# South Biscayne Bay??



## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Picking up my Evo next week and looking to get out on the water to start the break in and getting to know the skiff. I normally do the Flamingo/ENP/Keys thing but was thinking of going to south Biscayne bay to mess around and get some time on the skiff. Never fished down there any recommendations on what to target and what to look out for? Want to stay close first couple of trips because it’s more about using the boat and less about fishing but I figured if I’m there might as well wet some lines. I’m open to anything and the simpler the better. Not planning on going after any hardcore gamefish just to have a nice day. Appreciate any advice been a long time since I’ve been down there. I remember fishing little creeks and channels for snapper and cuda as a kid out of our 12ft John boat but I obviously will have more range now.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Was thinking homestead bay front park since it seems black point is a shit show!


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## redfisher326 (Oct 26, 2021)

Bay front is a great ramp. Make sure you idle for a long while. It is tempting to hang a right just outside the channel and jump up. Depending on the tide that can be sketchy not to mention illegal depending on where you do pop out. Go slow and pole a lot if you stay on the west side. Or run across and fish channels running through the mangrove islands. On the weekend a lot of people anchor on the side of the creeks feeding off of ceasar's creek, so don't head there looking for solitude. Best of luck and go slow. It's tempting to tear through a lot of water, but my best days are when weather has kept me hiding in the lee creeping on the pole.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Thanks that area to the southwest of Elliot key looks fishy on Google earth. What can I target down there? Would prefer to not soak shrimp for snapper but if that’s what’s there I’m game. Cudas always welcome along with whatever else wants to play.


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## redfisher326 (Oct 26, 2021)

LOTS of cudas and sharks in moving water over flats. You can run into a lot of good stuff out there all depending on the day.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

If you can throw a cast net, load up on bait and then head to the cuts between the islands to chum and then throw Rappalas for mutton snapper!


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

That sounds great Dave. Where can I find bait? Do I need to chum for them? Yes I’ve been known to throw a pancake or 2!


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## Miami Maritime (May 25, 2020)

Dave, do you live chum and then throw a rappala? I’ve done both, but never at the same time. What about trolling the cuts? Also any particular lipped baits that you recommend? Thanks


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

@Nick728 might be able to provide more insight.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Haven't fished that area in years (used to guide there...). This time of year Caesar's Creek oceanside has some very good permit fishing (the flats on either side run for several miles..). The guy who taught me the basics of permit fishing (with a small live crab or a skimmer jig tipped with shrimp...) was a fishing club member in the old Tropical Anglers Club.. He learned it by running at dawn to any flat he wanted to learn - then simply staking out along the edge of the flat and sitting there - an entire tide (coming in or out - but along Caesar's best on the falling tide..) rod in hand and keeping a close eye on his watch.. Unlike bonefish, schools or groups of permit averaging ten to twenty pounds keep to the same schedule day after day if not disturbed and if you see a group of fish coming with the tide along flat today - they'll do the same thing tomorrow - one hour later... Permit in that kind of situation are very competitive and will race forward to intercept any small crab or shrimp like item. My first time with him I got my first three permit - all those years ago...

My "teacher" would say that at a particular spot you should see the fish about 200 feet away - two hours after the high tide coming from that direction - and he was right on the money.... You could set your watch by them...I long ago quit guiding in Biscayne Bay during daylight hours - instead I retreated back into the Everglades and that's where I am - all these years later. I'll bet those permit haven't changed much at all - but you have to be willing to sit for an entire tide (six hours) to find out which flats they frequent now (and when...).

Hope this helps.


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Thanks Bob. I’ll add that to my list of things I’d like to do with the new skiff. Never caught a hood permit I’ve caught a few small ones (pompano sized) either on the surf or on the flats targeting a different species. I guess at the end of the day nothing beats just being out there and observing and experimenting.


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## Miami Maritime (May 25, 2020)

lemaymiami said:


> Haven't fished that area in years (used to guide there...). This time of year Caesar's Creek oceanside has some very good permit fishing (the flats on either side run for several miles..). The guy who taught me the basics of permit fishing (with a small live crab or a skimmer jig tipped with shrimp...) was a fishing club member in the old Tropical Anglers Club.. He learned it by running at dawn to any flat he wanted to learn - then simply staking out along the edge of the flat and sitting there - an entire tide (coming in or out - but along Caesar's best on the falling tide..) rod in hand and keeping a close eye on his watch.. Unlike bonefish, schools or groups of permit averaging ten to twenty pounds keep to the same schedule day after day if not disturbed and if you see a group of fish coming with the tide along flat today - they'll do the same thing tomorrow - one hour later... Permit in that kind of situation are very competitive and will race forward to intercept any small crab or shrimp like item. My first time with him I got my first three permit - all those years ago...
> 
> My "teacher" would say that at a particular spot you should see the fish about 200 feet away - two hours after the high tide coming from that direction - and he was right on the money.... You could set your watch by them...I long ago quit guiding in Biscayne Bay during daylight hours - instead I retreated back into the Everglades and that's where I am - all these years later. I'll bet those permit haven't changed much at all - but you have to be willing to sit for an entire tide (six hours) to find out which flats they frequent now (and when...).
> 
> Hope this helps.


Great info. Thanks for the tips.


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## Miami Maritime (May 25, 2020)

Finally got my Bone. The elusive grey ghost marked off the list. Now I’ve got the bug and want to catch one on the fly. 

Outgoing tide on the flats south of Elliot Key- live shrimp on a small white jig. Used a “shrimp chummer.”

Biscayne Bay Bonefish - T2 - Hit That! @HitThat


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## rovster (Aug 21, 2018)

Miami Maritime said:


> Finally got my Bone. The elusive grey ghost marked off the list. Now I’ve got the bug and want to catch one on the fly.
> 
> Outgoing tide on the flats south of Elliot Key- live shrimp on a small white jig. Used a “shrimp chummer.”
> 
> ...


Nice! Thanks for sharing I’ve seen that chummer before in a FS article way back when. How did you choose the flat you were fishing on? Did you see bones before you deployed the chummer? Not asking for coordinates just a general idea what to look for as i also have never caught a bone and plan on trying. Thanks!


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## krash (Jan 9, 2007)

Miami Maritime said:


> Finally got my Bone. The elusive grey ghost marked off the list. Now I’ve got the bug and want to catch one on the fly.
> 
> Outgoing tide on the flats south of Elliot Key- live shrimp on a small white jig. Used a “shrimp chummer.”
> 
> ...


Congrats.. next step is loose the chum tube, nothing like locate, stalk, and sight fishing them.


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## Miami Maritime (May 25, 2020)

I never saw the fish coming. A few people told me to try some spots and "shrimp chum" and that after I saw some fish, it would be easier for me to learn where they would be traveling and what to look for to see them.

I do want to sight fish for them and would like to catch one on a fly, but as posted previously, I had about 8 "dedicated" trips without seeing or catching on. 

I'm definitely not the right person to ask about what the right flat looks like. I did try to and did find a larger flat with good current.


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