The first evening, the tarpon action was hot and heavy. Everyone caught tarpon with one extra for good measure. That make us 5 for 5 and add in a yellowtail snapper. The second evening got started with a tarpon on the first drift and a legal size mutton snapper. The fish then disappeared. We moved over to the north side and on our first drift over there, we had 2 fish on. The key word was on. Both fish made great runs and then when they jumped, it was thrown hook time. Once again the fish disappeared. We moved back to the south side where we caught a red grouper before heading in.
The next trip was more tarpon action, this time with Andy Mattice, Brady Maw, and Scott Aitchison. Andy got first chance and he caught and released his tarpon. When the tide changed, we went into the Bay. It took 7 minutes for the first strike. After resetting, it took another 7 minutes for the next strike. Both Brady and Scott got there chance to fight their first tarpon.
The four angler group of Steve Nicodemus, Gene Johnson, Brad Rivituso, and Dave Herrema definitely earned the title of Vikings. Normally with the sea conditions we fished in there is usually at least one angler who would feel the effects of motion sickness. Not this group. We had wind from the E/ESE @ 19 - 22 knots with higher gusts. We started off with a kingfish and then added 3 dolphin. By this time, I finally had a chance to get the kite up with baits on it. We started working our way back out to deeper water when the flatline got hit and we had a sailfish on. After releasing the sail, we set back up again and this time it was a bonito on the kite. After that, all the action was with sailfish on the kite. The final tally was 3 for 5 sailfish along with the kingfish, dolphin, and bonito. All the action came in the 70 - 140 foot range.
Once again we are now current with the reports. I'll be out again tomorrow and most every day next week. This is the time of year when the action is hot and heavy with both summer and winter time species here at the same time. Don't miss out on the action. Schedule your trip and lets go catch some fish.
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters, Inc.
305 620-5896 Charter
305 965-9454 Cell
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
