11-14-2006, 02:39 PM
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Transition time again with fish on the move, the days of calm, sunny and hot are coming to an end with water temperatures on the flats in the mid 70’s on cloudy days in November. Winds are now picking up so now some of the flats fishing has turned into creek and sheltered water fishing which has been good and only will get better.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]If you find a shallow enough draft boat, some of the sheltered bays with shallow water are holding nice snook and a few reds. I fish these areas when the winds have been kicking up as the backcountry water has not been affected and is still clear enough to see the fish lying in the mud. In the upcoming months there should be an increasing amount of big boys back there.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Soft plastics by Spike-it, are my choice, with light weight reeled slowly, with Quantum Cabo 30’s, in front of the fish will get his attention. Snook fishing around mangrove shore lines is always a blast and it should be good west of Flamingo on a rising tide if the temperature stays warm for a few days. Use top water like high rollers or skitter walk imitations of mullet in the morning as they will work well.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Flats fishing in the last couple of weeks have been average to incredible on a day to day basis because the fish are moving around a lot. The redfish have been big for Florida Bay standards with three catches of reds over 15 lbs on the flats. Pam Baker of Ft. Lauderdale caught two last week over 15 lbs on Spike-it soft plastics, very large fish …… I thought with the wakes they were pushing that they were 4ft sharks from a distance! Glenn Hyde of the Redlands caught his first, 3 nice reds on a crappy rainy day, if it had not been for the squall line bearing down on us we would have had a stellar morning with nice low incoming water and fish pushing up on the flats all over the place including a couple of trout at 23 inches. Unfortunately, as we approached the pot holes on the flats we spooked out some giant snook and watched them bolt around us.[/size][/font]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Tarpon fishing has been real nice but the fish have been small from 5 to 15 lbs. Tom Oakes and Wayne Kotbra of Stuart Fla. jumped 26 little guys and boated 6 on light tackle, with Wayne getting a nice Glades grand slam of tarpon, snook and a real nice redfish. D.O.A. shrimp and live pilchards were the baits of choice for these fish. A grand catch by Tom Oakes with his secret “livey in the trees method” is worth mentioning in this report. His pilchard hung below the trees just barely touching the water, just like a goggle eye hanging from a kite to catch a sailfish, and this 10 lb tarpon inhales it. Tom fights the tarpon out of the trees and boats the fish, great story and job of cracking me up!! Close but out of the trees is generally the rule, but after seeing this catch, Tom just might be on to something![/size][/font]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Biscayne Bay bone fishing has been coming back great after the algae bloom. Low water on the outside on relatively calm days is showing good schools. Some of the fish have been on the smaller size averaging 7lbs but the normal guys a little bigger are still there. Also the western shoreline has been producing some nice fish and will remain good. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Flats fishing in the cooler months will be just as good as last year or better as fish will want to warm themselves on rising water in the late mornings and early afternoons.[/size][/font]
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[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] Tight lines[/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] Captain Jim Hale[/font][/size]
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[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]If you find a shallow enough draft boat, some of the sheltered bays with shallow water are holding nice snook and a few reds. I fish these areas when the winds have been kicking up as the backcountry water has not been affected and is still clear enough to see the fish lying in the mud. In the upcoming months there should be an increasing amount of big boys back there.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Soft plastics by Spike-it, are my choice, with light weight reeled slowly, with Quantum Cabo 30’s, in front of the fish will get his attention. Snook fishing around mangrove shore lines is always a blast and it should be good west of Flamingo on a rising tide if the temperature stays warm for a few days. Use top water like high rollers or skitter walk imitations of mullet in the morning as they will work well.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Flats fishing in the last couple of weeks have been average to incredible on a day to day basis because the fish are moving around a lot. The redfish have been big for Florida Bay standards with three catches of reds over 15 lbs on the flats. Pam Baker of Ft. Lauderdale caught two last week over 15 lbs on Spike-it soft plastics, very large fish …… I thought with the wakes they were pushing that they were 4ft sharks from a distance! Glenn Hyde of the Redlands caught his first, 3 nice reds on a crappy rainy day, if it had not been for the squall line bearing down on us we would have had a stellar morning with nice low incoming water and fish pushing up on the flats all over the place including a couple of trout at 23 inches. Unfortunately, as we approached the pot holes on the flats we spooked out some giant snook and watched them bolt around us.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Tarpon fishing has been real nice but the fish have been small from 5 to 15 lbs. Tom Oakes and Wayne Kotbra of Stuart Fla. jumped 26 little guys and boated 6 on light tackle, with Wayne getting a nice Glades grand slam of tarpon, snook and a real nice redfish. D.O.A. shrimp and live pilchards were the baits of choice for these fish. A grand catch by Tom Oakes with his secret “livey in the trees method” is worth mentioning in this report. His pilchard hung below the trees just barely touching the water, just like a goggle eye hanging from a kite to catch a sailfish, and this 10 lb tarpon inhales it. Tom fights the tarpon out of the trees and boats the fish, great story and job of cracking me up!! Close but out of the trees is generally the rule, but after seeing this catch, Tom just might be on to something![/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"]Biscayne Bay bone fishing has been coming back great after the algae bloom. Low water on the outside on relatively calm days is showing good schools. Some of the fish have been on the smaller size averaging 7lbs but the normal guys a little bigger are still there. Also the western shoreline has been producing some nice fish and will remain good. [/font][/size]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3]Flats fishing in the cooler months will be just as good as last year or better as fish will want to warm themselves on rising water in the late mornings and early afternoons.[/size][/font]
[font "Times New Roman"][size 3] [/size][/font]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] Tight lines[/font][/size]
[size 3][font "Times New Roman"] Captain Jim Hale[/font][/size]
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