Fox Goes Shark Fishing!

The winds have finally died out. But of course this was the day I was going to fly a fishing kite to attract and catch Sharks. Oh well, Not a problem.

Today I had Cliff and Cathy Fox and their best friend Freddy DuPreez aboard Cliff's boat Foxy Lady. Having cast netted live pilchards early on we headed out past Sprigger Bank to the Spanish Mackerel grounds. We caught enough Mangrove and Lane Snapper for dinner and released many more. We also caught over 20 mackerel and bluefish.

Around mid day since I did not have any wind to fly the kite I decided on a different tactic for the sharks. I butterflied a couple of the larger mackerel and tied them off the stern of the boat. We continued fishing for another half hour. It was hard to stop as the bite was on. Ladyfish, Jacks, Macs and Bluefish. We had used Bonefish Trek travel rods fitted with Diablo 350 spinning reels all morning.

Now I rigged 2 rods. A Fox Trek Tarpon Spincast fitted with an EOS 30 Trolling Reel and a Fox Trek Boat rod fitted with an EOS 50. Rigged with a double line tied to 20 feet of 100lb mono then a swivel and 3 feet of #9 stainless wire.

The sharks we would be fishing for are Blacktips and Spinners. Both species are known for their jumping ability. As soon as we casted back into the chum line it was an instant bite. 40 to 100 lb sharks. We were thrilled watching the sharks jump twist and spin. Many came unglued but my crew managed to bring 7 alongside for release. Cathy Fox ended the day fighting a different sort of beast. We finally had to  putt anchor and give chase. Last fish of the day was an estimated 250lb Nurse Shark.

Way to go Cathy.

Captain Skip Nielsen

another jump

pay attention when wiring one of these critters

Some serious big Spanish Mackerel
were caught this morning

The Blacktip slash Spinner Shark is probably the
strongest fighter and best jumper of the shark species

this Blacktip weighed an estimated 90lbs and is all muscle

Cathy Fox uses the Trek Tarpon Spincast
rod to tame a wildly jumping Blacktip Shark

Blacktip Shark getting serious air

Blacktip Shark smile

Cathy Fox uses the Trek Tarpon Spincast
rod to tame a wildly jumping Blacktip Shark

Cathy scores a nice Spanish using the
Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo

Cliff watches over Cathy and Freddy
fighting a double of Blacktip Sharks

Freddy uses a Fox Trek Boatrod fitted with an
EOS 50 Trolling Reel to bring his Blacktip Shark
boatside after a 20 minute battle

juvenile Mutton Snapper, note wet towel
used for proper release

Early December In Islamorada

Its the beginning of December and even though the wind has been blowing the temperatures are perfect. In the 70's and low 80's. Cliff and Cathy Fox and best friend Freddy DuPreez are fishing in Islamorada this week. We fished 3 days and went different places each day. It is one of the wonderful aspects of fishing the Islamorada area. It is a vast area. One day you can fish offshore for Sailfish and the next be across Florida Bay fishing in Everglades National Park.

On our first day we targeted Spanish Mackerel, Cliff had asked me what was "running", the Mac bite was on fire. We started chumming and chunking and within an hour I could hardly keep up. Triple headers of 3 to 5 lb Macks on the Bonefish Trek rod fitted with Diablo 350 spinning reels to start. Then we went even lighter with the Fox Rage Ultralight rods, so much action.

Cathy and Cliff used Bonefish Trek rods and
Diablo 350 reels to catch loads of Seatrout

catching Redfish near Sandy Key

Freddy DuPreez gets in on the Mac action

On our 2nd day of fishing we travelled to the Sandy Key area and fished small run-offs as the tide got low. Seatrout and Redfish were caught and released. All good fun.

Cathy Fox with a nice Spanish Mac

Cathy, Cliff and Freddy fighting triple
header of Spanish Mackerel

On our 3rd day the wind was really up so we took a long trip around the "Corner" and headed to Cape Sable and the creeks beyond. On his first cast of the morning Cliff scored a big Snook on a Bonefish Trek rod. After that is was game on. The Seatrout bite and Snook bite was non-stop for an hour before we moved to the next river mouth. There we caught a lot of everything including Cobia, Goliath Grouper, Snook, Redfish, Seatrout, Ladyfish and way too many Crevalle Jacks. To finish the day we caught some more Reds in another small creek a third on the way back home.

Cathy released this baby Goliath that
someday could weight 300lbs

Cliff caught this Snook on a Bonefish Trek Diablo 350
combo on his first cast of the day

Cliff with a nice Redfish. note
Diablo spinning reels and Rage Ultrllight rods

Cliff with a very nice Red he caught on the
Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo

Freddy DuPreez caught his first ever Snook on
the Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combo

The Bonefish Trek Travel rod used with a Diablo 350 spin reel is an outfit that can be taken anywhere you want to go and you can be sure it will perform flawlessly.

I am travelling to the Yucatan soon and will be taking an arsenal of Fox Trek rods and reels with me. Well today we are going after Spanish Macs and then hopefully fishing them under a Kite to catch Blacktip Sharks Off to the fishing grounds at 5am.

Captain Skip Nielsen

First Time Fishing The Keys

Ray and Lesli Rogers love coming to Islamorada to fish. I have been taking them out for the last 20 years. On this trip they brought Grandson Harry who is 12 years old. Harry is no stranger to fishing having Ray as his Grandpa but this was his first Florida Keys experience.

We fished the backcountry for 2 days and many species were caught. We only used  Fox Rage rods and Fox Diablo 350 spinningreels. I believe from using these rods the last 4 years that they are THE Toughest and strongest light tackle rod I have ever used.  If you look back through the archives of this Blog you will see picture after picture of great catches on these Rage rods. And it goes without saying that my Fox Diablo spinning reels are just as tough. 3 years of using the same reels day after day and fish after fish I have not done any maintenance except wash and lube.

So here are some pictures of Lesli, Ray and Harry with their catches.

Captain Skip Nielsen

big Mac attack for  Lesli on the Rage Ultralight Diablo combo

Jacks are so much fun on the Rage ultralight rods

Lesli kept this fat Red Grouper out of the bottom with the help of the Fox Rage Ultralight spin rod

Lesli Rogers ended the day with a fine Snook

Lesli Rogers with a  fat Redfish caught on the Rage Ultralight Diablo 350 combo

Lesli with a Gag Grouper on the Rage Diablo combo

Lesli,Ray and Harry. Next cast Ray caught this Snook on the Rage Diablo combo

Ray scores a Red on the Rage Diablo combo

Rays Red of the day. Another great fish using the Fox Rage Ultralight spin rod fitted with the Diablo 350 spinning reel

getting the groove on for day 2

Harry catches yet another species on the light tackle. Bluefish

Harry did some fine angling to keep this juvenile Goliath Grouper from rocking up. He did it using the Fox Rage Ultralight Diablo

Harry even got to catch the dreaded Catfish

Harry had a treat back at the marina giving the manatee's a drink

Harry Roger's 1st fish of his 2 day fishing adventure

Harry Rogers with his first Snook

Harry's 1st Redfish

Cool weather coincides with nice fall fishing

Saturday and Sunday were beautiful bluebird days to be on the water. Light winds from the north with temps in the 60's F.

Dr Frank Eismont with his 2 sons Austin and Adam were here on Saturday and wanted action and fresh snapper to take home. We fished the bay side at first and plenty of Spanish Mackerel were biting. Fun action on the Bonefish Trek rod fitted with Diablo 350 spinning reel. The snapper were keepers but running small and the wind had died so we opted to run out to the reefs on the Atlantic side. There we found a great bite of Mangrove Snapper and Red Grouper's. The young boys had a blast.

Dr Frank Eismont Adam and Austin

On Sunday Dr. Joanne Mahoney and her friend John spent the day with me. Joanne was hoping for Redfish and Snook. We made our way back to Cape Sable and fished the numerouse Creek mouths. We used the Bonefish Trek rod and Diablo 350 spinning reel loaded with Fox Horizon 15lb Braided line. Live shrimp hooked onto a yellow jig head was magic. Our first spot yielded 6 big Snook to 15lbs. Even double header's were landed. During the course of the day several Redfish and Black Drum were caught as well as Seatrout and Jack Crevalle.

Dr Joanne Mahoney with a beauty of a Snook

Joanne with a Redfish and the Fox Trek Bonefish Diablo 350 combo

John shows off his largest. All were released

Offshore there has been a good bite of Sailfish. Hopefully we can get out over the reef edge in Foxy Lady this coming week and give it a go.

Captain Skip Nielsen

Fishing is all about Great Memories

Getting home to Islamorada after spending 4 months in Montana is a wonderful thing.

Now for a very personal story. Two months ago out in Montana I received a phone call from Donna Haliburton-Thompson. 25 years ago I took her fishing a number of times for sailfish and we placed and won a couple of bill-fish tournaments here in the Florida Keys and also in Havana, Cuba and the Bahamas. She had then moved north, gotten married and raised a son. Her son is now 21 years old. She called me to arrange a fishing trip. She so much wanted her son and husband to see and catch a Sailfish. Something that she had talked about for years.

Well I told her I was not running my large sportfisherman anymore but we could go out on Foxy Lady if the seas were not too big. Two weeks ago I got a call from husband Steve telling me that Donna had gotten in a fatal car accident the day after arranging the fishng trip. Unbelievable and so sad. I told Steve that I would take him and his son Jo Jo out fishing as my guests.

So yesterday Jo Jo and Steve went Sailfishing with aboard Foxy Lady. It was windy from the North and cool. I did not think we would make it out to the sailfish grounds on account of the seas so we spent a couple hours fishing inshore reef patches. Plenty of action. Grouper and Snappers on light tackle. Jo Jo was having a blast. We talked about what to do next and decided mom would have wanted us to try for a sailfish.


Rough as it was we took it slowly out to the edge of the reef. Then we drifted downsea deploying four live pilchards. Three on the surface and 1 close to the boat with a 1 ounce lead sinker up on the trace. We told stories about fishing 25 years ago and Jo Jo told me how he is going to culinary school and loves to hunt and fish.

I made a couple phone calls. Sailfishing for the fleet was slow. 2 had been caught on the BnM out of budnmarys but that was it. Now its 2 pm and no bites. Another 1/2 hour and we will call it a day. One of the rods has a tangle. I start working on it. Next thing I hear is Jo Jo hollering Sailfish!!

He grabs the rod as Steve and I reel in the other lines. Jo Jo is getting spooled so I am turning the boat and giving chase. What a show. I had been telling the guys that sailfishing is hours of boredom followed by moments of chaos. JoJo told me it was so worth the wait. All Steve could say that Donna had sent us a Sailfish.

After a battle lasting 45 minutes and 20 jumps, sounding JoJo had his Sail alongside the boat. Steve wanted to do the release and we managed a picture.

After that  we shut the motor off and drifted in the Gulf Stream and spread Mom"s ashes.

It was and is a fishing trip that I will never forget.

Captain Skip Nielsen