A strong front will pass through for most of this week leaving us with windy conditions. The water temp outside the reef is about 76 and there has been some good fishing just beyond the reef. The current was a little light and it pays to look around for some moving water.

Offshore still is producing some decent Dolphin. This week was no exception with most boats that are trolling finding fish in depths from 150 out to 300 or so. A few boats ventured a little further out and found a few bigger fish. The sailfish bite has not been all that reliable and this wind and rough seas may turn them on. Hopefully we will see a push of fish through the area. Blackfin Tuna, Bonito and Kingfish are being caught in good numbers all over the place. Some Wahoo are around and I had a nice fish on in 140 feet.

On the reef the fishing has been pretty good for Grouper, Snapper, Kingfish and sharks as well as all the misc reef fish. Look for fish to be more plentiful in 140 feet and on some shallower structure. The 80-100 foot depths were not working as well this past week. Muttons were holding in deeper water and again in shallower water. The 100 foot depth seemed to be covered in Kingfish. The Yellowtail bite has been a little slow with the unfavorable current not helping.

Gulf wrecks and rock-piles are producing big Kingfish, Cobia, Sharks and plenty of Snappers like Lane’s, Muttons and Mangroves. Chum hard and vary your baits with Pinfish, Thread Herring, Pilchards, Squid and cut Bonito.

Deep dropping was producing very good on the two nice calm days last week. When the fishing is slow in on the reef it is usually very good in the deeper water. I worked some hard bottom in 350 feet for Yelloweye Snapper, Red Snapper and Red Porgies along with some Yellowmouth Grouper and Snowy Grouper. 550 and deeper water was all Tilefish and Rosefish.

Courtesy of Captain Chris Lembo from The Weekly Fisherman