We can all feel that nip in the air that tells us the Christmas is here! Another thing that that crisp cool air brings is the sailfish. With the arrival of a mild cold front this week we will see an increase in the number of sailfish that move through our area. If you have ever dreamed of catching such a beautiful fish now is the time. If you notice that the wind is coming out of the northwesterly direction you can almost bet that the nearshore conditions are going to be perfect to set up for catching a sail. The northwest wind allows for a relatively flat calm ocean near the beach with maybe only groundswell conditions. Once the wind turns to the northerly or northeasterly direction the seas will pick up and get rather rough. If you are looking at the marine forecast and you see northwest in the forecast you should still drive by the beach very early in the morning to make sure that the weatherman was right.

The most effective way to catch sails is with live bait such as goggle eye and live ballyhoo. You can purchase your goggle eye from the local marinas or catch them before sunrise in the shallow water. Ballyhoo are much easier to catch as you can anchor in 20 feet of water just off the beach and chum for them. If I had to suggest a depth of water I would lean towards 150 feet as this is where most sails are caught historically throughout the year. You should listen to your VHF radio to find out where the bite is on any particular day or call one of the charter boats to see how the bite is going. Some days the fish tend to be deeper out to 250 feet while other days the bite can  move in as far as 80 feet of water which is very shallow. Give us a call at the shop and we will get you dialed in.

The wahoo bite is still really good right now because we have a large moon in the sky. Over the next few days if sailfish is not your thing you may want to give the wahoo a try.
As for the swordfish we are probably going to see rough conditions well offshore so if you’re going to give that a shot be sure to check the forecast and leave a float plan with someone on land to be safe.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all and to all Lets Stay Tight!

RJ Boyle

Pictured: Luke Mears