Category: Miami Fishing Reports – What’s Biting in South Florida

Capt. Charlie did a great post on “What it’s all about”, and I couldn’t agree more.

I opted to do the video version of the story this time around (see bottom of the post). We were lucky enough to capture the experience of two big dolphin being gaffed, and the 3 minutes of mayhem as they were at the boat.

Truly great to be able to spend time doing your favorite thing with some of your favorite people. The celebration in the video kind of sums up a pretty awesome friday afternoon. Also pretty glad we got to see the look on Capt. Scott’s face when he saw the first jump from that big bully mahi. He did an amazing job raising 15+Lb fish on very light tackle. Did I also mention he keeps us operational and is a pro at marine surveys in Miami? Thanks Scott!

Maritza caught her first sailfish, after having one charge us and break the line. Luckily we got the whole thing on video, and she caught the next one – her first billfish along with a nice blackfin tuna topped off the trip. She finally warmed up to touching pilchards as well.

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Bull Jump

I happened upon a quote yesterday which certainly put the last two weeks into perspective: “When you feel like quitting, remember why you started”.

May has always been, by far, the best month to fish in Miami waters.  Nearly every big game species is in a spawning or migration pattern, the bait is plentiful, and the weather is nothing short of divine. Despite the most amazing fishing conditions of the year, i’ll be honest that we’ve faced mechanical challenges which almost put us out of business. The reality of owning a charter boat is a battle of controlling costs – managing fuel spend, marina bills, and an endless onslaught of mechanical repairs. Our business has survived at the hands of a few dedicated and loyal people who support us tirelessly – who share the same vision.  These are the people who remind me why I do this.

Yesterday was one of those days when I remembered what it’s all about.

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The weather was ominous to say the least – one of the last cold fronts of the season was bearing down with untempered ferocity. The buoy report showed a solid NW wind at 18knts, which began to feel a whole lot like 22knts once we came around the Cape Florida lighthouse.  There were no storms, but dark clouds hung low above the horizon.

Bait has been solid the past few weeks, although we’ve had a few days where clear water prevented us from catching pilchards in the net.  We recently acquired a 14ft custom made net which is one of the best investments we’ve made in a long time – having blacked out wells is the key to fishing in the month of May.  Yesterday was no exception – Stefano (aka Carlos) made short work of the pilchard schools with just two tosses.

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We charged out towards the yellow sea can hoping to find current in shallow (as it was last Sunday when the sailfish bite was red hot). To our dismay, pea green water stretched as far as we could see after crossing into 130′.  We kept pushing, out to 150′, 170′, 190′, then 200′.  By the time we hit 220′, the water began to turn blue and the waves began to roll. The gulf stream was clearly farther out then we had anticipated, which meant the bite was going to be very good…or very bad.  We’ve had many hit or miss days when the blue-water starts out deep, although it does help to keep the bonitas at bay (this time of year, it’s common to get blitzed by bonitas which will consume every bait you have in the water).  We deployed the kites and set into our first drift, being a bit overzealous with the live chum.  The radio was quiet as we got pummeled by NW waves, which at times were reaching into the 3 to 4 ft category.  At 1.6knts of northerly drift, our ride towards the county wrecks was slow.  The first set only produced two bonitas.  We removed wire tips from our leaders and changed over to flourocarbon on our second set while crossing into 210′.  With a fresh spread of baits beneath the kites, we turned our attention to rigging the bottom gear.  Stefano worked the kites while Scott and I began prepping mid-waters and our bottom rod, when just out of the corner of my eye I see the left mid cork go flying – Stefano was quick on the rod and we’re tight with our first sail of the day.  The fish rocketed inshore then made a slow steady north turn and began making his way with the current.  The fish turned towards the deep as it worked its way off our bow, and then suddenly, about faced and began gray-hounding directly for us!  The run was unbelievable – a full on snake walk directly at us.  For a second we all braced as it appeared the fish was inbound to ram the boat!

The run ended in a half spiral out of the water which turned out to be a bit too aggressive – the fish wrapped himself up in the line and SNAP! Our first sail of the day is on his way back to the blue.  At least we had some idea where the bite may be.  A report crackled over the radio that someone released a sailfish in shallow – about 100′ – an entire water column away from our 210′ drift.  We made the call to stay put and re-deployed the spread now drifting in to 190′.

With six fresh pilchards soaking beneath the kites, a mid water rod deployed, and a light tackle trick up our sleeves – we felt confident going into the next set. The clouds were growing darker as the waves began to kick up into the 3 to 5 range.  Gusts of 25 knots were definitely starting to push through – our Lewis heavy wind kites strained  once and a while as the gusts hit their peak, then faded back to a steady 18 to 20knts. The left long gets hammered and we’re tight – Maritza, still tired and mildly seasick from her first sailfish battle, grabs the rod and goes to town on the fish. I can’t imagine where that extra bit of strength came from, but she  put the heat to that blackfin and brought it boatside in about 10 minutes.  We sink the gaff and put the first blackfin in the boat.

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Not long after, the right middle gets plowed with a nice splash, but the fish didn’t make the long deep run characteristic of a tuna.  I fought the fish for a few minutes and up pops a 20lb blackfin – likely the laziest tuna i’ve fought to date.

No matter, the fish goes in the box.  With two blackfins in the hold, we’re now drifting into 140′ of water when the right long starts sneaking away into shallow water. The drag starts screaming, we lock up, and a sailfish goes dancing towards the Miami skyline. On our second sailfish of the day, Maritza begrudgingly agrees to another battle.  This fish is making a long run, and with most of our kite baits out of the water, we decide to bring the kite’s in a bit closer and chase the fish.  After following the sail int shallower water, it suddenly stops running and begins to hold position. We back down systematically, and manage to sneak up on the fish, but he’s wrapped in the leader and drifting sideways.  Todd makes the grab and quickly rights the fish before it starts to go black – exhausted, but still alive, we are careful to revive the fish before a healthy release.

maritza sail release

We’ve now wandered into 110′ and it’s time to reset.

The run back to the southern edge of the county wrecks was a bit of a rollercoaster ride – the swells had built into the 4 to 6′ range.  We surfed our way south east through the waves, setting up at the southern most wrecks.  The blue water we enjoyed in 210′ was gone, so we drop the sea anchor in 185′ and deploy the spread.

Now, this is a good time to mention that Scott’s been on a light tackle kick recently.  Maybe it’s that we don’t get to use light tackle offshore all that often, or maybe it was the month of May which drives us all to reminisce about catching snook, redfish, and trout on the flats, Scott made the executive decision to bring his new 7′ spinning outfit onboard.  A new Quantum Cabo with 15lb braid paired with a Shimano Tallus.  We get the kite baits out, bobbing along in unison, and Scott pitches a pilchard on 30lb flouro off the bow.  We stay focused on the kite baits for a few minutes when Scott starts hollering.  He’s on!  Not more then 10 minutes into free lining a pilchard on his light tackle outfit, the cabo is sizzling! Line is ripping and a nice 15lb cow starts hopping along between the waves.  We’re all stoked, but keep our attention fixed on the kites. Todd, who was in the middle of deploying the right short kite bait, got a bit distracted by the commotion and left it hanging right by the boat. I turned my attention from Scott battling the cow dolphin on the bow to grabbing a pitch bait in case other fish were there when a HUGE bull comes swimming by the boat.  I could not believe my eyes!  This enormous neon blue Bull – all of 50lbs – comes cruising less than 6 ft from me.  Slightly stunned and paralyzed by the site, I manage a few grunts and shouts.  The fish makes a hard right turn at the back of the boat, going right behind the engines – and then ROCKETS forward to crush the kite bait that Todd left hanging in the water! It was controlled chaos – Todd grabs the short and the fish is on! The Bull goes bounding towards the skyline crossing directly under Scott, still hooked up on the cow! We are losing our minds as this giant dolphin goes leaping into the distance.  Scott has his fish closer to the boat now and begins working it towards the stern.  I go for the gaff and get ready – on 30lb flouro with 15lb braid there isn’t much room for error.  The fish comes right to the hook and WHAM!  I slam the gaff and drag the fish into the boat.  The cow starts flipping out on the deck when I hear Todd hollering from the bow: “Here he is! Here he is!”.  I don’t believe it – the bull swam right to the boat and was just paddling along.  In less than 10 minutes!  <*edit by capt. todd – it was less than TWO minutes… just felt like eternity…see the video.>

Capt. Todd Malicoat with a giant Mahi mahi

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That’s what it’s all about.

With two nice blackfins, the cow, the bull, and a sailfish release after just three hours of fishing – we couldn’t give up quite yet.  We deployed the kite spread once again and Scott, looking for more pain, pitches another pilchard off the bow on his light tackle outfit.  Not five minutes later – he is tight – AGAIN.  This time the fish is sounding hard – it’s fighting like a nice blackfin.

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We start pitching chummers and 10 t0 20lb blackfin start erupting around the boat. It was just, stupid. Our kite baits are dangling in the middle of the frenzy but not getting hit – we’re stunned.  Footballs leaping all around us – we pitch flat lines, jigs – nothing.  Scott remains locked in battle as the school of tunas goes bounding off into the distance. Dismayed, we turn our attention back to the kites and ANOTHER sailfish grabs the left middle. Todd is right on it – gets tight, and sets into the battle.  What a sight to behold – todd fighting a tail walking sailfish while Scott is putting the hurt on a tuna with 15lb braid on an inshore outfit.  After about ten minutes, Todd brings the sail to the boat for a quick release while Scott is STILL working the fish.  We’re thinking it’s a 30lb tuna at this point – slowly, steadily, Scott works the fish up from the depths.  And there it is.  27 minutes later.  A fat blackfin tuna, all of 25lbs.  I sink the hook and over the rail it comes.  We are overjoyed.

light tackle tuna

We call it quits at 6:40 and dash back to the dock.  Stunned from the absurdly amazing fishing which just unfolded.

What stands out to me the most from this trip – is that everything worked out perfectly.  No mechanical issues.  No pressure to catch fish for our customers.  No angling errors.  No failed rigs. No missed gaff shots.  Everything just unfolded in a seamless chain events. Those experiences are few and far between, but in the end, these are the times which keep me motivated – the times when I remember why I started.

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And we still have two more weeks of this amazing fishing to enjoy.

That’s what it’s all about.

The video…

It’s been a busy few weeks for us here at Team Marauder.  We celebrated another successful year this April, looking back on some amazing experiences.  We started off the month strong by joining Capt. Hunter Caballero of Paradise Outfitters in Venice, LA for another round of tuna fishing.  We were joined by Capt. Nick, and Capt. Scott and manged to boat a few nice 40-70lb class yellowfin (as well as a bunch of bonito and blackfin used as bait).    A wonderful tuna / crawfish fiesta ensued.

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I can definitely say that in the few years i’ve been sportfishing in Miami, my game has improved exponentially thanks to the help of some great folks who I’ve enjoyed fishing with.  You really do learn something new every trip if you want to.  Here’s a few of my favorite photos from the trip.

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yellowfin tuna

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tuna haul

It was actually a bit difficult to run off to Louisiana while the bite in Miami was so good.  The sailfish have been through in droves, large schools of bonitas, schools of gaffer mahi, and smaller blackfin tunas have been showing up as well.  We’ve had a lot of solid 3 and 4 sailfish half days flying kites while pitching live chum.  It never get old hearing someone tell us they caught their first billfish, or their largest fish ever while fishing aboard the Marauder.  We love catching big fish as well, and seeing a lit up sailfish tailwalk across the surface of the sea will always be an awesome experience.  Nothing beats watching those big billfish give our anglers the fight of a lifetime.  After watching a sailfish destroy a kite bait…the adrenaline of reeling against the fastest fish in the ocean is really hard to beat!

We’ve had a lot of fun in the last few weeks, putting people on their first sailfish, big amberjacks, and mahi-mahi.

The bait has been thick and plentiful in Miami waters, which can make for a great day of throwing pilchards as live chum.  We always aim to get a few livewells full of bait daily for our trips, and sometimes sabiki the larger threadfin herring before heading offshore to fly kites for the larger pelagic fish.

We’ve been having good luck with our new bottom sounder (courtesy of Capt. Scott cutting a hole in the Contender hull.) on the shipwrecks – landing large amberjacks and cobias.

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We’ve also put some new shoes (and legs) on our outboards – adding some new propellers (thanks to Frank & Jimmies), and some lower unit repairs which Capt. Scott pulled together.  The boat is running faster and more efficiently than ever before!

Lastly, in Marauder news, we’ve designed some T-shirts for our customers who have asked – you can finally order a t-shirt, long-sleeve, or hoodie through our cafe press store.

If you get a chance – we would love to have you come  out and fish with us.  The spring fishery in Miami is really incredible and an amazing time to enjoy a well deserved day on the water.  Give us a call or drop us a line, and join us for a beautiful day on the crystal clear blue waters of south florida!

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Basic Bottom Fishing Rigs
Basic Bottom Fishing Rigs – Source: Fishintech.com

Bottom fishing can be a hit or miss game – a test of patience, ingenuity, and skill. While finding bottom fish requires knowledge of the area you’re fishing in addition to tactical drifting and/or anchoring, keeping fish on the line is a whole other story should you manage to get a bite. When you’re fishing deep water reefs, wrecks, or ledges for relentlessly strong bottom species, your tackle will be pushed to it’s limits. You can have the best rods and reels on the market, but if you’re not using a steadfast bottom rig – you’re wasting your time.

As basic as bottom fishing may appear, the quality of the rig you drop into the depths has everything to do with your success. Flawless knots, quality terminal tackle, and premium leader material maximize your chances of boating big bottom fish, while anything less will leave you headed home empty handed.

Buying bottom fishing rigging materials

If you’re fishing in South Florida waters, a full arsenal of bottom fishing equipment is a must. You need to equip yourself with enough rigging material to quickly produce up to a dozen rigs during the course of a full day offshore (sometimes more depending on the structure you’re fishing). The basic components of a bottom rig are hooks, leaders, swivels, and weights – but there’s a few other nuances you shouldn’t neglect like spacer beads, rigging bands, floss, crimps, and lights.

When you set out to purchase rigging materials for bottom fishing – focus on securing the best quality hooks, leaders, and swivels first. When it comes to hooks, wide gap 2X strong circle hooks are the way to go. I recommend you purchase a selection of 7/0 – 10/0 extra strong circle hooks (VMC, Owner, Mustad) as well as light wire Mustad demon circles in 5/0 and 6/0. When it comes to leader material, spare no expense and invest in high quality flourocarbon.  In addition to being more durable than monofilament, flourocarbon is also stiff – which translates to fewer tangles while dropping baits down. Pick up spools of Yo-Zuri pink in 40, 60, and 80lb test.  Definitely keep a few spools of monofilament leader in stock as well – 20lb, 40lb, 50lb, and 60lb.

When it comes to swivels – spare no expense.  Swivels are the heart of the rig and often the component which gives way under extreme pressure. Over the years, we’ve lost a regrettable quantity of fish to worn out or poor quality swivels, which is frustrating.  I tend to reiterate this point to all my customers who ask about rigging/terminal tackle: There are hundreds of things offshore you can’t control, the quality of your terminal tackle is not one of them.  Purchase high quality swivels – barrel, clasp, and three way in 60lb, 80lb and 130lb class.  Get the best quality you can afford, preferably SAMPO or Spro.

Buying lead “is what it is”.  The cost of lead isn’t going down anytime soon, so it’s best to bite the bullet and stock up on an assortment of bank sinkers, egg sinkers, and swivel weights. You should keep a stock of bank sinkers in the 12, 16, 20, and 24 oz variety.  Keep one or two 32 oz bank sinkers as well with maybe one or two stick leads as a backup. Buy a variety of egg sinkers – avoiding the smallest of the bunch and the absolute largest of the bunch (2, 3, 4, 8 oz varieties are typically enough).  Swivel weights also come in handy as they don’t spin the line while being dropped or retrieved.  If we can find these in heavy assortments, we use them up to 12 ounces on occasion.

Do not attempt to reinvent the wheel when it comes to bottom fishing rigs. The rigs presented here are tried and true – all of which can be adjusted to suit the species you’re targeting. It’s always better to be overprepared for a big fish fight, so don’t attempt to use lightweight bottom fishing rigs for big species.  The key to bottom fishing effectively is to utilize a rig that can get a bait to the bottom without tangling and survive the strain of an aggressive strike and fight to the surface.

The Classic Three Way Swivel Bottom Rig

This rig is a must if you’re dropping big live baits on wrecks or reefs. In order to make this rig effectively, you will need a strong three way swivel (80b to 130lb), about 15′ to 20′ of flourocarbon, a strong circle hook, a 12″ piece of 20lb monofilament, and a bank sinker of 16 oz to 24 oz. Tie a bimini in your main line (if you’re dropping on wrecks and reefs in deep water – you should be fishing 60 to 80b braid) and tie it with a uni knot to the top eye of the three way swivel.  On the mid-eye of the swivel, tie one end of the flourocarbon leader with a uni knot.  Tie a hook (also with a uni kot or tuna knot) to the other end of the flourocarbon. On the free end of the swivel, make a double ended loop knot with the 20lb mono and tie one end off, leaving one loop of about 8″ trailing (you can use this to quickly attach or remove weights by passing the loop through the eye and going around the entire body of the weight). It should look something like this by the time you’re done.

Three way swivel bottom rig
A Classic Three Way Swivel Bottom Rig. Photo Credit: George Poveromo

If you’re dropping a big bait, be sure to bridle it to the hook so it doesn’t wiggle off on the way down.  While you can drop this rig straight down with no resistance, it’s better to let this rig out slowly so the bait trails behind the entire rig and doesn’t spin.  If the bait is spinning on the way down, you’re either dropping too fast or your leader line wasn’t long enough.  Once you’ve found the bottom, pick up the entire rig a few cranks so it’s suspended off the bottom – you don’t want a big bank sinker sliding across the bottom stirring things up. When you get a bite, crank till you are tight with the fish and stay tight – the circle hook will set, but maintaining pressure is key – the dangling weight can occasionally get wrapped in the line and might act as a counter balance dehooker.  If you stay tight, you’ll win the fight.

Because flourocarbon is expensive, some captains will use a 10′ piece of 6olb mono and a 10′ piece of flourocarbon – joined by a double uni knot. While this is effective, an entire leader of flourocarbon seems to perform better during the drop. You can experiment with shortening or lengthing the line which connects the weight to the swivel, but don’t go overboard.  Too short and the rig won’ drop properly (the weight will spin and the leader line will wrap the main line), too long and the weight will snag the bottom regularly. Longer leader lines seem to perform better when the current is strong – as it keeps the bait away from the weight.  Some mutton snapper fishermen swear by longer leaders on the bottom – the theory being that a weight dragging/rolling on the bottom scares fish away.

The “knocker” Rig

This classic bottom rig is used the world over for all kinds of bottom species.  Lighter versions of the rig can be used for yellowtail, gray, and red snappers while  heavier variations are ideal for big groupers and muttons.  The rig is very basic, composed of a barrel swivel, 5′ to 10′ leader and a hook. The main line attaches to one end of the barrel swivel while the leader is tied to the other. A small bead is placed on the leader line followed by an egg sinker. The hook is then tied on to finish the rig.  By the time you’re done tying, the rig should look like this:

Knocker Rig for Bottom Fishing
A Traditional Knocker Rig

The advantage here is that leader can slide as the fish takes the bait, allowing for the circle hook to set more effectively.  When you feel the strike, you have to get tight quick in order to prevent the fish from diving into structure or dragging the weight into structure. The strike is very distinct when fishing a knocker rig, because you feel the bite and the fish swimming away. The key, as with most bottom fishing, is to get tight quick and keep constant pressure on the fish once its hooked. Knocker rigs can be fished effectively on spinning or conventional tackle, but whatever gear you’re using – make sure the reel has a fast retrieve ratio.  The faster you pick up the line, the more likely it is to keep the fish on the hook.

The Florida Rig – AKA The In-Line Rig or The Fish Finder Rig

Similar to the knocker rig – this setup keeps the weight a few feet from the hook at all times. The weight is added to the main line, followed by a small bead, before being tied to one end of the barrel swivel.  This allows the main line to pass through the egg sinker, so the fish can run once hooked. This is rig is effective for grouper fishing, but is ideal for snapper – as the fish can grab the bait and run without the resistance of the weight.  A circle hook matched to the size of the bait is perfect for this bottom rig.  A segment of 15′ to 25′ of leader material separates the hook from the swivel – allowing plenty of line for the bait to move with the current.  The trick with this rig is to let the bait feed out with the current – away from the weight which is rolling around on the bottom.  Once tied, the rig should look something like this:

Fish Finder Rig
Source: Boatlessfishing.com

It’s ok to let the fish grab the bait and run for just a bit before getting tight.  This rig allows you to feel the bite immediately, but it’s important to “go with the fish” for just a second before getting tight and picking  up the slack. It takes  bit of practice, but once you get used to fishing the in-line rig – it can be devastatingly effective on snappers who are wary of short leaders.

Deep Drop & Chicken Rigs

Deep dropping can be an absolute day saver when the current is weak (or slack) and the wind is dead.  If you’re able to score quality deep drop numbers or put in the time to find muddy bottom in 600′ to 700′ off Miami – catching tilefish, rose snapper, and the occasional snowy grouper is a solid bet.

Deep drop rigs come in many forms, but the most common variation is called “the chicken rig”.  This is a straight forward, no frills deep dropping rig – essentially a “top and bottom” rig on steroids. While you can purchase these pre-made, it’s simple to make them out of heavy mono leader, a few swivels, and some strategically placed crimps.  Circle hooks are a must for deep dropping, because setting a hook in hundreds of feet of water is easier said than done!  A basic deep drop chicken rig looks something like this:

Traditional Deep Drop Rig
Traditional Deep Drop Rigs Source: Fishingunited.com

There are quite a few outstanding resources on making your own deep drop rigs, one of my favorites can be found at fishingunited.com. One of the most important attributes of a successful deep drop rig is rigidity – a rig has to be sturdy enough to withstand the powerful strikes of bottom fish and then withstand the pressure of being retrieved hundreds of feet to the surface. Using glow beads or small glowsticks can also help improve the bites you get at depth – afterall, it’s dark down there!

Essential Bottom Fishing Rigs – Bonus Segment – Capt. Charlie’s Lessons Learned

Because you’re awesome, i’m going to share a few lessons i’ve learned, the hard way, through the years. My goal here is to save you money, time,and to help put more fish in the boat!  Remember – bottom fishing takes patience and dedication to perfect.  Invest in a high quality bottom sounder, GPS, and durable terminal tackle – you won’t regret it!

  • Lesson Learned #1 – Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight
    • If you’re aiming to catch big fish, rig for it. While you may get more bites using lighter leader, smaller hooks, and lighter leads – stubborn deep water fish will rip you off time after time.  When it comes to bottom rigs, it’s better to rig a bit heavier under any circumstance (withing moderation)
  • Lesson Learned #2 – Know your drift
    • If you’re fishing wrecks in deep water, plan accordingly for the current.  Deploying your rig before you hit the target position is critical so your bait is at depth as you pass by the structure. Plan accordingly for the rise of the wreck, so you don’t snag!
  • Lesson Learned #3 – Don’t use cheap hooks or swivels
    • I’m perpetually mad at myself for not learning this lesson the first time I straightened hooks and broke swivels on big fish. Good quality hooks and swivels are expensive for a reason.  Don’t skimp when it comes to your terminal tackle, particularly your hooks and swivels.  While it may sting at the tackle store – it will sting a whole lot more when that cheap-o discount swivel breaks a few yards from the boat with a monster grouper on the end of the line.
  • Lesson Learned #4 – Short leaders suck.
    • Using long leaders makes a world of difference.  While it requires a bit more skill and practice to fish a rig with a long leader between the weight and the hook – you will increase your hookup ratio dramatically with lengthy leaders.  There is a hazard of getting spun up while dropping or retrieving in heavy current, but it’s worth the risk.
  • Lesson Learned #5 – Don’t underestimate Flourocarbon
    • I’ve always been a fan of Yo-Zuri pink flourocarbon, but many does it sting to buy several $40 spools of it on a bi-weekly basis.  If you fish in pressured areas, flourocarbon leaders is a must.  If you don’t want to burn lengthy amounts  of flourocarbon, you can successfully add a flourocarbon “tippet”  – a 2ft to 5ft piece – at the end of a monofilament segment.  This often achieves the same effect, but does add a knot into the equation.  A double uniknot is strong, but not as strong as a single piece of flourocarbon leader. If you can afford it – fish flourocarbon as much as possible.

 

 

 

fishing charters for kids in Miami, FL
The last sailfish of 2013, Caught Dec. 31, 2013

The 2014 fishing season in Miami, FL  is off to a solid start. While we’ve had our share of good days, bad days, very good days…and very bad days – overall we’ve managed more than a dozen productive trips since January 1st. The past month has brought anything but typical fishing conditions in Miami, FL – unusual weather patterns delivered a mix of unseasonably warm weather (typically not great for sail fishing) with dominant west winds (typically bad for all fishing in Florida) followed by short lived cold fronts. We’ve experienced everything from 4 to 6 feet seas (with larger waves mixed in) from the south east (talk about sloppy conditions) to days where even helium balloons couldn’t get the kite’s in the air to permit live bait fishing on the edge.

Speaking of live bait – talk about hit or miss! We’ve had days where we could hardly catch cigar minnows in between pinfish bites to days where we couldn’t stuff any more threadfin herring into our live wells. But that hasn’t stopped the general daily assault on the bug light off Key Biscayne.

Catching live bait at bug light off Key BiscayneWe’ve been fishing a mix of cigar minnows, pilchards (when we’re lucky enough to find them), goggle eyes, threadfin herring, and blue runners the past few weeks – never taking a bait for granted. When we can get the kite’s in the air, threadfin herring have been the ticket for sailfish.

Marcus  Griffin catching a sailfish in Miami, FLsailfish release

Miami Sailfishing in the wintertime

This time of year, we deploy live baits throughout the entire water column during our fishing charters.  We typically fly six live baits (when the wind allows), drift one or two midwater lines, and a bottom bait. Drift fishing has produced anything from mutton snappers to bonitas with a decent number of red groupers mixed in (although it’s closed season for grouper fishing right now).

Crab Stuffed Mutton Snapper
25″ Crab Stuffed Mutton Snapper

The reef lines south of Fowey Rocks have been more productive, lately, than fishing off Miami Beach or Key Biscayne, but we’ve been dedicating some time to fishing ship wrecks as well. Although amberjacks and almaco’s are in the area, they certainly aren’t thick. We’ve hooked a few nice fish vertical jigging as well as live baiting, but nothing particularly amazing just yet.  I’ve seen scattered reports that African Pompano’s are still in the area, but we haven’t had any luck bringing one in the boat for a photo just yet. When the current is moving north and the wind is steady enough for kite fishing, we’ve been landing the usual mix of bonitas, kingfish, and cero mackerel.

Tabitha's Bonita
Tabitha with her first Miami Bonita
Capt. Todd Malicoat releasing a sailfish
Capt. Todd Malicoat releasing a sailfish

Earlier in the month, I had the privilege of riding along for an epic wahoo fishing expedition. The weather can get rough in the open ocean during the month of January, but wintertime is notorious for bringing in some of the biggest wahoo of the year. Having the right lures and the right gear makes all the difference. We’ve fished a variety of lures through the years, but we’re starting to cherry pick some of our favorite colors.

high speed trolling wahoo lures
So many choices, so little time

For those dedicated anglers who can make the journey and handle a challenging seaway, high speed trolling in the wintertime can produce some of the biggest, baddest fish you’ve ever seen!

Capt Charlie Ellis in rough seas

Bahama sunrise

Capt. Nick Stanczyk and Capt. Charlie Ellis with a big wahoocapt charlie ellis cranking on a wahoo

capt charlie ellis with a big bahama wahooCapt. Nick Stanczyk with a big wahooCapt. Charlie Ellis with a giant wahooIf only fishing could always be that good! It’s a humbling experience to have an epic, amazing fishing trip one day and then a slow, miserable, practically fishless day just 24 hours later.

Fishing in Miami can often be a lesson in humility and we do our best to take each day in stride.  We’ve had the pleasure of fishing with some really cool people the past few weeks who joined us to escape the frigid cold which is blasting the North East. Even if the fish aren’t cooperating as much as we’d like them to, we do the best to make each day on the water a memorable experience.

Trophy Rack with Scott, Nick, and Capt. Charlie
Good Friend’s Make Good Fishing Even Better

As we look forward to another year of charter fishing in Miami, FL, I have to give a big shout out to the people who keep us on the water. The Marauder would be out of commission if it wasn’t for the talented team at Virgin Marine Services. They are absolutely the most reliable and dedicated boat repair service in Miami as far as i’m concerned.

I also wanted to say thanks to the crew at Hopkins Carter for getting us set up with some new gear for 2014.  We’re excited to be fishing some new reels from Penn which will undoubtedly help bring some monsters in the boat over the next few weeks.

If you’re considering booking a fishing trip with us, be sure to check out our “What’s Biting” calendar first. February through March is typically prime time for sailfish, cobia, and kingfish, but it’s likely we’ll see a few blackfin tunas making an early arrival in our waters.  There’s been a few mahi mahi offshore as well, with a few scattered reports of some big bulls being caught. As weather patterns shift into a more consistent North East direction, the sailfish bite should definitely become more consistent.  The fish are definitely in the area, it’s just a matter of catching them when the current is strong and the wind is steady. The waves can get rough this time of year – so be prepared! – It’s not hard to avoid seasickness if you plan ahead.

Sunset on the way to the sword grounds
Sunset on the way to the sword grounds

With any luck, 2014 will be the best year yet for fishing in Miami, FL. We’ve invested in new electronics for the Marauder, an upgraded fuel delivery system, and several new rods/reels which should help keep us on the fish.

Capt. Charlie Ellis with a Miami Sailfish

Fishing in the fall off the coast of Miami, FL isn’t normally this good. We’ve been fortunate that our last few trips aboard the Marauder have been excellent – big mahi mahi, kingfish, and an early arrival of sailfish have kept our anglers busy the last few trips.

The cigar minnows have been THICK at the bug light and we’ve been catching eight to nine dozen on every trip with flourocarbon sabiki rigs and tournament master double ground fine chum.  Amidst the swarms of cigars and blue runners, we’ve even managed a few sardines which are always an excellent addition to the mix. With bait plentiful, we’re able to live bait effectively on the edges of reefs, current rips, and floating debris.

Fall is typically a slower time of year for fishing in Miami, which has forced us to push farther offshore in search of dolphin and farther North in search of current. The conditions during our last few trips haven’t been ideal – weak or non existent current and dirty water out to several hundred feet deep.  To keep the rods bent, we’ve been focusing on fishing the edge – covering the entire water column.  We’ve been flying Bob Lewis ultra light kites while flat lining and bottom fishing.  The bottom rod has produced some decent muttons, yellowtails, and the occasional red grouper, while the mid water rods have produced a steady kingfish bite, mixed with a few bonitas.

On Saturday the 12th, we had Dale and Zak join us for a full day trip in search of “the big one”.  Dale got in touch with us about a month ago with one request- to catch a fish so big he could hardly hold it up for a photo, preferably something edible so he could frustrate two friends who backed out on the trip. We knew going into the trip that our best bet at a big edible fish would be pushing offshore in search of a big school of Mahi. After the edge produced a few kingfish (one of which actually JUMPED in the boat while evading a larger king), we pushed offshore to 1050′ and started trolling with our all time favorite lures – the R&R mahi magnet. We trolled out to 1100′ then back to 1000′, slowly working our way south.  After 30 minutes of criss crossing decent current, our Penn 30 on the starboard gets CRUSHED and the line starts flying off the reel.  A BIG cow goes leaping into the distance, furious from the sting of the mahi magnet.  Zak was quick to pick up the rod and went to work subduing the fish.  After a 23 minute battle, we had the big 47″ cow in the boat.

Zak fighting a big

big Cow dolphin caught aboard the Marauder

Rosher Mahi Magnet

Big Cow Mahi Mahi

Now that we had won the battle with “the big one” we trolled our way back inshore looking for a few gaffers and schoolies to add to the list. We found decent grass in 600ft but only this little dorado came out to play.

small mahi mahi caught by Dale

Needless to say, Dale and Zak went home happy. Turns out the fresh fish dinner was successful!

Caught aboard the Marauder of Miami, FL

Our crew on Sunday were some of the most energetic anglers we’ve had in a while – genuine Australians who came to see what fishing in Miami, FL was all about. We started off the day right – catching  a few kingfish, bonitas, and snappers before headed offshore in search of mahi mahi.  Our friend’s from Australia had some tough luck fishing down there and had yet to catch a mahi mahi in any ocean!  We just couldn’t let that stand and had to make it happen.  In between kingfish cutoffs and triple bonita hookups, the radio squawked that a few charter boats found their way into some schoolies around 800′, so we made our way offshore looking for anything floating.  After an hour, we found a single grass line which held a small school of throwbacks, but it was enough to break the curse and put the Aussie boys on their first mahi mahi!

The bite on the kite was slow for the remainder of the afternoon, until a lonely sailfish plowed into the spread and began going ballistic behind the boat.  Having never caught an Atlantic Sailfish, our Aussie’s got all fired up  and the energy came roaring back after two hours of slow fishing.  The fight went smooth and we boated the fish for a quick “Huey” pic after a 27 minute battle.

Aussie sail caught in Miami, FL

Monday was one of those 1/2 day trips where everything came together just right.  I was joined by Ryan and Jessie from NYC who came down to Miami in hopes of catching their first sailfish. We made our way our to the bug light early and had the place entirely to ourselves.  We loaded up on FAT cigar minnows until the well was brimming with bait, then trotted out to the can.  We were greeted by a stiff 12 knot wind right out of the NE, perfect kite fishing conditions. I’d been touting how awesome the sailfishing can be in Miami when the weather cools off and the current is strong, doing my best to prepare Ryan and Jessie for what was to be an epic morning. Our first drift produced a double header sailfish hookup.  A third fish came up, but the pandemonium spooked him before he could reach the bait.

double header sailfish hookup

Ryan’s fish made a dash south while Jessie’s fish pushed offshore. With plenty of fresh 20lb suffix on our 12v internationals, we had enough leeway to catch the southbound fish first. The fish made a few dashes around the boat once we caught up with him, but we were able to grab the leader and snag a quick shot before reviving him for the first release of the day.

sailfish about to be released off Miami, FL

Ryan reviving and releasing a Miami sailfish

We pushed onwards to chase down Jessie’s fish which was a “classic” size Miami Sailfish.  The fish was frisky at the boat,  so we made a quick gentle landing for a photo op then turned him free for the second healthy release of the day.

Ryan and Jessie with a Miami, FL sailfish

After a quick water break, we set up again in 135′ directly off the yellow can and the short bait gets slammed by another sailfish.  This time it was a pee wee sized sailfish which Jessie fought for 13 minutes before bringing him boatside for  a quick release. The little sail tailwalked away from the boat after I pulled the 6/0 demon circle from his mouth. We pulled in the lines and reset on the same drift, hoping another sail would make an appearance.

We deployed a fresh spread and within 15 minutes a huge school of flying fish starts blowing up just off the starboard side. Not two minutes later a gaffer slams the long bait, then plows for the short.  Jessie and I went to work fighting the mahi with two hooks in its mouth, while another fish grabbed Ryan’s short bait and went bounding to the east.  After the frenzy, we gaffed the “double baiter” …followed shortly by Ryan’s fish.

Mahi Mahi fishing charter Miami, FL

Today we had one of our favorite  customers come down from NYC to get in on some Miami fishing before headed back up the road for Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach.  Greg fished with us a little over a year ago and caught some BIG blackfins.  He was stoked by the report of some early sailfish action and was amped up to land his first Miami sailfish. We got a late start from the dock, but fortunately I had saved all the extra bait from three previous days of fishing so we bypassed our normal bug light routine and went straight for the fishing grounds.  We set up just north of the yellow can but the current was dead.  With a 12knt wind from the NE, we just weren’t covering the area effectively.  The water was dirty green, which didn’t bode well for the early sailfish bite.  We pushed north in search of better current and found a few frigate birds circling like maniacs just off fisher island. We stopped and deployed our baits but couldn’t get a bite. Instead of waiting around for the frigates to guide us to what was likely a large school of skipjacks or bonitas, we set up just south of Government Cut with another fresh spread of fat cigar minnows. George was watching the starboard kite lines while I was deploying a mid water rod when just out of the corner of my eye I saw a bill slashing the surface!  A sail erupted on the long bait and made two nice jumps before spitting the hook.  That was just enough excitement to get our hearts racing and morale back on track. We set up again, this time in slightly deeper water, with a full spread of cigar minnows.  Patience paid off 25 minutes later when a sneaky sail ate the port side long bait and then erupted in a frenzy.  George was ecstatic and went to work on the fish. We pulled in the kites and chased the fish, just to increase our odds of catching George’s first Miami sail.  After a bit of maneuvering, we were able to get the fish boatside and up for a quick glory shot which will hang in George’s custom bike shop for years to come:

George with a Miami sailfish

After releasing George’s fish, we set up again just off the cut. Next up it was Tom’s turn to test his strength against a Miami sailfish. On our second set of baits, another sneaky sailfish gulps the starboard short bait, but went deep.  It wasn’t until an entire minute later that Tom’s fish erupts in a tailwalking fury.  It was an awesome sight hearing the reel scream while a sailfish was leaping into the air with Miami Beach as the backdrop. Tom’s fish went into “shark mode” and circled the boat all the way to the leader.

Capt Charlie Ellis of Miami, FL wiring a sailfish

Tom with a Miami sailfish We ended the day with two first time sailfish catches and i’m sure we could’ve picked off another few if time had allowed.  It’s an awesome feeling to see people come from all over the U.S and abroad go head to head with the fastest fish in the sea. While it’s still way too early in the year for the sailfish to start showing up in large numbers, there’s definitely a decent push of fish moving through the area right now. As long as the NE winds continue to blow and the temperature keeps cooling, these fish should stick close to the edge and continue to feed throughout the day.  If the current picks back up, i’m sure an early sailfish season hot bite will take place.

If anything, the past few days were a reminder that Miami fishing is always spectacular.  Seeing sailfish leap and thrash in the spread – three days in a row – gets me fired up and even more anxious for the impending sailfish season.

I can’t wait.

Capt Charlie Ellis and Capt Todd Malicoat - venice, LA yellowfin tuna

There are few destinations in the U.S where the fishing is so unbelievably epic that it puts nearly every other coastal state to shame.  Fishing in Venice, LA is one of those experiences, where returning to reality afterwards is more painful than sore legs, arms, and backs. This was our second voyage with Paradise Outfitters – the absolute best fishing charter in Venice, LA. Our last yellowfin tuna trip with Capt. Hunter produced so many yellowfins that we lost count, but the goal of this expedition was not quantity – it was quality. This time of year in Venice, LA is a unique season, when 200lb class yellowfins begin to appear in droves to feed on the cull produced by the shrimp fleet.  Todd also highly recommends Capt. Josh for tuna Fishing in Venice, LA.

Arriving to New Orleans from Miami, FL is like stepping into another dimension. The heat, traffic, intensity, and hustle of Miami hardens you to the point where confrontation and hassle becomes routine.  One step into the big easy and everything slows down. Venice, LA is about 90 miles from MSY, which means lunch was in order before heading south. On a quick tip from Yelp, we stopped into Harbor Seafood and Oyster bar for a Swamp Platter.  That’s right, a swamp platter:

Swamp Platter at Harborside New Orleans, LA

Fried crawfish, frog legs, alligator chunks, alligator sausage, crawfish etouffe, and turtle soup for $18.50!?  How can you go wrong.  They certainly did not disappoint as the waitress carried out two monster plates brimming with food. We caught a few stares from other restaurant patrons as we were definitely a bit too excited for a plate of fried goodness.

swamp platter from Harborside Oyster House LA

One of the critical things you need to do before heading to Venice, LA is to stock up on groceries.  While there are a few restaurants down there, your best bet is to hit the local Wal-Mart super store to load up on all the provisions you’ll need for a few days in the swamp lands. Besides, where else can you load up on the motherload of Zapps VooDoo chips?

Zapps VooDoo Chips

The ride to Venice, LA is a tour through the countryside, a refreshing glimpse into the deep south.  Perhaps its my bitterness with Miami traffic, but it felt damn good to drive without another car in sight for an entire hour.

open road venice LA

We bunked down at Paradise Lodge, the official accommodations for guests of Paradise Outfitters.  The lodge is adorned in trophy photos from over two decades of legendary fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Gashed wahoo lures, bill whacked skirts, and tuna munched rubber flying fish hang with pride amidst photos of Paradise Outfitters most prized catches.  The lodge is clean, comfortable, and fully equipped with laundry, kitchen, and first class grilling patio.

lodging venice LA

paradise lodge venice la

The plan for day 1 was to target a myriad of pelagics on the rigs, then push onwards to explore new areas for daytime swordfishing in Louisiana. On the way to the floating rig, we stopped over at a pumping station to load up on what the Louisiana fishermen call “hard tails” (blue runners here in Miami). The bait was so thick around the cavernous pipes that every drop on the sabiki produced stringer after stringer of healthy baits.  In about 20 minutes, we had loaded the well with hundreds of palm sized hard tails – enough bait to permit live chumming.

Capt. Charlie Ellis of Miami, FL

Sunrise at a pumping station in the gulf of mexico

We arrived to the floating rig under clear skies, just in time for the early tuna bite.

Capt. Todd Malicoat fishing in Venice, LA

The first two baits in the water got crushed, producing two blackfin – one of which popped off at the boat.  Hunter setup to the North of the rig and the port rigger gets crushed – thinking it was a small blackfin I was aggressive with the fish, hauling it to the boat only to discover it was a nice cow dolphin accompanied by a big slammer!  A bit of mild panic ensues as the cow snagged a bottom rod and the pressure sent the hook flying right back at me – the bull promptly took off after the commotion, but that was the wake up call we needed to know the bite was definitely picking up.  We reset once again, but this time we see a big fin roll on the starboard hardtail.  Todd grabs the rod and up comes mr Marlin snaking his way across the surface!  The bite was a bit too ferocious and the snake walk was too fast to catch up – he spit the hook but sent everyone’s heart racing.  Lines back in and the yellowfins begin to wreak havoc.  Todd’s up first and pulls a nice 30lbr in the boat.

Todd Malicoat with a Venice, LA Yellowfin Tuna

Another big slam on the port side rigger and i’m locked in for a fight with a 40lbr which was an awesome fight on the new Penn’s.

Capt Charlie Ellis with a Venice, LA yellowfin Tuna

The bite shut down soon after releasing a smaller yellowfin and we decided to make the run to test our luck with some daytime swordfishing.  There aren’t many crews with the capability or experience to target broad bills during the daytime out of Venice, LA, but Paradise Outfitters has had a fair bit of experience.  Capt. Woody has fished with Capt. Nick on several occasions and has scored one nice daytimer to his credit so far. We made a few drops over some decent ledges with weak current and marked a bit of bait deep on the bottom.  A strike came on the second drop but it wasn’t acting very swordy – we all took turns hand cranking 1600 ft of line back onto the reel and up pops one of the stranger deep sea critters i’ve encountered to date – a Big Eye Six Gill Shark. With bright green eyes and a chocolate colored slimy skin, this was certainly a nightmarish site.

Big Eye Six Gill Shark caught while daytime swordfishing

Another drop, and yet again, another sixgill! Hard to believe but it appears they are in significant abundance down there!

Big eye six gill shark

We decided the Bigeye sixgill sharks were likely to keep chewing up the bottom baits before the swordies made an appearance so  we called it quits and headed for the dock with blackened tuna steaks on our mind.

Todd and Charlie with Tunas

Day 2 was a trophy mission. We decided to chase the shrimp boats first thing in the morning. When the shrimp boats begin trawling in the fall about 20 some miles south of the river’s mouth, large schools of tuna (all varieties) start showing up in tremendous numbers.  Enormous schools of bonitas and blackfins will blast the surface behind the boats while larger yellowfins lurk below.  It’s an incredible and unique fishery that keeps you waiting in anticipation for that one big fish (or wolf pack of huge tunas) to make an appearance.

Venice, LA in the morning

Arriving to the shrimping grounds as the sun rises is awesome to behold – tunas and birds everywhere, erupting in the slick behind the trawlers feeding on whatever comes there way.

Venice, LA Shrimp Boat Trawling the Gulf of Mexico

Woody Woods rigging rods

on the screen

As soon as our chunks hit the water there were hundreds of bonitas and blackfins busting all around us. After an hour of boating 25lb & 30lb blackfins with only a few smaller yellowfins in sight, we decided to press south for another round of daytime swordfishing.  Along the way we ran into a friendly shrimp boat that gladly exchanged a basket of cull for a tasty blackfin tuna.

Trading Tuna for Shrimp Boat ByCatch

Shrimp Boat bycatch

We made a few drops over ledges which looked PERFECT for swordfish.  Very similar to the structure off the coast of Islamorada in my opinion.  We fished hard and worked some good bottom, but time took its toll on our daytime swordfish efforts, which only produced ANOTHER big eye six gill shark.

daytime swordfishing venice LA

Big eye six gill shark

With the mid-day bite approaching and a report of a “monster” yellowfin being caught while chasing the shrimp boats, we hauled up the daytime sword rig and made the dash back to the shrimping grounds. We arrived to find tunas busting all around (bonitas and blacks) and knew there had to be some monster yellowfins in the mix.  We ran up behind one of the boats which seemed to have the largest flury of birds and bonitas and launched chunks into the water. On the second run we hooked two bruisers.  When I saw the first fish eat, I honestly thought it was a shark from its shoulders.  The width of the fish was absurd and the weight with which it pulled was crippling.  I called for the harness and went to work on him for 30 minutes before we got a glimpse of it -for a fleeting moment, we saw huge sickles and the broadside silvery yellow flash of an epic yellowfin. After sighting the boat, the fish ripped down about 100ft and put it in park.

Capt Charlie Ellis fighting giant yellowfin tuna

I did my best to keep my cool and remain calm, but my heart was literally on the verge of exploding with excitement. The drag was set to 27lbs, which Capt. Woody assured me wasn’t too much pressure for a fish this size.  We never fish that much pressure in South Florida, so part of the battle became a mental tug of war – talking myself out of backing down on the drag every 15 seconds. Sure enough, I slowly worked the fish up from the depths, adrenaline and anxiety boiling inside of me. This was the epic yellowfin I had chased for years and finally was just 100ft away.  Hunter prepped the harpoon while Woody moved the gaffs to the port side of the cat.

Capt Charlie Ellis fighting a tuna in venice, LA

 

Underwater image of giant yellowfin tuna in venice, LA

 

Our shot finally came and hunter sank the dart – I felt the pressure on the rod go light as Woody put the first gaff in the fish and held the beast to the boat. With the second gaff in place – one, two, three and over the side!

Capt Charlie Ellis of Miami, FL with a big venice, LA yellowfin tuna

Capt Charlie Ellis and Capt Todd Malicoat with a giant venice, LA yellowfin tuna

Capt Charlie Ellis of Miami, FL yellowfin tuna

Pelagic Pro Team Capts Hunter Caballero & Woody WoodsOnce the adrenaline wore off and the excitement gave way to exhaustion, my wits came back about me and the realization of success set in. I couldn’t help but smile all the way back to Venice Marina. Experiences like this are few and far between for South Florida anglers – true tests of strength, stamina, and angling ability. This was one of the fish battles I will always remember, but for the crew at Paradise Outfitters – it marks the start of yet another shrimp boat tuna season with many more giants to come.  There are few charter operations which can consistently put their crew on trophy tunas like this with impeccable consistency – Capt. Hunter and Capt. Woody are undoubtedly one of the leading teams fishing The Gulf.

paradise outfitters Venice, LA

While anyone can buy top notch tackle and boats, few can operate first class charter operations, and even fewer still have the experience to find, hook, and land giant yellowfin tuna in nearly any condition.

Capt. Charlie Ellis with a trophy yellowfin tuna caught fishing in venice, LA

Venice, LA Fishing with Paradise Outfitters is a truly world class experience. It’s rare to find unparalleled talent coupled with laid back attitude and perseverance.  Capt. Hunter is relentless in his pursuit of the biggest tunas in the gulf and there’s no doubt in my mind he will continue to be successful for years to come. If giant yellowfin tuna fishing is on your bucket list, do yourself a favor and make time for an expedition in Venice, LA.

Big Bull for the Marauder - Mahi Mahi Fishing Miami

Anyone who’s fished with me knows I avoid trolling whenever possible. I’m the first to admit that live baiting is more effective than trolling in Miami waters, but when bait is impossible to catch, putting in the time with effective trolling tactics can save the day.

As a live bait fisherman, I fervently believe that to consistently produce awesome days of fishing for friends and clients, you need to use the friskiest bait possible – but anyone on the offshore scene this time of year will tell you how difficult it’s been to catch bait. During our last few trips, our bait catching efforts have been mostly fruitless.  The pilchards have basically vanished from the bug light grounds, the cigar minnows are being jerks (even when chummed into a frenzy), and the threadfin herring are few and far between. When all you can manage is a dozen live baits at best (blue runners included), trolling during the course of your day offshore is inevitable.  So if you’re forced to troll lures or dead baits to turn that doldrum day into a success, consider these tips for the late summer season.

Tips for Trolling Dead Baits

Basic Trolling Spread
Basic Trolling Spread

There are three basic elements of trolling dead baits for Mahi Mahi, Tuna, Kingfish, and Wahoo in Miami, FL: Bait rigging, trolling speed, and tackle /spread configuration. Remarkably, trolling is not as simple as just tossing baits overboard and driving around. Many variables must be factored in order to get a strike, and more importantly, land a fish that bites on the troll. If you fail to plan accordingly when it comes to managing how your bait is rigged, the speed at which you’re dragging the bait, and the tackle/spread you’re using for the conditions – plan to fail.  Miserably.

When it comes to rigging baits for trolling, it’s important that your bait does not spin in the water. For example, an improperly rigged ballyhoo will helicopter its way through the water creating a massive twist in your leader or line that cannot be undone. Rigging baits properly makes a tremendous difference in the presentation of the bait at speed – and while there’s nothing natural about a dead bait flailing along at 6knots, if the presentation isn’t just right, the fish won’t bite. There are dozens of methods for rigging ballyhoo (a topic for another day), but whatever configuration you choose – make sure the bait does not spin.  Aside form ballyhoo, trolling mullet is also an excellent tactic – mullet and strip baits can be “butterflied” so it appears the bait is flapping along behind the boat.

A butterflied mullet for trolling
A butterflied mullet for trolling

In order to make your life much much easier, if you’re new to trolling offshore or don’t troll regularly with dead baits – invest in pre-rigged trolling baits from Baitmasters.  Seriously, every pack of their baits are rigged flawlessly and will help you get more bites. You’d be hard pressed to rig baits this well yourself, not to mention that when you buy their pre-rigged baits – you’re taking the guess work out of everything.  You’re buying a guarantee that your bait is rigged with knots/crimps that will not break when the time comes.  These are the trolling baits we use aboard the Marauder with tremendous success:

Baitmasters Mono Rigged Single Hook Ballyhoo
Baitmasters Mono Rigged Single Hook Ballyhoo
Select Ballyhoo Single Hook with Weight
Select Ballyhoo Single Hook with Weight
Wire Rigged Double Hook Ballyhoo
Wire Rigged Double Hook Ballyhoo

Now the debate is open when it comes to trolling rigged ballyhoo naked or with a skirt, but i’ll be open and honest that every dead bait we troll goes overboard with a blue on white sea witch skirt or a black and red sea witch skirt.  This is a sure fire way to streamline the bait in the water and give it an extra bit of action which can go along way. While i’ll never be able to prove by any scientific means that using a sea witch skirt increases the quantity of bites we get while trolling – I can tell you it makes a difference.

Typically, we troll our ballyhoo or mullet at a speed of 5.5 to 7 knots.  Rarely slower and rarely faster.  That range seems to really be the sweet spot for targeting large bull dolphin.  If you’re dragging baits rigged with a weight under their nose, try going up to 7.5 knots, and then back down to 5 knots.  As long as the baits are free of grass or debris and aren’t tangling, you’ll be in good shape.

When we troll current rips in 110′ to 140′ of water for kingfish and other species feeding close to shore, we tend to troll more slowly as the current pulls on the baits and can occasionally wash them out (we rarely have that issue with baitmaster products). Strip baits are excellent for trolling “the edge” for kingfish and various toothy predators. You can rig strip baits easily yourself and they are very effective for kingfish.

A Professionally rigged strip bait
A Professionally rigged strip bait

Now, most die-hard trolling enthusiasts will tell you there’s way more science and technique involved here.  For the most part that’s true.  But trolling dead baits is not rocket science.  This is one of the oldest known fishing tactics in the world. It’s still a dead bait being presented at speed so it looks alive – so think about what a fish is seeing in the water as your bait plops along.  The trick is to keep the presentation as natural as possible.  If rigged ballyhoo and mullet isn’t your preferred bait of choice, consider trolling a rigged bonita strip behind a small islander or black/red skirt. Bonita strips put out alot of scent and wiggle in the water like a bait fish if rigged correctly.  Up north in areas like Boca Raton, Stuart, WPB, and Jupiter – most pro Captains ONLY troll bonita strips for kings and wahoo – with great success. There’s plenty of reading material on that subject should you care to indulge.

High Speed Trolling Tips

Capt Charlie Ellis with a big Miami Wahoo
This wahoo ate a jig…but that’s a rare occasion

Again, high speed trolling is a science in and of itself.  There is alot of technical know-how which goes into doing it right.  The speed of the boat, the weight of the lure, the weight of the in-line sinker, the sea conditions/current – all of these variables impact your ability to connect with a wahoo on the high speed troll. I’m not a huge fan of this tactic because it burns a ridiculous amount of fuel, but it is tried and true if wahoo is your target.  It’s by far the most effective method to connect with a massive sea wolf and the bite is sizzling! If you want to take a technical view on the subject, check out this outrageously informative article from sportfishing magazine – 12 Wahoo Fishing Techniques.  It’s one of the best on the web.

Understanding your spread is the key to high speed trolling effectively. It takes alot of high quality gear to get this job done right.  For the most part, you need to be trolling at a speed of 14 to 15 knots.  That’s quick! In order to keep your baits below the surface, you need to use an in-line sinker between 24 oz and 32 oz to stay down deep.

Standard Issue Wahoo Trolling Weights
Standard Issue Wahoo Trolling Weights

Odds are you won’t be a high speed wahoo trolling pro anytime soon, but you don’t have to be in order to fish a spread effectively.  Think about it logically, heavier rigs fished closer to the boat will stay deeper.  The more line you let out, the high up in the water column the bait will plane. When we go high speed trolling for wahoo, we typically fish three baits at three different depths. For the most part, we let one lure out 200ft, a second at 300ft, and a third at 400ft.  The bait closest to the boat gets the heaviest weight (32oz), the second gets a 24oz, and the third gets nothing (fished just below the surface).  Pro teams will fish up to 6 baits with staggered depths on the port and starboard side of the vessel – that’s alot of lead in the water and I personally don’t enjoy trolling that much to practice it often.  🙂

high speed wahoo trolling diagram
Standard high speed wahoo trolling Rig

When it comes to high speed trolling lures for wahoo, you have to go with a bullet head of some sort.  I’m a huge fan of Capt. Ray’s Wahoo Magnets, but i’m also partial to oversized wahoo lures in bonita colors. I’m a firm believer that big wahoo slam bonitas all day long – why wouldn’t they? Consider investing in a few C&H trolling lures as well.

There’s ALOT of information on high speed wahoo trolling online, but one of my favorite articles (actually the article that got me on track) is by Capt. Ron Schatman – the “Wahoo King”. Definitely worth a read. 

Trolling Lures that Work

I grew up trolling on the Chesapeake Bay for striped bass – and I believe this is where my disdain for trolling began. We would spend endless hours dragging crippled alewives, stretch 20’s, umbrella rigs, and BIG parachute jigs rigged with 10″ sassy shads all over the place in an effort to catch rockfish.  Our efforts were mostly in vain (it wasn’t until we started using massive planning boards and fishing up to fourteen lines that we started catching fish consistently), but I did learn a few important lessons when it comes to trolling lures – i’ll share those in this segment about trolling lures that work.

First of all, there are so many damn trolling lures on the market today that it’s dizzying when you have to make a purchase decision. If you’re fishing out of Miami, FL – you don’t need giant marlin lures (as awesome as they are). You have to buy trolling lures for the fish that are in the area.  If trolling for mahi mahi, wahoo, tuna, and the occasional kingfish is your goal – don’t buy lures designed to attract black marlin.  You don’t need big trolling lures to catch big fish. Focus on building a collection of feather jigs, small bullet head skirts, Rapala diving plugs, stretch 20’s, and some jet lures.

When it comes to feather jigs, it’s hard to go wrong with a blue on white, red on black, or a yellow feather jig. Grab a few small yellow and small white feather jigs and be fearless in deploying them. The feathers give a nice wiggle when trolled at 6knots and are reliable enough to get a bite. The dolphin delight is a local favorite, but I prefer straight feather jigs on the troll.

Rapalas are a goto shallow water trolling bait for grouper along reef lines.  It’s important to use the larger version of the rapala diving plugs and bounce it along the bottom.  Be careful when you’re doing this as it’s likely you will snag a rock or piece of coral.  Make sure you’re dragging along the sandy edge near the rocks, or you’ll be losing $20 lures all day long!

Your best bet is to purchase a lure kite for dolphin, a lure kit for wahoo, and a lure kit for tuna.  Smaller lures work better than larger versions. The trick is to keep the spread looking as even and natural as possible while it moves through the waters.  If you don’t have outriggers, realistically, you can troll one bait deep and two up top – anymore than that will create a massive tangle.

Planers Catch More Fish

Aluminum planers are key to catching fish when the bite is slow and there isn’t much live bait. Trolling planers along the edge can produce kingfish, bonitas, and the occasional wahoo.  The trick here is in the deployment of the rig – it’s simple, but takes a bit of practice to get it right.

The real trick with planers is to make sure  the rig will “break away” from the main line once you get a bite.  You can effectively troll small bullet head skirts with a bonita strip down deep where the kingfish and wahoo hunt if you’re using this technique properly.  When the bite is slow at the surface, this is a critical technique to get a bite when trolling the edge off Miami, FL.  A Sea Striker #5 is the go to planer you need in order to make this technique work effectively. If you’re trolling with outboards, be particularly careful while maneuvering the boat – the mono leader line connecting the planer to your stern will be dangerously close to your propellers at all times – so make sure to stay alert and don’t make any sudden changes in course.

Capt Charlie Ellis with a big Miami Kingfish

Summertime in Miami, FL is one of the best times of the year to target BIG kingfish. These voracious and abundant predators arrive in force, pursuing the droves of bonitas which flourish in the warmer water. Targeting kingfish is pretty easy, as they can be found from 90′ to 140′ of water, often slightly shallower depending on the strength of the current. They are a blast to catch on light tackle and make blistering initial runs before settling into the fight. While there are still plenty of dolphin offshore should you happen upon floating debris, if you’re dealing with doldrum conditions, try these time tested kingfish tactics to keep the rods bent and the reels screaming.

Light Wire for Big Kings

Kingfish have exceptionally jagged and sharp teeth, but not sharp enough to slice through fine wire. The bottom line is that you don’t need excessively heavy wire to catch kingfish on light tackle.  Unlike wahoo, kingfish have wider gaps between their teeth that are better for shredding than slicing. Their feeding patterns are similar, but wahoo by far have a more devastating bite.

Kingfish Teeth
Kingfish Teeth are Sharp, but not Wahoo Sharp!

In the summertime, when conditions are exceptionally calm, using lighter gauge wire for your kingfish rig can make a world of difference.  Despite their insatiable appetite, kingfish have keen eyesight and can be sensitive to wire that’s larger than #3. While trailing treble hooks have their advantage when concealed effectively, it’s important to keep the bait as natural as possible – super heavy stiff wire makes this impossible.

If you’re not getting a consistent bite of kingfish, try downsizing the wire you’re using – or try 60 to 80lb flourocarbon with a 6/0 or 7/0 light wire circle hook. You will get cut off regularly, but the volume of bites you attract will increase and circle hooks increase the likelihood of staying connected.

Get Dirty

It’s no mystery that dirty water is where kingfish prefer to hunt. Fishing in depths of 90′ to 130′ when the water is cloudy usually affords the opportunity to target kingfish with tremendous effectiveness. Big kings often hold near structure (i.e. reefs, drop offs, or wrecks) with current, especially when poor visibility enables them to hunt efficiently. When fishing in dirty water, be sure to stagger baits in the water column until you start getting bites consistently at a particular depth.  Kingfish tend to swim in schools, so where one fish is chewing, odds are there will be more.  Monitor the depth you are fishing closely to identify whether fish are feeding – and hold to that depth, making multiple drifts.

Go Deep

While kingfish often skyrocket out of the water to attack kite baits, they primarily hunt in the middle of the water column, usually around thermoclines. While staggering baits at multiple depths is a best bet to catch quantities of kingfish, larger specimens are typically lazy feeders, dwelling deeper in the water column. If the current will allow, keep a dead rigged bait within 30 feet of the bottom, and a live bait 2o feet shallower.  Large fish will assault a cigar minnow, blue runner, or Goggle eye out if its element.

When you fish deep, be prepared to get tight on a fish once you hear the bite.  Kingfish are sneaky and will often take the bait and run shallower once they feel the sting of the hook. Going slack on a kingfish will cost you – it’s important to be prepared for a bite and react quickly.

Sting like a Bee

Using stinger hooks can be an extremely effective technique as kingfish tend to smack baits hard, often leaving just the head of the bait attached to the hook.  A trailing treble provides an extra opportunity to hook fish that otherwise slice a live bait in two, but this technique has a distinct advantage and disadvantage.  On the positive side, treble hooks are notoriously “sticky” and will take hold in just about anything that brushes them. Negatively, treble hooks are bulky and can be easily seen by Kingfish. Keeping the treble hook as concealed as possible when using a double hook rig for kingfish is a critical point of success.

Here’s one of the tournament proven stinger rigs demonstrated clearly:

 

Bet on the Bottom

It’s commonplace is kingfish tournaments for boats to locate “offshore live bottom”. These are ledges which can be found in 70′ to 100′ of water, usually a sharp drop off with significant concentrations of bait or small snappers. Live bottom can be the edge of reefs, rocks, or sandy shelves that descend down into the depths.  Typically, the current washes over this structure providing an eddy for bait to congregate.  Offshore live bottom can occasionally be found at the edge of a thermocline, where current tends to intersect.

When you find a ledge, slope, or wall that is holding bait, it’s likely that large kingfish will be holding in the area. Downriggers are ideal for fishing this type of structure, but are not critical.  Fish a deep rod using a three way swivel – typically with a long flourocarbon leader to a bite wire, rigged with a big bait.  Cigar minnows and goggle eyes are ideal for fishing deeper as they stay frisky and thrash wildly.