03-07-2006, 07:28 PM
It's almost time for me to go fishing again, so lets get caught up on the fishing activity since February 26th.
Sunday evening (2/26), Don Eichin and his son Eric were out to sample evening tarpon fishing in Miami. The wind was from the north @ 20 - 28 knots. The south side of the south jetty gave us protection from the seas created by the wind. The tarpon were thick and they were hungry during the incoming tide. The first fish threw the hook on it's second jump. We caught and released the next 3 fish before the tide started going out and the fish shut off. Throw in a ladyfish and we were 3 for 4 on tarpon this evening.
Wednesday (3/1) Matt Jimenez, his dad Pablo, and friend Tim fished for a 3/4 day trip offshore. The wind varied from the south to the NNW @ 2 - 8 knots. We had no current on the reef, so we ran offshore some to find dolphin. The birds put us on fish and we caught eleven fish. There were 3 keepers and the rest were undersized throw backs.
Wednesday (3/1) evening, it was back to tarpon at Government Cut on the south side. The incoming tide had the fish stacked up again and at dusk, we caught 2 fish on 2 drifts. A few drifts later, we fought a larger tarpon for 10 minutes before it jumped and threw the hook. With no further action, we moved to the north side. The first drift had us hooked up again and this time the hook pulled before I could give chase with Knot Nancy. The next drift we hooked up again and fought this fish for 20 minutes on a 12# outfit before it too made a jump and gave us our hook back. That had us finishing the evening at 2 for 5.
Thursday (3/2) we started at 11 AM. Dave Cingari and friends Greg, Peter, and Bob were down to get in some fishing and a break from the cold weather back home. Dolphin were once again on the agenda. The birds helped us again and by the time it was time to go in to tarpon fish, we had caught and released 7 dolphin. They were all undersized fish. Tarpon fishing had us starting with an outgoing tide and fish rolling everywhere in the main channel. We caught and released two fish before the tide started coming in. One drift on the south side and we caught our third tarpon of the evening. After that we had no more action. The evening ended catching and releasing 2 jack crevalle in the main channel and 3 for 3 on tarpon.
Friday (3/3) morning, Tino and Raul fished for a half day. The wind was SW to WNW @ 5 - 9 knots. There was no current and we had green water conditions. Fishing in the area of the Haulover Outlet, we caught 3 kingfish and 2 bonito. The action was equally divided between the flat lines and downrigger.
Friday (3/3) evening, Matt Jimenez and his friend Tim were back for an evening of tarpon fishing. We had south to west winds @ 18 - 20 knots. The tarpon were playing hard to get this evening. My friend and fellow Captain Gil Gutierrez located some fish on the north side that were feeding on a shrimp run. On out last drift of the evening, Tim hooked up and 55 minutes later, we released a beautiful 120# fish that had both Tim and Matt fighting the fish.
Saturday (3/4) morning, Dan Levy, his son Alan, and father-in-law Jimmy spent some time together fishing off Haulover. The wind stated out in the NNW direction @ 9 knots. There was a perfect blue/green edge in 120'. About 3/4's of the way through the morning, the wind switched to the NE @ 20 knots. Everyone was switching to the ex-heavy kites. By this time, we had 3 kingfish in the fishbox. All the action was on the downrigger fished 60' down. With the seas picking up quickly, They decided it was time to go in and had plans for the kingfish steaks.
Sunday (3/5) morning, Eileen Clark, her daughter, Sharon, and son-in-law, Matt we out for a 3/4 day trip. Sharon and Matt were having a blast just catching bait. We very quickly had a livewell full of pilchards and a few herring. The fishing started slow and progressively got better as the morning progressed. We chased birds offshore amongst the weedlines and finally caught and released two dolphin. Moving back in to just north of the Miami Sea Buoy, we had a doubleheader sailfish on in 120'. The first fish ate a herring on the downrigger, and the second a pilchard on the kite. We chased Matt's fish on a 12# spinning outfit while Sharon just held on with the 20# kite outfit. We got Matt's official catch and then worked on Sharon's fish. We caught Sharon's fish and got a few quick pictures before releasing it. Next we went back to work on Matt's fish to get some more video. We had the fish up several times before it sounded and the hooks finally pulled. Our next action had Eileen on the rod and came on the downrigger in the form of a throw back size kingfish. The final action of the day once again stated with Eileen and resulted in a bonito with friends. Matt hooked up and caught another.
Sunday (3/5) evening I had the Little family out. Mike, his wife Ann, daughter Ashley, and son Will are seasoned tarpon anglers. Will brought along his favorite outfit and wanted to test it against a tarpon. The E/ENE wind @ 10 - 11 knots gave us pleasant sea conditions. We saw and marked lots of tarpon on the south side at Government Cut. Will's outfit was getting all the action in the form of squid killing our live shrimp. Ashley's outfit started to bend over and about the time she got the outfit out of the rod holder, the fish was gone. We moved to the north side and on the second drift, Will got his chance. The 80# tarpon dumped about 90% of the line off his reel on its first run. The battle continued with Will rapidly gaining line back. The fish made a few quick dives under Knot Nancy and we countered each move. Dad was busy taking pictures with Mom and His sister giving moral support. We got the leader several times, got the pictures to prove it, and the fish was released. The next drift, Ashley hooked up to a very mean and nasty 40# tarpon. It made 3 very quick jumps right at boat side with the fish slamming into the bow of the boat on its last jump of the series before making a 50 yard run. Ashley fought it back to have its picture taken and released. The next two drifts each produced ladyfish and that Mike and Ann caught. Ann's fish was a very large one that pulled drag and was right at 4 pounds.
And that brings us to Monday (3/6) evening. The wind stated in the south and switched to the west @ 16 - 20 knots. We saw a few fish roll on the north side. Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, and kingfish were caught and released. We went inside to the Bay and saw numerous fish feeding. We set up and presented our baits, only to have the tarpon refuse them. Back outside and more ladyfish action. Up to Haulover we went to finish the evening. The conditions were perfect at Haulover. The only thing missing were the tarpon and that's how the evening ended.
We're now up to date. It's back out to tarpon fish again this evening. The rest of March is quite filled in, however, I do have a few openings. April is starting to book up. Don't forget that April is the transition month when we'll have both the winter and summer fish together. Call and book your trip so you won't miss out on any of the action.
Whether it's the edge or the Inlets, I'll see you out there.
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters
305 620-5896 Charter
305 965-9454 Cell
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
[signature]
Sunday evening (2/26), Don Eichin and his son Eric were out to sample evening tarpon fishing in Miami. The wind was from the north @ 20 - 28 knots. The south side of the south jetty gave us protection from the seas created by the wind. The tarpon were thick and they were hungry during the incoming tide. The first fish threw the hook on it's second jump. We caught and released the next 3 fish before the tide started going out and the fish shut off. Throw in a ladyfish and we were 3 for 4 on tarpon this evening.
Wednesday (3/1) Matt Jimenez, his dad Pablo, and friend Tim fished for a 3/4 day trip offshore. The wind varied from the south to the NNW @ 2 - 8 knots. We had no current on the reef, so we ran offshore some to find dolphin. The birds put us on fish and we caught eleven fish. There were 3 keepers and the rest were undersized throw backs.
Wednesday (3/1) evening, it was back to tarpon at Government Cut on the south side. The incoming tide had the fish stacked up again and at dusk, we caught 2 fish on 2 drifts. A few drifts later, we fought a larger tarpon for 10 minutes before it jumped and threw the hook. With no further action, we moved to the north side. The first drift had us hooked up again and this time the hook pulled before I could give chase with Knot Nancy. The next drift we hooked up again and fought this fish for 20 minutes on a 12# outfit before it too made a jump and gave us our hook back. That had us finishing the evening at 2 for 5.
Thursday (3/2) we started at 11 AM. Dave Cingari and friends Greg, Peter, and Bob were down to get in some fishing and a break from the cold weather back home. Dolphin were once again on the agenda. The birds helped us again and by the time it was time to go in to tarpon fish, we had caught and released 7 dolphin. They were all undersized fish. Tarpon fishing had us starting with an outgoing tide and fish rolling everywhere in the main channel. We caught and released two fish before the tide started coming in. One drift on the south side and we caught our third tarpon of the evening. After that we had no more action. The evening ended catching and releasing 2 jack crevalle in the main channel and 3 for 3 on tarpon.
Friday (3/3) morning, Tino and Raul fished for a half day. The wind was SW to WNW @ 5 - 9 knots. There was no current and we had green water conditions. Fishing in the area of the Haulover Outlet, we caught 3 kingfish and 2 bonito. The action was equally divided between the flat lines and downrigger.
Friday (3/3) evening, Matt Jimenez and his friend Tim were back for an evening of tarpon fishing. We had south to west winds @ 18 - 20 knots. The tarpon were playing hard to get this evening. My friend and fellow Captain Gil Gutierrez located some fish on the north side that were feeding on a shrimp run. On out last drift of the evening, Tim hooked up and 55 minutes later, we released a beautiful 120# fish that had both Tim and Matt fighting the fish.
Saturday (3/4) morning, Dan Levy, his son Alan, and father-in-law Jimmy spent some time together fishing off Haulover. The wind stated out in the NNW direction @ 9 knots. There was a perfect blue/green edge in 120'. About 3/4's of the way through the morning, the wind switched to the NE @ 20 knots. Everyone was switching to the ex-heavy kites. By this time, we had 3 kingfish in the fishbox. All the action was on the downrigger fished 60' down. With the seas picking up quickly, They decided it was time to go in and had plans for the kingfish steaks.
Sunday (3/5) morning, Eileen Clark, her daughter, Sharon, and son-in-law, Matt we out for a 3/4 day trip. Sharon and Matt were having a blast just catching bait. We very quickly had a livewell full of pilchards and a few herring. The fishing started slow and progressively got better as the morning progressed. We chased birds offshore amongst the weedlines and finally caught and released two dolphin. Moving back in to just north of the Miami Sea Buoy, we had a doubleheader sailfish on in 120'. The first fish ate a herring on the downrigger, and the second a pilchard on the kite. We chased Matt's fish on a 12# spinning outfit while Sharon just held on with the 20# kite outfit. We got Matt's official catch and then worked on Sharon's fish. We caught Sharon's fish and got a few quick pictures before releasing it. Next we went back to work on Matt's fish to get some more video. We had the fish up several times before it sounded and the hooks finally pulled. Our next action had Eileen on the rod and came on the downrigger in the form of a throw back size kingfish. The final action of the day once again stated with Eileen and resulted in a bonito with friends. Matt hooked up and caught another.
Sunday (3/5) evening I had the Little family out. Mike, his wife Ann, daughter Ashley, and son Will are seasoned tarpon anglers. Will brought along his favorite outfit and wanted to test it against a tarpon. The E/ENE wind @ 10 - 11 knots gave us pleasant sea conditions. We saw and marked lots of tarpon on the south side at Government Cut. Will's outfit was getting all the action in the form of squid killing our live shrimp. Ashley's outfit started to bend over and about the time she got the outfit out of the rod holder, the fish was gone. We moved to the north side and on the second drift, Will got his chance. The 80# tarpon dumped about 90% of the line off his reel on its first run. The battle continued with Will rapidly gaining line back. The fish made a few quick dives under Knot Nancy and we countered each move. Dad was busy taking pictures with Mom and His sister giving moral support. We got the leader several times, got the pictures to prove it, and the fish was released. The next drift, Ashley hooked up to a very mean and nasty 40# tarpon. It made 3 very quick jumps right at boat side with the fish slamming into the bow of the boat on its last jump of the series before making a 50 yard run. Ashley fought it back to have its picture taken and released. The next two drifts each produced ladyfish and that Mike and Ann caught. Ann's fish was a very large one that pulled drag and was right at 4 pounds.
And that brings us to Monday (3/6) evening. The wind stated in the south and switched to the west @ 16 - 20 knots. We saw a few fish roll on the north side. Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, and kingfish were caught and released. We went inside to the Bay and saw numerous fish feeding. We set up and presented our baits, only to have the tarpon refuse them. Back outside and more ladyfish action. Up to Haulover we went to finish the evening. The conditions were perfect at Haulover. The only thing missing were the tarpon and that's how the evening ended.
We're now up to date. It's back out to tarpon fish again this evening. The rest of March is quite filled in, however, I do have a few openings. April is starting to book up. Don't forget that April is the transition month when we'll have both the winter and summer fish together. Call and book your trip so you won't miss out on any of the action.
Whether it's the edge or the Inlets, I'll see you out there.
Captain Dave Kostyo
Knot Nancy Fishing Charters
305 620-5896 Charter
305 965-9454 Cell
www.knotnancy.com
nkostyo@bellsouth.net
[signature]