Islamorada Summer Trip 5/26-6/2

[mlutz95]

Just got back from our dolphin trip to Islamorada like 5 minutes ago. Stayed at Cheeca Lodge the whole week. Unfortunately we dont have a boat, so we rented a 26' Angler from some boat rental place. Nice little boat, gets the job done. Anyway, fished everyday we were down there; a total of 8 days. First monday got up at around 8 all pumped about finally gettin to get out and fish, but got our hopes crushed as the forecast called for 6-8 seas and a NE wind at about 25 knots; couldnt go too far out today. Went out to the Eagle wreck and jigged up about every jack crevalle that inhabited this whole shipwreck, total number keeping about 5 for chunk bait and throwing the rest, about 15, back into the blue. Pretty much going crazy, we decided we HAD to go a little offshore; we made the normally quick run out to the Islamorada hump take about an hour and a half, in about the wettest run ive ever been on in my life!!! A soon as we got out there, we threw out the Ilander-ballyhoo rigs and started trollin around. Right off the bat got about a 25 pound 'cuda...aka shark/jewfish bait!!! After trollin around for about another hour picked up a nice little 10 pound dolphin. after a couple more hours of no action, we decided to head in and check out the eagle again. Tossed that cuda on our jewfish rig and dropped it down. after no action, we all kinda sat down, and slowly fell asleep. Of course, somehow knowing we werent prepared, that grouper inhaled our cuda. ZZZZZZZZZ CCRRRAAAACCKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!! We all jumped up ready to battle our enemy but saw a little surprise...our 80 pound class rod was totally snapped in half. I mean not like cracked or the rod tip snapped, i mean the part of the rod right above the reel seat, the strongest part of the rod totally at a 90 degree angle!!! Well, hehehe we called it a night and headed in. Luckily, we just went right across the street and Worldwide Sportsman (the Bass Pro in the Fl keys) replaced it, a little mad though. Well that day wasnt exactly the best fishing day we had had in a while, so we went in and went to sleep. Next day, same weather, went to the Islamorada hump, but this time no 'phins, but one nice 5-10 pound blackfin, again slayed those crevalles, headed back in. Next day, AGAIN no dolphin, just those same crevalles, began wondering if we'd ever get out again. Finally we got out the next day, and worked the islamorada hump again. This time, oon the first pass, actually, we nailed about a 12 pound cow and 15 pound bull. That was pretty much it for that day. Next day was, well, lets just say, AMAZING!!! Decided we'd go out the marathon hump cause thats where we were hearing of the big gaffers and stuff like that. So on the way out, we spot a big group of diving birds in about 700 feet and decide to just go check it out real quick. We pull up next to it and throw out our ilander-ballyhoos, and make one quick pass. Almost instantaneously we heard the familiar ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! Man this wasnt any ordinary dolphin, this thing was mean! As we finally winched it from the depths we thought BIG dolphin, but as it got higher, we saw that it was shiny and cuda like. We all got dissapointed and got it close enough to reach down with the gaff. Hold up, this aint no barracuda, thats a WAHOOOOOOOO!!! YES FINALLY!!! Thats the first wahoo we have ever landed; weve been bit off, weve seen 'em dead, alive under weed patches, you name it we had had every encounter with a wahoo, without actually landing one! One more crazy thing about that 'hoo was that out of the four ballyhoo-ilanders, it hit the only one with a wire leader on it. Well, 30 minutes into the day, already on our first nice fish. Just to the left, there were even more birds diving, so we gunned over and checked 'em out. DOLPHIN!!! THERE, THERE!!! There were literally dolphin everywhere. They werent just schoolies though, they were pretty much gaffers. Someone just cast out a chunk of crevalle, and immediately got hookedup. After about three fish like this, they stopped biting, but even more birds were off to the left. after chasin around birds like this for about an hour, we finally stopped bringing them in, with a total count of 15 nice dolphin. After that we continued heading to the marathon hump. Got two more nice cows and called it a day. Next day not quite as hot, but nonetheless fun. Not really any consistent action, just got a gaffer here or there, bout 10-15 pounds each. Ended up with about 3 or 4 of those. Next day, was pretty good; got the most dolphin of anyday that day. Hit those birds whenever we saw'em. (That's how to catch those 'phins right now. There arent really any big weeds, so thats where there at.) Each bait ball pulled up about 5 or 6, ended the day with about 20 real nice dolphin, the biggest being a bull about 17-18 pounds. Came in at about 3 that day after making one drop for a sword on Swordfish Trench (a couple miles of marathon hump), cause those dolphin really just stop biting at around 11 am. The next day was about as good a day we could finish on as possible. Headed out usual time at about 7 am and headed for the marathon hump. Hit a couple of birds and picked up maybe 1 or 2 nice hoisters. As we went on, we all decided we would stay in a little closer and just work the 409. As we got there, we threw out the usual ilander-ballyhoos and trolled around. Just as we thought there was nothing there and we were gonna go jig, the usual happens then. "alright lets get the lines in," says my brother. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ we see a huge dolphin leap way off. As we get it in close, we see BIG dolphin. Just as its cranked into the gaff, it takes off again. Only a big 'phin could do this! Finally, we get it next to the boat, and as dolphin fishing goes, everyones yelling at each other over whats the best thing to do. We ready two gaffs and stick the first one right in the belly strip-perfect gaff. The second sticks 'em right in the tail, but this dolphin isnt just gonna take that; he swings his tail and launches the gaff twenty feet away from the boat!!! This was a pretty nice 'phin, bout 35 pounds. It put up a nice little fight too. After that we get a dolphin here and there, but nothing really that great. As were heading in, we come up on a floating cardboard box. There were a couple schoolies swimming around underneath it, so i casted a bass crankbait and caught my first mahi on bass tackle! After that, nothin really, so we headed in and called it a trip. Islamorada is our absolute f avorite place to go in the world. We'll be back next christmas to finally get some sails. Here are the pics from the whole trip, in order for the most part. Credit goes to my brother who is an amazing photographer.

[mlutz95]

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Nice pics bro. Looks like you fellas had a helluva good time

[Captain Juan]

Nice work dudes. I was in Tavernier last weekend and we caught some dolphin. A little rough though.

What are ya doing with those jacks?

J

[Rust Bucket]

Nice going - looks like that wahoo was trying to get back at you for sticking him! Good eating.

[mlutz95]

well, some of 'em were actually yellow jacks, so were keepin those for sashimi. the crevalles=shark bait