Today is the first day of fall, but changes are already in progress.  We have entered a wet pattern with a few episodes of wind that have dramatically changed our water conditions for the better.  We have quickly gone from water temps in the low 90’s to a comfortable 84 degrees.  Now everybody is happy!  Fishing has really improved and should continue to get better as fish move into the shallows to enjoy the cooler temps.  On the reef yellowtail snapper are cooperation more and are biting good when the current is moving nicely and the sun is lower on the horizon.  Offshore the tuna bite is as good as it gets.  Some guys struggle here and there, but we have been lucky on my trips and go in early when the box is full or arms are jello.  There are a few dolphin and triple tail out there if you find debris and the wahoo will be more abundant as we progress into the cooler months.  Mangrove snapper on the bayside has been A+!  Only problem has been figuring which big ones to harvest.  With a low limit of 5 per person, it seems a good keeper mangrove snapper at the beginning of the trip becomes small by the end of the trip.  Not a bad problem to have, but I have a system to upgrade live fish as we go through the trip, just like the BASS guys.

In the water activities have been a bit of a challenge.  On the reefs the moon jellyfish are thick.  It is the time of year you have to accept they are here and you need to wear a quality rash guard so they can roll off of you with minimum impact.  Some days are better than others, but be sure they are here.  Not a reason to not enjoy the reef, but it does require more preparation and being aware of your surroundings is important.  On the shallow side in Florida Bay, the conditions have been perfect.  No jellies and clear water has been a nice alternative.  The lobstering is still under-performing, but they are out there!  Processing as many spots quickly and efficiently has been the name of the game.  Not many reports to go off of, but given the change in temperature, they should be moving around.  It is just a matter of time before we get them good before it really cools off and the migration is gone.

Other than the monsoons that have cancelled a few trips lately, I have been pretty slow.  This is my slow season and my time to get the boat ready for the next run and learn some new fishing tricks.  I’m happy to announce I will be offering electric deep dropping to my activities very soon.  I have it figured out, but until January 1, 2015 many deep species are closed.  The difficulty is everything deep lives together and there isn’t any way to target one vs. the other.  Unfortunately, all the deep critters will not survive the long trip up the water column and can not be released alive, so it is best to wait until it is all open.  Finally, I’m happy to announce another box or two of upgrades from Shimano will be coming in a few days.  New top of the line equipment means more fish in the box and is good for all of us!

I’m looking forward to the return of our seasonal visitors and getting back on the water on a daily basis.  When I get busy in season I sometimes have issues with my honor system booking policy, so a change is coming.  Soon I will be implementing a new booking process to secure your reservations.   Basically a $100 deposit will hold your reservation for any 4 hour trip and a $200 deposit will hold anything over 4 hours.  All deposits will be through PayPal and I will  have a very reasonable refund policy in place.  You will also be able to clearly see my bookings and pick your dates accordingly.  I will be happy to book your trip over the phone.  Please give me a call if you have any questions.

Kevin

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