February 27, 2015 Report

One day I'm fishing in the shadows of South Beach and the next I'm fishing deep in South Biscayne Bay out of Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo. This afternoon was the latter with Shane from Ohio who was looking to catch a bonefish. Arriving at a flat we set up and wait for the schools to pass by. Not long after a school comes from behind us and we take a shot. The cast lands 5' in front of them, perfect! The school of bonefish moves over the shrimp, puff mud, meaning they are feeding, and then move on. They missed our shrimp! Well, Shane would see redemption again, and again, and again. Shane didn't catch one bonefish, he caught three! What an afternoon with three silver prizes and a few sharks for good measure! Congrats Shane!

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 25, 2015 AM & PM Reports

AM Report Another gorgeous day in Miami and Jon was aboard with fly rod in hand in search for species that would eat a fly. Hitting another tarpon spot at first light we found them, lots of them! Unfortunately, they were behaving like tarpon sometimes behave, with lock jaw. Jon threw several different patterns at fish that I would have bet would have eaten but nothing we tried worked. With slick calm conditions we fished a couple of offshore spots on fly but it was eerily quiet, no fish, no boats around hooking up. We hit pay dirt at a location that hadn't been fished in a few days because of the wind and it was on. There were schools of bluefish eating our flies on almost every cast. This is what winter in Miami is supposed to be like!

PM Report Neil and Mark had a"break" from a conference they were attending and jumped aboard for a quick trip in the afternoon. I sped them off to the last spot I had fished with Jon and this time used lures. As I took one of the rods, made a cast and showed them how to work the lure the first fish smashed the lure and the drag screamed! It was non-stop for about an hour with fish after fish coming to the boat, lures breaking off, hooks being smashed and broken by the ferocious bites and the drags screaming. After Neil and Mark wore out the fish, or was it the other way around?, we moved to our last spot of the day and the action picked up where we had left off.

What a great way to end a gorgeous day! Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 23, 2015 Report

With absolutely perfect weather David from Pennsylvania jumped aboard with fly rod in hand. Hitting a tarpon spot early morning proved to be a bit bumpy for fly casting so we headed to the bonefish flats. Visibility was perfect and some bones around but none would eat a fly. The day wrapped up on an inshore wreck where the resident grouper couldn't get to the fly because the snappers would beat them to it.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 22, 2015 Report

On a week vacation for his daughter's wedding and fleeing the Boston snow was Bob, his son in law Kevin and son in law to be Mike boarded my skiff under some gorgeous weather. These were great guys and we had a great time. The goal was to do some bonefishing but there was a storm that sat over the bonefish flats all trip long and prevented us from doing any bonefishing. In lieu of bonefish, we did a variety of different fishing using different techniques in different areas and they caught some nice dinner. Bob taught the "boys" how to catch trout and we had some fun with that as they quickly fell behind Bob's mounting fish count. All in all they caught almost a dozen different species including Bob's first grouper, Mike catching his first shark and Kevin making a late run to add to his total of fish and fish species. It's good to live in Miami!

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 21 2015 Report

Thankfully its warming up in Miami just in time for Sam and Sarah from Arkansas to en joy a bit warmer weather while on the water. With much lighter winds we spent the first part of the trip looking for tarpon but they were not to be found. Switching gears we focused on a few different species and ended the trip with rods bent almost constantly. As soon as our baits would hit the water Sarah and Sam were on mangrove snappers mutton snappers hog fish, jacks and of course grouper. We had a great time, came close to running out of bait and enjoyed the warming trend.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 20 2015 Report

The winds were a bit better today at "only" 20 MPH but the air temperature was 39 degrees. Ouch! But this weather was no problem for Avery Victoria and John from N.Y. There were only a few places that would hold fish today with the combination of air temp, wind speed and the muddy water left over from yesterday so off to that area we went. Although the action was slower today there was still a mixed back of species that came to the boat including a few species of snapper and a grouper lost to the bottom. Thankfully and predictably the weather warmed up a bit and it was in the high 50's by the time we got off the water at 11am. Time for me to thaw out. Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 19, 2015 Report

Today was one of the toughest fishing conditions I have fished in quite a few years. After a hard cold front, we had 30 MPH winds gusting to 35 and air temperatures in the low 50's. Bob, Vinny and Rose from Pennsylvania jumped aboard and braved the absolutely brutal conditions. Their toughness paid off though as we spend 5 hours fishing the same area landing nice groupers, BIG mangrove snappers, mutton snappers and jacks. I started with 130 baits and 4 hours into the trip we ran out of bait! I switched them to plastic shrimp and the fish didn't miss a beat. However, the wind and tide had muddied the bay and eventually the muddy water reached us and stopped the bite in its track. After a rough run back to the ramp we decided to end the trip early and leave it at 6 hours. As I always say, the weather may be bad but the fish still have to eat. Today proved that to be true.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409 P.S. This is what this Miami boy (me) looks like surviving our "winter".

February 16, 2015 Report

Today I had Dave and his friend from Canada to spend a few hours in Biscayne Bay. The goal was to catch dinner and have a great time. Mission accomplished! We had steady action that kept the rods bent and the jokes flowing. At the end of the trip dinner was caught and everyone enjoyed some gorgeous weather.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 13, 2015 Report

From the land of Ice and snow (Minnesota) came Peter and Bethaney on their honeymoon. Being an avid fisherman and Bethaney being very cool, fishing was on the agenda. What a difference a day makes. Yesterday the fishing was on fire while today we had to work for it. In the end we ended up catching a variety of snappers, grouper and a few other species. Anything an happen on the water here in Miami. On the way in we were stopped and inspected by two game wardens and in typical Miami laid backed fashion we hung out with them for a bit.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 12, 2015 AM & PM Report (Video)

AM Report Andrew, Michael and 6 other buddies were in town for a convention so today was proclaimed "fishing day". With another day of gorgeous weather we idled out of the marina and headed to fish a few spots. Almost all the spots produced a variety of species but the Bay saved the best for last. Staking out in 2 1/2' of water we set up for some shark fishing and waited. The waiting didn't last as almost immediately a 12lb bonefish swims through, I make a cast but he ignores it and moves on. Not long after one of the rods goes off and Andrew is on to a shark smoking the drag. After a few minutes he cuts us off. A few minutes later another shark comes right up to the boat, I toss a bait and he's on! Michael takes the rod this time and lands a nice 4 footer just in time for us to leave.

PM Report When I received the call from Sao earlier in the week he wanted to fish with me but was concerned the fishing wouldn't be as good in the afternoon. I assured him time of day rarely matters and he was in. Fast forward to today and he jumps on board with son in law Wess just as my other clients left. Every spot we fished held fish but at one of our last spots the fishing was on fire. We couldn't get our baits to the bottom because the fish hovering over the structure were ravenous. Sao and Wess caught fish on almost every cast, at one pint Wess caught a number of them on my fly rod and Sao was catching them with bare jigs, no bait, no material on them, just a lead head jig and hook. Wow! We left there and went shark fishing. This put the stamp on the day. Wess hooked two sharks and landed both while another 2-3 ate our baits but spit the hook before it could set. The last fish came with less than 5 minutes before we had to leave and it was the biggest of the day at around 6'. The rod doubled over, the drag screemed and .....well, here is the video to show exactly what that looks like.

What a day, it was a gorgeous day, great folks and great fishing! Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 9, 2015 Report

Day two with Pippa, Daphne and Rowland and today the weather was nasty. We had storm clouds, rain and it was in the low 60's but they were game and so we were off. Poling down a shoreline didn't produce bonefish but did have a big school of redfish show up but stayed just out of casting distance. Running way south we pulled in to a tarpon spot that was loaded with tarpon in the 20-80lb range but they had lock jaw in spite of our best efforts. The day ended on another spot that turned out to be out last. Although we were looking for grouper, big runners kept the baits from getting deep to the groupers below. After releasing dozens of them and a few grouper, the grouper finally became aggressive enough to beat the others to the baits and the day ended with a grouper fest, the biggest of the day scorching the drag and breaking us off on the structure below. What a way to end a day that ended with great weather and a stiff east wind.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 8, 2015 Report

Local angler Pippa last fished with me in October with her two boys and this time she brought her Mom and step-dad all the way from the U.K. The conditions were very nice and we looked for bonefish for a bit but Rowland didn't want to take up all the girl's time bonefishing so we switched gears and fished a few shallow inshore spots that have been producing nicely. On the wrecks they caught grouper, mutton snapper, small yellow tail snapper, mangrove snapper and porgy. Changing species we looked for bonefish again and didn't find any but did have a shot at a big permit. Spotting a big shark on the flats, Pippa wanted to try and catch one so we set up. Not long after there were 7 and 8 footers in the distance just a bit too far for a cast. Eventually 5 and 6 footers moved in close and Pippa hooks up. Almost instantly 150 yards of line disappear off the reel! Pippa did a great job on the shark and 20 minutes later she had the big 6 footer beat and next to the boat. We took some pics and headed back to the marina with big smiles.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

February 6, 2015 Report

Local angler and regular client Alec and his brother Kevin. With 20+ mph winds and 54 degree temperatures, the fishing would be limited to hiding from the wind at areas that give us the best shot at fish. The first few spots were vacant and then I noticed a slight decrease in the wind. Taking advantage of the opportunity we headed out to the center of the bay and to fish a few areas in the open. This was a home run! As soon as we anchored the rods were bent on every single cast with grouper, porgies, mutton snapper, mangrove snapper and yellow tails. Time flew by and before I knew it over an hour and a half had passed and we had gone through 70+ baits! As soon as we pulled anchor and headed for another area the wind started blowing 20+ mph again. What timing! The day ended in a small creek looking for snook and although we saw one it wouldn't eat.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

January 31, 2015 Report

From Wisconsin, the land of ice and snow, came Todd and his daughter to spend a few days in the Miami sun and thaw out. Today it was just Todd as she was sick and recovering in the hotel. We fished a few spots catching a few fish here and there and ended up on the flats looking for sharks to really test the drags and Todd's stamina. Not long after setting up one of the rods goes off and he's tied into a nice 6 footer. Over an hour later, after me trying a few times to boat her, the braid parted and she swam away without a close up shot of her toothy smile.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409