November/December Fishing

Hello and Happy Holidays from Fin Hunter Charters!

We have had some great fishing between the recent cold fronts that started in early November. Unfortunately the arrival of the first real cold front of the year coincided with the start of the Redbone Celebrity Fishing Tournament. Confronted with high winds and cool temps it was a struggle to find Bonefish and Redfish , the targeted species for this event. This year I had the pleasure of fishing Hall of Fame baseball player Wade Boggs and Lake Erie bass fishing and walleye guide Jim Hanley. Electing to not make the cold and bumpy ride across Florida Bay to Flamingo we concentrated on trying to find few a Bonefish both days. Try we did but we only we managed a few shots on Sunday afternoon to a group of seemingly disinterested fish. I really hated not finding more fish and giving theses two accomplished anglers a better chance to catch some fish. A total of 36 boats containing 72 anglers caught and released 13 Bonefish and 32 Redfish in the two day event. A testimony to some of the great guides and anglers that fish this event each year. For info about the Redbone Fishing Tournaments go to www.redbone.org and for some great Lake Erie Bass and Walleye fishing visit my friend Jim Hanley's website at www.northeastoutdoors.com

There have been plenty of small redfish in the Flamingo area which bodes well for the future I am sure. In fact I have caught redfish in some areas that I never have before . Most of the reds have been smaller than the 18 inch minimum size but they are all fun to catch and when you can have double digit days on redfish of any size I think that's a great day of fishing. The snook have been showing up again and that fishing should improve as time goes on. The fishing in the Gulf of Mexico for Spanish Mackerel and Blacktip Sharks has been good of late and should continue over the winter months. So if you are looking to get away from the cold weather in the rest of the country and do a little fishing give me a call.

Happy Holidays and tight lines every one, Capt. Paul Hunt

May/ June Tarpon Season is Here! Now offering Biscayne Bay Bonefishing Trips

There have been plenty of Tarpon around and the evening tarpon trips have been quite good of late. These big migratory tarpon will be here thru the end of June/early July. So there is still time to book a trip and catch that fish of your dreams, either on bait or fly. I recently had the good fortune of guiding the winning team in the La Siesta Sunrise/Sunset Redbone at Large Tarpon tournament April 24/25. See the article from 5/2/2010 that appeared in the Miami Herald below for details.

Late start to tarpon season not a negative

SUSAN COCKING / MIAMI HERALD STAFF
scocking@MiamiHerald.com
Tarpon fishing season has arrived in the Keys -- albeit a month late -- but local guides are hoping for plenty of big fish pouring through the channels, bridges and along the flats through midsummer.

Captain Gary Ellis of Islamorada, who with his wife, Susan, runs the Redbone series of light-tackle fishing tournaments in the Keys and elsewhere, said he believes migratory tarpon managed to escape last winter's extended cold period relatively unscathed.

Two weeks of frigid water temperatures in January are blamed for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of fish throughout South Florida and the state.

``The migratory tarpon weren't impacted by the cold. They were homies we lost,'' Ellis said. ``The migration has been to a degree normal, but 30 days late. We went into March with winter conditions, then into April with March conditions. From now looking forward, we're looking at a good tarpon season and big fish.''

Captain Paul Hunt of Homestead said that as recently as two weeks ago, water temperatures in Florida Bay had not broken the 70 degree mark -- considered optimum for tarpon fishing.

``But now I'd say we're right back to normal,'' Hunt said. ``I think it's going to be good up to the middle of July.''

Hunt guided his wife, Linda, and me to victory in last weekend's La Siesta Redbone at Large Sunrise/Sunset Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada. Fishing Saturday morning and evening, and again last Sunday morning, Linda and I caught and released four tarpon, including two of more than 100 pounds. Although we didn't weigh the fish, we got plenty of opportunities to gauge their size as they leapt repeatedly out of the shallow waters. All fish were caught using live mullet suspended from floats -- three in Race Channel in the backcountry and one in Teatable Channel oceanside.

A total of eight tarpon were caught and released among the fleet of 12 boats, but numerous guides and anglers reported broken lines, hooks that straightened or pulled out, and fish that chased live baits around but inexplicably gave up.

``These are new fish. They're acting a little differently,'' Ellis said. ``They're still settling down.''

Many tarpon bites during the tournament came without warning; that is, the fish failed to perform their characteristic oxygenating rolls on the surface that announce their presence.

``Because the water is cool and has more oxygen, you don't see anywhere near as many rolling,'' Islamorada light-tackle guide captain Bill Wert said.

Hunt said mullet is the bait of choice right now because the channels are full of them. But he expects live crabs to eclipse mullet as waters warm. And that makes fishing a bit easier.

``They just eat the crab,'' Hunt said. ``They don't have to bat it around.''





I have moved out of the World Wide Sportsman Marina and I am launching my boat at the La Siesta Marina www.lasiestaresort.com mile marker 80.2 bayside when I am fishing in Islamorada. I am trailering my boat now so I may access some of the other great fishing areas we have here in South Florida, Biscayne Bay (some great permit and bonefishing), Whitewater Bay in the Everglades park etc. Checkout my website for complete details about these new locations. www.finhuntercharters.com All of the Biscayne Bay launching points are within a 45min drive of Miami Intl Airport,downtown Miami,and South Beach. If you are in Miami on business and want to get in an afternoon fishing trip give me a call. 305-393-2495

Thanks, Capt.Paul

December 2009

Hello everyone and Happy Holidays ! Thanks to all who took the time to go fishing with me this past year. It's hard to believe that 2009 is almost over. We still haven't felt the effects of winter weather here in south Florida yet, and in fact we have been experiencing some unseasonably warm weather as of late. This has had an effect on some of my favorite "winter" fishing spots most of all the nearby gulf of Mexico waters. The gulf is usually full of speedy Spanish mackerels this time of year as well as a few cobia and nice size triple tail. On a recent reconnaissance fishing trip to the gulf we managed only a hand full of Spanish macks, in the 6lb range, sighted a few nice cobias, and caught a half dozen or so undersized triple tails. We really need a strong cold front to push thru the area and cool the water off a bit to heat up the gulf action. I am sure it will happen soon and we will all be complaining how cold it is.

The fishing in the backcountry around the Flamingo area has been pretty consistent with snook ,redfish, seatrout as well as the familiar rodbenders, jacks, ladyfish etc. I had my good customer and friend Doug Williams on the boat a few weeks ago. Doug brought his friend Bruce Rueben and we fished around the island moats and runoffs near Flamingo and put a few snook and redfish in the boat as well as some jacks and snappers. Bruce and I fished the following day and Bruce caught several nice jack crevalles up to 8lbs on the fly rod and a few nice snook. There are a few photos of Bruce below with some of his flyrod catches. I am sure things are going to pick up the week of Christmas and the months that follow so if you are planning a trip to the keys and want to book a fishing trip in the backcountry or a Gulf of Mexico trip give me a call. This winter Jan./Mar I will be offering a 6 hour trip into the Gulf for up to 4 anglers on a 25ft Contender center console boat. This is a great boat that can accommodate a family of four very comfortably. I will be running these trips with my friend Capt. Tom Seever so there will be two of us to help you rig up, land fish etc. Call me for details on this great fun fishing trip.

Thats all for now have a wonderful Holiday Season, Tightlines Capt.Paul Hunt 305-393-2495

Summer/Fall fishing in the Keys and Biscayne Bay

Hello and thanks to everyone who took the time to fish with me this year and in the past. I recently moved my home to Homestead, Florida in March of 2009. I will still be fishing out of the World Wide Sportsman Marina in Islamorada, Florida , But I will now have the option of putting the boat on the trailer and fishing Biscayne Bay certain times ( July thru early Jan ) of the year. Also I will be able to access some areas inside the Everglades National Park specifically Whitewater Bay, Hell's Bay etc. So if you find yourself staying in the Miami area instead of the Keys I can arrange to bring the boat home the night before and meet you in the morning and launch the boat in Biscayne Bay or Flamingo saving you a long drive down to the Keys. There is some great fishing here closer to Miami and I plan to make it available to those of you who are interested. Feb thru May I plan to depart from World Wide in Islamorada with the remaining months being flexible as long as I know when your coming and where you are staying we can bring the boat closer to you. The other advantage would be on those cold windy days in January and February when it's blowing 25 out of the north instead of making that cold ride across Florida Bay now I have the option of putting the boat on the trailer and driving into the Park in the nice warm truck, launching at Flamingo and fishing there or Whitewater Bay. Might turn into a good day of fishing on a day you would have stayed at the dock. More options are good! Please keep me in mind if your staying in the Miami area.

We still have some great fishing for Redfish in the backcountry flats around Flamingo in August and of course Snook season will be opening up again in September. If you book me for 2 or more days in Aug or Sept. I will give you 10% off the regular charter prices. I have included a few photos from past fishing trips perhaps you will see one of yours here.

Thanks and tight lines everyone, Capt. Paul

Jan/Feb Report

January and February has brought some strong winter cold fronts causing the water temps to dive into the 50's. But we have also had some calm sunny days which makes it possible to make it out to the Gulf of Mexico to get in on some of the great winter time action that area offers. I spent several days fishing the Gulf waters with Steve Hudacek and we did well on the Spanish Mackerel from 4 to 6 lbs, lots of jacks and blue runners, a few nice Cobia up to 16lbs ,and some nice Tripletail that we caught of the trapline floats, I have a few pics of Steve (below) with some of his fish.

I had some of my Redbone Tournament anglers Brian and Joanna on the boat last week and we took a trip into the Gulf and found lots of Spanish Macks, blue runners, and also boated a nice Tripletail. Here is pic below of Brian and Joanna with a few Spanish Mackerel.

The fishing in the backcountry and the Flamingo area has been a little tougher due to the number of cold fronts and the extremely low tides we have had this year. There have been some good size snook and reds in the deeper channels and in the island moats but anglers have been working a little harder to find them.

The good fishing in the Gulf should continue until the middle or end of March and as our weather begins to settle into spring like conditions the Tarpon will begin to show and most guides will be focusing on Tarpon through late June. I will be offering 4 hour evening Tarpon trips starting in April. So if your thinking about Tarpon now is the time to book your April/May/June dates as everyone gets very busy that time of year. So give me a call 305-393-2495

Tightlines everyone , Capt. Paul Hunt

Fall Fishing

Fall is the time for changing weather here in the keys and with those weather changes the fishing styles and species we will be fishing for change as well. When the cold fronts move to the south and through our area the water temps will take a dive into the 60's and even the 50's at times. The fish will sometimes stack up in the deeper holes and moats in the backcountry and double digit days on snook and reds are possible. Also the fishing in the nearby Gulf of Mexico heats up with the arrival of schools of Spanish Mackerel and bluefish , providing anglers of all abilities with a strong fight.

This is also the time of year for some of our annual backcountry tournaments, most notably the the Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series, which is a series of three events held here in the Keys to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I recently had the opportunity to fish the Baybone Tournament held Oct.3rd,4th and 5th in Key Largo with my anglers Jim and John Dunkel of St. Petersburg, Florida. Both Jim and John were able to catch a nice bonefish with John boating a big bone of over 9lbs measuring over 31 " to the fork. The last event the 2008 Redbone tournament will be held Nov. 7th,8th and 9th the targeted species will be redfish and bonefish and there is still time to enter the tournament and fish with some great people for a great cause for info visit http://www.redbone.org/.

On Oct, 10th and 11th I fished the annual Sen. Joe Barton fishing tournament, a fun event that also benefits the C F Foundation. My anglers Brian and Joanna did quite well the first day posting a tally of 3 tarpon , 7 snook , 10 trout and all their required "fun fish" (snappers , ladyfish, jacks etc.) The second day was a little slower but we managed a nice catch of 8 snook most of our Trout and fun fish and ended up with the high point team honors for the event. A picture of Joanna with one of her snook ( below ) and a photo of the High Point Team and their "humble" guide receiving their awards (lower right )

Lots of good fall fishing left so book now,

Tightlines everyone , Capt. Paul

Trying to reason with the hurricane season

As I write this Gustav has just passed by us and other than lots of rain and some wind we have been left in great shape. Tropical storm Hanna will be next but if the projections hold we probably won't feel any effects from her. It's just part of living here and once a storm passes the weather is beautiful again. Over the last few weeks and in between a few Tropical storms I managed to get out and do several days of fishing. The snook and redfish have been found in good numbers in the back country and near Flamingo. I have heard of double digit days on snook and reds jigging shrimp on the bottom in the deeper island moats near Flamingo. My clients and I have been sightfishing the shorelines and flats and finding snook , reds and some nice jacks willing to take a tipped jig tossed in their direction. I fished with Cliff Harper and Dennis Dewey a few weeks ago and Cliff was able to land a nice redfish in the 11lb range (top photo). Jim and Patrick Gribben had fun with a bunch of jacks that were busting bait on a shoreline (photo on right) . T. K. Conner and his dad Tom did a day of flyfishing with me on the 23rd and caught snook and reds on the fly and had a chance to cast to some baby tarpon as well. So don't let the weather channel give you the impression that we have been wiped out. We are still here and with snook season opening in a few days I expect that the fishing will just continue to improve into the fall months.

Tight lines, Capt.Paul