Key Largo Fishing is Picking Up

I was talking with Ron at Yellow Bait House on Key Largo today. He was telling me that the strong winds of March are finally starting to calm down and the fishing is picking up. Some boats made it out of port yesterday and reported catching some nice dolphin in 200ft of water. No sailfish were reported and they may have moved out of the area. Other fish being taken include swordfish, grouper, mutton snapper, and yellowtail snapper. The best baits include ballyhoo, googleye, spedos, and silversides for the snapper. On the bay side of the keys, bonefish are starting to show better on shallow sand flats. Fly fishing is the preferred way to catch bonefish but a live shrimp will also work. Redfish, blackdrum, snook and speckled trout are all being caught in good numbers. Live shrimp and finger mullet are the best baits. Forecasters predict the winds to calm even more as the week progresses. This will produce outstanding fishing for all of the Florida Keys and South Florida. For more information contact;
Yellow Bait House
305-451-0921
101741 Overseas Hwy
Key Largo, FL 33037

Kingfish Going Crazy in Nokomis

I just got off of the phone with Stacy at Big Bite Tackle Outfitters in Nokomis. She says that the kingfish are going crazy offshore! Look for the largest concentration of fish around 7 miles out. Large spoons attached to a planer or down rigger will catch kingfish. A large live bait with a stinger rigg will catch lots of king fish. There are also large concentrations of spanish mackerel offshore and on the beach. Inshore, redfish, snook, speckled trout and lots of large pompano are
biting very well. Live shrimp and white pompano jigs are taking the most fish. For more information contact;
Big Bite Tackle Outfitters
941-486-1988
900 Tamiami Trail S
Nokomis, FL 34275

Stuart has Great Offshore Fishing

I spoke with Robbie at Sailfish Bait & Tackle in Stuart today. Dolphin is the word of the day! His customers are catching large numbers of dolphin fishing in 100ft to 150ft of water. Casting live greenies to weed lines or other floating cover will produce many hookups. There are also a lot of sailfish in the same areas. Troll ballyhoo for sailfish. In the Indian River, speckled trout fishing is off and on. Live shrimp works best for trout. For more information contact;
Sailfish Bait & Tackle
772-221-9456
3565 Saint Lucie Blvd
Stuart, FL 34997

St. Augustine Fishing is Real Good

I spoke with Dave at Oldest City Bait & Tackle in St. Augustine this morning. He tells me that the fishing is real good right now with great catches of just about everything being reported. In the Intercoastal and back bays, lots of redfish are being caught around oyster bars and mangrove shoreline using live shrimp. Week fish are being taken in large numbers from deep holes on the grass flats and back bays using live mullet. Speckled trout are plentiful on the grass flats. Live shrimp or mullet are the best baits. From the beach, some good sized whiting, pompano, bluefish, spanish mackerel, red drum and black drum can all be caught in good numbers. Live shrimp or sand flees work well for the whiting, pompano, black drum and redfish. Gotcha plugs work well on the bluefish and spanish mackerel. Dave tells me that the only thing that is slow right now is flounder. The few flounder he has seen are small. Offshore, Dave's customers are having great days fishing for wahoo and dolphin. Troll ballyhoo or use live bait 50 miles offshore. For more information contact;
Oldest City Bait & Tackle
904-461-0244
1915 State Rd, 312
St. Augustine, FL 32080

April Florida Fishing Tournaments

Along with great weather, April brings great fishing and lots of fishing tournaments to Florida. If I missed your tournament, please e-mail me and let me know.

REDFISH SURVIVOR SERIES
1st
Finals, Punta Gorda
www.redfishsurvivor.com/

7th
Boynton Beach Firefighter Benevolent Association
FISH ON! Memorial Fishn' & Firehouse Chili Grand Slam
contact: 561-436-2285

SOUTHERN KINGFISH ASSOCIATION

DIV 6
13th-14th
The Rotary Club of Clearwater 15th Annual Kingfish Tournament
Clearwater contact: Keith Meyer or Don Tinny 727-446-8600
www.clearwaterrotary.org/

27th-29th
Boaters World Tournament of Champions
Treasure Island contact: SKA 904-819-0360

DIV 11
20th-22nd
13th Annual Contender Yamaha Loadmaster Suncoast Kingfish Tournament
Sarasota Cay Club, Sarasota contact: Sandy Blowers 941-232-3474
www.sertoma.com/

www.fishska.com/tournamenttrail/2007schedule/mercury2007.asp

FLW OUTDOORS

FLW Kingfish Series
28th

Sarasota contact:941-955-9488
http://kingfishseries.flwoutdoors.com/tournament.cfm?cid=10&tid=5870
FLW Kingfish Tour

13th-15th
Sarasota
http://kingfish.flwoutdoors.com/schedule.cfm?cid=8

FLW Redfish Series
26th-28th
Englewood contact: 941-473-1018
http://redfish.flwoutdoors.com/tournament.cfm?cid=9&tid=5838

IFA Redfish Tour
14th
Sarasota contact: 941-388-4441
www.redfishtour.com/tournaments/details/sarasota07.html

TOURNAMENTS in the FLORIDA KEYS

14th-17th
Ocean Reef BTU Backbone Classic
Key Largo contact: 305-367-2727

17th-21st
World Sailfish Championship
Key West contact: 305-395-3474 or 866-482-7529

29th-5/3rd
Tarponian Tournament
Marathon contact: 215-542-1492
www.fla-keys.com/tdcfishingcalendar.cfm

21st
Charlotte Harbor Challenge Tournament
Charlotte Harbor
www.charlotteharborchallenge.com/

21st-22nd
CCBA Fishing Tournament
Crystal River contact: 352-746-9028
www.bocc.citrus.fl.us/events/ccba_fishing_tournament.htm

28th
28th Annual West Palm Beach Kiwanis Offshore Challenge
Palm Beach Shores
https://qnm01.securesites.net/arcpbc/specialevents/forms/fishingsponsor.php