My rod is still in pieces. Friday, that changes.

01

A neighbor changed the plan

Earlier this week, I looked out my window and saw a guy fishing. I’d been thinking about going all week, so I walked over, introduced myself and started asking questions.

He speaks very little English. I speak very little Spanish. We held the conversation together with a translation app on my phone, both of us doing our best.

Somewhere in there, I ended up joining him for Friday evening. His wife is coming too. What started as me finally using a Christmas present has turned into an evening by the water with neighbors.

I’m going to learn to tie a rig and hold a conversation at the same time.

I’ll probably be bad at both for a while. That’s the part I’m looking forward to most, honestly.

We’ll be fishing from shore around Treasure Island, here in North Bay Village. I’ve already scouted the areas and checked that I have permission to fish there.

02

Friday, with the weather’s permission

We’re aiming for late afternoon. The nearby Miami Beach tide prediction gives us a useful starting point:

That is a falling-tide window at the reference station, not a promise about the current at our spot. We’ll look for moving water and bait activity when we arrive, then adjust. My neighbor will probably correct my plan within five minutes. That’s fine. That’s the point.

The NWS forecast checked late September 29 calls for east wind around 15 mph on Friday, gusts up to 22 mph, and a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms. We’ll check the forecast and radar again before leaving.

If we hear thunder, we head into a substantial building or an enclosed, metal-topped vehicle with the windows up. We wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before returning.

03

One rod. A little help. A missing sinker.

I don’t own a sinker yet. I barely own a plan. The photo is my one rod in two pieces; getting it ready is part of the outing.

Between us, the idea is to try two simple setups:

• Shrimp near structure: a 1/0 to 2/0 non-stainless, non-offset circle hook, with gray snapper as the main target.
• A lure to explore: a small white or silver soft plastic on a quarter- to three-eighths-ounce jighead.

The details can change once we see the water. I’m bringing the questions; my neighbor is bringing some experience.

The rest of the checklist is less ambitious: pliers and a dehooker, a tape measure, polarized glasses, water, a small first-aid kit and my phone. And beers, if the rules at our spot allow them. For fish we release: wet hands, minimal handling and a quick return to the water.

04

What I’m hoping for

Gray snapper, also called mangrove snapper, are the main target. FWC describes them around inshore structure, feeding on crustaceans and small fish. That makes the shrimp plan a reasonable place to start.

I’d be happy to encounter jacks, blue runners or ladyfish too. A snook or a juvenile tarpon would be a bonus. I haven’t checked the bait at our spot yet, so this is a wish list, not a bite report.

05

The dream is dinner

If I catch a gray snapper I can legally keep, I’d love to cook it on the BBQ. There is one small gap in that plan: I’ve never cleaned a fish.

If someone can show me, and I’ve checked the consumption advice and arranged proper chilling, there might be dinner. Otherwise, the fish goes back and I learn that part another time.

I’m getting my fishing license before we go.

For this outing, I’m keeping the rest simple:

• Snook and tarpon go back. Tarpon over 40 inches stay in the water during ordinary catch-and-release fishing.
• A gray snapper keeper here must meet the Atlantic state-water rules: at least 10 inches total length, with a limit of five per person per day within the ten-snapper aggregate.
• Before keeping anything, I’ll check the current rules and Florida’s consumption advice for the species, Biscayne Bay and whoever would eat it. Federal waters and Biscayne National Park have different requirements.

Legal to keep does not automatically mean dinner. If I can’t confirm the advice, I’ll release it.

06

I’ll report back

That’s the plan: a Christmas present I’ve put off using, a neighbor kind enough to let me tag along, a Spanish lesson and a BBQ dream.

After Friday, I’ll add what actually happened: what bit, what didn’t, whether anything made it to the grill, and one thing I learned for next time.

In the meantime, explore the fishing guide for species, licensing information and what to check before heading out.

What can you catch? Read the fishing guide →