# South Biscayne Bay Reds



## creekfreak (Jan 8, 2013)

Been hearing rumors about biscayne reds,so I went to scout my back yard and was very happy to see lots of them...Some solo,laid up chillin and even some schools.Blind cast a few and sight cast a few.Still rookie on fly so the wind wasn't gonna make it much easier,so Gulp alive on spinner was the weapon.I don't know if its seasonal or not,but if you need to sleep in like I did and get a late start and don't want to go to mingo,give it a try.Gotta be honest its the first time I witness this in our gorgeous south biscayne bay.


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## creekfreak (Jan 8, 2013)




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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Healthy looking reds. I was residing in South Dade when they started restocking them
in Biscayne Bay, 1989. If you caught one, it was supposed to be all hush-hush, with a few quick measurements
and a phone call to Rosensteil with the data of how big, what time/date, where caught, tag number if found.
When I left South Florida in 2001, there were schools of slot sized reds showing up in what used to be
bones and cuda only areas. The area you were working has some bulls back in the mangrove creeks
if you're willing to brave the sand fleas and skeeters. Satisfying to see such results from the restock in my lifetime.


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## JRP (Sep 24, 2012)

nice report and nice boat PM sent


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## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

> Healthy looking reds. I was residing in South Dade when they started restocking them
> in Biscayne Bay, 1989. If you caught one, it was supposed to be all hush-hush, with a few quick measurements
> and a phone call to Rosensteil with the data of how big, what time/date, where caught, tag number if found.
> When I left South Florida in 2001, there were schools of slot sized reds showing up in what used to be
> ...


These fish are not from that stocking that went on. Those fish are the bulls that still roam the waters. But these fish you see are a product of the freeze of 09-2010. The ones that came from the stocking program don't have spots on their tails. Biscayne got an influx of redfish after the freeze, as did the rest of south florida. There's redfish populations all over the keys now where they barely existed before. With several even caught in freshwater in Miami.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

> The ones that came from the stocking program don't have spots on their tails.


Wish it was that easy, but the fry/rats released had the same variations in spots
as the hatchery breeder stock did. The Matheson rat reds I caught in the early and mid 90's had single
and multiple spots. The Elliot Key reds I caught in the late 90's were all single spots.
Only way to know for sure if it was hatchery raised or not was the tag or a DNA sample.

https://dspace.mote.org/dspace/bitstream/2075/734/1/MTR%20824.pdf


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## creekfreak (Jan 8, 2013)

That's very interesting Brett and and PIB.All the ones I caught had single spots and where very fat,really well fed.Lots of bait in the area.I they are from mingo from the freeze,they are probably here to stay cause they found lots of bait to eat.Lots of bait in the bay and the weight shows.Healthy fish man.Mingo fish are a lil skinnier I noticed.Hope they stay around.Other than letting my microskiff buds keepin it hush.lol


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## creekfreak (Jan 8, 2013)

> nice report and nice boat PM sent


Thanks Jrp.This skiff isn't all that but I've gone places I've always wanted to explore and couldn't.If their is water I tell my son,that way and pull up and have no fear.Obviously I watch tides and know its always coming up,but really enjoying my new adventures.


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## creekfreak (Jan 8, 2013)

> > The ones that came from the stocking program don't have spots on their tails.
> 
> 
> Wish it was that easy, but the fry/rats released had the same variations in spots
> ...


thanks for the article Brett.Gonna read up on it.Apreciate it.Always heard about this project,but now ill be well educated on the subject.


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