HAPPY BAIT

Well the time is upon us once again when the bait migrations start running off our beaches. Right now there is a ton of small white baits grouped in pods moving north up our Florida coast line. I call this the pre-run. During the pre-run fishing is good and the seas are calm mostly smaller tarpon ladyfish jacks and plenty of snook are to be had.

The pre-run will last a few weeks and then the bait will start moving north as the first cold fronts of the year start staging up in the north east. These white baits will be a little bigger and in bigger pods often mixed with sardines. The fishing will remain good. This is a great time to match the hatch with your favorite plugs and lures. Casting from the beach should prove to be productive.

Finally for the grand finally the mullet will start to move north up the coast. First the finger mullet will come. Then the silvers will come and finally the black mullet will be mixed in huge pods. This is where it’s at guys; on any given day could be the day of a lifetime. Make sure you’re ready because it will happen. Giant Tarpon will be roaming in these bait schools along with snook, big jack cravelle, blue fish, lady fish and you can catch them standing from the beach. Inshore will be going off, so get that old crusty cast net out of the garage or sharpen up your snatch hook to catch you nice bait or break out your favorite spoon and take advantage of “Happy Bait Time.

Sword fishing will remain good and the weather should cooperate until those cold fronts start making it down here in another month or so. The final Leg of the “Broadbill Swordfish Circuit” will be fished this month with Team NV going in the first place position. Good luck to all of the qualifying teams that will be fishing the tournament.

Off the reefs will also be benefiting from “ Happy Bait Time “ huge schools of ballyhoo, pilchards, blue runners and goggle eyes will show up. These bait pods will bring in the bigger species. Expect the wahoo and king fish to be thick. Kingfish will be stacking up in 80 to 150 feet of water while the wahoo will usually be out deeper around 350 feet. Sailfish will start to get more consistent and so will the larger mahi.

One of the most effective ways to target all of these species is to fast troll skirted rigged bait spread behind your boat. My spread will consist of mostly small Mold Craft lures skirted over a rigged ballyhoo. I will run a darker and larger lure on a downrigger down a bout 50 feet with a split tail mullet. This has been my favorite wahoo presentation and I am sure it will work for you.

ANd now the Feature Presentation