The weather is warming up and the fishing is getting better by the day. The past few trips have produced sailfish, blackfin tunas, amberjacks, kingfish, and countless bonitas. While there have been a few reports of some nice dolphin being caught on the edge and offshore, we have yet to encounter the massive schools which are common in the month of May. We’ve focused our efforts on kite fishing since the wind has cooperated the past two weeks, chasing the morning and afternoon sailfish bite with consistent success.
With pilchards being scarce at bug light (although we’ve arrived early a few times and managed to get the net on them) after the bonitas rip them to shreds once the sun comes up – we’ve been catching cigar minnows and sardines at the monument buoy. Larger baits like cigar minnows and sardines are excellent sailfish and kingfish baits despite being not as hardy as goggle eyes. We’ve been keeping anywhere from four to five dozen cigar minnows on hand at the dock to stay prepared if the pilchards and threadfins remain elusive.
Fishing anywhere from 110′ to 150′ has produced sailfish, kingfish, and bonita bites with tremendous consistency. Jigging the wrecks for amberjacks in 200′ to 250′ of water has produced amberjacks in the 30# – 40# class (a bruising battle with our custom jigging rods paired with Penn Battle reels).
The sailfish bite seems almost entirely dependent on the current – when we see 1.5 knots or more of current, the fishing is outstanding. When the current is less than 1knt, it can be hit or miss. When the current is weak, big bonitas get the best of us.
Grouper season opens May 1st and we’ll be heading out first thing in the morning to see if our Grouper spots have replenished the past few months. We’ve been catching lots of red groupers on the bottom rods with mutton snappers mixed in. With any luck – the gag and black groupers will be hungry and feeding!
Capt. Charlie Ellis
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