NOVEMBER & DECEMBERHopefully the winds of November will fade to a manageable ten to fifteen knots for December. Bonefishing has been tough in the twenty plus winds we have had, but the fish are there. Time and time again in the Bay I have been lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time and have a three bonefish day. The water temperatures are just right for the feeding frenzies I have been able to pole into on Cutter Bank, the Rubicon’s and the outside flats of Elliot Key. I have also been finding a few permit on the outside flats. We went down to the old Carysfort Marina and if you go just southeast about two hundred yards there is a shallow flat about two feet during the low tide. I have been finding most of my permit there with a few tarpon passing by as well. If you check out your charts you will find quite a few spots like this one that will hold permit till the water temperatures drop to below 70 degrees. After that they will move out onto the wrecks in deep water which is there wintering grounds.Last month we spoke about water temperatures and the effect it has on the bonefish feeding patterns. Over this winter we will see water temps in the lower sixties and even down into the upper fifties. These temperatures make bonefishing very difficult, but not impossible. Have you ever heard of the term “deep water bonefishing”? When the surface water temperatures are in the upper fifties to the lower sixties bonefish will tend to stay in water three to six feet deep due to the more stable temperatures. Spotting fish at this depth is a real challenge. I concentrate on looking for mud’s put up by feeding fish, as well as ray muds. As a bonefish feeds he will have his head down in the grass routing out shrimp and small crabs creating small puff mud. These muds will appear as very little spot muds and will dissipate very fast in any current situation. As a fish moves into the current he will put up a few of these puffs and let you know his direction and how many fish by the amount of puffs. Here is where you just might be lucky enough to spot a “Mud House” This occurs when a large school of bones feel safe in this deeper water and begin to feed hard. Remembering that bones will always feed into or at right angles to the current flow, your best shot is to position your boat pushing into this current. This will give you the chance to see an old mud and work up on a school of feeding fish slowly and locate them by the ever increasing muds. This is your best shot at a double bonefish hook-up. A school of fifty to one hundred bonefish pushing up mud in a twenty foot circle is one of the most amazing events I have been lucky enough to put an angler on.Larger hull vessels should be aware of the flats anglers. Captains of the vessel, when you see a flats boat in the distance it is easy to see if there is a person poling up on the tower over the outboard. If there is someone poling?HE IS IN SHALLOW WATERDO NOT APPROACH.The flats boat is also fishing for the very wary bonefish. Please do not come within three hundred yards of these boats as not to spook the flat he is fishing on. When you see this type of boat you must check your GPS for a safe route around the flat he is fishing. If you come too close to this situation you are standing the chance of running aground and not only hurting the flat but also doing damage to your motors lower unit. The Park Rangers will only charge you $10 per foot for the damaged flats but at thirty knots you can run up a real bill. The watercolor change is your best indicator of shallow water. If there is a tan or brown color change this means that grass is showing in shallow water. The whole shore line of Biscayne Bay is full of such flats and small shallow channels that run through them, most of them are ok to navigate with a flats boats but not a 24-foot deep Vee hull with twin outboards. Please check out your charts or GPS system to find your safest course and help us protect our grassflats before the “powers that be” litter our Bay with “No Motor Zone” signs. Hoping all have Happy Holliday’s, and safe days on the water,
I’ll see you “On the Flats”
Capt. Dave Sutton
"South Regional Expert"
Chevy Florida Fishing Reports
305.248.6126 offices
786.564.6347 cell
Captain Dave Sutton is sponsored by Chevrolet, Evinrude, Palmas Puro Cigars, Costa Del Mar Eyewear, Power-Pro lines, Odyssey Batteries, SOL Sunscreen, Calusa Nets, Hydro-Glow Fishing Lights, Salt Water Assassin, Rapala, Frogg-Toggs, High Rollers, Lipper Tool, Sea-Power, Pro-Fish, Hummingbird Electronics, Van Staal Fly Reels, Fetha-Styx Fly Rods and is the Florida Ambassador to Lewmar Ltd. He fishes Biscayne Bay, the Upper Keys and the Everglades National Park. Captain Dave fishes a Maverick Mirage HPX-V, and a new 2007 SPEEDCRAFT from Caribbean Craft Boats and is one of the builders and owners of the brand new Terrapin Skiffs; he is on the Quantum Pro-Team, and on the Pro-Staff of, Power-Pole, Stiffy Push Poles and many others.
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