South Florida

[topwaterrob]

OK so I hit a few major haunts over the weekend.  Lox on Thursday, windy as heck and the water was moving fast.  couldn't get any decent bites.  Lake Okeechobee Sunday morning.  Early morning bite only, once the sun was up, the bite was gone. (did manage a few decent ones there). Holiday Park today.  Don't even get me started...  The water is in the parking lot and is moving so fast its riduculous.  Long story short, I think I'll stay indoors for awhile....  Anyone else had any luck?

[rvadog]

Bought a kayak so i can go get some saltwater  fishing in. This S. FL summer is killing me. But I'm excited about Nov-Mar! 

[BassinLou]

Yeah, topwaterrob, Holiday is underwater, it will be months before it even gets decent. I keep saying I am done for the summer on each outing, and I am at it again the next day. For example today, I will be out there working on a technique that has been around for eons and I just read about it. If it works I will post pics , if it doesn't , well you know the rest.

[BP10]

Yeah, topwaterrob, Holiday is underwater, it will be months before it even gets decent. I keep saying I am done for the summer on each outing, and I am at it again the next day. For example today, I will be out there working on a technique that has been around for eons and I just read about it. If it works I will post pics , if it doesn't , well you know the rest.

u can never quit  for the summer the fish just keep callin u back lol

[piscicidal]

I cracked the code at Lox this weekend.  Had two small fish at 9:00AM Saturday when I finally figured it out.  By 1:00PM I had +40 fish, six over 4lb and two over 5lb.  I fished Sunday from 1:00PM until 4:30 and had +20fish, with two 5lb and one 4lb. 

 

Of course, this was after filming out there with Captain Shane last week and I couldn't get anything going with the cameras running...

[SirSnookalot]

Bought a kayak so i can go get some saltwater  fishing in. This S. FL summer is killing me. But I'm excited about Nov-Mar! 

Saltwater fishing has been been sub standard since January in our part of Florida.  From recreational fishermen to charter captains and guides to commercial fishermen all have one comment........too much freshwater coming out of the inlets from the spillways.  The wind has been funny and the water has had an unusual color to it.   We get a decent day every now and then, but this time of the year it should be good everyday and it isn't.  On the piers and jetties a lot of blue runners are being caught, up to about 2 lbs and being in the jack family they offer a nice fight on light tackle, live bait is the key, I'm strictly an arti user.  The kayakers are getting some decent bonita and amberjacks jigging butterflys off wrecks, the drift boats mainly are catching yellowtail snapper, not to be confused with Pacific yellowtail which are related to greater and lesser amberjack, crevalles, trevally, banded rudderfish, etc.

[topwaterrob]

I cracked the code at Lox this weekend. Had two small fish at 9:00AM Saturday when I finally figured it out. By 1:00PM I had +40 fish, six over 4lb and two over 5lb. I fished Sunday from 1:00PM until 4:30 and had +20fish, with two 5lb and one 4lb.

Of course, this was after filming out there with Captain Shane last week and I couldn't get anything going with the cameras running...

In the flats or canal?

[BassinLou]

What was the code Mike if you do not mind sharing?

[shallow thinker]

The topwater of your choice has been working pretty well in Lox.  Some days are better than others.  Flukes and senkos will usually catch better numbers of small fish.

[Orpssab]

Summer time fishing everywhere is slow....Just returned from the Pompono/Deerfield area and now back home here in South Carolina. Couldn't get up to Lox but spent a week fishing local canals and area res lakes. I managed to fish every day but started early 7AM and got off the water by 10:30 AM. Just too hot. Caught over 50 bass and a handfull of snakeheads. And as with other posts, most of the fish were active early. Small bass schooling into bait fish on the bank. It seemed after that was over the only bass I could catch were deep in the center of the canal using 10" T-rigged worms and the bite was slow. If you could stand the heat, you could still catch snakeheads shallow. I never drank so much water in my life! But still enjoyed the trip.

[piscicidal]

I'm going to keep this one on the down low a little bit.  I think this pattern could go on for awhile and I don't see a lot of people doing it (correctly!)

 

I will tell you my approach out there this time of year...I'll target active/feeding fish in the morning (until about 8:30) and after that I am going for reaction bites.   The key for me is to first see what the current is doing.  I'll check and see where they are pumping out and where they are pumping in...based on this (and wind direction) you can usually figure out the current. Then it's a matter of trying to figure out what the fish are eating and how the current (as well as water depth and clarity) might be affecting the food source.  Those fish move around a lot and they are following the bait.  

 

You guys can figure out the rest...I'm not the best fisherman out there (by a long shot) and I got it.  Usually I'll get 1 or 2 pieces of the puzzle figured out and have a fair-to-decent day. Right now, I've got the whole thing.  It doesn't happen often.  The fun part is trying to figure it out, anyway.   Catching is secondary to the process, IMO.   If I wanted to go crank in fish, I'd fish salt water with live bait.  

[Diggy]

Im probably going to catch some cichlids or buy some shiners and go target peas, tarpon and snook this weekend. 

[SirSnookalot]

Im probably going to catch some cichlids or buy some shiners and go target peas, tarpon and snook this weekend. 

Freshies I take it, caught a nice tarpon this morning at the inlet.

 

BTW, I broke my arbor reel.  I was doing a total strip down, had it for about 18 months never been cleaned and screwed up the anti reverse.  If ain't broke don't fix it, the reel was working perfect, lol.

Went DSG to buy a ci4, in hind site I was glad they were out, I didn't really want it, told the guy give me a 5000fj for $79, he didn't bite, lol. 

[AK-Jax86]

Freshies I take it, caught a nice tarpon this morning at the inlet.

BTW, I broke my arbor reel. I was doing a total strip down, had it for about 18 months never been cleaned and screwed up the anti reverse. If ain't broke don't fix it, the reel was working perfect, lol.

Went DSG to buy a ci4, in hind site I was glad they were out, I didn't really want it, told the guy give me a 5000fj for $79, he didn't bite, lol.

Snook not sure if you have an Academy by you but if they have ever carried that reel you can take it to them they will exchange it for the same or they will give you the total cost in store credit

[SirSnookalot]

Snook not sure if you have an Academy by you but if they have ever carried that reel you can take it to them they will exchange it for the same or they will give you the total cost in store credit

appreciate the info, no academy around here.  I've got a spheros I'm not using,  I'll use that until I get the urge to buy something.  It's probably an easy fix, I may take it in someplace, isn't worth the cost of shipping it back and forth.

[Diggy]

Freshies I take it, caught a nice tarpon this morning at the inlet.

 

BTW, I broke my arbor reel.  I was doing a total strip down, had it for about 18 months never been cleaned and screwed up the anti reverse.  If ain't broke don't fix it, the reel was working perfect, lol.

Went DSG to buy a ci4, in hind site I was glad they were out, I didn't really want it, told the guy give me a 5000fj for $79, he didn't bite, lol. 

The fjs were also discounted in many stores as well. The plantation store had some 5ks but are out now, maybe WPB will follow suit soon.

[sunkboat on big o]

Fished slims tourny sunday, had 12lbs, dont know what won. I do know that Carmens tourny sat was won with 22something with 21something 2nd. Weights are def way down up there.

[Diggy]

this is disastrous 

 

Lake Okeechobee keeps rising, sending discharge into St. Lucie River

 

 

http://www.wpbf.com/news/south-florida/treasure-coast/lake-okeechobee-keeps-rising-sending-discharge-into-st-lucie-river/-/8882916/21392774/-/fouflx/-/index.html

 

http://www.tcpalm.com/photos/galleries/2013/jul/29/blue-green-algae-bloom-indian-river-lagoon/139670/

 

 

[BassinLou]

I'm going to keep this one on the down low a little bit.  I think this pattern could go on for awhile and I don't see a lot of people doing it (correctly!)

 

I will tell you my approach out there this time of year...I'll target active/feeding fish in the morning (until about 8:30) and after that I am going for reaction bites.   The key for me is to first see what the current is doing.  I'll check and see where they are pumping out and where they are pumping in...based on this (and wind direction) you can usually figure out the current. Then it's a matter of trying to figure out what the fish are eating and how the current (as well as water depth and clarity) might be affecting the food source.  Those fish move around a lot and they are following the bait.  

 

You guys can figure out the rest...I'm not the best fisherman out there (by a long shot) and I got it.  Usually I'll get 1 or 2 pieces of the puzzle figured out and have a fair-to-decent day. Right now, I've got the whole thing.  It doesn't happen often.  The fun part is trying to figure it out, anyway.   Catching is secondary to the process, IMO.   If I wanted to go crank in fish, I'd fish salt water with live bait.  

 

Thank you for sharing. I have not been at lox for while, but I figured it has to do with moving water. Thanks again for the tip.

[topwaterrob]

Fished slims tourny sunday, had 12lbs, dont know what won. I do know that Carmens tourny sat was won with 22something with 21something 2nd. Weights are def way down up there.

I didn't fish the tx, but I was out there Sunday am. It was smoldering and the bite was all but done for after 9 so I booked.

[BassinLou]

Persistence pays off. I have been striking out for days, I just came back from a canal by my house. I fished  for about 1/2 hour, and was fortunate enough to land and release a bass weighing in at 6lb 10oz. When will I catch another fish? I do not know. But I do know,  if I do not try, I will definitely not catch a thing.

[SirSnookalot]

They had plenty of 5000 fjs on Congress, reel isn't worth $209. to me, especially if I don't really need one. I'd buy one at a good discount and just put it away.

 

We are seeing that green algae on the outgoing tide, fishing is no where like it should be this time of year.  With mostly a s/e wind and s/e surf, which normally is n/e surf more seaweed is coming in makes fishing a bit tougher.

A tip for anyone fishing the surf, be acutely aware of seaweed, every time you clean it off your lure grit and sand is left on your hand, be careful not to get it on your reel.

[juan_LMB]

OK guys, I'm going to share a brief moment of my experience from last night. To the OP, I'm not trying to jack your thread. Just found the first "south Florida" thread to post share this on instead of starting a brand new one.

 

I haven't been fishing in about a month or two because it's so stinking hot and fish are just NOT BITING! I hate standing on a bank fishing canals and not getting bites. I know they're in the canals because I'll see them swimming shallow at times. Once I was throwing a crank bait and as the lure approached the bank, I saw a decent 3lb'er tailing it. He never did bite; I believe if the canal was 10 feet wider, he would've took it. ANYWAY, moving on to last night. My wife ticked me off by interrupting my nap when I had JUST dozed off...wanting to use my truck to go pick up this chair her friend was giving her. So i eventually get up and come to find out, this female lives right by this piece of canal I fish in. I never leave take my poles or tackle box out of my truck so I thought...hmm, she want to get me out then I'm going to go try and catch a fish tonight. On our way back home, I stopped and to remind you this is where I caught my first 5lb'er +. Wasn't getting any bites so I finally got my worm in this spot I had been aiming for (3rd and 4th cast). The 4th cast, I was working the worm back and just knew I was about to get bit...never did. So I said f**k it and started to reel the worm in, which caused the worm to float right on top of the water...BAM!! This nice 3lb fish destroyed that worm hahaha! I've never experienced a top water bite and let me tell you, that was very interesting. I actually jumped because the splash was so big and I wasn't expecting it. I believe that's the trick, fishing at night (not the evening) and throwing top water swim baits. That moves me to this question...what are some good top water, swimming lures you guys use? I'm use to fishing with jigs and worms so top water would be new to me.

[BassinLou]

Oh boy! You have been infected by the top water bug. LOL. Congrats on your over night adventure. There are several topwater baits you can use especially at night. In no particular order.... Yeah right! Who am I kidding. Hollow body frog of course being first, (Now... in no particular order) buzz baits, swimbaits(gambler EZ swimmer), spooks, u-vibe worms, Zoom horny toads. The list will continue. Those few baits I mentioned will keep you busy. Good Luck. The next few days should be interesting with the weather systems. The rain may cool off the water perking up the fish's moods and also cause some water to move.

[CountBassula]

Oh boy! You have been infected by the top water bug. LOL. Congrats on your over night adventure. There are several topwater baits you can use especially at night. In no particular order.... Yeah right! Who am I kidding. Hollow body frog of course being first, (Now... in no particular order) buzz baits, swimbaits(gambler EZ swimmer), spooks, u-vibe worms, Zoom horny toads. The list will continue. Those few baits I mentioned will keep you busy. Good Luck. The next few days should be interesting with the weather systems. The rain may cool off the water perking up the fish's moods and also cause some water to move.

 

Jitterbug!