Sailfishing slowed a little, but still produced, Capt. Bruce Anderson from Captain Easy Charters said. Sails on trips were slow-trolled on live bait, usually ballyhoos, off the outside edge of the reef, a few miles from port. But king mackerel fishing was very good, wide open, with Captain Easy. Good-sized kings 20 pounds and larger were drilled on live bait, usually cigar minnows or speedos, either on anchor in a chum slick or trolled, “depending on the day,” Bruce said. Cobia were tackled on the boat in shallows inshore of the edge of the reef. Trips looked for rays that cobia followed, eating forage that the rays kicked up with their wings. Once the rays were found, the anglers pitched live bait toward them to hook the cobias, sight fishing. Bottom fishing aboard dredged up mutton snappers and yellowtail snappers along the reef. The weather was mostly pleasant, and this winter was mild, usually serving up days in the 80s. Call: 305-451-9578 or 305-360-2120. Visit Web Site.

Mike Spaeder and son Mike jumped aboard one of the weekend getaways to the Florida Keys on Saturday and Sunday with Jersey Cape Guide Service, Capt. Joe Hughes said. Joe, sailing from Sea Isle City, New Jersey, with Jersey Cape the rest of the year, runs the traveling charters each winter. The Spaeders headed toward the mainland to fish the back country on Saturday. They loaded up on speckled sea trout, at least 25, many of them larger than 20 inches, good-sized, in a short time. They also landed two black drum, a snook and many jacks and ladyfish. Waters had warmed, making redfish move onto the flats that had previously swarmed the area. The anglers concentrated on the fishing for specks and other fish on this trip, but hooked one red that got off on the flats. They had sight-casted to the fish. At the end of the trip, at sunset, the anglers wanted to fish for tarpon, and young Mike had never caught one. A tarpon hammered the first bait in the waters, and young Mike landed the fish. The anglers jumped four more tarpon that threw the hook before making it to the boat. In tarpon fishing, even jumping a tarpon counts. The tarpon were sizeable, probably 70 pounds. On Sunday the Spaeders fished close to port with Joe, because they had an early flight. They bailed jacks, barracudas, snappers and other fish. “It was a blast!” Joe said. Anglers on the weekend getaways can arrive on a Friday, fish all day Saturday and part of Sunday, and get back to work on Monday morning. The trips can be a mini, fish-filled vacation for a large variety of catches, from redfish and specks to sailfish, king mackerel, blackfin tuna and more. Visit Web Site. Call: 609-827-3442.