Watch for the kingfish to heat up this month. Live bait is the most productive method for a successful day. As soon as you clear the jetty, start looking for thread-fin herring on the beach. Drop a Sabiki rig right in the middle of the schools and load up. If you have a hard time finding bait on the beach, head out to one of the artificial reefs offshore and catch blue runners for live bait. The artificial reefs can be found on just about any current charts. After gathering bait, head to the pines, and you can either slow troll or anchor up and bottom fish and toss a few live baits behind the boat on flat lines for the kingfish. Remember that kingfish have razor sharp teeth and you must use a wire leader. I like #7 wire with a 4 OT treble hook and a #5 swivel. The rig is both light and strong.
Keep a sharp eye out for manta rays as you cruise along. The rays could be holding cobia that should start showing up towards the end of the month. Keep a sharp eye out for turtles as well. Cobia tend to hang out with turtles as well.
We couldn’t get out often in December because of rough seas, but the handful of captains that did fish reported a pretty decent dolphin bite, so keep an eye out for them, if you make it out.
Black fin tuna have been cruising along the edge of the Gulf Stream and have been so thick around the boat that you would think you were looking at a school of dolphin under the boat. Trouble is that they have been finicky. Use a light spinning rod with 40-pound test leader and live bait for your best shot!
FORECAST BY: Capt. Bill Stewart
Rogue Wave Fishing Charters
www.roguewavefishing.com
Email: roguewavefishing@gmail.com
(772) 388-2950
