The sailfish wouldn’t come to Capt. David Doll, so Doll went to the sailfish.
Fishing with James Murray of Lighthouse Point on Doll’s boat Live Bait out of Lighthouse Point Marina, the two men went 10 for 14 on sailfish off Palm Beach Monday. They caught a tripleheader and seven singles using live goggle-eyes in 300 feet.
“It’s been red-hot up there,” Doll said. “Things were so slow at home, I had to give it a shot.”
Fishing finally did pick up Monday off Fort Lauderdale. John Hare of Knoxville, Tenn., caught a sailfish on Bahia Mar charter boat Happy Day Today with Capt. Tom Zsak, who said the current was screaming to the north. Robin’s Song also had a sailfish.
Jay Monteverdi of Brick, N.J., caught his first sailfish, a 46-pounder, and his wife, Joy, released her first sailfish in 160 feet off Fort Lauderdale Monday on C.O.B. with Capt. Paul Roydhouse. Last week, Roydhouse’s customers caught cobia of 48 and 24 pounds and some big jacks off area wrecks.
Stan Reed of Washington, D.C., caught a sailfish and Toby Manton caught a 34- pound bull dolphin Sunday on Anytime with Capt. Terry Morrison.
Steve Maturse caught a 40 1/2-pound bull dolphin Sunday morning on a live horse pilchard in 250 feet off Fort Lauderdale. He and his father Paul caught four other dolphin 5-7 pounds on their boat Heads Or Tales.
Chuck Kempf of Pompano Beach Bait & Tackle reported Al Castorina and Vince Serio, fishing on Reel Addiction, caught a 12-pound dolphin and released a 50- pound sailfish trolling unskirted ballyhoo 3-4 miles off the steeple Sunday morning.
Jeffrey D’Amico of Lou’s Tackle & Marina in Dania reported Kenny Josack of Dania, fishing in 40 feet off Fort Lauderdale in his 14-foot boat with 25 horsepower motor, caught mutton snapper of 1/2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 pounds, a 4- pound flounder and three bonnethead sharks Saturday night. Tim Harris caught kingfish of 15 and 10 pounds in 90 feet off the Hollywood Beach Hotel Sunday.
Capt. Allen Moudy of the Flamingo drift boat of Fort Lauderdale said fishing has been a little slow, with anglers catching a few small kingfish — up to 10 pounds — at night, some big bonito and small cobia. There’s lots of vermillion snapper in deep water — 180-240 feet. David Garegg of Fort Lauderdale leads the Flamingo kingfish tournament with a 10-pound, 4-ounce fish.
Rich Riley of Pompano Beach caught a 48-pound amberjack while drifting with Gerret Lockwood of Boca Raton in 100 feet just south of Hillsboro Inlet Friday. He used 40-pound tackle and a live pinfish.
“I thought he was going to break the rod a couple of times,” said Riley, who had the amberjack up to the boat several times, only to have it take off. Riley, who used only eight pounds of drag so the fish wouldn’t break off, needed 30 minutes to land it.
“He was strong,” Riley said. “The only thing I was worried about was a barracuda or a shark eating him.”
Bob Broughton caught a limit of five bass weighing 11.55 pounds to win the Everglades Bassmasters of South Florida monthly tournament on Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston Saturday. Tom Kitchens was second at 10.17 and Donnie Brown was third at 8.67. Ed Knorr had the biggest bass at 4.55. Guest Bob Pittsley had a 5.5-pounder. The 36 anglers competing were hampered by high winds and heavy rains from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. After the storm, Bay Bottom produced limit catches on plastic jerk baits.
The club’s next tournament will be Feb. 13 out of Belle Glade. New members are welcome. Call Dan Ornato at 1-407-852-9734.
Before Saturday’s tournament, club members Carlos Galandis, C.O. Todd and Owen Widden caught and released 40 bass fishing around Long Point, Boy Scout Cut and in Winnie’s Cove.
