Massive schools of pilchards were storming onto the flats and patch reefs, and snook, redfish and speckled seatrout were blowing up on the baitfish, Capt. Rich Knox from Absolute Flats Fishing said in an e-mail. So the spring migration was on, and Rich was netting the pilchards, chumming them live and telling charters to hold on for the impending hook-up. Spanish mackerel, big, smoker king mackerel and hefty cobia were also turning on a little farther from shore. Water temps were in the low 70s, and the air was reaching the low 80s, and spring fishing had sprung. Looking slightly ahead, now’s the time to book giant tarpon charters for late April through June in Boca Grande, world famous for its run of the silver kings. Huge schools of the fish from 100 to 200 pounds flood the passes, beach front, harbor and sounds, putting up tough, acrobatic fights on light tackle, something every anglers should try in a lifetime. Call 727-376-8809 or 800-890-9373 or Visit Web Site.

Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Boca Raton

East winds threw big pilchards into the mix along the shore, and king mackerel, bonito and scattered dolphin shot in to feed. Charters tackled all three of the fish, Capt. Ron Mallet from the Just Add Water said, and they also stalked the harbor, pinning down 10-pound barracudas and 5-pound jack crevalles, all on live pilchards. No sailfish appeared, and currents that sails prefer were still for the moment. Some of the best fishing of the year was poised to break open from now through early June for the spring migration. All these fish will bite to one degree or another throughout the year. King mackerel used to come in better in winter, but lately summer was best. Kings were even scarce through winter until popping up during the past weeks. Bonito definitely come through in greater numbers in summer, and dolphin swim the waters, for those who want to run and gun, trolling them in the warmer months. Sailfish will keep making surprise visits at times, though winter triggers more of them to migrate along the local coast. As summer peaks fishing will become somewhat less consistent, and charters will have to slip in and out between ever-present thunderstorms that roll through each afternoon. Rough weather can persist through October, but conditions normally lay down in November, and then sailfishing and all the other fishing that was talked about in Ron’s reports through the past months will start again. So although this is the last report from him on this site this season, his fishing was about to take off, and charters fish year-round. To keep up on the action, visit Just Add Water’s web site and read the reports that Ron writes. Call: 954-423-8700. Visit Web Site.

Islamorada

Snappers, lots of yelloweyes and vermilions, were coming up from the wrecks in 120 to 220 feet, about 3 to 7 miles from shore, and sometimes so were big groupers--gags and blacks to 30 pounds, said Capt. Bruce Anderson from Captain Easy Charters. That was the main event in past days, but king mackerel were also fought around the same waters, and quite a few mahi mahi were picked up just about anywhere, not a targeted fish on trips, but a quarry whenever they happened to turn up. Amberjack fishing was also heating up at the Hump, around 11 miles from shore, on live bait, anything from small blackfin tuna to bluerunners or speedos, fished 300 feet down. Last week blackfin really came on at the Hump, as was reported then, but then the bite slowed. The tuna are like that, hitting the waters maybe a day, a week or a month, leaving and then returning, off and on. Commercial fishing for the a.j.’s closed today, so the bite will go bonkers for recreationals. “Stupid fishing,” Bruce said. Big sharks including tigers, bulls, hammers and occasional makos will be the only thing getting in the way of amberjack catches then, because the monsters feed on the jacks. But that also means sharking is on at the Hump. Blackfin tuna will keep appearing, and bottom fishing will continue, and sailing for mahi mahi will come into its own in the warm weather until July or August. Then charters will focus on the dolphin almost daily, the time to bail the fish. In fall mahi fishing slows somewhat, but the green hornets are still caught, and blackfin tuna fishing especially kicks in during September and October. Groupers also give up a bite then. Afterward Keys anglers will again look forward to winter trips for sailfish, king mackerel, bottom fish and other usual suspects. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Web Site.

Charters on two boats from Over Under Adventures, the Pretty Work and That’s Right, were pounding out catches of king mackerel and yellowtail snappers in the same waters, an e-mail from the company said. The kingfishing was probably hottest, and if cigar minnows could be found for bait in the mornings, plenty of kings could usually be walloped. Scattered catches of early season mahi mahi were boated offshore, and blackfin tuna were drilled at lumps 10 to 15 miles off. Call: 866-OUA-TUNA. Visit Web Site.

Key West

Two trips steamed to the waters around the Dry Tortugas to fish two days each with Yankee Capts this past week, Capt. Greg Mercurio said. Yellowtail snappers, pretty much all anyone could want, put up a steady bite, and mutton snappers kept anglers reeling in fish at night. At sunset and sunrise, groupers, decent numbers, jumped on baits. The anglers mostly hooked chunks of king mackerel for bait, bagging the kingfish on the trips, but they also used pinfish and fresh ballyhoos. Two more two-day trips will ply the Tortugas waters this week. Yankee Capts, sailing on a 90-foot party boat, fishes the Dry Tortugas, 60 miles from port at Key West, on one-, two-, three- and four-day, open-boat trips in addition to charters. On the open trips, as many as 48 passengers live, sleep and eat onboard. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages can be purchased. The crew and boat have been fishing from the Keys for 30 years and currently offer the Tortugas trips through May. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the vessel sails for cod from Gloucester, Massachusetts, and in September and October its trips target tuna from New Bedford, and both of these trips, both charters and open-boat outings, have also been running 30 years. Then the boat returns to the Keys. Call: 888-88-CAPTS or 305-923-2926. Visit Web Site.