4 Days with Mike May 16-20, 2022

The last few days have been tough and therefore I haven't even posted reports about them but a few days of slow fishing and then being left at the dock by a no show client was not good.  But, here's Mike.  I love fishing with Mike and we spent four days this week fishing Biscayne Bay and the Everglades, all on fly.  The days in the bay consisted of losing a bonefish on fly, taking innumerable shots at permit and then looking for snook and keeping the fly rod bent on jacks, snapper, runners and more.  The highlight was the Everglades where Mike tore it up on both days catching snook at every spot we fished, the first day being the best with crazy snook on fly fishing.  At one point Mike landed 4 snoom on 5 casts!  Wow!  We were using black baitfish patterns but the redfishing was slow so I couldn't get him his slam. Wait, I'm not sure why I just turned a very positive report into a negative one.  Oh well, the 'Glades were on fire and Mike is not hooked! 

 Everglades snook on fly Video

Capt. Mo Estevez

http://www.miamibonefishing.com/

786-853-1409

Follow me on Instagram @MiamiBonefishing

October 9, 2015 Report (Mullet Run Video!)

Doug was back for his second trip and today we would use mullet. Pulling in to a spot that had been holding mullet I filled the live well with two throws of the cast net, one had big mullet and one had finger mullet. We head back to South Beach and the action was slow, for a while. Then the mullet started to move through and it was on! Tarpon would cart wheel and blow up on the schools of mullet not 30 feet from us. Early on Doug watches as a tarpon comes up and destroys his mullet but doesn't get hooked. Ouch! There were a few nice barracudas in the mullet schools and Doug hooked 3 or 4 of them. The action died about an hour into the frenzy and we hit a few other tarpon spots without success but ended the day catching a few more jacks on fly.

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409 Follow me on Instagram @MiamiBoneFishing

September 27, 2015 Report (Snook fest!)

On a guides day off my buddy Chris and I took his micro skiff down to the Everglades for some relaxing fishing for snook, tarpon and redfish. While we didn't see many reds we didn't even notice their absence due to the presence of so many snook and tarpon. Our first shoreline at first light held tons of small tarpon but wouldn't eat a perfectly tied dark tarpon fly. Once the switch was made to a gurgler, it was on! chris polled me into a creek we had heard some bait being busted and the tight creek gave me just enough room to make a cast a few seconds after a big explosion took place. Fly lands, strip, strip, strip, explosion, jump, jump, jump, tarpon on! Cool! The activity spooked the rest of the fish in the creek and fine by use as there were about 200 mosquitoes all over us. Another spot produced a snook for me and a couple more bites for us. After tucking into a creek to best avoid a rainstorm, the fishing just exploded in the calm after the rain. Total tally was 1 tarpon on fly, 12 snook, four trout, and well over a dozen missed bites by snook and tarpon as they would explode on the lure but not get hooked. I love a day off!

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409 Follow me on Instagram @MiamiBoneFishing

June 29, 2015 Report (Tarpon)

With tarpon season over, the remaining fish are resident fish but equally fun and Bill from the S.F. Giants baseball team had never caught a tarpon. Well, we had to give tarpon fishing a try. Spot one had some rollers but no takers so we moved to spot two. Spot two would be the magic spot and Bill would hook into one about 50lbs that tested the drag and Bill as he fought his fish in windless 90 degree weather. After a 25 minute fight we got his first tarpon to the boat and celebrated the well earned release. Congrats Bill!

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409 Follow me on Instagram @MiamiBoneFishing

May 28, 2015 Report AM & PM Reports (Tarpon)

AM Report Henry and his friend Daniel were in town from Argentina and wanted to fly fish in Biscayne Bay. It's May, let's go! We started the day tarpon fishing and Henry hooks a massive 150lber right next to the boat and the fish is jumping within a few feet of the boat. After a bruising 45 minute fight including numerous scorching runs, jumps and trying to get us in some pilings the tarpon got us under a boat and broke us off. With the wind howling we had one spot in Biscayne Bay to look for bonefish but in spite of our best efforts there were no bones to be found. We did get a number of shots at sharks on fly but they would not eat.

PM Report Alejandro and Victor from Chile jumped aboard for an afternoon tarpon trip but the bite continued slow and we did get any bites. Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409 Follow me on Instagram @MiamiBoneFishing

May 24, 2015 Report (CRAZY Tarpon Report!)

When I go to work everyday I never know what to expect and although I have seen a lot, Nick from N.Y. and I would experience something nerve wracking today. The plan was to tarpon fish early morning and then hit the flats to avoid the Memorial Day crowds. Arriving at tarpon spot number 1 we set up and I walk Nick through the intricacies of tarpon fishing on fly. No instruction I gave him could have prepared him for what would happen just minutes from now. Just minutes into casting at tarpon I see him strip strike, the rod bend and 130lbs of angry tarpon hits the air making several jumps right at us, 40' from the boat and closing! Nick stays tight to the fish and settles down into a long fight. Halfway through the tarpon takes us through a series of pilings and we manage to clear the menacing cluster. He was just getting us warmed up. After a brief tussle on the flat he hits deeper water and races to a nearby dock. In spite of our efforts and to our horror he gets us under a dock. My instincts kick in and I tell Nick to jump on the dock while I hold the fly rod. Once on the dock I give the tip of the rod to Nick, he grabs it on the other side and by now the tarpon is under another dock! He keeps the rod bent, I come around, Nick jumps into the boat and we speed to the next dock with the reel screaming. We repeat the process under and around a smaller, tighter dock with about 3 feet of clearance between pilings and while still handing the rod to Nick, the tarpon is under a 3rd dock! This is beyond crazy! Nick jumps into the boat on the other side of the dock and the 3rd dock is yet higher than the previous 2, they were getting progressively higher. Nick tries to jump on the dock and I grab his leg and lift him up with one arm and the fly rod in my other hand. I hand him the rod under the dock and go around for him to jump into the boat. By now the fish is out into open water where we managed to get the leader release, several times for good measure. Nicks tarpon makes another run for the docks again but we stop him short but 25' away as Nick is putting the pressure on the fish to get the hero shot and I get a DNA sample for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust the fly line breaks where it had been shredded by the pilings. Nick got his tarpon and a workout to boot. What a morning!

Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409 Follow me on Instagram @MiamiBoneFishing

April 30, 2015 Report (Tarpon!)

After a few days off due to engine problems and severe weather I was back on the water today with Adam and wife Lee from N.Y. Last time Adam and I fished he caught a trophy 35lb permit and today the goal was tarpon. The weather was still iffy but under dark skies and brisk breeze we headed out. About an hour into the trip a big tarpon comes up to one of our baits and takes a swipe at it but missed the bait. As the tarpon activity around us dwindled and the wind increased we moved to another spot that proved to be the winner. Less than 10 minutes after setting up Adam's rod goes off and he's on to a nice tarpon. Thirty minutes later we had the leader release and 10 minutes after that we had the photo op with Adam's first Miami tarpon.

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

April 23, 2015 Report (Tarpon)

Kyle and his wife Liz were in town from VT and booked a last minute tarpon trip so off in the dark we ran in order to get into a good morning bite and be back at the marina before the crazy Sunday boaters hit the water. As we pull in to the morning's tarpon spot we see fish rolling around. A bit later Liz's bait goes down and she's on a tarpon! She reels to come tight to the fish and there is no tension. HUH? We reel in the bait and it's half eaten, the tarpon never got the hook in it's mouth. Geeze! A while later the other rod goes off and Liz is on a big tarpon jumping and tail walking right towards her! She reels in the slack, the fish comes a few feet from the motor and makes a long run. After a brief battle she hands the rod to Kyle and he fights the fish for the balance of the hour long fight. The tarpon dragged us about 3/4 of a mile from where we hooked up and soon I see a big bull shark near the boat. In an effort to save the tarpon we put max pressure and get the leader release on Kyle's first tarpon and try to drag the fish back to a flat away from the big shark. Unfortunately, 5 minutes after the leader release the shark obliterates the 150lb tarpon so close to the boat we could have grabbed its dorsal fin! It was a very exciting but very sad ending to see this fish lost to a shark. You never know what to expect in Miami!

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

April 22, 2015 Report (Tarpon)

Tom and Cal have a place in Key Largo and we've fished together a few times and these guys are always great. Arriving at our first tarpon spot of the day immediately there were tarpon rolling everywhere and within a minutes of Cal setting up he hooks up to a nice tarpon in the 140lb class. He fought the fish for about an hour and as the big tarpon is close to the boat it did a 180 and headed right under the boat. No! Before anyone of us could react the tarpon was under the boat and broke us off. Urgh!!!!! The rest of the day was spend being teased by tarpon that refused to eat. Today was certainly a tough day!

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

April 21, 2015 Report

Dean got his 150lb tarpon on a half day Sunday and he was back for a full day of tarpon fishing today. The bite was good overall and there was action throughout the day. However, we went 0-8 getting 8 bites, hooking four fish and losing all of them for a number of reasons. All in all it was a fun day with Dean but boy was I looking forward to getting a few to the boat today. Capt. Mo Estevez www.MiamiBoneFishing.com 786-853-1409

April 20, 2015 Report (Tarpon!)

Dean from TX has fished with me several times before and has lost his tarpon every time for different reasons and we were both looking to today as being the magical day. Leaving the marina in the dark we set up on our tarpon spot and waited. Eventually, among a number of rolling tarpon, one of the rods goes off and Dean is on! Ten grueling minutes into a fight that had us dragging the big tarpon away from structure with the boat and he makes one last jump and comes off. Oh no! I'm starting to feel the pressure now but 10 minutes later one of the rods goes off again and Dean is on again. After a number of hair raising attempts to break us off and 40 minutes of intense man against beast battle Dean's fish comes to the side of the boat. A few pics and a DNA sample for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust later the estimated 130lb tarpon swims off. Wheww, pressure is off and Dean had a BIG smile. I love tarpon season!

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

April 19, 2015 Report (Tarpon)

What a morning! Joey and his wife Brandy boarded at 5:45 am and the goal was tarpon. Sundays on the bay can get crazy so the goal was to get in, fight some tarpon and get out before the mayhem began. Moments after arriving at our location and setting up Brandy's rod goes off with a big tarpon launching into the air and the braid breaking immediately. Urgh! Silence for a few minutes and then another bite, and another, and another. In total we had 5 bites and lost them all for a number of reasons. So frustrating for me but Joey did a great job on his fish before the premature release and we were able to get some nice pics out of it although I came close to the leader release but was short about a foot. Joey used to be a fishing guide and has caught numerous big tarpon so the morning is nothing new to him but I always hate losing fish. These were great folks and we were in by 9:30 am.

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

April 18, 2015 Report (crazy tarpon report!)

Wow, this tarpon fishing trip was crazy! Local client J.C. and his friend George hopped aboard while still dark for an early morning tarpon trip. Marking tons of fish on my Raymarine we get a hit while still setting up but George brings up a half eaten bait. Geeze! A bit after I mark more tarpon on my Raymarine and sure enough J.C.'s rod doubles over and over 100lbs of tarpon goes sky high and J.C.'s on tight to his fish. During the one and 40 minute fight the tarpon took us through an obstacle course of rock jetties, docks, anchored boats and markers but we managed to safely navigate all the obstacles in spite of some VERY close calls. Unfortunately, the end result of the battle was a big 9 plus foot bull shark eating J.C.'s tarpon. A real heart breaker for many reasons. In Miami's Biscayne Bay you never know what to expect!

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

April 14, 2015 Report (Tarpon!)

Scott jumped aboard for day two of tarpon fishing and the tarpon did not disappoint. We started by hooking one in the 120lb range on 10lb test on an artificial but losing him 20 minutes into the fight after a few jumps. Ouch! Shortly after we hooked two more in the span of about 10 minutes, one popped off after the first jump and the other jumped off after going ballistic, tail walking towards the boat, making a short run and then giving us his last jump. The rest of the day went on about the same. The final tally was tarpon 8, Scott 0. We have to change that next year Scott!

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

April 12, 2015 Report (Tarpon!)

An afternoon charter in Biscayne Bay can be a thrill ride and so it was this afternoon with Scott from MD. With an unusual lull in boat traffic we decided to tarpon fish for a bit before things got crazy with boats, jet skis and all the other weekend mayhem. Eight minutes into tarpon fishing Scott hooks a BIG tarpon and the fish ran out over 200 yards of line before we could give chase. Along the way we had to scream at a passing boater that was about to run over the line and I had to almost fend off his bow pulpit with my hand, clear a crab trap the tarpon got us around, undo a tangle from the said crab trap around the motor, ask a growing crowd of curious jet skiers to give us some room and use the boat to drag the fish away from more traps and a no motor zone where swimmers were gathered. Ten minutes into the fight we got the leader release but wanted the "hero shot" and a DNA sample for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. Forty minutes after hook up Scott released his fish having check off everything on our list and off the estimated 150lb tarpon went. Whew! What a ride. The balance of the trip Scott a number of sea trout in calmer areas. Wow, I'm still out of breath! Great job Scott!

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