[fishnsurf]

Took my first crack at wintertime Biscayne bones on Christmas Eve. A front had pushed through the day before, and although the water temps didnt drop dramatically, they did drop a touch.

We looked at a few spots on the west side in the lee of the strong west winds, didnt see anything but cudas and sharks. Ran to the ocean side, and eventually got out to the lee on an ocean side key. Nothing going on, just more sharks and cudas. The run back to the west side was just about all my friends Beavertail Mosquito was cut out for!

Anyway, nice to be on the water, I think I learned that I should wait for stable weather before looking for bones. I was fairly successful this summer but I'm hoping to see some this winter as well.

 

[lemaymiami]

The Bay in winter will have its good days - but the run across to the ocean side will be challenging on more than a few days... Where did you launch from? A lot of difference in running times (and how sheltered a small skiff can be when running across the Bay between the south end (Homestead Bayfront), the center - (Black point or Cocoanut Grove) or the northern end of things (Key Biscayne - Crandon Park) to be able to fish south down towards Soldiers Key (and points south)...

I fished bonefish for years (and at every season) until about 8 or 9 years ago when I gave it up and retreated back into the Everglades...

 

[Miragein]

My back is hurting just from reading your post! Those that know the ride back on a Winter afternoon feel your pain! Tight lines!

 

[lemaymiami]

Some years ago me and another guide made the run back across from
Caesar's Creek to Homestead... The wind was honking out of the north and even my old Maverick with trim tabs set to extremes was getting a bit of spray (understatement...). My buddy was running a pretty little Hells Bay skiff with customers aboard... Back at the ramp I asked him how the crossing went... He replied "Bobby, I feel like a swam across" - and he had the red eyes to show for it...

Not much fun crossing the open areas of Biscayne Bay in the winter in a lovely lightweight technical poling skiff... Not much fun either in a much heavier old Maverick - but that's what we all live with during that time of year on a bad day...

 

[Miragein]

Yes, Im sure many a skiff's quality has been put to the test! I've personally had trim tabs ripped off, and consoles ripped out over the years. And I learned quick to always have my fowl weather gear on for the return. ( :
Against my better judgment, it was just too tough to stop myself some mornings...we had so many good days off Elliot growing up!

 

[Miragein]

or the northern end of things (Key Biscayne - Crandon Park) to be able to fish south down towards Soldiers Key (and points south)...

I fished bonefish for years (and at every season) until about 8 or 9 years ago when I gave it up and retreated back into the Everglades...

Those Crandon launches brings back memories -- nothing like those Jimbo's early morning bait runs. That place definitely had some characters! You would never knew what ya would pull up to some mornings! Between the drunk fights between some of the "residents", to the model shoots, or movie sets...always an eclectic group of people! The Jimbo "hand picks", that nasty rubber glove to get your crabs (I still can't get that smell off), the formica smoked fish...again, good times. I'm sure you have good some stories there too, Capt. Bob...

 

[lemaymiami]

Jimbo's was always a treat.. I was introduced to that early morning shrimp run in the mid seventies long before it went into decline (if you could call it decline when it was already a 24 hour drunken free for all year 'round...). I can also remember all the attempts by the powers that be to run him off of his little cove on Virginia Key... Jimbo was Jimmy Luznar and I doubt there's any like him still around (except for over Chokoloskee way...).

Miami was such a treat all those years ago - you just never knew who you'd meet or what you'd be offered (from the sacred to the profane - all in the same town... ). It was an eye opener for a young fellow going to school on the GI bill - even if I did get called "tourist" that first year, 1971, on one fishing pier or other...

 

[FMH]

Many fond memories of Jimbo's. Getting shrimp there was as much of an "experience" as the fishing itself. The ramp at Crandon was clean with washdown hoses to clean the skiff at the end of the day. Seeing tailers at West Point and Mashta just a short run from the ramp. Oh the good ole' days...……………..

 

[lemaymiami]

All of that was long before jet skis totally ruined any shallow spots within 15 to 20 minutes of Cranston ...

Only forty years ago now.