Maybe we have conditioned fish to show up and eat in certain places around the Islamorada area. Over the years there have been certain places where local anglers and charter boats stop to catch bait, catch fish and clean fish. All of these activities seem to attract fish to show up at certain times of the day.
Bait Fish
Most boats in the business stop and catch bait in the same area every morning. This area is known as the bait patch. Cigar minnows, blue runners and ballyhoo are often caught there. These bait fish can be found in many places up and down the reef however the bait patch is where they are caught every day. Morning seems to be the best time since that is when most boats stop to get bait. Once in a while when a boat stops in the bait patch area during the middle of the day the bait fish often take much longer to show up. It may be a coincidence that these fish respond better in the morning than midday or maybe they are used to feeding on the massive amounts of chum dispersed in the morning.
Some anglers believe the bait become more difficult to catch because of the increased sunlight. Maybe ballyhoo become more leery of boat shadows and reluctant to move close enough to throw a net over them. Whatever the reason, bait fish are easier to catch at the bait patch in the morning.
Reef Fish
There are a number of places along the edge of reef where commercial yellowtail fishing boats catch fish almost every night. It is amazing the amount of fish these anglers catch in the same spots night after night. Along with yellowtail there are schools of other fish that are accustomed to eating chum. Parrot fish, speedos, ocean tallies, cero mackerel, ballyhoo, remoras and other fish that live on the reef. When the commercial boats leave their spot to haul their catch another boat can easily anchor up in the same area and continue to catch fish.
The commercial boats usually use enormous amounts of chum compared to any other type of boat fishing for a recreational bag limits. Yellowtail usually responded well to other boats that take over the slick as long as some chum continues to flow. A couple blocks of chum, some oats and the catching process continues.
Marinas
During the spring, summer, and fall it is amazing the number of fish that swim into the Whale Harbor marina after 2 pm. Usually tarpon, grey snapper, pinfish, nurse sharks and small barracuda swim in to feast on fish carcasses. In other nearby marinas, the tarpon are the dominate species that forage on the scraps tossed in while captains and mates clean their daily catch.
Robbie’s Marina is probably the most famous for conditioning fish to stay around for the food. This is a site to see if you are visiting the Islamorada area. I’m not sure if there is any place in Florida that has so many tarpon in one place all year.
An example that has led many charter boat captains down the road of easy money is the evening shark frenzy. For many years local marinas have been dumping the left over fish scraps offshore. This same location day after day has conditioned the local sharks to hang around the same area waiting to devour what nobody else wants. These sharks show up to eat and make the perfect shark fishing spot for anyone willing to do battle with them. It is exciting to watch the sharks follow the boat that drops the fish remains in the water. The sharks recognize the sound of the boat and follow it offshore anticipating the moment the stuff is going to be put in the water. It has been a reliable way to almost guarantee an angler can catch a shark because of this conditioning.
Fishing Lately
We have been catching mahi every day! One captain sent me a memo stating mahi season is over, stop catching them! I replied, “If they’re here we’ll catch them!” Reflecting on a wise man’s comments, he said, “Fish where the fish are!” The fish are definitely here in Islamorada all year so some of us captains at Whale Harbor are enjoying the extended mahi season.
Fishing Forecast
We look forward to more sailfish and kingfish along the edge of reef this winter. Hopefully with each passing cold front more of these fish will migrate our way.
