Fishing Styles
“How we fish makes us unique. We normally deploy kites in the air to present live baits on the surface. This is a very stealthy way to fish that produces incredible results.”
Capt. Carlos Mendez
Kite Fishing Miami - The absolute best way of sport fishing in South Florida is with fishing kites. We fly fishing kites in the air and then put our live baits suspended from them. The presentation is the best with no terminal gear in the water to spook the fish. This is competitive tournament sport fishing at its best and how the majority of tournaments are won in the Miami area. Sailfish cannot resist! This is our expertise.
Letting the kites out to set up for fishing in Miami
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Why are fishing kites so effective?
Kites allow us to place our baits at a distance from the boat, in an area free of noise and turbulence. Kites also give live bait a feeling that they are about to be lifted from the water, and restricts them to swimming in tight circles. Traumatized baits become more attractive to predators turned on by the distress signals. The results are more aggressive bites and a better hook-up ratio. One key factor in kite fishing is that when a hook up occurs, the remaining baits suspended from the kites continue to fish, frequently resulting in multiple hookups.
Tackle: 20 lb. conventional or spinning tackle with 60 - 80 lb leaders.
Method: Fly two kites with an electrically powered reel to facilitate retrieval to the boat after strikes. Each kite line has three release clips positioned at 60'-90' intervals. The clips have adjustable release tension just like the ones in outriggers. A speed guide (ceramic ring) individually attaches each separate fishing line to the release clips. The speed guide is secured to the release clip. The result is a relatively friction-free slide of fishing line thru the speed guide attaching the line to the release clip. Consequently, after the baits have been set out, the angler can reel in his line and raise the bait vertically in the water, or let out line and allow the bait to swim deeper. Ideally, the angler maintains the position of the bait just under the surface of the water. The bait realizes it is in jeopardy, and its frenzied vibrations attract predators. We fish 6 kite baits, as well as outrigger, flat and deep lines.
The Strike: Most billfish will approach slowly, circle and peruse the bait, eat it and swim off with the bait. The crew can visually see the bait-predator encounter. If the angler sees the sail he can drop back. When the decision is made that the fish has been long enough at the table, the rod is positioned horizontally, and the reel is turned as fast as possible, removing the slack from the line as it snaps from the release clip on the kite line and falls toward the water.
Simultaneously, the captain accelerates the boat away from the sailfish to remove slack and aid in the hook up process. If all maneuvers are done correctly, no additional jerking of the rod is required, but you can give it a couple of hook setting pumps to be satisfied that the fish is really impaled.
One of the potentially most productive things about kite fishing is that once a fish is hooked and being fought, the other baits continue to be presented in a fishing mode, resulting in multiple hook ups while the hooked fish is being fought.
Review: The baits are presented from aloft, dangling from the release clips on the kite lines. Should the hooked fish or its line appear to be close to the other baits, the line may be reeled above the surface until the fighting fish is clear and then re-lowered into the water and monitored by the anglers not doing battle.
Closing: Kite Fishing is the best way of fishing in South Florida. The presentation is very stealthy with no terminal gear in the water to spook the fish. This is competitive tournament sport fishing at its best and how the majority of tournaments are won in the Miami area. Take your time to learn kite fishing and your fishing will dramatically improve.
We look forward to you enjoying kite fishing aboard Miami Charter Boat.
Right kite is going out
Live Bait Fishing Miami- We use different types of live bait like pilchards, herrings, goggle eyes, blue runners and more. Live bait is one of the most productive ways of sport fishing. We catch live bait before we go fishing insuring that it is the freshest and liveliest bait possible. We teach our customers how to fish for live bait. It is a winner with the little ones!
Fishing with live baits in Miami.
Premium live baits are a must to fish Miami
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A successful fishing trip begins long before the first line goes in the water.
Catching the right baits is very important. Most tournament anglers in Miami opt for premier baits like goggle eyes, large threadfin hearings and blue runners. Keeping live bait alive is just as important as having it. Big live bait wells fed by A.C. and D.C. pumps (in case of power or pump failure) that continuously serve a constant exchange of fresh seawater to the wells is a must. An assortment of hundreds of baits is necessary
Sword Fishing Miami - Come and fish in beautiful Miami and Miami Beach. See what Saltwater Sportsman, Florida Sportsman and Sport fishing Magazine are raving about. Categorized as a world-class destination for Swordfish, these fish prowl the Miami waters only 10 - 12 miles offshore. They are pound for pound the heavyweights of the sea. No room for the faint of heart!
Sword fishing in Miami is a world class fishery.
Shark Fishing Miami- Shark fishing in Miami is very challenging and exciting. Sharks can be caught bottom or kite fishing, but with very specific tackle. While they are targeted at specific depths and with unique techniques, other fish can be caught while waiting for the sharks to attack! Hammerheads, tigers, threshers, makos, silkies, black tips all are within minutes of Miami. They are very hard pullers and extremely aggressive. Heavy tackle is a must. Are you ready for this?
Small mako shark fishing in Miami
Night Fishing Miami- Don't forget that many species eat at night, that’s why we do as many trips at night as in the day time. Sharks come into play as well as tarpon. On the reef the snappers are very active and swordfish prey the deep waters of the Gulf Stream.
Sailfish in Miami are caught 3 miles offshore.
Night fishing in Miami for groupers
Drift Fishing Miami- Here we go with the current picking up different species as we "walk the ocean". Sometimes we still put kites up or even do some bottom sport fishing to increase our chances of landing that trophy fish.
King fish react extremely well while drift fishing in Miami
Trolling (Dolphin Fishing Miami) - This is the traditional way of sport fishing. It consists of cruising using baits and lures. We use this method when we want to cover a lot of water. We put the lines in the water and keep the boat moving at all times. Deploying wire lines in addition to our regular spread helps us cover deep water. Excellent when people also want to cruise and relax. It is not the best way to fish in Miami but at some times it merits its efforts.
Capt. Carlos with a big bull dolphin caught trolling.
Trolling for dolphin is one of the few times that we will troll while fishing in Miami.
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Dolphin Fishing:
We catch dolphin (Dorado and Mahi-Mahi) throughout the year while fishing for other species. The dolphin season begins in April, peaks in June and July, and slows down in late September.
We do not normally troll for dolphin. Trolling over water that we know will not be productive is a waste of time. Rather, dolphin fishing on the Masita III might be described as a hunting and fishing expedition.
First, the bait wells are topped with small blue runners, pilchards and cigar minnows. The boat then proceeds offshore with the captain in the fly bridge searching for weed lines, floating debris, turtles etc., all of which indicate the possible presence of dolphin, and all of which are more apparent from his elevated position.
The mate spends most of his day looking at the horizon for birds picking on the surface or hovering over schools of dolphin and diving to snatch flying fish as they attempt to escape from the marauding predators. The mate will alert the captain if birds are spotted, or the captain will alert the mate when he sees fish.
Everything is visual - once the captain sights the fish he maneuvers the boat to precede ahead of the migrating school of dolphin and the anglers cast live baits on spinning tackle to the quarry. The mate receives the fish coming aboard, gaffing the larger fish, and deposits them in the fish box. He then re-baits the hook with a lively wiggler.
Action is frequent, fast and furious. Our fleet is permitted to catch 60 dolphin-fish per day, and we accomplish our quota on most summer days.
You can visualize the thrill of expectation as the captain or mate gives their cue and the boat approaches the swirling, frantic birds. Will they guide us to 3 - 5 lb. schoolies or a raging, massive square headed bull followed by a bevy of large females and other lesser bulls wishing to assume his position as leader of the pack? Come find out!
Bottom and Wreck fishing Miami- A favorite of many. What a great way to enjoy sport fishing in the calm waters of summer pulling snappers, groupers, yellowtails, hogfish, porgies, grunts, jacks, mackerels and barracudas, to name just a few. This fish pull hard, but at the end of the fight you get super tasting fish. Beware of those Amber jacks! They have enough power to make you beg for mercy!
Bottom dwellers are prone to hit live baits presented in front of them while fishing Miami.
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Bottom and Wreck fishing Miami
Fishing in Miami offers a multitude of choices to the angler. While the exotic sailfish and colorful, tasty dolphin may be primary, many anglers opt for bending the rod over our bountiful wrecks.
The majority of our ship wrecks were intentionally sunk in depths suitable to divers and fisherman. The shallow wrecks produce smaller fish, but the deeper wrecks located in 200 or more feet of water are the most productive. Fishing the deep wrecks is an art, dependent upon locations and knowledge of prevailing conditions. The Gulf Stream current normally flows to the North at varying speeds. Unfortunately, those conditions are not predictable.
Arriving on the site, the captain must find out the current’s direction and velocity as well as the wind direction with GPS and land ranges. This is called finding your set and drift and if you nail it you will find the proper starting point for your drift.
Once over the wreck the fish finder will come alive. Generally, Captain Mendez approaches a wreck from down current, north toward south against the northward current flow. He will pass over the wreck, viewing it on fish finding and depth recording equipment. The Masita III will continue past the observed wreck toward the south. Judging the speed of the current, Captain Mendez will signal the mate to have the anglers drop their weighted lines and live baits.
Captain Mendez assesses current speed and bumps the boat in and out of forward gear as necessary to maintain the fishing lines in a vertical to slightly aft slant from the transom. As the current pushes the boat from bow to stern toward the north, the current will carry the Masita III, over the wreck and its inhabitants.
When a strike is detected, the angler immediately reels in line to remove slack that has been bellied to the south by the Gulf Stream current. At the same time, Captain Mendez accelerates the boat ahead to assist in slack removal and hookup. Once the fish is hooked, the boat continues in a south bound direction, employing the northward flow of the stream to apply resistance against the fishing line, elevating the hooked fish and denying its attempt to reach the sanctuary of the wreck's obstructions. Once the threat has been eliminated, the angler endures a grueling battle with anticipated surges toward the bottom. The angler has the predetermined selection of standup gear with appropriate gimbal belts and harnesses or the fighting chair.
Wreck fishing provides the possibility of an assortment of species, including grouper, snapper, African pompano, cobia, barracuda, amber jack and more. The Masita III also deploys live baits from rigger and flat lines while dropping on the wrecks, frequently enticing sailfish, dolphin, wahoo, tuna and bonitas.
Should there not be a hookup as Masita III courses over a wreck site, the lines are retrieved, the boat moved into position once again over another portion of the wreck. After all quadrants of the wreck have been tempted and we determine that “no one is home”, or at least not hungry, the captain will direct the boat’s path by GPS and other electronics to another submerged habitat.
Tarpon Fishing - Tarpon are here all year and feed 24 hours per day. The “Silver King" is the flashiest of all inshore game fish. Strikes are incredibly explosive and the fish puts on a spectacular aerial show. Tarpon weigh from 10 to 200 lbs. and once hooked, stay in the air more than in the water.
Tarpon fishing in Miami is happens in the bay and in the beach, very close to the city.
Cobia Fishing:
Fishing for Cobia in our area is visual hunting and subsequent fishing after the cobias are spotted.
We are fortunate to have expansive areas of coral and reef where these fish call home. within minutes of our docks. Cobias are targeted at depths of 8-40’ where the bottom is a combination of grass and sand. It extends north and south from Miami. The unique ecosystem harbors various crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs as well as an assortment of bottom and reef dwellers.
Large stingrays are easily spotted during winter and spring months as they glide slowly above the white sand and grass bottom, looking for food. Cobias dart out of the ray’s path. All of the sudden it is fishing time.
On our way to the fishing grounds, if we spot stingrays, we will stop and fish for the cobias that follow them if the charter group wants. We need clear water not muddied by strong winds. The captain from the fly bridge, can examine the water and spot the cobias.
The stingray leading the pack, with its followers trailing in close, is readily visible from the fly bridge. The hunt may go on without a sighting, but once sighted, the action is fast and furious. It is not unusual to have up to 25 cobia following one ray. The inherent competitiveness of the hungry fish adds to the appeal of the frenzied fishing.
Once the stingray and its entourage are spotted, Captain Mendez pursues the migrating stingray in reverse, while anglers cast appropriate bottom dwelling baits to the voracious predators.
We are currently permitted to keep two cobia per person on the boat. When our quota is attained, we will search of additional species.
Wahoo Fishing:
Wahoo is an exciting, extremely fast and hard fighting fish. Wahoo fishing is easier than other species we fish for because the rods are fished from the rod holders until the fish hits the baits and then it will be hit or miss.
Most wahoos in Miami are caught on live baits fished from kites or flat lines, while sail fishing. They may also be caught trolling in Miami, but for true Wahoo fishing, Masita III heads for the steep drop off along the walls of the Bahamas Banks.
Wahoo are prevalent throughout the Bahamas. They like structure, and most frequently, patrol the sea where depth drops from 60 feet to 2000 feet in a matter of 50 yards.
While not essential, wire line is inherent to Wahoo fishing due to the necessary trolling speed, and the Wahoo’s primary interest in baits below the surface. Masita III deploys four to six conventional trolling outfits with bent butts spooled with .035 stainless steel wire while Wahoo fishing. The other outfits are spooled with monofilament line with long wire leaders to protect against cut-offs.
We troll at 12 to 14 knots. It is nearly impossible to exceed the limits of a Wahoo’s speed, they are considered among the fastest fish in the sea. Racing along at this speed maintains the lures below the surface. We like lead headed feathers, horse ballyhoo or mullet combinations, and weighted bullet head lures with plastic skirts in a combination of black, red, orange, purple and silver colors.
Our terminal riggings include 30-foot leader, of a combination of wire and mono. Weights of up to three pounds precede the leader material and connect to the fishing line by a snap swivel. The rods closest to the transom pull baits located nearest to the boat and carry the heaviest weights lowering them the deepest in the water column.
The other rods immediately forward are fitted with lighter weights, allowing their trailing baits to remain above those of the stern rods avoiding tangles. Finally, the outrigger rods are equipped with the lightest leads or none at all. The variance in weight is important. Wahoo like to feed in depths of water from 200 to 600 ft. along the edge of the Bahamas Bank where the water depth drops rapidly into cobalt depths. The captains do a zigzag path paralleling the Bahamas Bank, attempting to present his baits in those target depths.
The bone jarring strike produced by the two speeding colliding forces -fish and lure- is assured to be memorable. Since Wahoo travel in marauding packs, multiple hookups are the norm, rather than the exception. Upon the explosive strike, line screams from the reel. Anglers can anticipate the Wahoo to repeat reel smoking runs and lurch the angler fore and aft while shaking it’s head from side to side - similar to the way a dog will play with a toy - attempting to dislodge the antagonizing hook.
Once reeled boat side and the mate’s hand secures the leader, the flight is not over. Angler bewares and alert, yet another screaming run is frequently eminent!
Bimini, just 42 miles away from our Miami homeport, and West End, Grand Bahamas offer unrivaled Wahoo fishing from November thru March.
