Last issue we covered the irresistible offshore delicacies known throughout the angling community as speedos. In this issue we continue our quest for the one with South Florida’s favorite blue water bait—goggle eye. You’ve probably heard about the hype and high price that goes along with these incredible offerings…and for good reason. While game fish go bonkers over a lively gog, these primo baits are notorious for leading anglers down long, sleepless roads—sometimes with nothing to show for their nocturnal endeavors.
In the world of live bait fishing scad are premier offerings. While scale baits like threadfin herring and pilchard certainly attract inquisitive predators, they are delicate and must be handled with extreme care. While all baitfish destined to be kept alive must be handled with care, scad are super swimmers and have been known to ignite a feeding frenzy when nothing else seems to work.
It's no secret that visitors from around the country flock to beaches of Florida to relax and have fun in the sun. While the warm water and gentle lapping waves offer an idyllic setting, the water's edge is a hostile environment. Subject to turbulent wave action, extreme temperature changes, tidal fluctuations and a constant barrage from predatory game fish and pesky birds, the organisms that live in this zone have uniquely adapted to the harsh extremes.
Captain Mike, in preparation of a weekend of fun fishing, my friends and I often catch dozens of pilchard off a local seawall. We transport our bounty via a portable baitwell to a bait pen approximately 30-minutes away. Exactly why or where we do this would make for a great article, however what’s important for now is that our baits are dying for no apparent reason. Everything seems to be going fine until we start crowding the baitwell with four to five-dozen baits. By the time we get back to the dock, half of our hard earned offerings are belly up while the remaining half appear to be gasping for air.
When venturing over the horizon in search of epic blue water battles, the sight of flying fish skimming across the water's surface always brings a smile to my face. Immediately reassured that I am in the right area, I now have great confidence in the day's fishing. Dolphin, tuna, sailfish, swordfish, marlin, nearly every pelagic prowler will readily suck down a frisky flyer.
Whether you enjoy plying fertile offshore waters, lush grass flats or anywhere in between, there's no method as effective at increasing your score as live chumming. While both frozen and fresh chum can at times offer non-stop action, typical ground chum relies on scent dispersal to trigger aggressive responses. Live chum on the other hand creates vibrations and distress signals that game fish are genetically programmed to respond to.
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