Everyday can be so different than the days before when it comes to our Ft. Lauderdale Fishing Trips. We have been smothered by rain here and a large majority of our fish have been taken on the deeper lines due to cloudy and discolored water. That has continued to change even more so since our last report with clearing water and continued clearing weather. There are good fish around and we are able to kite fish for more than 15 minutes before we have to pull the kites in to beat the rain. When a kite loads up with water and drops into the ocean it is very far from being a happy situation. Often the second kite will follow, doubling the fun??. But the kites are flying, the sun is actually out, and the big Blackfins are biting those live baits fished from the kites. This 35 pounder held by Jimmy took a frisky Goggle Eye fished in the long position to claim big fish for the trip honors. These larger Tuna prefer water a bit shallower than many of the smaller sized ones. Almost always inside of 200 feet of water. Clean water is certainly what we look for, but they will often get in side and be in greener colored conditions. For years we fished straight monofilament leaders while kite fishing for them and a light mono leader if fished as a freelined or rigger bait is the way to go. But we have gone to a short 15 inch piece of light wire at the bait for these Tuna. They can and often do pull very hard and are famously stubborn that last few feet. With that short piece of wire we have more confidence and apply a little more pressure to hooked fish, seldom pulling the hook and almost never breaking the leader as we experienced too many times on the light mono. Short to no dropback on the kite bait bite and come tight quickly and he?s hooked in the corner of the jaw and the fun begins.
