A report on Charles Reaves and my trip to the good old US of A in late April/early May.
And how to succinctly describe the experience? How about 3 for 8? But no, don't jump to any conclusions we definitely weren't Marlin fishing. The 'eight' refers to the number of days we'd booked fishing charters for. And the 'three', well I'm sure you can work that out. A bit of a disaster!
We started in Upper New York State on the Salmon River. Despite the wet snow, the evening we arrived, and the hail storms, we fished through, it had been a very mild Winter so no real 'snow melt'. There was only a minimum flow in the river - maintained through the upstream hydro-electric dam - with the Steelheads lurking in the deeper pools mainly up stream of us, and having had everything chucked at them, and the Atlantic Salmon still holding in the Lake awaiting a flush of water.
We got some landlocked Steelhead, nothing over 6 pounds though, and coarse fish - Chub and Catfish-like things - and Charles caught a 5lb male Atlantic Salmon, apparently the first reported that year. So timing? Definitely got that right but could have done with some of the UK's rain!
Then it was the long trek down to Marathon on the 'Keys, via New York and Miami, for our first day offshore. That was meant to be to fish a shallow water wreck some 40 miles out in the Gulf - for Goliaths, Cobia and sight casting at Permit - but turned out not to be. A persistent low was stationery over the Bahamas pushing strong 20 knot plus Easterlies and torrential rain down the 'Keys. So definitely not the place to be in a 34 footer. Any rate wind against the current should have provided a field day for the Sailfish, or had been. The previous week a boat in Islamorada had had 43 releases. But of course it helps if the sun shines and you can spot them tailing and surfing down the waves. No such luck on our day out I'm afraid. There was a brief interlude where the skipper, Jeff Rella, was up on the bridge and immediately spotted a tailer only to lose it as the light closed in again. So we spent the time edging in and out of the edge of the green water on the reef edge and picked up just two Sails on spin gear and livebaits. Apart from that we lost a couple of Kingfish to chopped off traces - no wire.
Well the next five days was a case of waking up early and finding that nothing had changed until finally, on the Wednesday, our guide, Paul Fisicaro, accepted that nothing was going to change. A friend of his had been pushed by a client, frustrated no doubt, into going out the previous day for NADA. They'd tried everything including the spots where the juvenile Tarpon are guaranteed - well almost - to hang out, but nothing.
We tried to book a day after the Peacock Bass in the Miami canals but the guide our guide had recommended was unfortunately booked. And even two attempts to get out in the evening for Tarpon didn't happen but those guides, similarly, were struggling to find any fish.
Those guides details however might be of use if any of you ever find themselves stuck in Miami. Firstly a Tarpon guide, Dave - www.hunttheflats.com/nighttarpon.html - very much a fly fisher. Then a young guy, Mark, the recommendation came from BassPro in Dania Beach, who trailers just about everywhere - www.gladesoutfitters.com - look at that Snook on the home page he got from the beach at Stuart. And the Peacock Bass guide, another Mark - www.flyfishpeacocks.com/.
Last point, and I know some of the forum's members fish the Seven Mile Bridge from hire boats for Tarpon. During the day they are usually holding in the shadow line just down current of the bridge supports. Having walked that first part from Pigeon Key on the Wednesday afternoon I didn't spot any. Of the seven (un-guided) boats fishing there, all anchored Gulf side and ranging from the spot where the power line supports appear between the two bridges down 'Keys, none were catching anything other than small Snapper and possibly, although I didn't see any hook-ups, things like Nurse Sharks. If you try it you really need to position yourself closer to structure. Nearer to Pigeon Key you'll find that the current runs through the arches rather than necessarily laterally.
