Fort Lauderdale Tarpon Fishing

Filed under: Fishing Reports

offshore and reef fishing

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      May is one of the best months of the year as far as a vast variety of fish. Inshore reef fishing for kingfish, snapper, and sailfish has been great. As far as the offshore fishing there has been dolphin, tuna, bonitas and sailfish. If action is what your looking for the time of year could not be better. The styles of fishing may vary depending on the conditions some days trolling is best due to the fish being scattered and trolling lets you cover much more area. Some days we are drifting using live baits. And some days we are kite fishing were we point the boat into the wind and dangle live baits on the surface and wait for an explosion on the surface and then the fight is on. See you on the water

Capt. Josh

Offshore Ft. Lauderdale Sailfishing (Post from the angler)

Filed under: Fishing Reports

Captain Josh

Mark and I had a great time fishing on the Never Enough.  While fishing is the main target on a charter, the captain can make or break the experience.  I have been out on the water with many guides and there are only a small number that stand out.  I fish with Mike Bassett at Born and Raised Charters down in Islamorada and he and I have developed a friendship over the six years I have been fishing with him.  We have been out dozens of times and we always look forward to each other’s company.  I hope the same will develop over the course of time on the Never Enough.  Here is my write-up of the little boat that could.

It seems that the boat captains really believe that size matters.  The parade of big boats striking out in the mid-morning sunrise had their tall tuna towers, enclosed cabins, and huddled clients preparing for the sailfish quest.  Outriggers, mates, baits, and all the accoutrement of finding fish were at the ready.  Impressive was the flotilla.  The Never Enough gliding by them and around them in the flat waters of the ocean’s entrance must have made the captains chuckle.  Fishing for sailfish is for the big boys and can’t be done properly by this little boat buzzing about.  But Josh knows that he who laughs last, laughs best.

Once you clear the jetties and hit the ocean proper, all boats look small and insignificant.  It was a day of strong currents, a wind from the NNW blowing 15 to 20, and six foot waves where the currents and tides meet.  In 120 feet of water, Josh set out the kites and the goggle-eyes.  The bait danced on the surface below the orange streamers while Josh steered the boat, kept the baits just on the surface (no easy task), gave some training to Sam, and entertained us with good stories and chuckles.  Mark and I tried to get our sea legs and ride the roll.  Within 15 minutes, the near bait was hit by an explosion of a sailfish.  Chaos ensued.  Josh barking orders to Sam, grabbing the rod to set the hook as the line popped off the kite clip, getting the rod into Mark’s hands, making sure that Sam started the boat forward to get into the chase, line screaming off the reel, the fish lit up and making a hasty retreat to the deep waters, running to get the other line out of the water and reel in the kite so that lines would not tangle, all in 30 seconds.  Once over, Mark settled in for the fight.

The excitement of the first minute of a sailfish bite and hook is often followed by the arm wearying labor of keeping the line tight and playing the fish.  There is little doubt who is in control in the beginning.  The fish is in charge and takes line when it wants.  The angler’s only job is to feel what the fish is doing and respond to the underwater movements.  Josh was now in his element.  He gave words of encouragement, reminded Mark to keep the line tight, and followed the fish with a mastery of the process.  The smile on Josh’s face and the joy in his voice told the tale of his love of this part of his day.  A fish well hooked, apologies accepted for barking orders loudly, a client bent into the task of bringing the fish to the boat, and the small pleasure of getting on the radio to tell the big boats that he had a hook-up and a bent rod.  Daily victories can be some of the most exquisite.

The fish did not come easily.  After 20 minutes the battle shifted to the fisherman and not the fish.  The slow crank to the boat, three feet at a time, would bring the fish into view in the background of that deep blue color.  The fish came in tail first.  It was wrapped in a snare of it’s own making and solved the riddle of the strangeness of the fight.  Josh reached over the side, grabbed the fish by the bill, and slid it gently onto the deck.  Monofilament leader wrapped around the tail was quickly cut away, pictures were taken, and all haste was made to revive the fish and put it back into the water.  Smiles, handshakes, and a fish swimming away into the rolling waves was a scene not shared by the big boats that day.  He hooked another for me in the next 15 minutes and the battle ensued once again.  Two for Tuesday was Josh’s gleeful shout into the radio.  Silence from the other captains and I assume some deep felt respect for Captain Josh, Sam, and
the little boat that could.

Thanks Josh and Sam

Deep sea snapper fishing

Filed under: Fishing Reports

      On a recent evening fishing trip I decided to do some snapper fishing. We started on a few of the areas well known wrecks but the action wasnt what I was really hoping for so we made a run to the north. After a couple of drops we found a school of vermilion snappers and ended up with two  dozen snappers in the box.

swordfishing trip off ft lauderdale

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WOW what an exciting swordfishing trip we had!!! we put five baits in the water and a 400 pounder jumps on the line. We fought the fish for four hours and it took nine people to get this fish to the boat. Its certainly a trip I wont forget for a long time!

Intercoastal Fishing In Fort Lauderdale

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Snook and tarpon fishing in fort lauderdale can be some of the most exciting light tackle fishing anywhere!!! Drifting with the tides and using live bait is how we normally fish for tarpon and snook, but sometimes when the conditions are right you can sight fish for them looking for big balls of bait scattering! No matter what its always a great time! Lets go fishing!!!!!

post for off-shore fishing in Ft Lauderdale

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It has been a great week for off-shore fishing in ft lauderdale. Mahi-mahi, sailfish, and wahoo have all been on the menu this week. On friday night I ran a swordfishing trip and hooked about an eighty pounder and what a show this swordfish put on!! He started jumping within feet of the boat and stayed on the surface for the rest of the fight. So if off-shore fishing is what your looking for the time is now! LETS GO FISHIN

First Fishing Post for Never Enough charters in Fort Lauderdale

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Hi there,

I’m Captain Josh Mahan, and I am going to be the one updating this page.  I’ll try to write a fishing post at least once a week, to let eveyone know what we are catching.  Always feel free to call me anytime with questions or to schedule your fishing reservations.  Thanks and I look forward to fishing with you.

Fort Lauderdale Swordfishing

Mahi-Mahi have been what’s biting off Fort Lauderdale

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Mahi-Mahi have been what’s biting off Fort Lauderdale these past few weeks.  Almost every day we’ve been hitting a school or two out there on our fishing charters.  Most of the mahi-mahi have been 5-8 pounds, just a bit bigger than the normal summer schoolie dolphins.  Very few big ones have been caught.  All the mahi-mahi have been about the same size and traveling in small schools of 6-10 fish.  It’s fun to hit a school of mahi-mahi out there.  You’re trolling along, and out of nowhere 6 fish are behind the boat jumping with a couple more fish swimming right up to the boat.  It can be chaotic at times when there are more fish around the boat than we have anglers to catch them, but I love that kind of chaos.