Season starting to Change!

This past week I have fished from South Biscayne Bay, Flamingo and Ft Lauderdale area. I have had success in most of the spots but on Saturday fished Ft Lauderdale under heavy winds and cold front conditions. Flamingo as usual was the hot spot!

 I fished with Paul on the flats of Biscayne Bay with live Pilchards for Mutton Snappers, big Yellow Jacks, Yellowtail Snapper, Black and Red Groupers, and Barracudas. 

I don't take much but these went home for dinner!

Flamingo with Eddie and Rod, we started out with an incredible bite of Snook, Trout and Tarpon. The morning bite was in a light rain and no wind, the rain passed thru and the wind pick up and the day changed for the worse. Eddie did manage to sight fish a big Redfish up in the roots of a shoreline and then a really big Trout. While casting at rolling Tarpon Rod got the hot hand catching Jack after Jack. We also had a Tarpon eat a bait but broke off instantly in the submerged trees. All Eddie wanted was a big Shark and they wouldn’t eat, it took hours to get one. This is when you know the fish aren't eating when Sharks don't play. 

Rods first Tarpon

I'm up In Ft. Lauderdale fishing with the Yamaha marine division sales team along with Capt. Alan Sherman. There is clearly a mullet run going on in he intercoastal and on the way out Harbor town marina the Snook were blowing up mullet schools. I stopped and pitched out a bait and watched as Snook ate it, there was a language barrier and the angler didn't understand what I was explaining. This happened a few time where he was anxious on the hook set but excited regardless. I had the V.P. of sales and his staff on board today. 

I am with another group from Yamaha sales today, the weather is an issue today. Ayuno, Issac and Jack fished hard with only a few bites. The highlight of the day was a big Snook blowing up on a mullet I had drifting behind the boat. The Snook put in llot of effort but did not eat the bait. 

The winds out of the N.W. at 20 and allot cooler today. The bait schools that were being blown up out of the water yesterday are gone. we worked very hard today for 3 Jacks.

The weather is changing and fish will be fattening up for he winter that's coming, We have a bit of a mullet run going thru Miami right now, if the winds slow down some it could get interesting. If you are interested in a fun day on the water alone, with a friend or  your family give me a call at 305 333 8149. Ill will show you a great day!

Capt. Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Yamaha crew!

Fall is here, its nice out there!

This was a monster of a Tarpon, Rick Toste fought it for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Screen shot from video on computer made it grainy.

I am with Rick and Wayne today, we Had an awesome day with Rick landing a monster Tarpon. and a second not so big in the 40 lb. range. My goal today was to show Wayne a great day. we have been friends for a few years and he does allot for people so I wanted to do for him. Wayne runs the Gold Coast Junior Golf tournaments for kids. We have talked fishing for years and I finally got him out.

The last couple weeks I have covered allot of water on the west side of the state. I have fished Everglades City, Port of the Islands and Marco Island. The fishing for Snook, Redfish, Tarpon and others was very good. We really covered lots of water using live bait and Gulp Shrimp. I also fished the Hollywood firefighters tournament with my nephews. we caught tons of fish but getting them in the slot was tough. Either to big or to small either way we wore them out.

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Great half day with Allen and Frank, first spot produced 10 Snook and 2 Tarpon. We moved on and the second spot was loaded with Trout after 30 or so I said let go find something bigger. We made our way into the Gulf and frank had the hot hand. He was throwing a Twitch n Rap and caught Snook after Snook until he caught a 35 lb. Tarpon. Allen had live bait out the back of the boat hoping for a Snook of Tarpon but ended up with a giant Shark. We continued throwing the Twitch n Rap because it was getting crushed by Snook. Frank had a nice Tarpon eat it and actually crushed the tail of Balsa bait and bend the tail hook a bit. The baits were getting hammered along the shore line and the tide was getting ready to change. I thought man its gonna get good, right about then Allen got overheated and wasn't feeling to good so we called it day. His last fish of the day was a Snook so it ended well for him.

Its that time of year, mullet are late but should be pouring thru soon. The fish that follow them down the east coast put on a great show.

The west coast has the same mullet run which I have been fishing out of Flamingo for a couple months now. The Tarpon are around in good numbers as well as Snook and Redfish. If you are looking for a good day on the water bending your fishing rod give me a call at 305 333 8149.

Capt. Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

It's Mullet run time!

I fished the Take stock in Children tournament out of Key Largo this weekend with Paul Abolofia and his son PJ It was Grueling, we fished a 15 hour day on Saturday and it paid off . PJ had the hot hand catching more than 30 Snook and 20 Redfish on Saturday. They weren't all giants but big enough to score points. Paul gave up the front of the boat to PJ but also caught his share of an incredible bite. Take stock is always fun and I enjoy being there. PJ won top Jr. angler with 74 inches and missed overall champion by 1 1/2 inches. Paul won 3rd place Redfish. Great awards made by David Wirth. Congrats to all the winners!

Mark with a nice Tarpon while pre fishing for this weeks tournament at Port of the Islands!

The fishing is about to get great, the “mullet run” is a few days away. This is where all the mullet push down the coast by the millions and Tarpon, Snook, Sharks Jacks and plenty more follow them. It is an awesome show plus some real quality fishing.

The action down at Flamingo was incredible this past weekend Flamingo. It should stay that way until the first hard cold front which is still months away. Its a great time to catch your dream fish. give me a call and I’ll

If interested give me a call I will keep my reports updated during this period, If interested give me a call at 305 333 8149.

Thanks Capt. Jim Hobales

End of Summer Fun!

Scott was happy with his first Tarpon!

Tom and Scott had one heck of a Tarpon morning jumping at least 15 and catching 5. Throw in some Snook, a Redfish and a bunch of Trout for a Grand Slam and back at the dock by 1 pm. 

Pete's Tarpon on a Twitch n Rap! 

Pete Post and his buddy had a nice day of Tarpon and Snook. The fingers in the way of Pete's best Tarpon picture but caught the big Snook jumping.

Paul and P.J. caught Snook, Trout, Redfish and Sharks

Thompson family had a nice day of Tarpon, Snook, Trout Jacks and Sharks . Little Colt caught that big Snook all by himself.

Double Rainbow!

Fishing has been fun for the last couple weeks with happy Tarpon and plenty of Snook. This past weekend 9-6 thru 9-9 we got some N.W. to S.W. winds and it affected the fish. We caught fish every day but worked for every one. Its that time of year where storms are somewhere off of Florida's coast line and sometimes it helps and sometimes it don't. The next 2 months can be incredible the Tarpon are thick and should stay around until first cold front. Snook are here in good numbers and I'm catching some Redfish. The positive is there's been plenty of bait around and the quality fish aren't far behind. Its a good time to get the kids and family out, the temps aren't up in the 90's all day. If you are interested in a fun day of fishing give me a call at 305 333 8149.

Its almost time for the "Mullet Run" to start there is no more fun than watching them get blown out of the water. Stayed tuned for info on that.

Capt. Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

We are "Slammin em"

Nice Tarpon on a DOA Terrorize

The fishing has been consistent and really good for the last couple months down in Everglades National Park for Tarpon, Snook, Trout and I have been finding some nice Redfish. The mornings start out throwing lures and put a live bait. I fish with adults and their kids and it works out because we cover allot of water. 

Bruce and his son combined for a boat "Grand Slam".

The finger mullet are thick and I have been finding some pilchards. These 2 baits can really produce some great numbers. We are hooking plenty of Sharks and Tarpon on the bigger Mullet. 

The Sharks are everywhere and every once in a while we loose a great fish to and aggressive Bull Shark, its all part of the game!

Ross and Mindy with a good Snook day

Mindy usually catches the bigger fish, not today!

Its good but really hot and its not bothering the fish at all. The key is to know where to be when the water is moving whether its coming in our going out. Of course some spots are good early before but catching bait evens it out. 

This is how not to take a picture of your buddies Tarpon, fingers over lens!

 Jumping Snook!

The Tarpon will be around for the next few months in good numbers these aren't the monsters but fish from 10 to 100 lbs. are common. The Snook bite has been incredible. Fish from 1 lb. to really big fish have eaten lures and bait all summer long and its been fun. The Grand Slam is the ultimate back country day and we have been doing it on most trips if you would like to give it a try call me at 305 333 8149

Capt.Jim Hobales

Www.caughtlookincharters.com

Incredible action in the Swamp!

It seemed like the last month was a father/son month, and it worked out with some great fishing days.The last few weeks have produced some of the best Snook fishing I have seen this year. The average fish size has been around 30 inches which is pretty decent for Flamingo. We have had a bunch of Snook up to 38 inches. It just been so consistent!

The Tarpon have been cooperating for the most part although some times the don't play fair. The smaller Tarpon have shown up and they are allot of fun on light tackle. These fish can go from 1 lb. to 20lbs.. It is just a blast to hook 30 or so to get your day started.  

I can go on about how much fun e have been having but just picture your self holding one of these great fish pictured here. I am a family and kid friendly charter service so don't hesitate to bring the family and let them experience the Everglades saltwater side. It is incredible! Give me a call at 305 333 8149.

Capt. Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Take your Kids Fishing!

This picture was taken by 8 yr old Jack!

The past couple weeks have been produced some fun fishing days along with some interesting weather. We have had massive amounts of rain which kind of gets our Snook going in the back country of Everglades National Park. There have Snook along the coast as well as the Whitewater Bay. Tarpon are still around although not I the numbers they were last month. Redfish were missing for a year or so but the last couple months I have been catching some small to slot size fish. Trout fishing has remained strong with fish up to 20 inches in good supply.  SHARKS are abundant if you have kids they love them, they are big and nasty and put on a show.

 Government Cut still has some Tarpon around as well as assorted other fish. Jacks, Snappers, Barracudas, Yellowtails, and Snook can be caught during the summer months. The Snook spawn will take place the next few months so its a good time to get a big one!

I fishing Flamingo with John Oriodan his son Jack and friends Rich and Conner Birch. We had a great day in the back country Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Trout, Sharks. Conner had never caught a saltwater fish before his first fish was a 30 inch Snook caught on a Gulp Shrimp. His dad Rich caught his first Taron later in the day. John had a great Tarpon which his 8 year old son Jack caught on film grey hounding out of the water. Boat Grand Slam today to much more to write about!

I'm fishing Flamingo today with Halladale P.D. finest Matt, Casey and Leon. They Started the day off by catching a handful of small Tarpon.They caught Snook, Redfish, Trout, Sharks and a giant Sawfish. These guys were worn out and hungry. Great day another boat Grand Slam! 

I am looking for Tarpon tonight with Dan his son's Blake and Hunter.  We were out catching mullet when it started to rain, for the next 2 hours we hid under a bridge. We finally made it to government Cut and got our baits out. It didn't take long and they were rolling behind us. First bite was a Shark which cut us off. The second bite was a possible Tarpon which came off. Hunter was jigging a Gulp Shrimp and getting hits on every drop. He landed Dog Snapper Mangrove Snapper Yellowtail and Jacks. 

I am fishing Flamingo with Ross and Mindy today. They are 2 of my favorite customers and enjoy every bit of Everglades National Park. It don't matter what it is as long as it pulls but he would prefer Tarpon. The bait schools along the beaches held plenty of fish today. They caught allot of fish today but looking for Tarpon I went against what had been working all week, getting tides backwards. We started out on big Tarpon first thing but it was sloppy and I had a couple guys motor around me so I just left. I ran around and today the lure that worked was an X -Rap. Ross thru this all day and caught Redfish and big Trout on it. Late in the day the Tarpon ate our Mullet but refused to get hooked. The Sharks on the other hand had no problem getting hooked up. 

Its hot and it rains some but the fishing is good. Its summer time so if you need to take your kids fishing give me a call at 305 333 8149. Ill keep them busy catching fish! Check out the Addictive Fishing show where I took Blair Wiggins Tarpon Fishing!

Thanks,

Capt Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Lots of fun Fishing!

We had 20 of these small Redfish, great to see a comeback!

Tarpon at one of the spillways at Flamingo!

Another small Redfish, lots of them this week!

This is an 8 foot Sawfish and those are his teeth!

This past week the rain was gone and the fish wanted to eat! I have been fishing the Back country and Gulf of Mexico for  the last few months. I launched on the Fla. Bay side a couple times this week and found fish. 

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I at Flamingo with good friend and accountant Fred we found some Tarpon out front in dirty water and couldn't get them to eat our lures and after an hour we moved on to catch the falling tide. It paid off with a constant bite of keeper Trout and juvenile Redfish. It was a double up on every cast and after 20 Reds and 30 Trout we left them biting. We bounced around looking for Tarpon and Snook along the coast. We had shots at Tarpon but no takers but did manage a 26 inch Redfish and some big Trout. We continued north and found more Snook, Fred had a couple up to 8 lbs. We did have a few eat our baits but got us into the trees. We put allot of fish in the boat and it was time for a cold beer so we headed home!

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 I am with Matt, Leon and John down at Flamingo, we launched on the  Fl. Bay side. I tried the same pattern as a couple days ago but was to early and tide was wrong. we made our way out to East Cape and I saw a few Tarpon rolling at the dam. We got up there and immediately had 3 hook ups. by the time we left we had 3 caught and 7 or 8 hooked and jumped. I netted some mullet and put them to work while I had them throwing Gulps. John caught a small Redfish a while the others caught Jacks, Ladyfish and Trout. We got on a few Tarpon but we couldn't get through the Ladyfish. We ended the day with a pretty good Snook bite on live Mullet. John got the first one and then Matt caught one and then it was back and forth for a while. Leon was just relaxing when the big rod in the back was doubled over. Leon picked it up and fought the fish for 20 minutes, he asked what is it. I explained it was an 8 foot Sawfish they are really cool and pre historic! It was a great day and it was time to go these guys were excited about their catches!

Fishing is good and will be getting better in the next couple weeks. Caught Lookin Charters is kid and family friendly charter company. If you are interested in a fun filled fish catching day give me a call at 305 333 8149.

Capt. Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Fishing has been allot of fun!

It's the last week of May and fishing is still really good along Miami Beach and at Flamingo in Everglades National Park. The fish are eating mullet in and around Government Cut and down at Flamingo they have been eating assorted lures and mullet.  I have been loading up the live wells with mullet and size hasn't matters, they are eating them! This  pattern should be sticking around another few weeks on Miami Beaches and all summer at Flamingo.

The past 2 weeks have seen allot of rain but this is a good thing especially at Flamingo this should push fish out of back country and onto the beaches, cant wait.

If you are interested in catching some quality fish and have a fun day on the water give me a call at 305 333 8149. Remember Caught Lookin Charters is family and kid friendly charter company. 

"Slammin em" in May!

The past 2 weeks have had some really good fishing, the Snook, Trout, Tarpon and Redfish have all been active players. The bait has showed up in the Gulf of Mexico which has made it much easier to get big numbers. The Trout and Tarpon have been eating lures like Gulp Shrimp and assorted hard plugs. The surprise is that there have been some Redfish around, they have been tough to find for a while. Tarpon are still pretty thick and we have been getting big numbers of Snook! It has been windy most of the last few weeks but when it backs off it gets interesting.

I'm going to keep report short in words and post pictures from last 2 weeks.

Team CCA stocking tagged Redfish in Broward County!

I think I have covered all the fish we have been catching. The only thing I can't show is the numbers of fish and the wear and tear on my customers, I know they all sleep good that night!

If you would like to have a fun day and catch allot of fish give me  call at 305 333 8149. I am a family and kid friendly charter company as well as a great buddy's trip. 

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Rod bending at it's best!

This past week was full of fish, Tarpon, Redfish, Snook, Trout, Sharks, Snappers, Pompano and Bluefish. The funny thing is most were caught everyday. The Tarpon have been really thick again and that's always where I want to be. Tarpon are work some times, they don't eat when you are there and that's when the other species come into play. This week we landed hundreds of Trout, a bunch of Snook on the Smaller side and even Redfish which have been scarce lately. 

We had plenty of Tarpon hook ups but no caught fish the last few days. They were hooked on several different lures and some assorted live baits. We have had a few big fish that either startled my anglers or in one case pull the rod out of his hands. It was a giant too! The Tarpon made 2 jumps throwing the hook and the cork came backup. We motored over grabbed the cork and pulled in the line still attached to the rod. I am always glad when its not my tackle that goes overboard. We had Slams every day the Tarpon did not allow us a Grand Slam! 

This past week has been buddies week, I had 4 good groups of friends and even a bachelor party on board. Great week, lots of drag screaming, a bunch of fish jumping in the air and of course the happy customers.  

BThis business is tough on tackle, boats and equipment. There are a couple companies out there that really take care of the customer base. One is Power Pole the shallow water anchoring system.Tthanks to Nate who got me back up in one day, second is Inshore Marine Specialist, thanks Booby for getting the trolling motor fixed. These 2 things are vital running a bay boat, and you become dependent on them. 

The fishing has been very productive and seems like it will remain steady thru this up coming full moon. It's just been allot of fun chasing Tarpon showing my customers the fun side of fishing Everglades National Park. There are fish in several other areas as well Miami Beach is loaded with big Tarpon chasing Mullet, there are Tarpon along the Biscayne Bay Flats and a few other spots as well. If you are interested in bending a fishing rod and having a good time give me a call at 305 333 8149.

Capt. Jim Hobales

www.caughlookincharters.com

Tarpon are Back!

Sebastian with his giant Tarpon.

The Tarpon made a good showing in the last 10 days out in the Gulf of Mexico  but not all of them get their picture taken. After a fantastic Tarpon bite in February it slowed in March due to cool water Temps but now we are back on track. Lots of Jumped fish and a couple really special caught fish.

Day 1

The Snook bite took a back seat this past week because the Tarpon ,Sharks and Trout bite was incredible. I had Mike Trippe his son Louie and his friends Danny, Ryan and Theresa part of a 2 boat charter. Mike loves Sharks and that's what we did the first day giant Lemons, Bulls, Black tips  and Spinners. Now throw in about a hundred Trout, Jacks, Ladyfish and a 150 Tarpon that Mike had on. Impressive day today and they were worn out!

Day 2

I have Mike, Louie and Ryan again today. The weather changed and it was nasty today but we managed a bunch of fish mostly because we found pilchards. We Caught a hand full of Snook, loads of Trout, a Shark or 2 but a slower day today. 

Day 3 

I have Ryan, Danny and Theresa today, we started out with Theresa hooking a giant Tarpon which she was not ready for. The fish ate her bait and was in the air and all I heard was her scream. The fish thru the bait but it was awesome. I rigged another bait for her while Ryan and Danny were catching some big Trout . I put her bait out and explained to her how let the rod holder do all the work setting the circle hook. It didn't take long and she was hooked up again. The rod holder did it's job and she had a nice 60 pounder hooked and pulling line. She muscled this fish for 20 minutes and eventually I was able to grab it. They took plenty of video but no stills. 

We moved on looking for Tarpon but did a bunch of other stuff, they just wanted constant rod bending. I went looking for the pilchards they were gone but we did find a crazy Trout bite. They caught Trout 3 at a time for 2 hours. I had baits out for Tarpon but they kept getting eaten by Sharks. They didn't care as long as rod was bent. I said lets go try something else all we need is for Theresa to get a Snook for a Slam, they were in. It didn't take long, the first bait we cast got hit by a 31 inch Snook. Theresa just completed her Slam but we weren't finished. Danny got hooked up as well but he had a Redfish which gave us a Boat Grand Slam. We had several other bites which came off, it was late so I said its time to head in. Awesome Day!

I am at Flamingo with Bob and Charlie today ,we have been fishing together for a long time. They have caught allot of fish but Charlie's never got a Tarpon with me. The first spot had some big Tarpon rolling around but the Catfish were eating everything we threw. We mad a move and found the mother load but they weren't eating yet. The Mackerels, Trout and Ladyfish were eating, then as the tide started moving we are hooked up. Bob had a nice 50 pound Tarpon jumping behind the boat. He did a good job and got it up next to boat quickly and we had an easy release. 

We kept at it and now it was Charlie's turn, he had a fish that was putting on an air show. This 40 pound fish fought hard but Charlie finally got it next to boat and got a picture he has wanted for a long time. I went back and looked for the pilchards after that fish they were there but on top of the stumps where you cant throw a net. Bob and Charlie made some cast and fount the trout again after 30 or so I said let s go find something else. They agreed and we moved on. We found some more Tarpon. Charlie jumped 1 and there were some more big Trout. We finally called it a day, a great day with 2 great friends!

Fishing has been very good, it is a good time to teach your kids because the fish are active. The end of April/May will bring the Tarpon out in big numbers. If things stay the same there will be some big Trout around also. May begins the a beach run for Snook so if you have any of these on your bucket list give me a call at305 333 8149. 

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Spring is here, hold on!

We went from a few weeks of high 80 temps in February and then winter set showed up in March. The last few weeks have been cold by Miami standards but that don't mean the fish haven't been biting. The best part of having a bit of winter is its keeping the fish from making early migrations! The cooler temps will put them in the right places for the next few months. The Tarpon are in good numbers on Miami Beach right now and still eating decent size live Shrimp, they are also on the bridges in Biscayne Bay. The Tarpon on the beaches and inlets will star to eat live crabs right around the beginning of April and that's where we are at right now. This past week We caught them at first light on shrimp and lures so it pays to be first out there. 

Flamingo has been making me work and run around but i have been finding fish. The Florida Bay side is really a mess and has not cleared up since Hurricane Irma. Luckily the Whitewater Bay side in my opinion benefited from all the fresh water run off in the back country. The Snook bite is very consistent with loads of small Snook and lots of nice Trout. February had the most incredible Tarpon bite, and actual amount of fish back there like we haven't seen in a long time. The water temps back there are starting to get back into mid 70s but I'm not sure if those Tarpon will make it back in, most probably find them on the coast. You can only hope they show up because it one of the best show you will ever see. 

The best eating fish out of the park is the Triple Tail which we catch several different ways but the fun way is on the crap pots. The days I have ran the traps have been really good either for lots of fish or big fish. There have been a couple small Cobias on the traps this year. This is some fine eating. 

I cater to families with kids and try to pass on some tips as well as proper casting techniques, if they can cast very good in the morning they will by the afternoon. Remember dads the kids just need to bend rods they don't need trophies, the more they catch the easier your day!

I've been all over the place lately and there are fish everywhere so give me a call at 305 333 8149 and tell me what you dream fish is and we can go give it a shot. 

Captain, Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Instagram @ caught lookin charters

It was fun while it lasted!

This is Bob, that's the look of a guy who just jumped a 150 lb. Tarpon!

Its been a very busy last few weeks, again! I am not a really fast at typing so the reports don't get written until I get days off so here we go. 

The last month warmed up and the Tarpon fishing down at Flamingo (Whitewater Bay) was incredible, fish were in places they hadn't been seen in in years. It was easy to find them because the would leap out of the water about 6 feet and show you were to go. It was fun enjoyable to watch and then when you finally hook up it s the hardest hit ever. There weren't that many days when the fish were there and we didn't hook up until the full moon and a pretty strong cold front came thru last week. The water temps were 82 on Friday afternoon and steadily dropped thru Sunday morning down to 71 degrees, this is bad for us looking for them. The fish disappeared and places that were stacked with hundreds and maybe thousands were empty. This came at a really bad time because I had a film crew of Obsession of Carter Andrews on the boat for a couple days. I don't know how many we saw if any on Sunday but Monday we got on them but couldn't get them  to react. We used  Lures, live bait and still no takers for the longest 2 days on boat ever.

I had my great customer Ross the next day and he was here because of the hype, I told him I should of canceled the trip! Ross always want a big Tarpon, we got lucky and had a 2 Tarpon bites, a handful of Snook, Trout, Jacks and they made it back for there 4 o'clock t-time

I haven't spent much time fishing Miami in the last month but I did one night trip last week and Managed to hook 3 big Tarpon on a night that was really nasty. This is the time of year the Tarpon turn on in Government Cut and along the beaches of Miami. 

We had another cold front as of this writing so Tarpon fishing in the back country will be slow for a few weeks but hopefully we will get them out on the coast in a few weeks. This brings the Miami Beaches alive so  I have the best of both worlds. 

Spring break is here and if your interested in fishing or teaching your kids about fishing give me a call at 305 333 8149. 

Thanks,

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Tarpon -Tarpon - Tarpon, its on!

Keith caught this Snook while Tarpon fishing, not to bad!

Its been a busy month one day in day in Biscayne Bay and then a day at Flamingo, the fishing is really starting to turn on too! One of the issues we face is water quality no matter where we fish, the areas are getting smaller and smaller, that being said I  have been putting clients on all kinds of fish. There's been some days where Tarpon have been everywhere but they just wouldn't eat. That has changed in the last week and we hooked some monsters as well as medium size fish.

Snook and Trout have been dependable and Tripletail have been plentiful with as many as we want.

If you are thinking about fishing give me a call its on fire I am in Tarpon mode right now because they are in places where they haven't been in a long time and in big numbers. Don't have time to go thru reports on a daily basis but ill show in picture. 

I also had the privilege of filming with Addictive Fishing host Blair Wiggins and don't want to give away the show, but stay tuned in the near future. 

Its boat show week and I worked it a few days man I'm glad I'm done. Every year I along with a few other Yamaha pro staff guys get a chance to meet some of the engineers and take them fishing. We did that Sunday of boat show and put smiles on there faces and pains in their backs.

If you want to fish during the spring break call early 305 333 8149 and make plans as its already getting busy.

Capt Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

follow on Instagram @ caught lookin charters

Cool weather brings multi specie days!

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I am fishing Flamingo today with Dave and Nick from New Jersey and its cold!  As we leave the dock water temps are 56 degrees and there's really only a few areas that produce when its this cold (East Cape Canal), so we headed that way. We got a late start and all the good spots were occupied so we went west. It was slow but eventually we got into some fish. Dave missed a Snook and then hooked a nice Snook. We moved around hooking catching plenty of Trout, Black Drum and another Snook. It took until 1 o:clock before it hit 60 degrees, but once the tide started coming in with some warmer water the fish started to eat.

Miak with a small Kingfish

Miak with a Spanish Mackerel

Natasha Miak's mom with a Trout

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My great friend John Paul loves his grandson Miak, he's been bring him here the last 3 years. This kid loves fishing and don't put the rod down nd did a great  job out catching everyone else. He kept casting his Gulp swim bait and it was producing plenty of Trout. His  Mom Natasha caught her fair share and her boyfriend Vince did pretty good as well. My friend John Paul sat back there watching his grandson catch fish and once in a while catching a nice Trout himself. The weather wasn't perfect but the fish cooperated and by the end of the day they caught Kingfish, Mackerel, Trout, Jacks, Blue Runners, Bluefish and Cuda's. It was cool out but then the rain started and they had enough so we headed in. Miak already talking about next time!

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I got a call from Javier on Sunday morning asking to go out that afternoon, I said fine but its going to be windy and cold! He said we from New York  we're ok. We met and at Haulover Marine center It was Javier, his wife Amy and son Daniel his cousin Carlos and his daughter Sophia. If you got that your doing good!  They had chartered a boat a couple weeks earlier and got skunked my job was to find fish. We started out pretty quick with a few Mackerel and a nice Bluefish after a handful we went looking for Trout. It was getting cold it was blowing 25 and the water was dirty, not great conditions. We moved around until we hit the mother load. We went thru 3 dozen Shrimp a Trout on everyone. It was getting dark and colder so we made our way back to the Marina. They didn't get skunked this time! 

Our weather is getting things right for the next few months because the last few years we have had no winters. These cool days now make things happen later like great shrimp runs, packing fish into small areas and even driving baits into the bays. All these things ill give me and my clients a better chance of great catches.  As far as kids go it don't matter how big but how many and that's what I try to do. For you adults we can sit and work Tarpon schools trying to get a fish of a lifetime. This time of year Government cut get all kinds of Traffic in there and its good stuff like Snappers, Groupers, Permit, Mackerels, Big Barracuda's and of course there are some Sharks. If you are interested in catch some fish and having a good day give me a call at 305 333 8149. 

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

Follow on Instagram @ caught lookin charters

Happy New Year!

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As of this writing its trying to become winter, we have a cold front bearing down on the state.  Everything north of Miami has freeze warnings for the next few days. It not a bad thing because it what gets our season really into gear. 

We have had spectacular weather the last 3 weeks and the fishing was also awesome. My customers have caught Tarpon, Snook, Trout, Redfish, Sharks, Mackerels, Jacks, Snappers, and others on our daily trips big numbers. 

I cover allot of area, from the north end of Miami all the way to Key Largo and all of Everglades National Park(Flamingo). I try to accommodate my clients and take them to where the fishing is the best. Sometimes they don't want the drive to Flamingo so we stay here on Biscayne Bay which is a world class Trout fishery. 

The last 10 days of the year produced my largest Snook 24 lbs. in the Back country of Everglades National Park and a couple days later the biggest Redfish @ 15lbs. unfortunately it came off as we were boating it.

This has been a great last 10 days and it looks so positive for the next few months. Tarpon will be the target the coming months in and around Government Cut. The great thing about this fishery is the by catch of Snook, Permit, Snappers, Groupers and others. It can be done early morning of late afternoon!

The Tarpon were in full swing last week at Flamingo along with more bait than I have every seen down there. It will take a few weeks now before the waters warm up again, until then we fish East Cape canal deeper water. 

As you can see I offer allot of different trips and areas all designed for comfort and catching and remember Caught Lookin Charters Is a kid and family friendly charter. If you are planning a trip to either Miami Beach or would like to fish the Back country of Everglades National Park Give me a call at 305 333 8149. 

Thanks,

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

follow on Instagram @ caught lookin charters

Good time to bring your kids ,fishing is Hot!

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I did an afternoon trip today out of Haulover Marine center with John, Mo, Vivian and Penny. We did some Trout fishing in North Biscayne Bay, along with the Trout we caught Jacks, Mangroves and some Bonnet head Sharks. Mo also hooked a tarpon under the Haulover bridge.

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 I m with Bob Webb and his sons Jay and Coleman and we are fishing Government Cut. They just wanted to catch fish so that's what we did! They caught Mangrove Snappers, School master Snappers, Bar Jacks , Yellow Jacks, Jack Crevalles and a Parrot fish. This was fun until a Tarpon Crashed the party and ate a Mullet that was tossed into a bunch of fish that rolled behind us. That fight lasted 45 minutes until Jay got tired and Coleman took over and put a little to much pressure on the fish braking it off. Bob hooked a 15 lb. Barracuda next, for guys who never fished saltwater they did pretty good. We ran into the day and tried to finish of with Trout but all we hooked were Bonnet head Sharks. The Sharks seemed endless we caught one on every bait we threw out and never got a Trout. The guys were very happy with the trip and were on their way to hank out on South Beach!

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I am fishing Flamingo with Tom and his son Victor today. We fished Whitewater Bay and had a good Day catching Snook, Redfish and a bunch of Trout all while casting at Tarpon. We also had some Ladyfish and Snappers mixed in.

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I asked my nephews mark and Andrew what they wanted for Christmas a gift or a fishing trip, I knew the answer before I asked! We headed down to Flamingo looking for big Tarpon and it didn't take long we were in them  pretty good. The only problem is they weren't eating yet. we bounced around and caught a bunch of Snook waiting for the tide to change a little. It was slick calm and they were free jumping all around us. I never really saw any one else hook up but we stuck to it. We had a few right around the boat and all of a sudden Andrew has something pulling allot of drag! He said I just made a cast with the Hogy swim bait, as the fish was running I was trying to figure out what it was by the way it was fighting. We ruled out Shark and if it was a Tarpon it would of jumped at some point back there in shallow water. The fish swirled on the surface that's when I said I think it a big Snook. It came up and tried to jump but it was so big it couldn't get out of the water. the fished really pulled and by now there was a lot of screaming about how big it was. Andrew did a good job getting this big old girl next to the boat and that's when we notice it was a monster, the biggest one on my boat in the back country. I grabbed the fish and pulled it in the boat and it was as big as Andrew who isn't all that big. Got some quick photos and videos and made sure to revive this fish. That was one heck of a Christmas gift, just the way I planned it. To top it off he got a small Tarpon on the way in!

The fish are all in the right places right now and I'm putting my anglers on them. The big Tarpon  are in and I'm hoping to catch a bunch of them this week. The Tarpon are in Government Cut and also in the Everglades so no matter where you want to fish we have a shot a them. The Snook fishing has been unreal for the last few months and shouldn't change any. There are a bunch of other to catch also so give me a call at 305 333 8149 and set up a trip. Wives and Kids welcome.

Thanks,

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

follow on Instagram @ caught lookin charters

Mild winter bite, so far!

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I am Flamingo today with Steve and his sons Sinan and Adam, Its breezy today so we ducked into the mangrove's. We pitched live shrimp on jig heads and corks and had a good morning. The first fish we caught was a black Drum which put up a nice fight and showed me what they wanted. We caught Snook, Tarpon, Trout, Snappers and Ladyfish until they quit biting. We moved on and hit a bunch of spots just keeping the rods bent. It was only a 5 hour trip and I tried to get everything we could but they had to get going. We did have a back country Slam today!

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I am at Flamingo today with Derek and his son Will. I saw some Tarpon yesterday and was hoping the winds laid down for today but it was still blowing this morning. Will started off the day with a nice Redfish and a few Trout but wind straight out of N.W. was tough. We caught a handful of Snook and decided to run around some and look for Tarpon. There were a couple boat near the area I wanted to fish so I just hit another spot as we were sitting there Tarpon popped up all around us. We had live mullet out in the middle  but no hits and bait or lures. Derek did manage another Redfish. The afternoon slicked off and we found some really big Tarpon. We drifted thru the area with live mullet and had a couple shots with lures but Derek said they had to go. It was perfect and I should of went back out but instead I dropped them off and went home. Derek and will caught a couple back country slams today, it is a nice accomplishment!

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As I'm driving home I said I have to come back tomorrow but I wasn't booked so I called my nephews, they can fish and all I have to do is call. We got out early and the winds were up so we went Snook fishing and waited for the winds to die. The bite was good and we caught 30 Snook or so all on Berkley Gulps!  I also caught a Small Tarpon but that's not why I came back today. We ran around and just waited for the wind to slow down some but it never did. We had netted some Mullet with my new net from Barracuda Nets. Thanks to them for adding me to their pro staff, great net with a fantastic warranty!

We did hook a monster of a Snook on the coast but it came loose after a big run and jump. We caught a bunch of keeper Trout and went back looking for Tarpon. I found them but wind was cranking and they weren't biting so we called it a day.

We are into our getting winter months and it still 80 degrees, once we get a few cold fronts thing will change some but there are allot of fish around. Its hard not to fish for Snook with the crazy bite that's been going on but sometimes we try to complete the backcountry slams. I'm just about catching lots of fish and bending rods and keeping a smile on customers face. If you would like to fish in Biscayne Bay, or on Miami Beach for Tarpon of go deep into Everglades National Park (Flamingo) give me a call at 305 333 8149. I can handle 4 people comfortably. I can also do gift certificates for a Christmas gift. 

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

follow on Instagram @ caught lookin charters

Breezy days produce plenty of Snook!

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I am fishing Flamingo today with Ricky and Stan, they were supposed to fish offshore for Sailfish but it was going to be way to rough for them. Ricky asked if I would take them and I said we could find some calm weather in the back country. It was breezy but we managed a bunch of Snook early on and then a bunch of Trout. We ran a round looking for some bigger fish and found some rolling Tarpon. I put out a couple Mullet and it didn't take long but it was a big Snook which ended up running us thru the trees and eventually breaking us off. This happened 3 times and we just couldn't get them out of the trees. It wasn't the easiest day the winds were up to 30 mph but we managed a back country slam with both angers catching Reds, Snook and Trout. Not bad for a blown out windy day, I  had allot of laughs with these guys. 

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I am fishing Flamingo today with my good friend Mario and Wade, we started out with a decent bite of small Snook as we worked our way north to Little Shark River. Once there we netted a ton of Threadfin Herring and then put them to work. The tide was super high and the bite wasn't great but we managed some Snook. We worked our way back into Whitewater Bay and found the mother load of Trout. We caught Trout 3 at a time for 45 minutes and then moved on. One more stop and added some more Snook and then tried for Tarpon with all the live bait, they would not play. It was time to head in with some tired anglers!

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I am fishing Biscayne Bay today out of Haulover Marine Center with Gary from Montreal. We started out with some Jacks that were crashing baits outside the marina. It is blowing 15 - 20 and we have to make the best of it. We fish all the grass flats in Miami The first stop produced a couple bites and a 3 lb. Jack. The next spot produce 20 little Trout, Jacks and Ladyfish. We then ran into Government cut with some live Mullet and also pulled some plugs along the jetty with no bites. It was tough and rough! We ended up the at back on the Trout flats and it got red hot! We used finger Mullet and Pinfish and had a solid bite for about and hour. He would catch a fish and the other rod would double over.  I would released and bait them as fast as I could. We also had some Bonnet Head Sharks come in pull some drag. We went thru all of the bait so we called it a day. 

 We are really due for some good weather it been windy for a few weeks and although fishing has been good, there are places we cant fish. We are coming into our winter months and that means Tarpon are close on both Miami Beach and the Whitewater Bay area. The rest of the cast of species will be around also when the water cools down. If your looking for a fun day of catching give me a call at 305 333 8139. 

Captain Jim Hobales

www.caughtlookincharters.com

follow on Instagram @ caught lookin charters