[dropcap]D[/dropcap]ecember is here and ‘tis the season. Sailfish, dolphin, wahoo, and blackfin tuna season that is. With each cold front pushing through over the next several months, expect not only chilly weather, but droves of sailfish and mahi, and a spattering of oversized blackfin tuna and wahoo. A serious lack of sardines and threadfin herring have plagued the Treasure Coast the last few years, but fortunately large schools of small flying fish have taken their place. As northern waters cool to temperatures in the low 60 and even high 50s they become intolerable for most gamefish forcing them to migrate south. The Treasure Coast offers warmer water, great bottom contour and an endless supply of forage. Once the sails and dolphin find it, scenes out of National Geographic happen.
Trolling and live baiting both work well for these fish and recently we’ve even been catching them on fly, but in December it seems like the Stuart fleet will primarily troll. While targeting sails, a dredge is a must. An umbrella rig mimicking a school of bait, on average consisting of a couple dozen baits or so will have the sails virtually eating right out of your hands. Hook baits consist of a simple spread of four or five naked ballyhoo rigged on circle hooks with a small chin lead. Sails will typically travel in packs this time of year, so while you’re hooked up leave the other baits out as long as you can and try circling around the fish as you reel it in. This will lead to multiple hook ups.
Dredges can be pulled off of any size boat and in various manners. Larger boats normally pull them from teaser reels run through the outriggers but on center consoles it’s a little trickier. None the less you really should have at least one out there. It can be something as simple as tying it off to your stern cleat, or as intricate as programmable electric downriggers. We use Cannon Digi- troll 10 TS’s aboard Off the Chain and after using them it’s hard to go back to anything else. The virtual hands free operation lets you go onto the next thing while the teasers take care of themselves. Not to mention, they can extend way out into the clean water so you can see the teasers and what’s behind them. Their low profile also makes them easy to fish around.
The last day of December marks the end of our grouper season so it’s a good time to get your fix. Even though grouper are bottom fish they still migrate up and down the coast and from deep to shallow water. This moth is a great time to drop a bait down in the 70 to 170 foot range for a grouper to add a little variety to the box and bend in the rod.
Good luck out there, and I hope your holidays are Off the Chain!
Off the Chain also offers gift certificates for that special someone or stocking stuffer.