Sponsored by

April 2005

April is coming and May soon to follow. This is the best time to be a Captain here in South Florida. The Tarpon will soon be off Biscayne Bay, (they are already on the outside of Flamingo) the bones are warming up on the flats, the permit have already shown up on our flats and the list goes on & on.

Yes it’s true, I am know going "OFF THE DEEP END" My new Panga 28 is here and I am just totally in heaven. The pic above is the 26 footer but the 28 is the same hull design lengthened by two feet. I have a Key West style T-top, a 35-gallon live well leaning post and the best engine on the block to push her. My new 225 E-Tec by Evinrude is just amazing. Jack at Sea Power Inc. did the deed and hooked me up with an awesome engine. How about THREE MILES a gallon from a TWO-STROKE!!!!! All the power and performance of a two stroke with the fuel efficiency of a four-stroke engine was just a dream.

Camp-Out Inc. & Continental Trailers hooked me up with a totally tricked out aluminum trailer to get her to the water and Image Graphics will be doing a full wrap to include Quantum, Eagle Claw, Evinrude and Fish Hedz to name only a few. I will be doing Gulf wrecks for cobia, grouper, snapper and many more as well as testing the dolphin, sailfish, and the rest of the Atlantic species on some brand new Quantum Gear. Call to book a trip on this new Panga hull and see for yourself why this hull design has been around for over thirty years.

The winds have finally calmed down and the bite should drastically improve in the bay. The bonefish have been very present all over the southern bay in large schools, all the way down the Upper Keys. I have seen schools in the twenties out on the inside of the Ragged Keys south down to Garden Cove flats. Inside of Rabbit key Basin has gotten much better as of late as well, with reports of large schools moving on the strong tides. Look for tailers on the incoming tides on the outside of Elliot all along the deep edges waiting for the water to rise up onto the flats, but keep an eye out for permit in the 2 to 3 foot water as the tide rises. Look for this to just get better as the water warms.

Tarpon have been reported moving north along the outside of Key Largo and the shore up to Sands Cut in good numbers and have been eaters on chartreuse early in the day and tans to olive patterns midday. There have been good numbers of tarpon moving on the outer edges of First National Bank south & east all the way down to Springer Bank. Look for rollers and get in front of them and take a shot. The patterns are a closely kept secret between the guides and to ask them for the color is my only hope. The colors I have had luck on are the same as listed above in the Bay, just add a yellow and white in the mix for the midday bite. This will also improve, as the water gets warmer.

There is still a ban on taking the Goliath Grouper in Florida waters, but I have been catching far too many of them to feel a need for a zero bag limit. The same story is true of the gulf fishery. Fishing the sand holes, potholes and wreaks of the gulf I have experienced the abundant numbers of Goliath’s. While snapper and cobia fishing we have found that a Goliath has moved in to the wreak and will not allow us to boat more than four to five fish without making our snappers live-bait. Once the grouper has moved out of his hole, you cannot bring up another fish without him jumping all over it. I think we should have a minimum size and a daily bag limit of at least one of these fish to help ease the pressure a 200-pound fish like this can make on a small fishing spot

March 2005

With the cold fronts finally over, now all we have to put up with is this winds of March. It seems they have started early this year and will hopefully end early. Water temperatures are reaching the tolerable levels of 68 degrees in the morning and a late afternoon rise to 72degrees on our waters of Flamingo and Biscayne Bay, making the start of spring pleasantly approaching.

Winter Tarpon is still ok from the bridges of Miami all the way over to Florida Bay and Flamingo. Whitewater Bay has been a frequent haunt for my anglers while throwing HighRollers and Bagley’s mullet baits for the Kings. Landing one fish a day has been the average if we have the patience to throw, although you need to jump another three fish to keep the odds this good. Casting poppers and shallow divers is a lot of fun for these giants, especially when they take a swing at your lure five feet away from the boat. Remember, natural colors in clean water and bright colors in dirty water has been the measure of success on my boat this season.

Throwing a fly has only been done by the die-hard anglers who can stand up to blind casting in a fifteen-knot wind for a chance of jumping a fish up to 170 pounds. As tuff as it may sound, this has been the tactics that has landed eight fish over a hundred pounds in the last month. Snook and redfish are all over the backcountry of Flamingo as well as the outside flats into Florida Bay. Cobia and tripletail are on the crab pot buoys and the Spanish macks are also in full force.

I have been testing bay boats over the last year and have come to only one inevitable conclusion, I need a BIGGER BOAT for what I want to do. I have a yen to fish the deep gulf wrecks and have had many requests for the angling adventure that exists out there. Well, I think I have found the boat to do the Job.

After much to do I have settled on a 28 foot Panga By Panga Fishing Boats of Miami. Panga.com is their web site and you can see the "ORIGINAL" Panga hull design there. Watch the videos they have and check out the gallery of boats from Mexico to Japan. If you have any further questions just give me a call or you can call Art de la Nuez at Panga Fishing Boats. His number is 305-971-7485.

I kept coming back to this hull for it’s simple forty-year old hull design that rides a heavy chop like a deep-V, runs very efficient like a modified-V, and floats in shallow water like a flats boat. The hull gives an uncommonly dry ride in an unruly sea and has the uncanny ability to run very fast top end speeds with a single outboard. "No boat has ALL of these abilities," you say, well I will prove it to you as soon as I get my new Panga hopefully by the end of March.

Fishing enthusiasts can take advantage of early-bird registration for the 2005 Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Fishing Competition and save $25 on the entry fee.  Presented by Hell's Bay Boatworks and Mercury, the sixth annual catch-and-release event takes place April 15-17 in the waters of the Florida Bay and Everglades National Park. It will benefit services at the new Homestead Hospital that is under
construction just east of the Florida Turnpike off Campbell Drive and scheduled to open in late 2006.
      
The charity backcountry fishing competition honors the memory of Herman
Lucerne, a devoted fisherman, community activist and former mayor of Florida City who loved children. The competition's grand prize is an 18-foot Glades skiff with a 25-horsepower Mercury outboard motor and a Hell's Bay trailer.  Trophies and a $300 cash prize will be awarded to the anglers and teams who catch the largest fish in each of the eight eligible species, including snook, tarpon, bonefish, redfish, trout, snapper, bass and black drum. There also is a $1,000 cash prize to the top guide. The competition is an International Game Fish Association (IGFA) sanctioned event.
      
"We are proud of the way this competition has grown," said Lloyd Wruble,
DMD, event chairperson.  "Participants enjoy friendly competition in the beautiful waters of Florida Bay, receive fabulous items in the boat bag made possible by our sponsors, and know they are raising money that for a great cause."
      
In addition to the presenting sponsors Hell's Bay Boatworks and Mercury,
more than one dozen companies have signed up to support the event including, Acosta Farms, Community Bank of Florida, Dion Oil Company, Eagle Claw Hooks, First National Bank of South Florida, Florida Hi-way Marine Insurance, Florida Nurserymen Growers & Landscapers Association, Grove Services Inc., Hook & Tackle, HOPS Restaurant, Karen Realty Group, Publix Super Markets Charities, Stainless Marine, The Mead Family Charitable Foundation and Smith-Barney.
       
The entry fee for the Herman Lucerne Memorial Backcountry Fishing
Competition for IGFA members is $300 for each angler who registers before March 18; $325 each after March 18.   Non-IGFA members must add $10 to the entry fee for a one-year membership.  Junior angler participation in the competition is welcome.  With the entry fee, each angler receives a bag of boat-related items, one ticket to the kick-off
event with a fish-fry dinner on Friday, April 15 and one ticket to the
awards dinner on Sunday, April 17. Discounted accommodations at Flamingo
Marina and Outpost for that weekend are available to participants who
make reservations before March 15. 
      
Entry forms and competition details are available at www.hermanlucerne.com, or by calling the Homestead Hospital Foundation office at 786-243-8054.  For more information about the fishing competition, contact yours truly, Captain Dave Sutton, Competition Director, at 305-248-6126. I’ll see you "On the Flats"

February 2005

Well the cold fronts have become a weekly tradition this past January and look like they might follow into February. It has been a mixed bag of windy days and cold fronts blowing through from the west and north making the bonefishing very tough. With the sudden drop of five degrees in water temperature the bones retreat to the deeper flats and forage there, rather than suffer the cold water on the shallower flats. It will take two or three days in succession to bring them back to tailing water. Watch the surface temps and get ready to fish. I have found that the magic number seems to be 68 degrees until the bonefish will begin to migrate onto the skinny water to feed.

February will show a few more of these cold fronts and with it the blustery winds of early spring to deal with as well. Try to work a specific flat for bonefish over and over again and you will see that there is a general set of conditions that will bring schools of fish to the flat. Wind direction, tide flow, time of tide, time of day and of course the position of the moon. All of these factors dictate whether you will see a few tailers or a few schools of tailers. But most importantly, be patient and enjoy the hunt, even if the score is lopsided. This is called fishing and even the very best guides will return to the dock at times with a final score of bonefish 8 & anglers nothing, every once and a while.

Snook season is open as of February 1^st and here we go again. The winds of late winter/early spring are here as well. The flyfishing was still worth trying if you use a fly with weighted eyes and allowed it to fall to at least three feet before starting to strip. I like to use clousers and Borski’s Fur Shrimp for this due to the upward bent hook design of the fly and it’s sparse tie to help the sink rate. Colors we use are white and light tan, white and chartreuse and white and yellow. These colors seam to be the best bet for the deep edges of the channel and the snook love them.

On my fiftieth birthday, this past January 8^th 2005 we buried my best friends son. He lost his life way too soon, and way too young. When faced with the decision to take a ride with someone who has been drinking, please say "NO" He was a son to Ron & Diane, a brother to Kera and Kelly and an uncle to Georgia & Savannah. He was a friend to many, a very good fisherman and he was only 21 years old. He earned a "Backcountry Grand Slam" in Flamingo on my boat in 2000. We laid him to rest with his favorite rod and a High Roller along with many other things from his friends and family.

January 2005

Welcome to 2005. I hope you all had a fantastic holiday even with the COLD fronts that came weekly this past December. Did someone move the Equator and neglected to let me know?

Well guess who won an EMMY!!!! The "Chevy’s Florida Fishing Reports" show airing on the Sunshine Network won a 2004 Sports Emmy this past December 11^th. This is the first time a first year show has achieved such an award and the Sunshine Network is delighted.

My congratulations to Capt. Rick Murphy & Whit Watson, our Hosts of the show, Ken Kavanaugh, our Producer, Dave Ferrell, the "Off The Deep End Guy" and of course all of the "Magnificent Seven" Regional Experts that gave the weekly reports.

The "Magnificent Seven" are:

Hey Sunshine.. I have a place on my mantle all ready for my EMMY !!!!!!!!

As the cold fronts continue with the winds coming from all directions, even sometimes in the same day, I find myself waiting for the right times to take my anglers out to fish. Of course some are here on vacation and are restricted as to when they can go, but my local anglers are on stand-by for some of the best fishing they have ever seen. Watch the weather patterns develop, and you will see a cold front diminish to a two or three day warming trend until the next front will approach. These are the golden days for the flats fisherman. The warming days just before a new cold front moves in will be the most active days for the fish. As the barometer drops the bite will be on, all you have to do is be there.

January will show a few more of these cold fronts and with it the blustery winds of early spring to deal with as well. Try to work a specific flat for bonefish over and over again and you will see that there is a general set of conditions that will bring schools of fish to the flat. Wind direction, tide flow, tide time of day and of course the position of the moon. All of these factors dictate whether you will see a few tailers or a few schools of tailers. But most importantly, be patient and enjoy the hunt, even if the score is lopsided. This is called fishing and even the very best guides will return to the dock at times with a final score of bonefish 8 & anglers nothing.

The flyfishing is still worth trying if you use a fly with weighted eyes and allowed it to fall to at least three feet before starting to strip. I like to use clousers and Borski’s Fur Shrimp for this due to the upward bent hook design of the fly and it’s sparse tie to help the sink rate. Colors we use are white and light tan, white and chartreuse and white and yellow. These colors seam

There have been lots of fish on the outside wrecks as well. Making the trip out ten to fifteen miles from the Shark River or Sandy Key has been a gamble. The choice must be made on the right day to make the trip or the ride back can be very uncomfortable even in a twenty plus foot hull, but the trip is worth it. Large Snapper, Grouper, Black Drum, Tripletail, Cobia and a host of other species await you. Just use your best judgment and of course, the weather reports, and you will have plenty of work to do at the cleaning table upon your return.

Most of my fishing has been in the backcountry of Flamingo this past December. The weather has brought most of the anglers and guides alike to the sheltered back bays of Whitewater Bay. Concentrating mostly on the creek mouths where the sweet water meets the salt has been the trick, although the outside beaches of the Cape north into Shark River have been on fire as well.

I’ll see you "On the Flats"

Upon arrival of my new Mirage HPX-V, I was amazed how smooth the Yamaha 90 was as I went through the break-in process. The 256-pound engine weight is a distinct advantage when poling in the shallowest waters of Flamingo and Biscayne Bay, especially with the captain weighting in at 245 pounds!!!!

December 2004

Here we go folks, the winter fishing is in full swing. The recent November cold fronts have done the trick in bringing the winter bite to a full term. Flamingo’s gulf edges are full of Mac’s, cobia, tripletail and snapper and the flats around the inside are teaming with large trout, redfish and snook. December will bring the backcountry of the Everglades alive.

Whitewater Bay will soon be seeing the winter tarpon run and fishing the creek mouths on the northeastern shores are already producing redfish, and snook as well as a great snapper bite. The New Spike-It Holographic Series of plastic baits are responsible for these redfish and snapper we caught in the backcountry. The curly tail pattern in clear does the trick.

As the water in Biscayne Bay cools down you will see the bonefish begin to congregate in larger and larger schools. This is a great advantage to an angler due to the competition factor. When presenting bait or a fly to a school of feeding fish you have a much greater chance of a hook-up. The fish are not as spooky in a school of a dozen or more and will move across a flat in a formation like combat aircraft leaving a very noticeable head wake.

A water temp of 72 to 78 degrees is the optimum range for the bonefish, but he will feed in much cooler water, as this 11.5-pound Cutter Bank fish will attest. Jessie Karen and his dad Harvey fished with me with the water temperature around 68 degrees and we did very well. Harvey caught his largest bone ever and had his first two bonefish day.

Permit are still around with the majority of them on the smaller side and in definite schooling patterns. Look for them around the western banks of Biscayne Bay due to the warmer water temperatures that are found there. The darker grass flats will hold the heat from the sun longer. Watch your surface water temperatures very closely during these winter months. If you can find a flat that has a two to three degree temperature rise you will find bonefish and permit on it for sure.

I don’t want to get off on another rant here, but I want to continue to address these issues. One of the things that drive me crazy (or crazier in my case) is the constant running (on plane) over the grass flats. I have a Maverick HPX, and can with my trim tabs down and my engine trimmed up, can run in 8 inches of water without cutting the grass at all. Most of the flats boats in the 18-foot class can run in 12 to 14 inches of water but you should take the time to go around a flat as you are heading for your next spot.

Our flats here have bonefish constantly moving on and off of them throughout the tide flows as they feed. This is why a guide will fish a flat that someone has just moved off of, if he moves off slowly. Poling to the edge of the flat and idling till you have at least two feet of water or more is the best way to ensure that the fish have not been spooked. Taking the time to move off a flat will also ensure that you will not dig a wheel hole when you jump on plane. We all have seen these holes on our flats as well as the long wheel ditches going all the way across, these scars will take years to recover.

The other thing I have been seeing is the crowding of a flat. I have had a boat come down from plane two hundred yards away on my down-wind side. I will do a lot of down wind drifts as we hunt the flats if the sun angle is to our backs, and by coming in on the down-wind side of me is cutting me off and cutting off my fish. Capt. Andy Thompson taught me the lesson of shutting down long before the area I want to fish as not to spook out the flat. You may see bonefish on a flat you run up to but they will be on the offensive from the start. I try to come off plane and start to pole at least one hundred yards before I get to the spot I want to fish as not spook any possible fish that might be there. Tide flow, wind direction and sun angle will dictate how to approach and the direction of drift of a boat on a flat. Consider these three things when approach a flat that has another boat on it.

Larger hull vessels should be aware of the flats anglers as well. When you see a flats boat in the distance it is easy to see if there is a person poling the boat. If there is someone poling, HE IS IN SHALLOW WATER …… DO NOT APPROACH. This is the best indicator that there is a flat in the area, other than the obvious watercolor change. The south end of Biscayne Bay is full of flats and small channels; most of them are ok to navigate with a flats boat but not a 24-foot deep Vee hull with twin outboards. Please check out your chart to find your safest course and help us protect our grassflats.

Hoping all have Happy Holliday’s, and safe days on the water.

I have just received a new Thomas & Thomas Fly rod in a FIFTEEN weight, and am in seventh heaven. I am going to do battle with some very, very large sharks with this stick. I added the new Nautilus 12S fly reel by Old Florida to this new stick I feel I have the best equipment there is to offer my anglers. Come out for a trip and I will show you what I mean.

I have been fishing with some of the new Skitter-Walks from Rapala that Capt. Rick Murphy gave me and I love them. The castability is remarkable, the action is nice and quite on the surface of the water. The rattles add another dimension to fishing the sometimes very dirty waters of Flamingo with fish attracting sounds. Check these baits out at Biscayne Bay Fly Shop or the Complete Angler. My favorite colors are silver mullet, gold mullet and the redfish.

November 2004

Bonefish, Bonefish, Bonefish, this month is the best for my favorite target. With the water staying warm, a 74-degree average, the bones are feeling fall slowly coming on, and with that warm water and the lack of a strong cold front the permit are staying around as well. I have been seeing schools of LARGE bonefish all over the bay and they have been eating on fly as well as bait. A bonefish will always work a flat in an up current direction with his nose into the wind, so to speak. So many we have used the term "bird dogging." A bonefish while swimming into the current will sway back and forth to increase the chance of picking up the scent of a food source. Moving right to left as the fish moves up a flat just like a bird dog working into the wind across a field. It really is a beautiful thing to watch.

Wind direction is as critical as tides when making an approach to a flat. Keep in mind that bonefish as well as redfish have pretty good hearing and become spooky when in shallow situations. Always shut down long before you hit shallow water on your approach to a perspective flat. I will give at least a two hundred yard cushion when coming off plane in an area that I want to fish. Idling in a hundred yards is ok, but keep in mind the noise you make will put the fish on alert if nothing else. This slow approach also gives you a chance to observe the flat and prepare you anglers for the hunt.

When flyfishing for bones on the flats, I change flies almost as often as we change flats. I always try to match the bottom color with my selection of flies as I pull onto a flat. The forage food of the bonefish will adapt a color consistent of the bottom color where they live to better camouflage themselves against being the main course of the day. Fluorocarbon leaders are also a must to fool the bonefish, as well as a well-placed cast of your fly or bait. If you can position yourself in the path of the fish and pull your offering straight away, the leader will be in front of the fly and not visible to the fish.

Allowing your boat to broach (drifting down wind with the boat sideways to the wind) will slow down the speed of your drift. This helps you to see the fish without running over them and at the slower speeds you can also stop the boat for a shot without making a lot of noise and commotion. My Mirage HPX allows me to pole up-wind to a tailing bonefish or redfish without making a sound, yes even in a 20-knot blow. Having a power-Pole is also a distinct advantage; I can drop the Power-Pole and stop the boat while still having my Stiffy push pole in my hand to position my bow for the perfect angle for a presentation of a fly or a better angle to present a shrimp or crab to a fish. Little advantages like these make a big difference when the conditions are against you

My Maverick Mirage HPX is the newest advantage I have against the wary bonefish. I opted for the Vee rather than the Tunnel due to having to cross Biscayne Bay almost every day. The ride it offers is something I can’t tell you about, you have to experience it for yourself to believe. We were throwing High Rollers (Rip-Rollers) at the snook as well as the new Spike-It Holographic plastic baits with great results. Check these new baits out at www.ispikeit.com . Van Demark Custom rods in the 6-12 pound class with Power-Pro 10 pound test lines are the preferred sticks I use spin fishing.. P-Line Fluorocarbon leaders of 30 pound test were a must due the snook activity in the area blowing up schools of mullet along the drop-off of a flat into the channels.

Tight lines & quick releases.

October 2004

The month of September has been a little warmer than most of us fisherpeople would have ordered and with a bunch more hurricanes as well. The normal cold fronts have not been present to help the bait fish start their migratory drive south, but even without the drop in temperatures the bait has arrived, and in good numbers. There’s plenty of mullet in the bay and the fish are responding well.

October has normally seen the infiltration of the bonefish returning to the Biscayne Bay area in force. With the water staying warm, an 82-degree average, the bones are feeling fall slowly coming on, and with that warm water and the lack of a strong cold front the permit should be staying around as well. I have been seeing schools of LARGE bonefish all over the bay and they have been eating on fly as well as bait.

The resident tarpon have re-gathered in the normal haunts to feed on these mullet and we as anglers and guides have been in on the action. Fish the creek mouths on the west side of Biscayne Bay and you will see schools of tarpon, as well as, snook and an occasional school of redfish.

I will fish the "Day on the Bay-Living Legends" tournament sponsored by the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscapers Association (FNGLA) on October 16^th 2004. Kenny St. Germain a world-class fisherman of St. Germain’s Dracaena Farms is this years "Living Legend" This is a great low entry, fun tournament with the proceeds going to the Stan Weyrick Scholarship Fund. Entry fees are only $60 for adults and $15 for junior anglers. For more information on this event please contact Katherine Walters or FNGLA President Capt. Dave Baskin at 305-248-1117. Look for the results in the next report.

As for fishing the bay for bones and permit, there are still good schools of permit to be found on the outgoing tides on the outside of all of the cuts to open water. Wherever there is a good current, just pole up, crush up a few blue crabs, and keep your eyes open. The bones will be a day long hunt with the lowered water temperatures we have, just bring a five gallon bucket of patience with you and plenty of live shrimp, and you will have a great day.

Don’t forget to watch Capt. Dave on the "Chevy’s Florida Fishing Report" every Thursday night at 7 PM on the Sunshine Network. Listen to Capt. Dave on the "Strictly Snook from Florida" radio show on the 790 ESPN Network every Saturday Morning at 7 AM for great guests and up to date fishing reports.

Hoping all is well, with all of the fuss from the hurricanes that is going on around us. Our spirit has never been more banded together than when our brothers & sisters are in need, after all, we are all Americans!

I’ll see you "On the Flats"

Capt. Dave Sutton

September Report 2004

First off let me say that my prayers are with all the folks affected by Hurricane Charlie. As a guide who went through Hurricane Andrew, I have a pretty good idea what you folks are up against and believe me when I tell you there are thousands of people who are rallying to your aid RIGHT KNOW !!!! Don’t think for a minute that you are alone. Your fellow Americans will be there for you in your time of need. The Youth Fishing Foundation is just one of many who is organizing supplies and making two trips a week to the affected areas with hurricane relief items and will keep on doing it till you are back on your feet. So keep the faith brothers & sisters.

With all of the hurricanes around the fishing has been tough. Windy conditions make for a tactical approach to fishing the flats of Biscayne Bay, or even Flamingo for that matter. Wind direction is as critical as tides when making an approach to a flat. Keep in mind that bonefish as well as redfish have pretty good hearing and become spooky when in shallow situations. Always shut down long before you hit shallow water on your approach to a perspective flat. I will give at least a two hundred yard cushion when coming off plane in an area that I want to fish. Idling in a hundred yards is ok, but keep in mind the noise you make will put the fish on alert if nothing else. This slow approach also gives you a chance to observe the flat and prepare you anglers for the hunt.

I have seen too many fisherman run too close to a flat and then wonder why there are no fish on it, or why the fish are so spooky when they do see fish. Have you ever approached a flat that has another boat on it and have the person polling start waving his arms? Most of the flatsmen you see on a flat will do a down sun, down wind drift depending the tide flow. Drifting with the wind and with the sun at his back makes the visibility in front of the boat the best for sight fishing. DO NOT enter a flat downwind of someone who is already on there, you will be cutting off his drift and hence the arm waving. Take up a position up-wind of him and start your drift to one side or the other. This will give him his room and also give you a chance to intercept fish that got by him. Most of the time, if you watch him close, he will point out fish to his angler or even to you as he makes his way down the flat.

Here is the new 2005, 2400 Pathfinder

I know I stated a few months ago I was going to get into the gulf fishing more with another hull but I have been testing this new 2400 by Pathfinder with Tackle Testers International and have been totally amazed. This hull is over 400 pounds lighter than the other hull I was looking at, runs faster, gets much better fuel mileage and rides just as good if not a little bit better. My new hull will have a 300 HPDI Yamaha and will be a quick runner to get back from the white spots and wrecks of the Gulf in no time at all.

Working with Jim Wyborg of Bob Hewes Boats at 12565 NW 7th Ave in North Miami has been a great experience. With three different locations any maintenance issues are no longer a matter of driving a half-day. Give them a call at 305-681-6602 to check out the great line of Pathfinders and Hewes Boats. Look for an article in the next issue of Outdoor Florida on the newest hull by Hewes. We at Tackle Testers are testing it right know and are very pleased with the preliminary results.

My Maverick Mirage HPX is now going to be Yamaha Powered and is the best advantage I have against the wary bonefish. I opted for the Vee rather than the Tunnel due to having to cross Biscayne Bay almost every day. The ride it offers is something I can’t tell you about, you have to experience it for yourself to believe. We were throwing High Rollers (Rip-Rollers) at the snook as well as the new Strike-it soft plastic baits I found at ICast this year with great results using the Quantum Cabo rods & reels in the 8-12 pound class with Power-Pro 10 pound test lines. P-Line Fluorocarbon leaders of 30 pound test were a must due the snook activity in the area blowing up schools of mullet along the drop-off of a flat into the channels.

Tight lines and remember to practice "Catch & Release" as much as possible rather than "Fillet & Release" and I will see you "On the Flats"

August Report 2004

July Report 2004

As July approaches we will see the water temperatures rising still to the point of driving the bonefish off the flats during the middle of the day, although the permit will be showing more and more as the waters warm. Target your bonefishing on those days of an early morning, incoming tide. The influx of cooler water flooding the flats will turn on the bite and give you a better chance of hooking the grey ghost of the flats.

This is the best time to try for the Grand Slam of the flats. To catch a bone, permit and tarpon in the same day is very possible during the three months of summer. Permit being the toughest of the three to get to eat, this is the time of year the greatest numbers of fish gather on our flats. Target them with a 1 ½ " crab on a 2/0 circle hook, at least a 30 pound fluorocarbon leader and hold on for the fight of your life. Have your boat captain keep fairly close to help keep the line out of the fan coral and ff the bottom for your best chances to keep a fish on.

When flyfishing for bones on the flats, I change flies almost as often as we change flats. I always try to match the bottom color with my selection of flies as I pull onto a flat. The forage food of the bonefish will adapt a color consistent of the bottom color where they live to better camouflage themselves against being the main course of the day. Fluorocarbon leaders are also a must to fool the bonefish, as well as a well-placed cast of your fly or bait. If you can position yourself in the path of the fish and pull your offering straight away, the leader will be in front of the fly and not visible to the fish.

Tarpon will still be very much present in our waters, and in good numbers now that they have ended the spawning cycle. They will be much more aggressive feeders now since they don’t eat much during the spawn. The cockroach patterns have been very successful in the early parts of the day and as the sun climbs higher in the sky, switch to a chartreuse or white and yellow combination for the best results. I’m hearing more and more that circle hooks are being used rather than the old standard hooks for a better catch percentage. Just fight the urge to strike and set the hook, with the circle hooks all you need do is lift the rod to lodge the hook in the corner of the mouth and in the ensuing fight the hook will be imbedded deep enough to land the fish. Please take the time to revive the fish properly after you land one of these friends of mine to ensure their survival. They are just too valuable to catch only once.

The ICAST Show is in Las Vegas this year and your captain will be attending, so look for a report in the August issue for the lowdown on this fishing manufacturers convention. All the products for the sport will be there and it will be held July 14^th thru the 16^th. I am sure I’ll have a few new products to tell you about.

Until next month, I’ll see you " On the Flats"

June Report 2004

June is here and I am hoping the winds have subsided for this spring season. It has been a constant battle with the 25 to 30 knot blow we have had for the past months, but I have cautioned you about staying home and not fishing. The wind gives you an advantage if you know how to use it. Here is a perfect example of finding good fish in bad situations…we were throwing Gambler soft plastics rigged weedless style in ten inches of milky water. We were having a hard time seeing the weed lines, never mind the fish ……

Fishing Biscayne Bay on an east wind is tough but not impossible. Use the wind to do DOWN-WIND drifts over your favorite flats. Allow your boat to broach, meaning drift sideways in the wind, this will slow your drift down to a reasonable speed for sighting bones and permit. If poling, pole 90 degrees to the wind in the morning with your bow pointing north with an east wind. Your speed will be manageable and you can cover some ground as you hunt for big fish.

Fishing the Rolex IGFA World Championship the first week of May was a challenge in the winds we had throughout the month. On the first day of competition we decided to go to Biscayne Bay for permit and bones. Upon shutting down on our first flat we had a school of permit round the point and come straight at us. My angler’s first cast was perfect but the wind left such a bow in the line he couldn’t feel the permit chewing the shrimp off his hook. We even had time to re-bait and try another shot, but alas the same scenario occurred. Throughout the day we had a few more good opportunities but just couldn’t capitalize on them returning to the dock after running over 90 miles with a bagel, zilch, nada …. ZIP.

Day two was much better scoring three snook on artificial (all over 30") and three redfish as well. Day three scoring one snook and two redfish for a three-day grand total for my three anglers of 675 points. Robert Collins (This years winner of the Herman Lucerne) won TOP Angler with 1300 points.

Fishing Flamingo during the last two months of windy conditions forced me to learn the flats I thought I knew so well in a much different light. As the water drained out during the outgoing tides I realized the importance of staying in the zones I thought had fish. Having the confidence to continue to fish as the wind emptied the whole area into a couple of washes is the secret to success in the type of weather we have had.

If you tell yourself that catching a couple of snook and red’s would make the day, why not commit to an area that you know will be productive and fish it hard. These areas we all know like around Frank, Palm and the area I call Jimmies Lake. These areas will hold fish when the entire flats drain during a low tide made worse by a strong east wind. Just have the patience to stay on the spot and work for those fish and you will be rewarded for your efforts.

Don’t forget to listen to 790 AM WAXY Radio on Sunday nights for my new fishing show "Strictly Snook From Florida" between 8 & 9 PM for the latest in snook fishing as well as all of the other shallow water species. We will have fishing reports from some of the experts from Chevy’s Florida Fishing Reports like Ron Hueston, the Southwestern Expert and Mike Holliday, the Southeastern Expert so don’t miss it.

Tight Lines and I will see you "On the Flats"

May Report 2004

Well the winds have not calmed down yet but the bite has drastically improved in the bay as the water temperatures raise. The bonefish have been very present all over the bay in large schools, all the way down the Upper Keys. I have seen schools in the twenties out on the inside of the Ragged Keys south down to Garden Cove flats. Inside of Rabbit key Basin has gotten much better as of late as well, with reports of large schools moving on the strong tides. Look for tailers at the end of the falling tides as well as the first of the incoming tides on the outside of Elliot all along the deep edges. The bones will be working the lower waters and stay just deep enough while waiting for the water to rise up onto the flats, but keep an eye out for permit in the 2 to 3 foot water as the tide rises. Look for these scenario’s to just get better as the water warms to and over the 80-degree mark.

The Tarpon are moving south along the outside of Key Largo all along the shore up to Sands Cut in good numbers and have been eaters on tans and light browns early in the day and chartreuse to olive patterns midday. There have been good numbers of tarpon moving on the outer edges of Florida Bay’s First National Bank as well all the way down to Springer Bank. Look for rollers and get in front of them and take a shot. The patterns are a closely kept secret between the guides and to ask them for the color is your only hope. The colors I have had luck on are the same as listed above in the Bay, just add a yellow and white in the mix for the midday bite

Have you seen the new Sunshine Network Show "Chevy’s Florida Fishing Reports" This new show has our own Capt. Rick Murphy as a co-host and yours truly, Capt. Dave Sutton as the "South Regional Expert" The show divides Florida into seven regions with each of these regions having an expert that gives an offshore as well as an inshore report each week on the Sunshine Network between 7 & 8 PM on Thursday night. There is also a very detailed fisherman’s weather report for the upcoming weekend, so check it out. Next month I will give you the listing of the guides, the "Magnificent Seven" Experts ALL around the state.

Something else is NEW>>> look for a new radio show called "Strictly Snook from Florida" This is a new talk show dealing with, well, Snook of course as well as all of the other inshore species we all know and love. The Host will be radio personality Tim Mullins and the Co-Host will be ….. that’s right …. you guessed it …Capt. Dave Sutton.

Our first airing will be Sunday May 16^th between 8 & 9 PM on WAXY 790 AM. We will be having some of your favorite guides on the show giving reports as well as the top authorities in the preservation of Snook here in Florida. Also having some of the fisherman who love to fish for Snook from bridges, canals, jetty’s, docks and piers on the show will make for a very interesting show. The phones will be live for your interaction. Stay tuned for more info…. Until then, I’ll see you "On the Flats"

April Report 2004

Now is the time to get out your 11 & 12 weight fly rods to prepare for the Tarpon runs of spring. You can loosen up in Whitewater Bay blind casting for the kings to get yourself into the rhythm of throwing the heavy rods again. Clean your reels and lines then check your backing and don’t forget to throw out any old rusty hooked tarpon flies. See Franco at Biscayne Bay Fly Shop for the latest patterns and "lets get it on"!!!!

I had decided to do a little more Gulf of Mexico fishing and I needed a larger hull to do the trips in comfort. This combination should be just perfect. During the Miami International Boat Show this year I took the time to check out EVERY 22’ to 24’ bay boat to see what was offered by the industry. I have come to the conclusion that the Triton has the best deck layout, the best fit & finish and far and above, the best ride on the market. Come for a test ride with me and I think you will agree. Anglers Marine of Ft. Lauderdale is my new Dealership for the Triton ... Why? SERVICE, SERVICE, and SERVICE I’ll see you "On the Flats"

March Report 2004

Miami’s Biscayne Bay has been full of bonefish and should continue to get even better as the month of March approaches. Water temperatures have been in the mid-seventies between the cold fronts and the winds have been maintaining a somewhat easterly direction making for perfect conditions on the bay. Landing nine bonefish while only fishing for them for two day’s in the past twenty is a testament to the availability of working fish. The bones have been active all over the bay with the water temperatures over the 72-degree mark, from the west bay all around the Chicken Key area south to the north end of Key Largo. Large schools of fish are up on the flats and feeding very well. I have been on many nice schools of fish over on the east side of the bay from Cesar’s Creek south to Angelfish & Broad Creeks as well. With the opening of snook season this February 1^st we have targeted linesiders in the bay as well. Look in the creek mouths, canal mouths and channel entrances during an outgoing tide for the bets shots.

Winter Tarpon is in full swing from the bridges of Miami all the way over the Florida Bay and Flamingo. Whitewater Bay has been a frequent haunt for many anglers throwing HighRollers and Bagley’s mullet baits for the Kings. Landing two fish a day has been the average, although you need to jump another five to seven fish to keep the odds this good. Casting poppers and shallow divers is a lot of fun for these giants, especially when they take a swing at your lure five feet away from the boat. Remember, natural colors in clean water and bright colors in dirty water has been the measure of success on my boat this season. Throwing a fly has only been done by the die-hard anglers who can stand up to blind casting in a fifteen-knot wind for a chance of jumping some nice fish. As tuff as it may sound, this has been the tactics that has landed eight fish over eighty pounds in the last month.

Snook and redfish are all over the backcountry of Flamingo as well as the outside flats into Florida Bay, but slow down your presentations with the cold waters after a cold front. Black drum are a day saver when the water temperatures are below the 65-degree mark. Use a troll-right jig tipped with a live shrimp and you will be surprised. Cobia and tripletail are on the crab pot buoys and the Spanish macks are in full force out in the deep waters of the gulf. If you are planning a guided trip here in So. Florida there isn’t a better time to go than now

Now is the time to get out your 11 & 12 weight fly rods to prepare for the Tarpon runs of spring. You can loosen up in Whitewater Bay blind casting for the kings to get yourself into the rhythm of throwing the heavy rods again. Clean your reels and lines then check your backing and don’t forget to throw out any old rusty hooked tarpon flies. See Franco at Biscayne Bay Fly Shop for the latest patterns and "lets get it on"!!!!

February Report 2004

Well the cold fronts have become a weekly tradition this past January and look like they might follow into February. It has been a mixed bag of windy days and cold fronts blowing through from the west and north making the bonefishing very tough. With the sudden drop of five degrees in water temperature the bones retreat to the deeper flats and forage there, rather than suffer the cold water on the shallower flats. It will take two or three days in succession to bring them back to tailing water. Watch the surface temps and get ready to fish. I have found that the magic number seems to be 68 degrees until the bonefish will begin to migrate onto the skinny water to feed.

Young tarpon on the other hand can be found in the same cuts and channels during the cold fronts and a well placed shrimp will produce an eruption on the surface that is almost as good as their larger fellows of spring. These young fish like to school and look for the safest hiding spots from the sharks. Fish the hollows under the mangrove shoreline and keep a sharp eye out for snook as well. Any little creek mouth flow that is out of the normal hustle and bustle of traffic will hold fish as long as the flow is coming out of the creek and into deeper water. Also start looking for the big brothers as they come into the Everglades Backcountry.

The flyfishing for bones is still worth trying if you use a fly with weighted eyes and allow it to fall to at least three feet before starting to strip. I like to use clousers and Borski’s Fur Shrimp for this due to the upward bent hook design of the fly and it’s sparse tie to help the sink rate. Colors we use are white and light tan, white and chartreuse and white and yellow. These colors seam to be the best bet for the deep edges of the channel when you see mudding bonefish.

February will show a few more of these cold fronts and with it the blustery winds of early spring to deal with as well. Try to work a specific flat for bonefish over and over again and you will see that there is a general set of conditions that will bring schools of fish to the flat. Wind direction, tide flow, tide time of day and of course the position of the moon. All of these factors dictate whether you will see a few tailers or a few schools of tailers. But most importantly, be patient and enjoy the hunt, even if the score is lopsided. This is called fishing and even the very best guides will return to the dock at times with a final score of bonefish 8 & anglers nothing, every once and a while.

I’ll see you "On the Flats"

January Report 2004

The cold fronts of winter have arrived, and in force. Water temperatures are down in the mid sixties and the bonefish are responding. Tailing will only occur late in the day after a calm, sunny afternoon has a chance to warm to waters two to five degrees. A temperature rise will trigger a late feed in water shallow enough to see tails. For the most part target fish on the deeper edges of flats and during the higher stages of the tides. Look for mudding fish in two to four feet of water and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Most of my fishing has been in the backcountry of Flamingo this past December. The weather has brought most of the anglers and guides alike to the sheltered back bays of Whitewater Bay. Concentrating mostly on the creek mouths where the sweet water meets the salt has been the trick, although the outside beaches of the cape north into Shark River have been on fire as well.

While on a busman’s holiday fishing with Capt. Eric VanDemark we were set up on the south bank of Conche Channel with a chum bag looking for pinfish and pilchards. I noticed a large shark coming up the chum slick for a look at the source. "Look at the size of that Lemon Shark bud" I said to Eric, as he looked at the shark out about forty feet and closing. We both noticed a pattern emerging on the sides of the seven-foot long fish as the shark got closer and closer to the chum bag I was shaking. "That’s a Tiger Shark" Eric said with an excited voice as he dashed for a rod. I backed off the bow just a little as the shark nosed the chum bag and turned off circling back for another run at it. I kept the tease on till Eric got ready with some of the fresh bait we had just caught, and upon hooking up the great fish for the third time the fight was on.

This was about as close as I was going to get to this dude especially without a LONG wire leader. The Tiger showed no fear of the boat at all and kept on eating Eric’s baits even after he had hooked the fish twice. This was the first time we had ever seen a Tiger here in South Florida waters. Being flats fisherman, and spending most of our time in twelve inches of water, I am not surprised. I’m sure there are plenty of them offshore but to see one in three feet of water was a surprise.

There have been lots of fish on the outside wrecks as well. Making the trip out ten to fifteen miles from the Shark River or Sandy Key has been a gamble. The choice must be made on the right day to make the trip or the ride back can be very uncomfortable even in a twenty plus foot hull, but the trip is worth it. Large Snapper, Grouper, Black Drum, Tripletail, Cobia and a host of other species await you. Just use your best judgment and of course, the weather reports, and you will have plenty of work to do at the cleaning table upon your return. I’ll see you "On the Flats"

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys … Last year Bonnie Christ won the lady grand champion title in the Mercury Outboards/Cheeca Redbone Celebrity Tournament. This year, the Alexandria, Va. Executive became the first woman in the 16-year history of the tournament to capture the grand champion title outright among the 134-angler field.

Guided by Mercury pro team Capt. Andy Thompson of Homestead, Christ caught four bonefish Saturday and four redfish Sunday, all on bait, to make four combinations of "redbones." She took home a stainless steel Rolex timepiece along with artwork as a part of her winnings in the awards ceremony at Cheeca Lodge.

To further cap off the celebrity charity event that helps fund research efforts for cystic fibrosis, Christ and fishing partner Joe Viar, also from Alexandria and both long time supporters of the tournaments, won the team grand championship title with three bonefish Viar released. Christ also released the most bonefish for that award.

Considering the cold front that dropped temperatures and brought windy conditions to the Florida Bay waters on Saturday, Christ’s performance was considered remarkable. "It was one of those memorable days," Christ said, "like the time I caught three permit in a day."

On Sunday she listened to Capt’n Thompson’s instructions to pick up extra points for redfish and bonefish combinations by "catching four redfish today". Christ released all four redfish before lunch in two different places and in different ways sight-casting for some and blind-casting into troughs for others. Kudos’ to Capt Andy Thompson

December Report 2003

Hopefully the winds of November will fade to a manageable ten to fifteen knots for December. Bonefishing has been tough in the twenty plus winds we have had, but the fish are there. Time and time again in the Bay I have been lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time and have a three bonefish day. The water temperatures are just right fir the feeding frenzies I have been able to pole into on Cutter Bank, the Rubicon’s and the outside flats of Elliot Key.

Have you seen the sunken shrimp boat just to the east of the ICW, north of Cutter bank? How long is the National Park going to allow it to sit on the grass beds with it’s shrimp nets strewn all over the bottom. As I am writing this it has been there for a week with only a couple of red buoys to mark the nets. Seems to me those nets would be a hindrance to fish in the area, I am just hoping my bonefish stay clear of the hazard.

I have been finding that there is still a few permit on the outside flats. We went down to the old Carysfort Marina and if you go just southeast about two hundred yards there is a shallow flat about two feet during the low tide. I have been finding most of my permit there with a few tarpon passing by as well. If you check out your charts you will find quite a few spots like this one that will hold permit till the water temperatures drop to below 70 degrees. After that they will move out onto the wrecks in deep water which is there wintering grounds.

For all of those who have asked about my new skiff I am building, she is coming along real nice. John from Release Boats has offered me the use of his lay-up tables to do the bulkheads, floors and top cap. This will give me that professional finish I am looking for without all the expense of making tables myself. Plus the all-important experience of using them, which are skills I haven’t mastered … yet! I will have a few pics after the holidays for your inspection in the January Edition.

I hope you all have a very happy and safe Holiday Season,

and I will see you "On the Flats"

The 2003 Florida Nursery Growers Association’s "Living Legends Tournament" (formally known as the Day on the Bay) was another success this year. Raising over $10K this year for college students while honoring one of the most respected members of our community Colleen Boggs, the tournament is it’s third year. I had the Top Female and Top Junior on my boat this year, hence the top Guide Award. There were also twelve other trophies awarded for largest fish as well as the Slam Awards.

This years top winners were;

Top Male Angler …. John Sanchez of Blaylock Oil with 64 inches

Top Female Angler …. Julie Sutton Marine Artist with 77.5 inches

Top Junior Angler …. Eric Durnberg with 35 inches (MY ANGLER)

Top Guide …. Capt. Dave Sutton

Other notable awards went to Julie Sutton for Largest Trout, Mike Stasko for Largest Bonefish and our honored Living Legend, Colleen Boggs for Largest Snapper. Fifty-one anglers participated this year and made the tournament a smashing hit.

A real big Thank-you to all of our sponsors who made this tournament possible.

The First Annual Ocean Reef Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited Backbone Classic will be held at the Ocean Reef Club December 2-4 2003. Formally known as the Boy Scout Backbone, this tournament is one of the most enjoyable contests I have had the pleasure to guide. Scoring is set up to allow even the novice angler a chance to place up with the seasoned veterans, and the venue is the most elegant we have here in the South Florida Area. I am fishing my sponsors from Florida Hiway & Marine Insurance again this year and we hope to place well again this year. Sponsors include Scout Boats, Mercury Outboards, Renzetti Vises, with artwork by CD Clark, Luther Hall & Tim Borski. There will be a multitude of destination trips to places like Mangrove Key, Tropic Star Lodge in Costa Rica and a trip to the Seychelles. Don’t miss this event, if you need more information call the Tournament Director Jack Curlett @ 305-522-0745 or Lisa Crayne @ 305-367-5896. I will see you there!!!!

I have just received my new Thomas & Thomas Fly rods and am in seventh heaven. I had a chance to throw my new 8 & 9 weights during the high winds of the November and am just amazed at the power I now hold in my hand. When I added the new Nautikos fly reels by Old Florida to these new sticks I feel I have the best equipment there is to offer my anglers. Come out for a trip and I will show you what I mean.

I have been fishing with some of the new Skitter-Walks from Rapala that Capt. Rick Murphy gave and I love them. The castability is remarkable, the action is nice and quite on the surface of the water. The rattles add another dimension to fishing the sometimes very dirty waters of Flamingo with fish attracting sounds. Check these baits out at Biscayne Bay Fly Shop or the Complete Angler. My favorite colors are silver mullet, gold mullet and the redfish.

November Report 2003

October Report 2003

Bonefish, Bonefish, Bonefish, this month is the best for my favorite target. With the water staying warm, an 84-degree average, the bones are feeling fall slowly coming on, and with that warm water and the lack of a strong cold front the permit are staying around as well. I have been seeing schools of LARGE bonefish all over the bay and they have been eating on fly as well as bait. A bonefish will always be heading in an up current direction with his nose into the wind, so to speak. So many we have used the term "bird dogging." A bonefish while swimming into the current will sway back and forth to increase the chance of picking up the scent of a food source. Moving right to left as the fish moves up a flat just like a bird dog working into the wind across a field. It really is a beautiful thing to watch.

I have been a woodworker for over 25 years doing finish woodwork for a living before I retired to a life of guiding. I have built hand made wood canoes using the stripping method for years.

Well, I will keep you informed on my progress and hope to see you on the wall in Snakebite in two months. Until then I’ll see you "On the Flats"

September Report 2003

September is upon us again with the familiar warm evenings and wonderful sunsets after our seasonable afternoon thunderstorms. Snook season has opened and the hunt is on for the linesiders. There are still plenty of fish on the beaches and creek mouths of Florida Bay. I have been up in the bites, you know Garfield, Rankin and that whole shoreline all the way to the dragover with lots of luck. Young tarpon in the five-pound class rolling about, snook taking top water Rip Rollers, redfish tailing in the very skinny waters, it is the time to pole. The winds are minimal this time of year making it a time to just pole along slowly in six to eight inches of water looking for pushes and waking fish.

August Report 2003

Well August is here again, and again we look forward to September first for the snook season to open. The flats are loaded with this fiery villain sitting poised to strike at a properly presented bait. One of my favorites is the High Roller/Rip Roller in the 3.25" size and in the colors of either Florida Special or the new Green Back. Other top water baits like the new Rapala Skitter Walk in the mullet pattern has worked very well. Capt. Rick Murphy gave me a couple of these baits after the ICAST Show to see what I thought, and I like them.

Don’t forget the plastics. My MadMan Baits have been doing the trick in this warm water as well. Rigged Texas Style using a 1/16^th oz. bullet weight for casting distance really helps, it also allows the head of the bait to fall naturally. This has been the formula for success catching at least two or three snook before the heat of the day slows down the bite and makes the fish hide out in the deeper edges or cuts of Flamingo.

The early part of the day has been the best for the bonefishing. Being on the water at sunrise is a necessity due to the cooler water temperatures. This is the toughest time for me to tag a bonefish with this hot water. I have been on the University of Miami Bonefish Research program for almost four years now and have gotten a lot of information from the research they are performing. If you have fished with me you will notice I don’t tag all of the fish we catch, as is my standard practice. I will only tag a bone that has been landed in the best of shape to lessen the impact on the fish and ensure it’s survival. I will take a lot of time reviving every fish caught to ensure the fish has had a chance to recover from the fight before releasing him. I hope you all practice the same care when releasing one of our precocious bonefish.

When flyfishing during these calm and quiet days on the flats remember to step down to a lighter weight rod for a softer presentation of the fly to the fish. An eight or nine weight rod is preferred during those windy days, but most of the summer I throw a seven to the bonefish. On occasion, I will use a six weight on a school of smaller fish like we often see on the outside of the bay along Elliot key and up to the Ragged keys and south to Garden Cove. These schools of fish are smaller than the Arsnicker fish and can easily be managed with a lighter rod. Did I mention it’s a lot more fun on a lighter rod as well! Just keep your angles opposite the fish’s direction and apply the pressure from the first two feet of the rod, rather than the tip, to reduce a long, drawn out fight.

The captain has gone off the deep end … that’s right I am venturing out into the deep blue. We have had a great time catching dolphin and king’s summer, and yes I bring my nine weight flyrod with me all of the time. I have gone to the some of the area’s most accomplished offshore anglers for direction and guidance for the fine art of fishing the blue water, and it has paid off. Along with a couple of new sponsors like Accurate Fishing Products and Garmin Electronics, an offshore rookie like me can consistently catch quality fish. The new reels from Accurate I have used are unbelievable. The Boss 197 and 270 are the smaller sizes Accurate makes, but not small in performance. These reels have twin drag systems and nine total ball bearings for a smooth, fast retrieve. Machined out Billet 6061-T6 aluminum, they are made to last a lifetime. Check out my web site for a link or go to www.accuratefishing.com for more info. Better yet, contact Jose Fonseca the owner of The Complete Angler at 305-665-2771, he has the whole line for your inspection.

There are some new hard baits I have been throwing since the ICAST Show. The Strike Pro Lure Company has given me a few of their new shallow diving and surface baits for testing. I will be giving you a full report in the very next issue.

July Report 2003

Has June been a month of nasty weather here in South Florida, or is it just me? Where are the calm days and the beautiful mornings I have been waiting for? The afternoon storms have been building much to early making a short day out on the water.

The water is getting to its warmest temperatures of the summer driving the bonefish to feed early in the morning and in deeper than normal waters during the rest of the day. Target the early morning low stages of the tides for tailing fish. The second week of June we found eaters in good numbers on the inside of the Bay, but only early and with the tide at the low incoming stages. I like to fish a lot of clousers during this time of year in light yellow and tan patterns. Remember that you also need to step down in your rod selection for a softer presentation during the quiet times of the morning. A 7 wt. fast action rod like a G.Loomis GLX with a full floating line is my choice for a long quiet cast. The GLX matched up with the new Old Florida Super Arbor, makes for a lightweight and comfortable rig to handle for a day on the water. A lot of my anglers are used to the lighter weight sticks that are used for trout fishing, and when I hand them a 9 wt. they think it’s a broomstick. Just make sure that your reel has a sufficient amount of backing to fight our Biscayne Bay Bones.

To keep your fly line, leader and fly from splashing down on the surface of the water as you make your last forward cast, aim five feet above the water and the leader will straighten out, then float down to the surface. This will decrease the slap and also allow your leader to turn over properly. Keep your rod at the five-foot level until your leader turns then lower your rod tip to the water to gather any slack, and you’ll find you will be in a better position for a strike, much quicker.

The permit are still getting more numerous in the Bay and on the outside flats. These guys are the toughest fish to target on fly. Compounding the problem, you also need at least a 20-pound leader to reduce the risk of separation when the fish digs his nose on the bottom to try to get rid of the hook. I will increase my leader length to sometimes over ten feet to keep the larger diameter fly line as far away from the fish as possible. The use of P-line Fluorocarbon Leaders has also increased my hook-up percentage a great deal. The old reliable Merkin Crab and the newer Quan Fly are the best percentage patterns I have used this season. A 9 wt. seems to be the best bet for the wilily permit and I also like a Loomis GLX for this challenge as well. The faster action rods have a much better control over not only the distance but also the placement of the fly. The proper shot, at the right time using the right fly will give you a very good chance of a hook-up to the black eyed permit.

Just a reminder to you all who were asking for the new Folding Weight Nets, they are available now at Don’s Bait & Tackle & A’Ok Bait. There will be another new shop carrying some of my favorite gear. Franco at Biscayne Bay Fly Shop will be stocking all of my favorite colors in High Rollers and MadMan Plastic Baits in his new backcountry selection, so check it out.

New this month I have been using the new MUSTAD Ultra Point Hooks with great success. I really like the strength and sharpness of the new line of hooks. Working the Mad Shad Carolina style has produced quite a few snook out of Flamingo. Going weedless, I can drag the baits thru the grass in as little as six inches of water on the edge of a drop off. This is where the snook are looking to ambush the mullet as they pass. It also works great on the beaches, just throw up on the sand and retrieve into the water for a great natural presentation. Until next month, I’ll see you "On the Flats"

June Report 2003

June fishing should be exactly what we had hoped for in the sense of wind direction, speed and temperatures. The afternoon build-up of thunder storms dictate we start our days early and end them around 2 pm. This is a good practice also due to the South Florida sun baking our anglers to a crisp in the afternoon. Keep in mind you must reapply a generous amount of sunscreen every three hours and keep the flow of liquids into yourself as well as your anglers to keep from becoming toast as we head into the summer months. Reminding my anglers of both of these necessities I feel is a very important part of being a good guide.

As June approaches we will see the water temperatures rising to the point of driving the bonefish off the flats during the middle of the day, although the permit will be showing more and more as the waters warm. Target your bonefishing on those days of an early morning, incoming tide. The influx of cooler water flooding the flats will turn on the bite and give you a better chance of hooking the ghost of the flats.

When flyfishing for bones on the flats, I change flies almost as often as we change flats. I always try to match the bottom color with my selection of flies as I pull onto a flat. The forage food of the bonefish will adapt a color consistent of the bottom color where they live to better camouflage themselves against being the main course of the day. Fluorocarbon leaders are also a must to fool the bonefish, as well as a well-placed cast of your fly or bait. If you can position yourself in the path of the fish and pull your offering straight away, the leader will be in front of the fly and not visible to the fish.

This is the best time to try for the Grand Slam of the flats. To catch a bone, permit and tarpon in the same day is very possible during the three months of summer. Permit being the toughest of the three to get to eat, this is the time of year the greatest numbers of fish gather on our flats. Target them with a 1 ½ " crab on a 2/0 circle hook, at least a 20 pound fluorocarbon leader and hold on for the fight of your life. Have your Captain keep fairly close to help keep the line out of the fan coral and off the bottom for your best chances to keep a fish on.

Tarpon will still be very much present in our waters, and in good numbers now that they have ended the spawning cycle. They will be much more aggressive feeders now since they don’t eat much during the spawn. The cockroach patterns have been very successful in the early parts of the day and as the sun climbs higher in the sky, switch to a chartreuse or white and yellow combination for the best results. I’m hearing more and more that circle hooks are being used rather than the old standard hooks for a better catch percentage. Just fight the urge to strike and set the hook, with the circle hooks all you need do is lift the rod to lodge the hook in the corner of the mouth and in the ensuing fight the hook will be imbedded deep enough to land the fish. Please take the time to revive the fish properly after you land one of these friends of mine to ensure their survival. They are just too valuable to catch only once.

The ICAST Show is again in Las Vegas this year and your captain will be attending, so look for a report in the July issue for the lowdown on this fishing manufacturers convention. All the products for the sport will be there and it will be held July 9^th thru the 11^th. I am sure I’ll have a few new products to tell you about.

I’ll see you " On the Flats"

Even with the wind being up we have been able to fly fish with the help of the Pro Trim Line Tamer. This stripping bucket takes away almost all of the aggravation when trying to cast in a wind and is a much-needed tool on my bow when there is a 15 or 20-knot wind blowing. We have been using the Old Florida Super Arbor fly reels with Old Florida’s new IM6 Graphite Fly Rods with much the delight of my anglers. These reels are of the highest quality you can find out there on the market period. If you feel that you need to spend more money on a reel ….Buy Two.

May Report 2003

Here we are in the glorious month of May again. Bonefish are schooling all over our Biscayne Bay flats, permit are working on the edges and deeper flats, and the tarpon are heading south for the Keys.

There is no better time to be a fisherman or guide here in South Florida. I find it to be the hardest at these times, when there are boats all over the place, to keep the right distance from my fellow anglers. Other boats are cutting