Topsider Fishing Report
Fish Tales January / February 2012
For those who believe the best fishing at Topsider is during the month of
October, think again. The snappers were big and biting, there were cudas by the
dozen and the sharks were there for good measure. The cowfish lived up to their
names however and ambushed many a live shrimp destined for a Mangrove Snapper’s
afternoon snack.
A mid-week party-boat trip on Captain Michael from Robbie’s was most enjoyable and very successful. The boat didn’t have too many on board and enough snapper were caught to last that week and beyond.
Nurse Shark caught from the Dock at Topsider Some of the Catch from a Robbie's Party Boat Trip
There were a good few lobsters to supplement the dining table but the temperature of bay-water around Topsider in January leaves a lot to be desired and reminded Ron of Lake Erie in the early spring.
Following a recommendation from ‘Joe the Lawyer’, we booked a flats fishing day on ‘Couple of Bucks’ with Captain John Gargan and had a great time. After we had landed about twenty good sized Spanish Mackerel, it was decided the rest should be returned from whence they came but this didn’t stop them hitting our shrimp and they were accompanied by specimen snappers when the ramora didn’t get there first. We then changed location and tactics and landed some great trout which were later served up with garlic and butter then sprinkled with cheese and grilled – Chef Lupe eat your heart out !
In between the fishing frenzies, we caught a good sized black tip shark then wrestled for over half an hour to bring in the fish of the day, a 125 lb spinner shark that was almost as tired as me when it finally came alongside the boat.
All in all one of, if not the best day’s fishing we’d had in many a year.
How were your fishing experiences
whilst at Topsider ?
Do you have any fishing pictures to make us wish we were all back in Islamorada
again ?
October / November 2011
The recent bad weather limited the fishing but certain diehards have braved the dock wearing head to toe waterproofs or $1.95 bathing costumes from Bells.
Some good size snapper have been caught (and eaten) but the most common sight on
the end of the line has been the blue runner – in all sizes ranging from those
no bigger than the shrimp used as bait to one that even impressed Manny.
A few nurse sharks have been landed – all about the same size. It is of course possible that it’s the same fish coming round again and again.
These days you have to be careful when bringing in your blue runner. It appears to be the favourite food of the four feet long barracuda that has taken up residence under the end of the fishing dock and has been dubbed 'Son of Bubba' in memory of the even larger barracuda that dwelt there several years ago.
A good harvest of lobsters has meant that turtles have been a familiar sight – they appear from nowhere when the lobster heads are tossed in the water and are often joined by a couple of sizeable rays.
