Another incredible opportunity I had on a cruise ship was a stop by the ship at Belize City. This was on a West Caribbean cruise that also featured stops in Costa Rica and Panama. These other stops are another story.
Although I had ample opprtunities to contact the usual operators of fishing trips for Belize City, I did not. I was snooked out by prior trips to Key Island Estate (www.keyislandestate.com) where I lost count of what I caught and released. My permit fever was eased the prior June by my second trip to Tropical Beach Resort (www.bayislandtropicalbeachresort.com) where I was successful. Now I was way up from Honduras in Belize and looking for something new. Since I was taking this as a partial family experience, I thought I'd better mix up shore excursions with fishing opportunities.
So, I chose a snorkelling trip to Goff's Cay on the reef dropoff and packed two rods. After jumping into this incredible water for a good dive, I saw what was underneath the 3 -engined 25 footer than ran us out there: loads of fish from top to bottom. After the other snorkellers were in the water and under the guidance of other boats, I persuaded my Captain, "Pike" to take me slightly further out and away from the people.
I had two ultralight spinners loaded with 4 and 6 pound line, so I kept my casts to the ascending reef wall from 5 to 20 feet deep. I was loaded up on 30 pound fluorocarbon and small white bucktails. My first cast yielded an immediate hookup with a "flag" yellowtail snapper..then another, and another. "Pike looked longingly at the fish, but said the fish could not be kept, and had to be released..to his regret! More casts slightly offshore were nailed by some of the biggest houndfish I have ever seen: one was almost 4 feet long. When these fish got cautious, big blue runners moved in, and it was one after the other again. Periodically, cero mackeral would crowd the act, and cut me off.
The one deep drop I made with the lure in 50 feet of water was nailed within three seconds and cut off in three seconds more..Pike was sure that was a 'cuda. It turned out to be a riotous 4 hours of fishing.
I was glad I made an angling choice that was offbeat and unusual. I could have done the usual things..maybe gone off for permit on fly and pray for a catch so I could drink cognac from a silver cup to join the annointed few. I am grateful to follow a different drumbeat, one that avoids the runaway elitism that has almost totally polluted flats and inshore fishing. Simply, I was happy to be under the bright tropical sun, catching and releasing fish, in fellowship with new friends!
Jan
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Port of call: Belize- A novel approach
Another incredible opportunity I had on a cruise ship was a stop by the ship at Belize City. This was on a West Caribbean cruise that also featured stops in Costa Rica and Panama. These other stops are another story.
Although I had ample opprtunities to contact the usual operators of fishing trips for Belize City, I did not. I was snooked out by prior trips to Key Island Estate (www.keyislandestate.com) where I lost count of what I caught and released. My permit fever was eased the prior June by my second trip to Tropical Beach Resort (www.bayislandtropicalbeachresort.com) where I was successful. Now I was way up from Honduras in Belize and looking for something new. Since I was taking this as a partial family experience, I thought I'd better mix up shore excursions with fishing opportunities.
So, I chose a snorkelling trip to Goff's Cay on the reef dropoff and packed two rods. After jumping into this incredible water for a good dive, I saw what was underneath the 3 -engined 25 footer than ran us out there: loads of fish from top to bottom. After the other snorkellers were in the water and under the guidance of other boats, I persuaded my Captain, "Pike" to take me slightly further out and away from the people.
I had two ultralight spinners loaded with 4 and 6 pound line, so I kept my casts to the ascending reef wall from 5 to 20 feet deep. I was loaded up on 30 pound fluorocarbon and small white bucktails. My first cast yielded an immediate hookup with a "flag" yellowtail snapper..then another, and another. "Pike looked longingly at the fish, but said the fish could not be kept, and had to be released..to his regret! More casts slightly offshore were nailed by some of the biggest houndfish I have ever seen: one was almost 4 feet long. When these fish got cautious, big blue runners moved in, and it was one after the other again. Periodically, cero mackeral would crowd the act, and cut me off.
The one deep drop I made with the lure in 50 feet of water was nailed within three seconds and cut off in three seconds more..Pike was sure that was a 'cuda. It turned out to be a riotous 4 hours of fishing.
I was glad I made an angling choice that was offbeat and unusual. I could have done the usual things..maybe gone off for permit on fly and pray for a catch so I could drink cognac from a silver cup to join the annointed few. I am grateful to follow a different drumbeat, one that avoids the runaway elitism that has almost totally polluted flats and inshore fishing. Simply, I was happy to be under the bright tropical sun, catching and releasing fish, in fellowship with new friends!
Jan
Although I had ample opprtunities to contact the usual operators of fishing trips for Belize City, I did not. I was snooked out by prior trips to Key Island Estate (www.keyislandestate.com) where I lost count of what I caught and released. My permit fever was eased the prior June by my second trip to Tropical Beach Resort (www.bayislandtropicalbeachresort.com) where I was successful. Now I was way up from Honduras in Belize and looking for something new. Since I was taking this as a partial family experience, I thought I'd better mix up shore excursions with fishing opportunities.
So, I chose a snorkelling trip to Goff's Cay on the reef dropoff and packed two rods. After jumping into this incredible water for a good dive, I saw what was underneath the 3 -engined 25 footer than ran us out there: loads of fish from top to bottom. After the other snorkellers were in the water and under the guidance of other boats, I persuaded my Captain, "Pike" to take me slightly further out and away from the people.
I had two ultralight spinners loaded with 4 and 6 pound line, so I kept my casts to the ascending reef wall from 5 to 20 feet deep. I was loaded up on 30 pound fluorocarbon and small white bucktails. My first cast yielded an immediate hookup with a "flag" yellowtail snapper..then another, and another. "Pike looked longingly at the fish, but said the fish could not be kept, and had to be released..to his regret! More casts slightly offshore were nailed by some of the biggest houndfish I have ever seen: one was almost 4 feet long. When these fish got cautious, big blue runners moved in, and it was one after the other again. Periodically, cero mackeral would crowd the act, and cut me off.
The one deep drop I made with the lure in 50 feet of water was nailed within three seconds and cut off in three seconds more..Pike was sure that was a 'cuda. It turned out to be a riotous 4 hours of fishing.
I was glad I made an angling choice that was offbeat and unusual. I could have done the usual things..maybe gone off for permit on fly and pray for a catch so I could drink cognac from a silver cup to join the annointed few. I am grateful to follow a different drumbeat, one that avoids the runaway elitism that has almost totally polluted flats and inshore fishing. Simply, I was happy to be under the bright tropical sun, catching and releasing fish, in fellowship with new friends!
Jan
Friday, March 25, 2005
What a Difference some sun makes!
Last few days in Miami absolutely warm and humid. All the inshore fish activating in South Biscayne Bay. I got in on an early tarpon bite and released two fish over one hundred pounds each before 8 a.m. p.m. If they' re slow to take a fly, you'll still be able to look yourself in the mirror if you toss a small shrimp at a rolling fish.
Jan
Jan
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Spring Beckons for OverUnder Charters and Rum Cay
I received some exciting news from Trey Rhyne, president of OverUnderCharters that their vessel bagged a huge 148 pound wahoo off the Cat Island/ Rum Cay area. The information that I have from Trey is that OverUnder Charters (www.overundercharters.com) offers wonderful flights on their own planes from Ft. Lauderdale to Cat Island or Rum Cay where their very own charter vessel takes you to the deep blue sea or guides you to the flats for some very unpressured fishing. Their contact and lodgings person on Rum Cay is Michelle of Sumner Point Marina.
If the weather holds and gets warmer giving us a good hot spring, there's no telling the delightful yellowfins, dolphin, and bones OverUnder has to offer. I thought this last front of March 18th would slow it, but who knows? I think the idea of an outfitter with their own planes and Mothership plying the eastern Bahamas- flats, reefs, and the deep- is exciting. I hope to experience this some day. I received a report of a hot morning bite a few days ago yielding 5 big wahoo.
Jan
If the weather holds and gets warmer giving us a good hot spring, there's no telling the delightful yellowfins, dolphin, and bones OverUnder has to offer. I thought this last front of March 18th would slow it, but who knows? I think the idea of an outfitter with their own planes and Mothership plying the eastern Bahamas- flats, reefs, and the deep- is exciting. I hope to experience this some day. I received a report of a hot morning bite a few days ago yielding 5 big wahoo.
Jan
Sunday, March 13, 2005
So near, yet so far with Captain Leon out of Dove Creek Lodge
Just got back from fishing the upper reaches of Florida Bay with Captain Leon Davis (www.reelranger.com) out of the newly-constructed Dove Creek Lodge (www.dovecreeklodge.com) in Key Largo. Capt. Leon expertly got us out of the North wind onto muddy warming Florida Bay bottom. The snook and the redfish were there in good numbers as he poled us around in his new 19 foot Ranger Cayman.
The waters simply were too cool for the fish to be aggressive, though I managed a couple of half-hearted strikes from chilly snook. We saw loads of fish yesterday afternoon: all they needed was a little heat. This was a day where quality- not quantity- set the tone: good fellowship with Captain Leon, beautiful lodgings, all in the natural splendor of the Everglades backcountry. Stay tuned for the entire story and details of this experience...
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
The waters simply were too cool for the fish to be aggressive, though I managed a couple of half-hearted strikes from chilly snook. We saw loads of fish yesterday afternoon: all they needed was a little heat. This was a day where quality- not quantity- set the tone: good fellowship with Captain Leon, beautiful lodgings, all in the natural splendor of the Everglades backcountry. Stay tuned for the entire story and details of this experience...
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Friday, March 11, 2005
Sportsman's Cove Lodge Wins Out Over the Bonefish
Today was another successful bonefish morning, with three fish caught on jigs and plug tackle. Although finding the fish on colder water was a triumph, my summer's plans to visit Sportsman's Cove Lodge on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska keeps tugging at me with a pleasant tenacity. The planning involved the exciting possibilities of catching all the salmon species, doormat halibut, cod, as well as sighting whales, seals, and all the flora and fauna Alaska has to offer. All this in an exquisitely-appointed lodge (www.alaskasbestlodge.com/) I am convinced that Ketchikan is the best base-of-operations, perfect with everything to please visitors. I really can't wait to get there and file reports on the excitement to my readers.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Thursday, March 10, 2005
A Season of Fronts
Looks like Mid-March will continue to pepper South Florida with cooler weather and NW winds, not the best of weather for inshore tarpon dreamers. A big change are the tarpon movemnets east of Fisher Island: no more schools of hundreds of tarpon like 20 years ago. Tarpon and bonefish may vary their favorite haunts over the years....wouldn't it be great to know why?
Jan
Jan
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Of Snapper and Permit with Captain Jon Cooper
Late last summer, I enlisted Captain Jon Cooper, to get me hooked up with two species in South Biscayne Bay I had to do stories on: the wily grey snapper-the brick-colored temptor of Florida docks- and the wilier permit, the silver and gold true ghost of the flats.
I was in great hands choosing Captain Jon www.captaincooper.com/ . Not only was he totally skilled both inshore and offshore, he had the vessels to go with it: a gleaming Maverick for the flats and a brand new Triton Bay Boat for deeper fishing. Since it was a calm sunny day, we chose his smaller vessel.
In only fifiteen minutes from leaving the dock at Crandon, Jon had me hooked up with a mangrove snapper along some rocky rip-rap. The challenge here was to get a really large snapper, a hard task at best. The outgoing spring tide had them really striking and we probably caught thirty before landing a fat two pounder under a dock in Stiltsville. We took about an hour for a photo shoot, and by the time we were done, the tide was flying in.
Jon looked at me, and we both thought, "permit." He fired up his Maverick, and we headed South to fish the cuts ans rockpiles of Islandia. As we ran from place to place, we were amazed, yet saddened that there were flats boats everywhere, even on this weekday. A sad irony of the flats boat explosion in Florida is pressure and decline of the habitat on which it depends. We fished a few spots, and saw a few permit in deeper water just off the flats. Two hours later, Jon said "let's run North."
We stopped just a few flats south of Stiltsville. As he poled westward, we saw a pop on the surface a hundred yards away. Jon poled towards it, and halfway in told me it was a huge permit slowly finning near some seaweed in three feet of water. When we got within fifty feet, I clearly saw the fish, and cast my crab about ten feet in front of it. The fish saw the crab instantly, and swam foward. I'm sure my crab dove for the bottom, as the fish's massive tail went into the air: we both gasped at the size of the black sickle. The fish swept back and forth in a tight arc in pursuit of the terrified crab. Jon held the skiff absolutely still. I tried to slowly pull the crab off the bottom for about one or two inches, but the pressure on my rod tip made in clear the crab was successfully "grassed up." Moments later, the permit dropped its tail and and cruised off to the North. We both saw a fish between 40 or 50 pounds. As I got my bait in for another cast, the permit must have sensed us as it went into warp speed to the protection of a nearby greenish channel.
Jon and I both were experiencing the bemused though frustrated reverence anglers get when they encounter a trophy permit. We ended the day with a permit thirst that could only be quenched with hookups and releases on future adventures in Biscayne Bay.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
I was in great hands choosing Captain Jon www.captaincooper.com/ . Not only was he totally skilled both inshore and offshore, he had the vessels to go with it: a gleaming Maverick for the flats and a brand new Triton Bay Boat for deeper fishing. Since it was a calm sunny day, we chose his smaller vessel.
In only fifiteen minutes from leaving the dock at Crandon, Jon had me hooked up with a mangrove snapper along some rocky rip-rap. The challenge here was to get a really large snapper, a hard task at best. The outgoing spring tide had them really striking and we probably caught thirty before landing a fat two pounder under a dock in Stiltsville. We took about an hour for a photo shoot, and by the time we were done, the tide was flying in.
Jon looked at me, and we both thought, "permit." He fired up his Maverick, and we headed South to fish the cuts ans rockpiles of Islandia. As we ran from place to place, we were amazed, yet saddened that there were flats boats everywhere, even on this weekday. A sad irony of the flats boat explosion in Florida is pressure and decline of the habitat on which it depends. We fished a few spots, and saw a few permit in deeper water just off the flats. Two hours later, Jon said "let's run North."
We stopped just a few flats south of Stiltsville. As he poled westward, we saw a pop on the surface a hundred yards away. Jon poled towards it, and halfway in told me it was a huge permit slowly finning near some seaweed in three feet of water. When we got within fifty feet, I clearly saw the fish, and cast my crab about ten feet in front of it. The fish saw the crab instantly, and swam foward. I'm sure my crab dove for the bottom, as the fish's massive tail went into the air: we both gasped at the size of the black sickle. The fish swept back and forth in a tight arc in pursuit of the terrified crab. Jon held the skiff absolutely still. I tried to slowly pull the crab off the bottom for about one or two inches, but the pressure on my rod tip made in clear the crab was successfully "grassed up." Moments later, the permit dropped its tail and and cruised off to the North. We both saw a fish between 40 or 50 pounds. As I got my bait in for another cast, the permit must have sensed us as it went into warp speed to the protection of a nearby greenish channel.
Jon and I both were experiencing the bemused though frustrated reverence anglers get when they encounter a trophy permit. We ended the day with a permit thirst that could only be quenched with hookups and releases on future adventures in Biscayne Bay.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Alaska Beckons!
I am attempting plans to be fishing and reporting to you from Alaska this summer. Every true angler must visit Alaska in their lifetime. The exquisite configuration of sun, sky, mist, water. nightly lights, and vast abundant flocks of birds and fields of fish will feed your soul. I have always felt this state to be Florida's inverted polar sister: Northwest versus Southeast, mountains versus flats, cool versus heat, salmons versus bonefish...the two states simply go together! But all fishermen in America need to travel at least once to the misty majesties of Alaska. My past travels took me through Anchorage, Juneau, Sewell, Sitka, Whittier, Skagway, Ketchikan and others. These places filled me with unforgettable images of glaciers, bears, chipmunks, birds,whales, icebergs, seals and so much more.
In Ketchikan, as my ship, the Carnival Spirit, approached this marvelous city, salmon jumped constantly in these waters and never stopped..I Never saw such vast numbers of a gamefish.I really felt I was in angler's heaven!!!! More soon.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
In Ketchikan, as my ship, the Carnival Spirit, approached this marvelous city, salmon jumped constantly in these waters and never stopped..I Never saw such vast numbers of a gamefish.I really felt I was in angler's heaven!!!! More soon.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
New Destinations on the Horizon
In the coming months as the fronts fade, warmth widens, and the tropicals beome topical, I'm looking forward to visiting the shallows of Flamingo, Grand Bahama Island, and the Cat Island area. Silver tails will be supplemented by spotted sides, linesides-stay tuned!
Jan
Jan
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Tales of the West Wind Inn
I will be relating stories and adventures I've had over the years at the West Wind Inn on Sanibel Island (www.westwindinn.com/). For a South Florida flats and inshore angler, and their family, there can be no better second home than this destination. The flycasting or lure fishing right behind the West Wind is incredible, and has yielded yours truly loads of snook, pompano, seatrout, redfish, ladyfish, jacks and some big spanish mackeral. Add to that the world's best concentration of shelling, swimming, hiking, art galleries, and a full range of moderate to gourmet restaurants...it's easy to see why the West Wind Inn on Sanibel is my choice for fishing and family joy. I'll be wrtiting more about this marvelous destination soon.
P.S. Last year's 'canes are a thing of the past...come spring, I'll be there tossing a fly or bucktail behind the Inn into the warming surf of Spring.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
P.S. Last year's 'canes are a thing of the past...come spring, I'll be there tossing a fly or bucktail behind the Inn into the warming surf of Spring.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Marvelous Bonaire!
One of my fondest flats fishing experiences has been in Bonaire. This island is part of the Netherland Antilles -also including Aruba and Curacao- which lie not far off the coast of Venezuela. I had known that Bonaire is one of the top diving spots in the Caribbean, but was informed a number of years ago by another writer of some excellent saltpan (salina) flats on the South end of the island. Since I travelled frequently to Curacao at the time, I found out that all it took was a short flight on ALM airlines out of Hato airport in Curacao, and i'd be landing in neighboring Bonaire's airport within an hour's time. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO CHECK DUTCH ANTILLEAN FLIGHTS CAREFULLY FOR THESE ABC ISLANDS, AS THERE HAVE BEEN WHAT I SEE AS TOO MANY CHANGES IN THE AIRLINES THAT DO AN INTERISLAND BUSINESS.
My research at the time led me to book the island's most famous guide, Chris Morkos, well in advance of my arrival. His website is www.bonairefishing.com/piscatur. We arrived from Curacao some months later in the afternoon, and got in an afternoon of superb snorkelling. We had dinner at the Green Parrot, and fed bonefish with bread off their dock as the sun went down! This is all true, and the bonefish were 6 to 8 pounders that came up from the deep dropoff to eat the bread in the docklights. We retired that night sun-kissed and well-fed, knowing that Chris would be knocking on our door for a pickup the next morning at 8 a.m.
Morning came quickly, and we soon found ourselves heading south in his pickup. We passed the old slave huts, and stopped before we reached the lighthouse. Chris told us to hop out and headed to the rocks. " Let's get some bait", he said. We spent the next 30 minutes catching crafty calico-colored crabs for our bonefishing. When he was satisfied that we had enough, we drove another mile south. To our left lay miles of salt flats.
HOW WE DID-
It was not long before we spotted a group of five fish tailing in the moderate, but ever-present wind. A quick cast five feet upwind of the fish had the school cruise over to my bait, and one picked it up. I struck the fish smartly, and the run was on! I had to hold the rod high, as there were many stick-up rocks in the area. On our half-day charter, we released about five fish and had an excellent day. We saluted our trip later at Zee Zicht restaurant over fried fish, funchi, and cold Amstel beer.
This may be one of the best destinations that feature great fishing, snorkelling, and plenty to do for non-fishing companions.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
My research at the time led me to book the island's most famous guide, Chris Morkos, well in advance of my arrival. His website is www.bonairefishing.com/piscatur. We arrived from Curacao some months later in the afternoon, and got in an afternoon of superb snorkelling. We had dinner at the Green Parrot, and fed bonefish with bread off their dock as the sun went down! This is all true, and the bonefish were 6 to 8 pounders that came up from the deep dropoff to eat the bread in the docklights. We retired that night sun-kissed and well-fed, knowing that Chris would be knocking on our door for a pickup the next morning at 8 a.m.
Morning came quickly, and we soon found ourselves heading south in his pickup. We passed the old slave huts, and stopped before we reached the lighthouse. Chris told us to hop out and headed to the rocks. " Let's get some bait", he said. We spent the next 30 minutes catching crafty calico-colored crabs for our bonefishing. When he was satisfied that we had enough, we drove another mile south. To our left lay miles of salt flats.
HOW WE DID-
It was not long before we spotted a group of five fish tailing in the moderate, but ever-present wind. A quick cast five feet upwind of the fish had the school cruise over to my bait, and one picked it up. I struck the fish smartly, and the run was on! I had to hold the rod high, as there were many stick-up rocks in the area. On our half-day charter, we released about five fish and had an excellent day. We saluted our trip later at Zee Zicht restaurant over fried fish, funchi, and cold Amstel beer.
This may be one of the best destinations that feature great fishing, snorkelling, and plenty to do for non-fishing companions.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Upcoming Cruise Ship Destination Fishing Experiences
These are just a few of the cruise ship destinations I have fished at, be it by fly, plug, or spin tackle. Some were fantastically productive, some were modest, and some were unproductive. All of these places shared and provided the joy of plying new and exciting marine waters.
The pleasures of sailing to a new port of call, never knowing the adventures in fishing, boating, and hiking the next day will bring. It's the life!
Some reports will be here, but others may be committed to the excellent The Angling Report. Stay tuned for adventurous tales.....there is much in store!!
1.Moorea
2.Bora-Bora
3.Papaette
4.Playa Del Carmen
5.Kauai
6.Mauai
7.Hawaii-Hilo
8.Oahu
9.Istanbul
10.Salerno, Italy.
11.San Juan
12.Dominica
13.St. Lucia
14.St. Martin
15.St. Thomas
16.St.John
17.Jamaica
18.Antigua
19.Martinique
20.Curacao
21.Bonaire
22.Aruba
23.Grand Cayman
24.Belize
25.Cozumel
26.Roatan
27.Tortugero, Costa Rica
28.Sitka
29.Ketchikan
30.Juneau
31.Skagway
32.Jost van Dyke
33.Grand Bahama
34.Little San Salvador
35.Cabo San Lucas
36.Mazatlan
37.Puerto Vallarta
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com.
The pleasures of sailing to a new port of call, never knowing the adventures in fishing, boating, and hiking the next day will bring. It's the life!
Some reports will be here, but others may be committed to the excellent The Angling Report. Stay tuned for adventurous tales.....there is much in store!!
1.Moorea
2.Bora-Bora
3.Papaette
4.Playa Del Carmen
5.Kauai
6.Mauai
7.Hawaii-Hilo
8.Oahu
9.Istanbul
10.Salerno, Italy.
11.San Juan
12.Dominica
13.St. Lucia
14.St. Martin
15.St. Thomas
16.St.John
17.Jamaica
18.Antigua
19.Martinique
20.Curacao
21.Bonaire
22.Aruba
23.Grand Cayman
24.Belize
25.Cozumel
26.Roatan
27.Tortugero, Costa Rica
28.Sitka
29.Ketchikan
30.Juneau
31.Skagway
32.Jost van Dyke
33.Grand Bahama
34.Little San Salvador
35.Cabo San Lucas
36.Mazatlan
37.Puerto Vallarta
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com.
Fanning Island Beckons Me Back!
Cruise ships have brought many wonderful fishing destinations into my life. One of the best has been Fanning Island, an exquisitely exotic atoll midway between Tahiti and Hawaii. Fanning is about 160 miles northwest of Christmas island. It has no fishing pressure compared to Christmas Island. Fanning Island was to be a one-day stop aboard the excellent NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines) Norwegian Wind.
In planning for the trip, I was able to contact a local American, Chuck Corbett, on the island to set me up with what I found out was incredible bone and trevally fishing. He can be contacted at chuck@fanning-island.com and www.Fanning-Island.com. The island is about 11 by 7 miles in size, and has a Polynesian name meaning sacred footprint.
We arrived a number of months later on a day that featured 30 mph winds. When our tender reached the dock, I was greeted by Chuck and Naan, my appointed guide. Though they said we might struggle to the flats in these "gale force" winds, they suggested the inlet would be quite productive for trevally and papio(skipjack).
Were they ever right! Using casting and spin tackle rigged with white bucktails, every cast was nailed by a gamefish. It was a giant trevally, bluefin trevally, and papio extravaganza! I easily forgot the bonefish since I was catching fish unavailable in my home waters of Florida and the Caribbean. Chuck told me that on calm days, the exact running time to catch big wahoo and tuna was 60 seconds from the dock! This destination now has me as a permanent captive and always tugs at me to return!
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
In planning for the trip, I was able to contact a local American, Chuck Corbett, on the island to set me up with what I found out was incredible bone and trevally fishing. He can be contacted at chuck@fanning-island.com and www.Fanning-Island.com. The island is about 11 by 7 miles in size, and has a Polynesian name meaning sacred footprint.
We arrived a number of months later on a day that featured 30 mph winds. When our tender reached the dock, I was greeted by Chuck and Naan, my appointed guide. Though they said we might struggle to the flats in these "gale force" winds, they suggested the inlet would be quite productive for trevally and papio(skipjack).
Were they ever right! Using casting and spin tackle rigged with white bucktails, every cast was nailed by a gamefish. It was a giant trevally, bluefin trevally, and papio extravaganza! I easily forgot the bonefish since I was catching fish unavailable in my home waters of Florida and the Caribbean. Chuck told me that on calm days, the exact running time to catch big wahoo and tuna was 60 seconds from the dock! This destination now has me as a permanent captive and always tugs at me to return!
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Friday, February 25, 2005
The Return of Spring Bones to Biscayne Bay
Although a front was on its way, I did fish this Friday morning on the SE oceanside of Key Biscayne adjacent to a deep water channel. Although there was no overhead light, and murky water, a swift incoming tide brought in warmer water. I just soaked some shrimp in front of my chum tube, and had caught and released 2 bonefish to 7 pounds in the first half hour. Some explosions in the channel took me away from blind fishing. Out came the plug rod and Spro white bucktail tipped with shrimp...non-stop action on jack crevalles to 5 pounds for the next hour.
If the weather stays warm, there should be more bones on the inside flats, and they'll also forage into skinnier water. It was good to get this Spring flats preview this morning. Unlike fashionable flats fanatics, I'll fish bonefish almost anyway I can catch 'em. I do not want "shots"- I want successful hookups, catches and releases.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com/
If the weather stays warm, there should be more bones on the inside flats, and they'll also forage into skinnier water. It was good to get this Spring flats preview this morning. Unlike fashionable flats fanatics, I'll fish bonefish almost anyway I can catch 'em. I do not want "shots"- I want successful hookups, catches and releases.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com/
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Gulf Coast Memories at Key Island Estate
Last summer included 2 memorable trips to Jim and Stacey Kanzler's Key Island Estate [www.keyislandestate.com/]. The quality of the sight fishing on this exotic island between Naples and Marco island is hard to describe except by numbers, just to get the flavor. In two days of night fishing there, I released 36 snook to twenty pounds. On the Gulf beach behind Key Island, I spotted hundreds of snook swimming the surf during a day's fishing. I caught countless jacks, ladyfish, and snapper. I also spotted loads of pompano tailing - YES, TAILING- in the surf sloughs one windy afternoon, and was finally able to catch some reverting to shrimp on ultralite spin.
This is a perfect high-end destination for angling groups, families, and wedding groups of up to 14 people to stay in the exquisitely appointed estate. The beaches are pristine, unpressured, and downright spiritual. I look forward to my return, and suggest you look into this marvelous destination.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
This is a perfect high-end destination for angling groups, families, and wedding groups of up to 14 people to stay in the exquisitely appointed estate. The beaches are pristine, unpressured, and downright spiritual. I look forward to my return, and suggest you look into this marvelous destination.
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
And the next record bone comes from.........
Goodbye Miami, Bimini, and Islamorada. Even the slightest investigation into New Caledonia shows some monsters from 15 to over 20 pounds. Why can you find them? Because the vast flats make shallow hunting fields quite accessible to ghost hunters. The flats are reportedly deep, but reports and pictures show absolute monsters caught. Typically, the fish are singles or doubles and require stealth, not because of pressure, but because the food availability makes flies and lures so rejectable.
This is a spot off NE Australia that emphasizes a few shots at monster bones, not big numbers. Bob Nauheim of Fishing International says 10 shots a day is a great day...but almost limitless trevally. Very close and cheap for Aussies..pretty far and costly for us Yanks. Put New Caledonia bonefish on google, find the images, and drool!
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
This is a spot off NE Australia that emphasizes a few shots at monster bones, not big numbers. Bob Nauheim of Fishing International says 10 shots a day is a great day...but almost limitless trevally. Very close and cheap for Aussies..pretty far and costly for us Yanks. Put New Caledonia bonefish on google, find the images, and drool!
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
More on Abaco: Green Turtle Cay to the Marls
Despite the claims of Andros Island as to having the biggest Bahamian bones, a record check will reveal that the Little Bahama Bank (GBI and Abaco) to some degree and the Biminis to the larger degree, sport the biggest bonefish. This may well be due to the proximity to deeper water- look at the huge bonefish from Miami to Islamorada and the Gulf Stream. It seems that oceanside bonefish -almost worldwide- are bigger. Enter Green Turtle Cay on Abaco's Northeast side. This oceanside area has yielded some of the largest bones on Abaco- look at the photos on Ronnie Sawyer's webpages. Bigger fish are rumoured around ManJack Key slightly to the North. I have seen some photos in the museum in New Plymouth of monster bonefish on Green Turtle Cay caught on the island. This is a smaller habitat with slightly deeper water..definitely a non-nursery with mostly larger fish. The Marls stand in contrast with loads of miles of ultrashallow water with loads of small nursery bones. What a marvelous Abaconian choice: loads of small fish or a few trophies? Which would you want?
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Jan
www.flatsfishingonline.com
Sandy Point, Abaco
Ever since I fished Abaco's Sandy Point, I became satisfied it was all I needed. Hard wadeable bottoms with tan-colored sand, and great visibility. I have stayed at Rickmon Lodge and fished many times with Captain Ricardo Burrows. The closest flats are sixty seconds by boat right from the Lodge, and I have seen schools of tailing fish numbering in the hundreds within sight of the Lodge. For those that like remote spots, Ricardo can run you to Gorda Cay or Mores Island, weather permitting, in his new ActionCraft. Getting to Abaco keeps you flying on the more relable American Eagle and Gulfstream/Continental flights.
The food and beverages at the Lodge are great and you will not be disappointed. There are also lots of sharks to catch on ultralight gear, as well as muttonfish to be jigged out of the channels. Ricardo is a classic Abaconian: friendly, reliable, and well-bred. Rickmon Bonefish Lodge is on my list of permanent bonefish destinations.
Jan Maizler
www.flatsfishingonline.com/
The food and beverages at the Lodge are great and you will not be disappointed. There are also lots of sharks to catch on ultralight gear, as well as muttonfish to be jigged out of the channels. Ricardo is a classic Abaconian: friendly, reliable, and well-bred. Rickmon Bonefish Lodge is on my list of permanent bonefish destinations.
Jan Maizler
www.flatsfishingonline.com/
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Wading the Wild Flats of Abaco-Sandy Point
I'll soon be discussing my experiences on Abaco Island, from Treasure Cay all the way down to the wonderful Rickmon Lodge at Sandy Point.
Jan
Jan
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