The Liverpool Invasion

Bernard and Paul Pielow spent 5 days on the water with me this past week. Lots of great fishing was had. On day one we spent the morning using Fox Bonefish Trek rods fitted with Diablo 350 spinning reels to warm up. Ladyfish, Seatrout, Spanish Mackerel, Mangrove Snapper and a 40lb Blacknose Shark were caught on the light tackle. I knew we had a good tide so we quit the light tackle action and went looking for live mullet, We scored with the castnet and headed to the bridge channels with 2 dozen livies.

Plenty of Seatrout were caught on the Bonefish Trek Diablo 350 combos

Bernard caught this world class Ladyfish aka Poor Man's Tarpon

Launching

Paul Pielow had a great time battling Tarpon on the Fox sport fishing tackle

Bernard getting some nice jumps from this Tarpon. custom sunhat

Bernard got his Tarpon after a tough hour long battle.
We ended up 3 miles away from where the battle started

Bernard Pielow uses the Fox sport fishing Sailfish Trek rod fitted
with the Diablo 750 spinning reel on this Tarpon

We ended up fishing til 6pm. The bite was on. Paul and Bernard each released 2 Tarpon. Both Sailfish Trek rods fitted with Diablo 750 spinning reels and Tarpon Trek rods fitted with EOS Trolling reels were used. The live mullet were getting blasted out of the water. This is very exciting fishing indeed!

Day 2 we went for the "Big Stuff". Five Goliath Grouper, 8 Sharks and a couple of big Stingrays. We used the Fox Sport Fishing Boat rod XT fitted with EOS 50 Trolling reels. This boat rod is super tough and travels very well being a 5 piece rod.

the boys doubled up on the Goliath Groupers.

Bring em on! The bigger the better. Fox sport fishing Boat rod XT can take them all!

Fishing for Big Stuff with the Fox sport fishing Boat rod XT fitted with the EOS 30's and 50's

On day 3 we went Snook fishing way back around Cape Sable. We saw 5 crocs laying up on the beaches and fresh turtle nesting activity. Snook fishing was great. Snook catching was a little tough. I got caught off guard and started out using too light of gear. The Snook are very strong and were taking us into the trees and cutting our leaders. Well we put an end to that, Using the Fox Sport Fishing Permit Trek rods fitted with Diablo 550 spinning reels and Horizon 30lb braid we started catching. The fish averaged 10lbs. We spent the afternoon battling big Lemon Sharks in a river mouth.

Paul muscled this Snook out of the trees with the 8 foot Sailfish Trek rod

Some really big Snook were released using the Permit Trek rod fitted with the Diablo 550 spinning reels

Day 4 we just had to go Tarpon fishing again. To hit the tide right we left the dock at 1 pm. Spent quite a bit of time locating live mullet for bait but as I always say "Its all about the BAIT", Anyway we found plenty of mullet and headed back in to Channel 2.

It was a repeat performance. Fishing in late June at the bridges is so different. There is nobody else Tarpon fishing! We had it all to ourselves and the bite was wide open. The Pielows each released 2 more Tarpon and had numerous "cheap shots". That is Tarpon blasting the live mullet 3 or 4 times and missing the bait. That gets the heart pumping for sure. At sunset we headed home with a very happy crew.

is there anything better than being bowed up with a big Tarpon

The 5 piece Tarpon Spincast rod fitted with an EOS reel in action

boatside release

The boys took the weekend off and resumed fishing on Monday. Now we had Tropical Storm Debbie churning the water up. Winds were blowing 25 plus out of the south and squalls were numerous. Bernard and Paul said this was pretty normal conditions (the wet anyway) and at least it was warm rain. Well we spent the morning in the backcountry of Everglades National Park tucked behind mangrove islands. We used the Bonefish Trek rods and 350 Diablo spinning reels and put together a nice catch of Mangrove Snapper for a meal on the last night before heading home. We also caught ladyfish and pinfish which I put in the livewell. We looked for mullet and with the frothy water and wind none were to be had. 

Paul Pielow gets a farewell jump with the last fish of the trip

The Tarpon rolls and the battle is far from over

This Tarpon thought he could clear the bridge

On the way back in I saw a rolling Tarpon and almost stopped to fish. We went down to Channel 2 where we had such great action and nothing was happening. So we went back to the channel where I saw the roller and set out baits. One on the bottom and 1 a live ladyfish on the surface. Paul went 2 for 2 on 100lb Tarpon in the next hour. What a great finish for my crew from Liverpool ,England.

Captain Skip Nielsen

Summer fishing at its finest!

Lots of action and variety to be had. Tarpon are biting well at the bridge channels. The outgoing tide has been the best time to be fishing for them even in the middle of a hot day. My clients have been averaging 2 to 4 releases a trip using Fox Sport Fishing tackle. The Tarpon Spincast 5 piece rods fitted with EOS 30 reels are really nice and light and perfect for fishing live mullet. For free-lining crabs and fishing mullet on the bottom we have been using the Sailfish Trek rods fitted with Diablo 750 fixed spool/spinning reels. These are easier to let line out in a rapidly moving current and honestly most of my guests prefer this tackle for Tarpon fishing.

Jim Riscky released 3 Tarpon

Kenny Russell films Jim Risckys tough Tarpon.
Jim used the Fox sport fishing Sailfish Trek rod and Diablo 750 spinning reel

Roddy Rodgers' caught and released this beauty of a Tarpon on his Flyrod

Sightfishing for Tarpon with a Fly is the best.
Roddy cast to many fish before getting a take

Tom fighting his 3rd Tarpon of the day on a
Fox sport fishing Sailfish Trek rod and Diablo 750 spinning reel

Wendy Sims released her Tarpon using a
Fox sport fishing Sailfish Trek rod fitted with a Diablo 750 fixed spool reel

Bull Shark at Channel 2 caught by Wendy Sims
on the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo

Fred and Gene Kohly used Fox sport fishing
Tarpon Spincast 5 piece travel rods and EOS 30 reels
to release 4 Tarpon on a sunset tide

In the backcountry schools of bay-ballyhoo have  moved in and I have been castnetting these for live bait. Everything in the bay likes to eat them. Snook, Redfish, Seatrout just love them. As the schools of ballyhoo have invaded the grassflats loads of Ladyfish, Spanish Mackerel, Mangrove Snapper , Crevalle Jacks and Seatrout are biting on most every cast using these for bait. We are using the Fox Sport Fishing Bonefish Trek rods fitted with the Diablo 350 spinning/fixed spools for the light tackle action. We are taking home our limit of Mangrove Snappers while catching and releasing the rest. Then we have been running back to Islamorada and fishing the outgoing tide for Tarpon in the channels.

Tom and Wendy Sims had plenty of Seatrout action on
Bonefish Trek rods fitted with Diablo 350's

I celebrated my 60th birthday and went flyfishing for Tarpon with my Fox Sport Fishing Cellmax fly reel and 9 weight fly rod. My wife Cyd joined me and we had great fishing but did not get any to the boat. I had 3 takes and jumped them off. That's fishing.

Cyd Nielsen caught this Bonefish on a
Fox sport fishing 9 weight fly rod at a secret lagoon in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Life is good.

Captain Skip Nielsen

Multiple Sawfish On Trek Boat XT

Fishing report for June 4,5 and 6, 2012

Some more field testing for Cliff and Cathy Fox along with Freddy Dupreez. After fishing 3 days last week and having great luck with the Tarpon we were back on the water for another 3 day session, this time around Cliff Fox had some outstanding fishing.

Freddy Dupreez released this Tarpon

Tarpon at the Bunkers

 

Cliff on a Tarpon

Cliff uses the Sailfish Trek Diablo 750 combo on this jumper

another jump!

Using a Fox Sport Fishing Trek Boat XT he and Freddy each caught and released Sawfish for first time catches. We were targeting Sharks but the Sawfish seem to be getting more and more common these days. The XT Boat rod held up to these beasts really well. At the boat we had to do some sidestepping to stay out of the way of the swinging saws. Freddy was filming and was able to capture on film a Sawfish actually clearing the water in a rare jump. Scared the heck out of me and my crew as it was right next to the boat. Hopefully this film will be posted soon. These fish were 12 feet long easily. Well after that Freddy did catch a Shark, A nice juvenile Greater Hammerhead which we released after a nice battle on the Fox Sport Fishing Sailfish Trek rod fitted with a Diablo 750 spinning reel.

Cliff uses the Trek Boat XT fitted with the EOS 30
reel while doing battle what turned out to be
an estimated 500lb Sawfish

Cliff Fox looks in awe at his huge Sawfish he caught using
the Fox Sport Fishing Trek Boat XT  fitted with the EOS 30 reel

Cliff's Sawfish comes up to the boat

Freddy caught this juvenile Greater Hammerhead Shark

After the big heavy weight action we were back to Tarpon fishing and released 4 during the afternoon.

Day 2 we had a tough time coming up with bait but had a fun morning catching Mangrove Snapper, Seatrout and Ladyfish on Bonefish Trek rods fitted with Diablo 350 reels. In the afternoon we fished some Channels near Flamingo and Cliff released 2 Tarpon. Moving to another spot Cathy Fox hooked a huge Sawfish on the 5 piece Tarpon Spincast rod fitted with an EOS 30 reel. After an hour long battle in the hot afternoon sun we took the leader and released Cathy's big Sawfish, It seems to me that Sawfish are becoming more common than sharks! At least this week!

Cathy Fox let the boys catch a few

what action!

On day 3 Cliff and Freddy joined me a 5:30 am and we went fishing for live mullet with my castnet. With Cliff doing some expert driving and me tossing we caught a few dozen frisky live mullet. We fished and incoming tide and the Tarpon were on a feeding blitz. Again using 5 piece Tarpon Spincast rods and Sailfish Trek rods fitted with EOS Trolling reels and Diablo 750 spinning reels we had a bang up day. 7 Tarpon were brought to the boat and released out of 10 hooked.

Cliff Fox doing a little field testing in Islamorada
while fishing with captain skip nielsen

such great jumpers

Cliff used the 5 piece Tarpon Spincast rod fitted with an EOS trolling reel

some nice jumps from this fish

such great jumpers

Freddy shows just how tough the 8 foot Sailfish Trek rod is

Cathy and Cliff Fox and Freddy Dupreez had 24 Tarpon
releases in 6 days of fishing Islamorada

In 6 days of fishing Cliff, Cathy and Freddy had released 24 Tarpon. Talk about some great fieldtesting for Fox Sport Fishing tackle!

Captain Skip Nielsen

Pollock Meets Tarpon

Fishing report Friday and Saturday June 1,2,2012

Even though we woke up to tropical downpours we still were able to get 2 halfday fishing trips in. Ty and Susie Pollock along with nephew Max and I waited until 10 am to go fishing last Friday. Finally the skies cleared and off we went to Channel 2 hoping to catch a Tarpon.

As we started a drift using live crabs for bait Susie hooked a big Tarpon in the first 5 minutes. After an hour long battle Susie released her first ever Tarpon. She used a 5 piece Tarpon Spincast rod fitted with an EOS Trolling reel for this capture. We went back to where we had hooked up and I dropped the anchor. Some Tarpon were rolling near the boat so I advised Ty to try casing his flyrod out and see if he could do any good. Luck was with us this day and Ty hooked a big Tarpon on his 2nd cast. We had to chase his fish through the bridge pilings back and forth a few times and on out into the ocean. Another hour long battle. Well done Ty. Now it was young Max on his first ever Tarpon. A great fight and and great trip.

Next morning pretty much the same weather pattern, Rain and lightening. We waited again until 1pm and got out for the afternoon. We had great luck once again and released 4 more beautiful Tarpon.

Max Ty and Susie celebrate 7 Tarpon releases in 2 fishing trips 

Max guides a Tarpon thru the pilings

 

Susie gets the rodbelt on while fighting a Tarpon on
the 5 piece Tarpon Spincast rod  and EOS 30 reel

congratulations Susie on your first Tarpon

Ty doing battle with his flyrod

Fly Tarpon for Ty

Ty Pollock caught this beautiful Tarpon on his Flyrod

water displacement

you can see the Fly in the Tarpons jaw

What a great fishing trip for the Pollock family.

Captain Skip Nielsen