THE FISHING TRIP: February 24TH, 2012
Aboard the “REWARD WON” with Captain Wayne
Offshore Key Biscayne, Florida
Weather: sunny, 5 to 10 knot winds then to 15 knots later in the afternoon
Seas: Calm in the morning and around 2 to 4 in the afternoon
Water: Clear in the morning and less visibility in the afternoon
Fish catches: Small Amberjack, small Almaco Jack, Mutton snapper, trigger fish, a kingfish, and bonitos in the mix
Biggest size : Type : Amberjack around 7 lbs
Technique: Jigging and fishing with live and chunk white bait and speedos
Jigs :100-300 gram; pink worked the most on this trip.
This trip was a last minute one for me as the weather cleared up for Saturday fishing. The weather has been crazy around South Florida lately. Weak cold fronts and then as hot as summer time. This seems to have shut down most of the fishing. We had the VHF running all along the trip and heard other boat’s catches and most were the same “Pretty slow day today”. Then the wind picked up just a tad bit and a report of a Blue Marling and a couple of Sailfish with some AJ’s on the mix were heard. We started jigging with only bumps and missed fish, looks like the fish wanted slower jigging this day. A small AJ was caught on jigs, then on bait a small snowy came up and was released followed by a double hitter of muttons, and a trigger fish. As the day went on a tilefish, another mutton, and a king mackerel were landed. I did not see who caught them since I was loading up on spedoos for a coming trip. The mate put out a kite to see if would change our odds but unfortunately there was nothing interested on those live baits. On the last try we hit about 4 wrecks with jig quick no catch move fast to another and had no luck. Maybe next time. The captain tried hard again for us and were back at the dock at 4:30 in the afternoon.
Her are a few pics that I took:
DSC02947-small.jpg
DSC02956-small.jpg
DSC02957-small.jpg
DSC02960-small.jpg
DSC02961-small.jpg
DSC02964-small.jpg
Until next time
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:21 pm
by PhishingPhanatic
Nice report Herb, were the speedos in the chum slick?
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:49 pm
by cudaman
Thanks guys.
Ron, those mutts did have a very nice color. Nelson, it was not Chris, it was Danny from another one of the charter boats in that Marina. Rory, yes they were in the chum slick. It was hard to get them interested on the sabikis but we got two dozen of them and I was left with most of it just enough for my back up bait.
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:56 pm
by Green Tide
Cool day of fishing for you guys. Guess you could see the weather change coming at you. Then a cool breezy afternoon. Your reporting method will make for some easy research in the future for those who do that kind of thing.
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:00 pm
by cudaman
Thanks John, we sure did see the weather change as the cool winds started hitting us and the cloud wall was approaching. I should have taken a few pics of that.
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:27 pm
by sepaik
Herb where the Mutts caught on jigs or bait?? Beautiful fish!!
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:33 pm
by cudaman
These were caught on live pilchards. The other on a chunk of speedo. Ricky was getting some nice Vermies on speedo chunks I think.
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:21 am
by Chevy Juan
Herb, Ricky, good job fellas. It looked like a great time to be out.
Always good to see them Muttons come up man, haven't been seeing too many of them around lately but soon enough that's going to change.
Take it easy.
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:49 am
by Floridahogfish
wow!!! really worth the money when are you going again so you can sign me up
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:57 am
by cudaman
Thanks Juan
Floridahogfish, next trip maybe in a couple of weeks. I need to let my wallet rest a bit, LOL. If they do one before I will let you all know.
Here is a little video:
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 12:06 pm
by cudaman
Thanks Ron
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:04 pm
by cudaman
Yeah Nelson, trips for Groupa opener already on the works.
The vermies do go nuts on those lucanus style jigs.
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 5:17 pm
by GO4EM
Hey Nelson.... SHHHHHHHH!
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:22 pm
by sepaik
cudaman wrote:Thanks Juan
Floridahogfish, next trip maybe in a couple of weeks. I need to let my wallet rest a bit, LOL. If they do one before I will let you all know.
Here is a little video:
Nice video as usual Herb!!!
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:29 pm
by Miamipescador
Floridahogfish wrote:wow!!! really worth the money when are you going again so you can sign me up
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:05 am
by Floridahogfish
Miamipescador wrote:
Floridahogfish wrote:wow!!! really worth the money when are you going again so you can sign me up
u and me both shud go and we can show them how to catch muttons with shrimp jigs
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 12:11 am
by Miamipescador
Floridahogfish wrote:
Miamipescador wrote:
Floridahogfish wrote:wow!!! really worth the money when are you going again so you can sign me up
u and me both shud go and we can show them how to catch muttons with shrimp jigs
I ran out and Rick at Anglers told me he didnt have any in stock
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 10:55 am
by cudaman
LOL, I would love to see a mutton on a shrimp out there in 240 feet of water. But you will need an 8 ounce jig, LOL. The boat is open to everyone so go out and try.
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 11:11 am
by cudaman
sepaik wrote:Nice video as usual Herb!!!
Thanks Sehoon
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 6:00 pm
by GO4EM
cudaman wrote:LOL, I would love to see a mutton on a shrimp out there in 240 feet of water. But you will need an 8 ounce jig, LOL. The boat is open to everyone so go out and try.
I'm dropping sandfleas in 450. Lookout!!!!!!!
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 6:25 pm
by cudaman
Man, why you giving the secret to catching tile fish?
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:43 pm
by neil.59
I'm planning on going on their all day trip Sunday, any general idea of what/how many setups people are bringing on a trip like this?
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:00 pm
by cudaman
I bring 5 sets and should only use one at a time
Just to give you an idea:
1-For jigging Saragosa 10K on OTI G3 300 gram rod
2-For jigging Saltist 4500H on OTI Fanthom 200 gram rod
3-For popping or plug casting Saltist 5000H on 8 foot custom
4-For live bait and chunk bait: an Accurate BX600 6:1 on a Calstar 800H
5-For trolling a Penn 6/0 or and Accurate 665H 4:1 on a 5 foot Penn Trolling rod (had it for >20 years and the tip has not broken yet)
Most people only bring 2 rods
Re: Few muttons on a slow day Feb 24th
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:09 pm
by cudaman
rare wrote:Herb, you still got the big lure? I left it in your crate & forgot to get it when we got off
I was giving it to Ricky and he told me its' yours, so I put it back in the crate. Still there, you need a freaking 80 size reel for that lure.
rare wrote:Forgot about the jigging - that as well if that is what they going to do
More than likely that's what most will be doing unless they go near Fowey Rocks.