Islamorada Sailfish report

Hookup1

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My brother moved back to Pompano Bch. Bought a 23CC. He's been anchoring at night and catching snapper (yellowtail & mangrove). Dolphin is nada... They tried speed trolling for wahoo...nada...

Sails are usually a cold north wind in Feb thing. He doesn't target them cause you can't eat them.
South FL dolphin will pickup in April/May/June. We have wind next few days. Fixing boat and tackle. Maybe Thursday back at it.
 
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Hookup1

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Fishing the Poor Girl's tournament with my wife as the registered angler and my friend Dave as Captain. As always I run the cockpit and mate. Small local tournament 25-30 boats. Inexpensive social. Two dozen goggs on hold for the morning. Windy but good kite weather. Should be fun.

 

Hookup1

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Fishing has been terrible. Could have caught just as many sailfish in Wildwood!. Only had 2 in 9 weeks. Week and a half to go. We keep trying. Ocean has been dead. But YES 80 degree weather and blue water soothes the pain

.Rigger Layout.jpeg
 
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Hookup1

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Sailfish exploded in the Key Largo to Miami area. Crazy number of releases. Tuesday and Wednesday - Thursday not in yet. Dozen boats reported in.



Screen Shot 2024-02-22 at 7.28.19 AM.jpg Screen Shot 2024-02-22 at 7.30.08 AM.jpg
 

SkunkBoat

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Ha. They slayed sailfish outside Hillsboro Inlet so my brother went Thursday with live mullet and kite. They all got bit in half. Landed one kingfish Friday trolled two dolphin. He has the skunk stink
 

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The Key Largo to Miami bite never repeated or popped up elsewhere. Similar thing happened in Islamorada/Marathon last Feb 24th. Palm beach bite has been consistently good - 10 releases a day are common. Been a terrible year for me and others in Islamorada. There are a few sailfish around and the charter guys can pick a sailfish up some days. No meat fish and humps are dead. Sea surface temps show cool 73 degree water. Last year it was 79/80 up to the reef with a color change and 2 knot current in 200'.
 

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My brother got one nice mutton the other day. Wants to know when I’m coming down. I said come back to Jersey in May we’ll limit on seabass and catch a bluefinIMG_1759.jpeg