On our last deep sea sport fishing charter, we caught some King Fish

Winds out of the west, northwest at 3-5 mph, putting us at a moderate chop; blue skies, 30% chance of rain in early evening; with the sun reflecting its golden rays on the water as we cleared the jetties to go out 1.8 miles to the drop off in Fort Lauderdale FL, putting us at 120 ft. at the sea buoy. 

Dave Huyn and business associates from Ohio were down in Fort Lauderdale FL on a convention and decided to charter the Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing to do some deep sea sport fishing off of Fort Lauderdale FL.

With very little current, I headed towards one of our artificial wrecks off of Fort Lauderdale FL, a 97 ft. tug boat that was sunk in 1984.  On our last deep sea sport fishing charter, we caught some King Fish in this area, so I decided to go back.  I circled around the wreck with two plainers running deep and five surface baits.  Our first strike was a 10 lb. King Fish from the long rigger, with a swimming Ballyhoo as bait.  We kept fishing in this area catching a few more King Fish and Barracudas.  From there, Dave asked if there were any Tunas around, so we headed towards the south off of Fort Lauderdale FL for a wreck that sits in 265 ft. of water in pursuit of Tunas.  Getting close to the area, one of our plainer rods with a 3 ½ blue reflector drone spoon bent over and one of our anglers reeled in an 8 lb. Black Fin Tuna, which makes for an excellent Sushi.  With two more Black Fin Tunas and a Barracuda added to our fish box, Dave made a request for some Mahi Mahi, so off we went to the east off of Fort Lauderdale in search of floating debris, sargassum weeds or a water color change.  In 700 ft. of water, off of Fort Lauderdale I found a floating tree branch.  I circled the debris, and I could see some bait fish underneath.  On my second swing around the debris, a Mahi Mahi attacked our rigger bait.  He exited the water and his green and yellow vibrant colors glittered in the sunlight; Tim reeled in a nice cow Mahi Mahi weighing 18 lbs.  Nine out of ten times, when you find a cow, the bull is close by.  As I circled the branch again, the bull Mahi Mahi ate the short rigger bait and Dave reeled in a bull Mahi Mahi weighing 23 lbs.

I mentioned to Dave that he was a lucky guy because whatever he asked to catch, he caught so I suggested that he play the lottery today.

With a good catch of eating fish on board the charter boat Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing, it was time to start heading back from our deep sea sport fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL to the dock at Bahia Mar.  This ends another successful and adventurous deep sea fishing charter on the Happy Day Today/Topshot Fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL with Captain Zsak. www.topshotfishing.com

Bonitos are valuable strip baits for catching all species of fish

Winds out of the east southeast – 10-12 mph – 20% chance of rain – seas 3-4 ft here in Fort Lauderdale FL.

Mary Hadley and 7 year old daughter Jane from Oklahoma chartered the Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing to do some deep sea salt water fishing.  As we left the dock with mother and daughter, 15 minutes later lines were in the water at the sea buoy to do some deep sea fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL.  Our surface baits consisted of two plainers, one #6 and the other a #8, and two blue reflector spoons, one 3 ½ and the other 3, four Bonitos strips with sea witches in front and a ¼ ounce jap feather.

Mother and daughter sat in the fighting chair aboard the Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing talking about the Disney World trip they just had.  All of a sudden the right rigger line snapped out as our 7 year old angler, Jane, was cheered on by her mother while she brought her first catch to the boat, a 18 lb. Bonito.  There is no food value to Bonitos, but they are very valuable as Bonito strip baits for catching all species of fish.  The anglers took turns back and forth catching Bonitos, Black Fin Tunas and King Fish.  We headed towards one of our artificial wrecks sitting in 220 ft. of water.  Mitch our mate rigged up a live bait to put on the bottom.  With rod bent over and Mary being the angler, 20 minutes later a 40 lb Amberjack was brought to the boat and released.

With two happy anglers and a good variety of fish on board the charter boat Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing, it was time to start heading back from our deep sea fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL to the dock at Bahia Mar.  This ends another successful and adventurous deep sea fishing charter on the Happy Day Today/Topshot Fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL with Captain Zsak.

Another successful and adventurous deep sea fishing charter

Kevin and Vinny had such a great time deep sea fishing with the Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL that they decided to do it again the following day.  Good weather was with them – winds out of the east, southeast – 5-10 mph, with a moderate chop.

On our way out, we noticed a school of Mullets in the marina in Fort Lauderdale FL.  Mitch, our mate, casted on the Mullets and caught a half dozen live Mullets, which we will use later in our deep sea fishing charter.  We trolled around the sea buoy in Fort Lauderdale FL, and Vinny and Kevin took turns catching King Fish.  I saw a color change that was off the third reef in 180 ft. of water off of Fort Lauderdale FL and knew this would be an excellent place to fly the kite with our live bait.  We put out two light weight kites with two live Mullets on each kite.  After ten minutes into kite fishing, the wind just stopped blowing, so we had to go to Plan B.  Before I could tell Mitch to put the live Mullets out on the riggers, I noticed a flock of birds working a school of bait not too far from where I was in Fort Lauderdale FL, so we headed towards the birds.  With trolling baits back in the water, I circled the feeding birds.  All of a sudden one rigger came down and then another and then another and another – four Black Fin Tunas on at the same time.  With only two anglers, Vinny and Kevin, we managed to catch three out of the four Black Fin Tunas.  I kept working the area and they kept taking turns catching more Black Fin Tunas.

With two happy anglers and a good catch of eight Black Fin Tunas, three King Fish and two Barracudas on the charter boat Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing, it was time to start heading back from our deep sea fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL to the dock at Bahia Mar.  This ends another successful and adventurous deep sea fishing charter on the Happy Day Today/Topshot Fishing in Fort Lauderdale FL with Captain Zsak.

For a successful and adventurous Fort Lauderdale FL deep sea fishing charter on the Happy Day Today, Topshot Fishing, contact Captain Zsak.  – www.topshotfishing.com

When the Sailfish come in we are switching to kite fishing

With the first day of Autumn brings our annual migration of schools of Mullets passing Fort Lauderdale FL.  As I travel to the boat each morning down A1A, with the sun just appearing on the horizon to the east, I could see the schools of Mullets migrating to the south off of Fort Lauderdale FL with the Tarpons darting in and out of the bait and grabbing the stragglers left outside of the school.  These Tarpons will range anywhere from 50 lbs up to 100 lbs, and you can see these silver giants come out of the water as the rest of the school of Mullets shower around him.

To catch a Tarpon from the beach is exciting and sporting.  Once the lifeguards come to work and take their positions on the beach, they do not allow fishing to take place from the public beaches in Fort Lauderdale. 

My advice is to go before they begin their shift or after their shifts end.

The schools of Mullets migrating down the beach of Fort Lauderdale FL is the primary food supply for other predators, such as Sharks, Snook, Jacks, Barracudas – just to name a few – all there for the same reason, to feed on the mass quantities of bait fish.  Later this month, the schools of Mullets will be moving out to deeper waters for their migration to the south of Fort Lauderdale FL.  With this taking place, our pelagic species, such as Sailfish, will not be too far behind.  You will see the dorsal fins of Sailfish swimming with the school of Mullets picking away at their meal.  As the season progresses and the Sailfish begin their migration to the South of Fort Lauderdale FL, our technique for fishing changes, as does the season, and kite fishing will begin.  There are three different types of kites depending on the force of the wind; light, medium and heavy.  Flying two kites and putting counter balance weights on each outside corner of the kite will kick the kite off in the direction you want and will spread the kites apart from each other, so that they do not tangle.  One kite will be further away from the boat than the other and the closest live bait should be at least 100 ft from the boat.  You can put from one to three live baits on each kite depending on the wind speed but the live bait should be at least 75 ft. from each other. The purpose of live baiting from kites is to have the flexibility of positioning the bait either right on the surface or deeper in the water – you control how deep.  My preference is very close to the water’s surface, representing a wounded bait fish.  Another reason for kite fishing is that it allows the angler to see the actual bite.  To see the dorsal fin of this magnificent predator, the Sailfish, circling the live bait and swatting the bait with its bill, would make any angler’s heart beat rapidly.  Other predators, such as Sharks, Barracudas, Mahi Mahi, Tunas, are also drawn to the splashing of the live bait on the surface from the kites. 

If you want to experience this type of fishing, contact Captain Zsak of the Happy Day Today Topshot Fishing, and you will have the time of your life www.topshotfishing.com

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