The marine forecast looked pretty good heading into Saturday, and with my friend Joe and his nephew Jacan joining us, we felt confident that a run offshore to the Boils would be a good choice. Joe’s only request was simple. He wanted to catch some big fish and, more importantly, to put his nephew on some big fish. With that in mind, the Boils felt like the right place to start.

Friday night, I told Joe to meet us at the dock around 6:30 am so we could get an early start. Tania and I left the house at 6:00 am to grab ice and bait before heading to the dock. As usual, we prayed together on the way to the bait shop. We asked for protection, for God to open our eyes to see His creation, and for a bountiful catch. Those moments before a trip are always some of my favorites.

We arrived at the dock around 6:40 am. I ran into the owner of the Fishing Center, and, as often happens, I lost track of time talking about fishing. Thankfully, Joe was also running a little behind and let me know he wouldn’t arrive until about 6:50 am. That gave Tania and me plenty of time to load the boat and prepare everything for our guests.

Once Joe and Jacan arrived, we headed out. We made it to the inlet and quickly realized the forecast was not quite what had been advertised. Instead of 2-foot seas at 7 seconds, it looked more like 3-footers at about 4 seconds. It made for a sporty ride out to the Boils, but after checking in with everyone and getting the green light, we continued on.

When we arrived at the Boils, only two boats were on the water, which was expected because of the colder weather and rougher seas. We started our first drift on the east end near the buoy, as we usually do. The first two drifts were slow, yielding only one small jack. Since things weren’t going as hoped, we decided to move over to the west end of the Boils.

That move made all the difference. Over the next hour and a half, we stayed busy drifting and catching fish. We landed jacks, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and blue runners. The highlight of this stretch came when Tania hooked into a massive spotted eagle ray, although we didn’t know what it was until we got it to the boat. The fight lasted about 15 minutes, and the ray took us for a ride. It was impressive to watch Tania stay patient and composed as she worked the fish all the way to the boat. Seeing such a large and beautiful creature up close is always humbling.

After catching a few Spanish mackerel and placing them in the cooler, we realized our target species were still missing, so we decided to head to one of our nearby reef spots where we usually find snapper and black margate.

Once anchored, we switched gears and started bottom fishing. I rigged Joe and Jacan with a 1-ounce sinker and a 2/0 hook using live shrimp. Tania and I stuck with our jigs, although Tania tipped hers with shrimp. The bite was steady. We caught a lot of small black margate, none of which we kept. We also landed four decent lane snapper in the 12 to 14-inch range, caught around 20 porkfish, and finished off with a legal sheepshead and a pompano.

After we ran out of shrimp, we still had some time left in the day, so we headed back toward the inlet. Since it was still early, we decided to drift south of the south causeway bridge and do a little jigging. That bite was slower. We caught a few short mutton snapper, a catfish, several lizardfish, and, of course, I managed to hook the bottom more than once.

We returned to the dock around noon. Overall, it was a fantastic day on the water. Joe and Jacan were thrilled with the trip and the variety of fish we caught, and it was a blessing to spend the day fishing together. Days like this remind me why I love being on the water and sharing it with family and friends.

Tania and I send our best wishes to all our fellow anglers. May your time on the water be safe, blessed, and filled with tight lines and good memories. Until next time, keep casting, keep believing, and keep chasing those dreams on the water.

The Treasure Coast Chapter of Salt Strong now hosts monthly meetings at Islamorada Brewery and Distillery on the 4th Tuesday of each month. These meetings offer members a range of benefits, including guest speakers and fellowship with local anglers who share their knowledge and help one another catch fish. Membership to Salt Strong includes a 20% discount on tackle, access to Smart Fishing spots, and insider information on local trends. To learn more about Salt Strong, click the link below for a FREE 30-day test drive.