{"id":12741,"date":"2020-02-19T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/?p=12741"},"modified":"2026-03-20T15:42:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T15:42:13","slug":"fishing-fort-lauderdale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/fishing-fort-lauderdale\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort Lauderdale Fishing: The Complete Guide for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 9<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>It&#8217;s no secret that <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/fishing-in-florida\/\">Florida<\/a>&#8216;s Gold Coast has great fishing. The area is impressive even by Floridian standards, with huge fish right in town and deep waters just a stone&rsquo;s throw from the shore. If you&rsquo;re planning on fishing <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/location\/us\/FL\/fort-lauderdale?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=12741\">Fort Lauderdale<\/a>, you&rsquo;re in for a treat &ndash; especially if you know what to do.<\/p><script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/player.js\" async><\/script><script src=\"https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/xs45ahoupn.js\" async type=\"module\"><\/script><style>wistia-player[media-id='xs45ahoupn']:not(:defined) { background: center \/ contain no-repeat url('https:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/medias\/xs45ahoupn\/swatch'); display: block; filter: blur(5px); padding-top:56.25%; }<\/style><wistia-player media-id=\"xs45ahoupn\" aspect=\"1.7777777777777777\"><div class=\"wistia_preload_transcript_outer_wrapper\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 100%; display:flex; justify-content:center; align-items: center; margin-top:-56.25%;\"><div class=\"wistia_preload_transcript_inner_wrapper\" style=\" overflow: auto;\"><p class=\"wistia_preload_transcript_text\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 5px !important;\">Fishing in Fort Lauderdale has got a lot going for it. With huge fish right in town and very deep waters that are easily accessible, it&rsquo;s a pretty incredible location &ndash; even for Florida&rsquo;s standards. On top of that, the action is excellent year-round, the nature is striking, and there&rsquo;s a huge variety of fish you can catch.\r\n\r\nIn this video, we&rsquo;ll get into the top species in Fort Lauderdale&rsquo;s diverse waters, where to catch &lsquo;em, and when to plan your trip.\r\n\r\nLet&rsquo;s get right into it.\r\n\r\nFort Lauderdale sits on a maze of canals, most of which are filled with fish. So many, in fact, that they call it &lsquo;&ldquo;The Venice of America.&rdquo; This is thanks in large part to the Intracoastal Waterway &ndash; a 3,000-mile inland channel that feeds right into the city.\r\n\r\nIf you&rsquo;re staying in a house that sits on the canal it&rsquo;s as easy as dipping your rod into the waters right off of your dock. Or, you could head out with some of the many captains in the area with specially equipped inshore boats ready to take you out. Heading out with a professional is a great idea, especially because the canals are home to some pretty big fish. First on the list are iconic Peacock Bass.\r\n\r\nAlthough they were initially brought in to stave off invasive fish, they&rsquo;ve become a firm and colorful favorite for visiting and local anglers alike. They like their waters nice and warm so if you&rsquo;re fishing in the winter set your sights on Largemouth Bass instead. Both of these species can be found in Fort Lauderdale&#039;s less salty canals, whereas big names like Tarpon, Snook, and Redfish can be found in saltier waters depending on the time of year &ndash; we&rsquo;ll get more into that later in the video. If you&rsquo;re looking to branch out of the canals or the season isn&rsquo;t quite right for the fish you want to catch,\r\n\r\nFort Lauderdale offers a host of additional inshore opportunities.\r\n\r\nDuring the summer high season, huge piles of Tarpon, growing up to 200 pounds, roll into the shallow waters along the Intracoastal Waterway. The warmer months also give you your best shot at trophy Snook as they crowd the beaches to spawn.\r\n\r\nSlightly further out, Fort Lauderdale&#039;s popular shallow reef is stocked with delicious Snapper varieties including Mangrove, Mutton, and Yellowtail. And, luckily for you, it&rsquo;s located just a mile from Port Everglades &ndash; meaning it won&rsquo;t be long before you&rsquo;re casting into it for keeper fish.\r\n\r\nIf your timing is just right you could also hook larger species like Kingfish and Bonito. This reef is an especially popular fishing spot for Fort Lauderdale party boats. If you&rsquo;re on a budget and looking to take home some catch and cook fish this is one of your best opportunities to get out there and experience success. If you&rsquo;ve got the means to travel out even further, there&rsquo;s more to look forward to.\r\n\r\nFort Lauderdale is home to over 100 reefs and wrecks and the waters get deep fast. Just 6 miles from shore the sea floor plummets to 800 feet and the further out you go, the deeper it gets. This is where you&rsquo;re going to hook into Red Snapper, a variety of Grouper, Amberjacks, and Sharks. What exactly you can catch and which fish are around will depend on the time of year so be sure to keep watching for more on that.\r\n\r\nIf you&rsquo;re heading to Fort Lauderdale to get your fill of deep sea fishing &ndash; you aren&rsquo;t the only one. It&rsquo;s arguably the most popular type of fishing here and there&rsquo;s a good reason for that. The Gulf Stream runs straight past its shores just 10 miles out and brings some big fish with it. It&rsquo;s hard to choose where to start with so many epic species on offer but kicking it off with Sailfish feels right.\r\n\r\nThese fish bring it all. From their showstopping sails to their acrobatic jumps, and the incredible sizes they can reach, it&rsquo;s no wonder they&rsquo;re a firm favorite among Fort Lauderdale anglers. In the height of summer, you can also try to go after Marlin and even Swordfish from late summer through the fall. But, if a fish that&rsquo;s good to eat is on your bucket list, look no further than Tuna.\r\n\r\nCasting for Blackfin Tuna is nothing short of fantastic in Fort Lauderdale. These fish can reach up to around 40-pounds, but don&rsquo;t let that number fool you. Their brute strength provides some of the best fights out there &ndash; not to mention a great meal at the end of the day. And speaking of fish that are good to eat, Mahi Mahi are another excellent year-round target in Fort Lauderdale.\r\n\r\nThey&rsquo;re hungriest in the spring and fall so plan your trip around these dates if you&rsquo;re set on hooking one. Last but certainly not least are Wahoo. They&rsquo;re almost as fast as Sailfish and trolling is the name of the game if you want to hook one. This species can be very elusive thanks to its excellent eyesight and agility.\r\n\r\nTo make things easier on yourself, plan your time around full moons in the summer months. There&rsquo;s clearly a lot to experience in Fort Lauderdale&rsquo;s deep waters. Even though travel times are short compared to other destinations, a full-day trip, and a well-equipped boat are still your best bet if you want to target a variety of fish or spend some additional time fishing the reefs.\r\n\r\nWith that, you&rsquo;re probably wondering when you should plan your trip.\r\n\r\nOpen seasons in Florida are subject to change &ndash; sometimes multiple times a year &ndash; so take what you hear next with a grain of salt and make sure you&rsquo;re checking with your captain or the FWC before you head out with a specific target in mind. That said, let&rsquo;s get into seasonality and open seasons for some of the top catches in Fort Lauderdale&rsquo;s waters. If you&rsquo;re inshore fishing for Tarpon, peak season takes place between April and June, and provides the best opportunity to battle bigger fish. In the winter months, you&rsquo;ll find smaller Tarpon within the canals.\r\n\r\nJust remember &ndash; these fish are strictly catch and release in Florida throughout the entire year. As for Snook, there are a few closed seasons to keep in mind &ndash; namely one during the summer and one in the winter months. Exact dates are subject to change on a yearly basis, so be sure you&rsquo;re staying up to date. If you do catch one during these periods, make sure you&rsquo;re releasing the fish back into the water.\r\n\r\nRed Snapper are some of the most sought-after fish in the Gulf and Atlantic and as such, they&rsquo;re subject to a short open season &ndash; usually taking place during the summer months. Luckily, this is the best time to cast for big keeper fish and there are plenty to go around. On the other hand, species like Yellowtail and Cubera are up for grabs year-round. Sailfish and Tuna aren&rsquo;t usually subject to closed seasons in Fort Lauderdale but they are migratory fish so they won&rsquo;t always be around.\r\n\r\nFor your best shot at Sailfish plan your trip between the months of January and March or September through November. As for Tuna, fishing for Blackfins stays solid throughout the year but peaks in early spring and between October and November. Yellowfins are harder to come by but you could get lucky in December and January.\r\n\r\nNow that you know what you can catch and when, you&rsquo;re almost ready to get out on the water.\r\n\r\nThe last thing to cover is fishing licenses. If you&rsquo;re fishing with a charter captain on a private or shared charter, there&rsquo;s no need to worry. Your captain will cover licenses for everyone on board. If you&rsquo;re fishing on your own, whether that&rsquo;s from the shore or your own boat, you&rsquo;ll need to buy a license for all anglers between the ages of 16 and 65.\r\n\r\nYou can find detailed price breakdowns and additional info on the different license types available in Florida by checking out our extensive blog article. And that&rsquo;s it! Your Fort Lauderdale fishing trip can officially begin.\r\n\r\nTo book the fishing charter that&rsquo;s right for you and the trip you&rsquo;re planning, download the FishingBooker app.\r\n\r\nIt&rsquo;s available on the Google Play and App stores and allows you to browse the largest selection of fishing charters in Fort Lauderdale, compare prices and amenities, and book fast and easy. Or, check us out online at FishingBooker.com to start planning your Fort Lauderdale fishing trip today!<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/wistia-player><p><\/p><p>In this article, we&rsquo;ll break down Fort Lauderdale&rsquo;s top species and fishing spots, as well as how and when to get the most out of these waters. You can learn about local regulations, tournaments, and much more. In short, here&#8217;s everything you need to know for your perfect angling adventure.<\/p><h2 id=\"best-fish-to-catch-in-fort-lauderdale\">Best Fish to Catch in Fort Lauderdale<\/h2><p>Fort Lauderdale has a problem. There are so many fish here that choosing your target can be almost as tough as catching it. To keep things simple, we&rsquo;ll focus on the &ldquo;must-hook&rdquo; species. Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/location\/us\/fl\/fort-lauderdale?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=12741\">fishing calendar<\/a> if you want a full month-by-month breakdown of what&#8217;s on offer. <\/p><h3 id=\"snook\">Snook<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150633\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snook-1024x684.jpeg\" alt=\"An angler with a cap and sunglasses holding a Snook on a fishing boat in Fort Lauderdale\" class=\"wp-image-12755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150633\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snook-1024x684.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150633\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snook-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150633\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snook-768x513.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150633\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snook.jpeg 1086w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>If you can only target one fish while you&rsquo;re in town, it has to be Snook. These hard-fighting hunters are some of the world&rsquo;s most prestigious inshore species. They&rsquo;re on the bucket lists of fly anglers worldwide and can be just as much fun on trolled plugs, live baits, or cast lures. They also taste great, although most anglers prefer to release them.<\/p><p>Snook spend the whole year in Fort Lauderdale, wintering in the city&rsquo;s canals then making for bays and passes as the weather warms up. Your best chance of landing a trophy is in the summer when big fish crowd the beaches to spawn. However, even the depths of winter can be productive here.<\/p><h3 id=\"tarpon\">Tarpon<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Tarpon-Fishing-Fort-Lauderdale-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A sport fisherman bringing a Tarpon alongside a boat before releasing it\" class=\"wp-image-12752\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Tarpon-Fishing-Fort-Lauderdale-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Tarpon-Fishing-Fort-Lauderdale-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Tarpon-Fishing-Fort-Lauderdale-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Tarpon-Fishing-Fort-Lauderdale-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Tarpon-Fishing-Fort-Lauderdale.jpg 1882w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>Tarpon are the real heavyweights of Fort Lauderdale&rsquo;s inshore waters. Fish over 100 pounds are common in high season, and trophies hit double that each year. Again, you can technically catch them all year round. Your best chance is in the spring and early summer, though, when huge schools of Tarpon roll pile into the shallows.<\/p><p>For many people, the ultimate dream is to fight a &ldquo;Silver King&rdquo; on the fly. However, natural baits on conventional tackle are just as effective. Whatever you go for, avoid using overly light lines as this will overtire the fish. Trust us, Tarpon are no easy catch even on heavy tackle.<\/p><h3 id=\"snapper\">Snapper<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snappers-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Two fishermen holding a giant Cubera Snapper caught while fishing in Fort Lauderdale\" class=\"wp-image-12753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snappers-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snappers-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snappers-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snappers-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150634\/Fort-Lauderdale-Snappers.jpeg 1872w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>&ldquo;All these game fish are great, but I want something I can eat!&rdquo; Don&rsquo;t worry, you won&rsquo;t go hungry after a day at the local reefs. You can catch a variety of Snappers in Fort Lauderdale, from small Vermilions and Yellowtails to brutish Cubera and the tastiest of them all: Red Snapper. Snapper fishing is best in summer, but most species are around all year.<\/p><p>Snapper are the main event, but they&rsquo;re not the only fish on the reef. You can also catch delicious Gag, Black, and Red Grouper, as well as Amberjack, Triggerfish, Hogfish, and more. You never know what might take your bait and that&rsquo;s half the fun. The other half is enjoying a fishy feast at the end of the day, which you can get cooked up at a <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/restaurants-that-cook-your-catch-fort-lauderdale\/\">local restaurant<\/a>!<\/p><h3 id=\"sailfish\">Sailfish<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150629\/Fort-Lauderdale-Sailfishing-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"Four people holding a large Sailfish, while standing on a fishing boat\" class=\"wp-image-12759\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150629\/Fort-Lauderdale-Sailfishing-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150629\/Fort-Lauderdale-Sailfishing-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150629\/Fort-Lauderdale-Sailfishing-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150629\/Fort-Lauderdale-Sailfishing-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150629\/Fort-Lauderdale-Sailfishing-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>A dozen different bluewater species deserve to make this list. Fort Lauderdale&rsquo;s winter Wahoo are the stuff of legends. The Tuna fish here is outstanding. You can also catch monster Mahi Mahi (Dolphin), and even Marlin in the heat of summer. So why is it Sailfish that get a special mention?<\/p><p>Simply put, nothing beats Sailfish for drama. From their wild mohawk of a sail to their incredible aerial acrobatics, these guys are real show-stoppers and they know it. Sailfish also reach incredible sizes in the waters off Fort Lauderdale, which makes for perfect <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/deep-sea-fishing-in-fort-lauderdale\/\">deep sea fishing<\/a> conditions. And because the water gets so deep so fast, you don&rsquo;t need to travel far to find them. What more could you want?<\/p><div class='featured-charters-container' data-trigger='featured-charters' data-destination-id='102' data-destination-title='Fort Lauderdale' data-perpage='4' data-currency='USD'data-filter-field='fishFilter'data-filter-value='sailfish'data-headline='Top Sailfish Fishing Charters in Fort Lauderdale'data-add-type='m'><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h3 id=\"bass\">Bass<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150604\/Fort-Lauderdale-Peacock-Bass-Fishing-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"A smiling woman holding a Peacock Bass on the bank of a canal near Port Lauderdale\" class=\"wp-image-12836\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150604\/Fort-Lauderdale-Peacock-Bass-Fishing-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150604\/Fort-Lauderdale-Peacock-Bass-Fishing-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150604\/Fort-Lauderdale-Peacock-Bass-Fishing-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150604\/Fort-Lauderdale-Peacock-Bass-Fishing-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150604\/Fort-Lauderdale-Peacock-Bass-Fishing-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>Freshwater anglers, we haven&rsquo;t forgotten you. In many ways, we&rsquo;ve saved the best for last. Peacock Bass came to Florida in the &lsquo;80s to deal with an invasion of Tilapia. They excelled at the job and made lifelong friends with local anglers along the way. Peacocks are now a signature catch in Fort Lauderdale&rsquo;s canals, loved for their looks and respected for their fight.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/fish\/bass-peacock\/us\/FL\/fort-lauderdale?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=12741\">Peacock Bass fishing<\/a> is best in the summer months, when the water is nice and warm. This is also a great time to target invasive species like Clown Knife Fish and Snakehead. Visiting in the winter? Not a problem. Target Largemouth Bass instead. South Florida is home to huge Largemouth, which tag out the Peacocks to make sure the action is red hot all year round.<\/p><h3 id=\"and-more\">And More!<\/h3><p>These are a few of Fort Lauderdale&#8217;s main fish species, but there are so many more out there. From Permit and Barracuda to Sharks, Cobia, and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tcpalm.com\/story\/sports\/2019\/01\/23\/potential-record-kingfish-caught-fort-lauderdale\/2643480002\/\" target=\"_blank\">potential world-record King Mackerel<\/a>, you&#8217;ll find action everywhere you turn. It all depends on how you prefer to fish.<\/p><div class='reviews-fetcher-container' data-destination-id='102' data-destination-title='Fort Lauderdale' data-category-title='' data-category='' data-category-id='' data-trigger='reviews-fetcher' data-viewport-event='view_reviews_fetcher' data-action='In viewport' data-viewport-category='Reviews' data-label=''>\n                    <h3>What anglers said about fishing in Fort Lauderdale<\/h3>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 id=\"how-to-go-fishing-in-fort-lauderdale\">How to Go Fishing in Fort Lauderdale<\/h2><p>After that convenient segue, let&#8217;s have a look at the different ways to enjoy these waters. Obviously, how you fish is largely decided by what you want to catch. It can also come down to your budget. Here&rsquo;s a summary of what to expect from the main styles of fishing in Fort Lauderdale.<\/p><h3 id=\"shore-fishing\">Shore Fishing<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150625\/Fort-Lauderdale-Inlet-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view of Fort Lauderdale Beach from the inlet, with people fishing on the jetty in the foreground\" class=\"wp-image-12762\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150625\/Fort-Lauderdale-Inlet-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150625\/Fort-Lauderdale-Inlet-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150625\/Fort-Lauderdale-Inlet-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150625\/Fort-Lauderdale-Inlet-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150625\/Fort-Lauderdale-Inlet-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>This is a cheap, simple way to wet a line and catch a few fish for dinner. You probably won&rsquo;t hook a monster fishing from shore, but you can have a ton of fun. The main downside to shore fishing is that you need to bring all your own gear. Either that, or rely on cheap rental rods that might not be in great shape.<\/p><p>There are two main ways to fish from shore. You can explore the canals in search of Bass, Snook, and exotic invaders like Clown Knife Fish. Otherwise, head to the beach to cast for Trout, Redfish, Snook, and small Sharks. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fortlauderdale.gov\/government\/departments-a-h\/fire-rescue\/beach-conditions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">By law<\/a>, you can only fish on Fort Lauderdale Beach between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., but the fishing is better at night, anyway.<\/p><h3 id=\"pier-fishing\">Pier Fishing<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150628\/Fort-Lauderdale-Pier-Fishing-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A view along Anglin's Pier in Fort Lauderdale at sunset\" class=\"wp-image-12760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150628\/Fort-Lauderdale-Pier-Fishing-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150628\/Fort-Lauderdale-Pier-Fishing-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150628\/Fort-Lauderdale-Pier-Fishing-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150628\/Fort-Lauderdale-Pier-Fishing-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150628\/Fort-Lauderdale-Pier-Fishing-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>If your main priority is catching fish, go to a fishing pier. It&rsquo;s a one-stop shop for everything you need, from rods and bait to cleaning stations and benches. Pier fishing may not have the same outdoorsy vibes as surf fishing, but you&rsquo;re much more likely to catch something thanks to the structure the pier provides.<\/p><p>Unfortunately, the closest fishing pier to Fort Lauderdale, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.boatlessfishing.com\/anglins.htm\">Anglin&rsquo;s Pier<\/a>, is currently closed and is unlikely to be open for the foreseeable future. However, when it is up and running, expect everything you&rsquo;d find on the beach plus Mackerel, Cobia, and even small Snappers.<\/p><h3 id=\"charter-fishing\">Charter Fishing<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150631\/Fort-Lauderdale-Charter-Fishing-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"A charter boat moored on a sunny day off Fort Lauderdale, with charter captain on board\" class=\"wp-image-12757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150631\/Fort-Lauderdale-Charter-Fishing-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150631\/Fort-Lauderdale-Charter-Fishing-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150631\/Fort-Lauderdale-Charter-Fishing-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150631\/Fort-Lauderdale-Charter-Fishing-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150631\/Fort-Lauderdale-Charter-Fishing-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>No matter what you&rsquo;re after, fishing on a charter is the best way to get it. Your captain will take you to the best spots for each species and supply you with high-quality equipment to catch them. They&rsquo;ll teach you their top tricks for tempting in fish and be on hand to help you once you wrestle your prize to the boat.<\/p><p>There are dozens of <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/location\/us\/FL\/fort-lauderdale?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=12741\">charter boats in Fort Lauderdale<\/a>. Some boats are set up for big game, bluewater angling. Others are best at combing the shallows or exploring the city&rsquo;s canals. You can even hire an on-foot guide if you want to catch big Bass from land. Whatever you&rsquo;re after, there&#8217;s a guide or a captain who specializes in it.<\/p><div class='featured-charters-container' data-trigger='featured-charters' data-destination-id='102' data-destination-title='Fort Lauderdale' data-perpage='4' data-currency='USD'data-filter-field=''data-filter-value=''data-headline='Top Fishing Charters in Fort Lauderdale'data-add-type='m'><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h3 id=\"party-boat-fishing\">Party Boat Fishing<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150630\/Fort-Lauderdale-Party-Boat-Fishing-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A view along the deck of a party fishing boat, with rods lined up and the Fort Lauderdale skyline in the background\" class=\"wp-image-12758\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150630\/Fort-Lauderdale-Party-Boat-Fishing-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150630\/Fort-Lauderdale-Party-Boat-Fishing-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150630\/Fort-Lauderdale-Party-Boat-Fishing-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150630\/Fort-Lauderdale-Party-Boat-Fishing-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150630\/Fort-Lauderdale-Party-Boat-Fishing-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p><a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/fort-lauderdale-party-boat-fishing\/\">Party boats<\/a>, or drift boats, are bigger, shared charters that offer a slice of ocean angling on a budget. As you might guess from the name, you&rsquo;ll mainly be drift fishing around reefs and wrecks. Your main targets will be Snappers, Groupers, and other tasty bottom fish. Some boats will also run longer trips, heading out in search of big pelagic predators.<\/p><p>We&rsquo;ve written at length about <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/complete-guide-to-drift-fishing-fort-lauderdale\/\">drift fishing in Fort Lauderdale<\/a> so we won&rsquo;t go over it all again here. In short, it&rsquo;s a great way to reel in some fish if you don&rsquo;t have enough people for a private trip. However, you don&rsquo;t get anywhere near as much help as you would on a charter, which can be frustrating for inexperienced anglers.<\/p><h2 id=\"fort-lauderdale-fishing-spots\">Fort Lauderdale Fishing Spots<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150620\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Spots-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Charter boats fishing in the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale\" class=\"wp-image-12767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150620\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Spots-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150620\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Spots-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150620\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Spots-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150620\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Spots-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150620\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Spots-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>There are hundreds of great fishing spots around Fort Lauderdale. Even if you&rsquo;re after one specific species, you&rsquo;re spoiled for choice on where to catch it. To narrow things down, here are the main fishing areas near town:<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Intracoastal Waterway:<\/strong> The main target here is Tarpon, but you can also find Snook, Redfish, Trout, and more. Fish from shore in spots like Hugh Taylor Birch State Park or jump on a boat to reach more secluded areas. Keep an eye out for manatees in the winter!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fort Lauderdale Inlet:<\/strong> Another spot that&rsquo;s great on a boat or from shore. Cast from the jetties on the north side of the inlet for Jacks and Snook. Otherwise, take to the water for even bigger Snook and the added chance of hooking Tarpon, Cobia, and much more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anglin&rsquo;s Pier:<\/strong> It costs $7 to fish from the pier. You can also rent rods and buy bait here. Depending on when you visit, you could catch Snook, Pompano, Permit, Cobia, Bluefish, King and Spanish Mackerel, and more. With so many fish about, something will bite before long.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Canals:<\/strong> Fort Lauderdale is a maze of canals, most of which are full of fish. Fish around bridges and docks in your nearest canal for Largemouth and Peacock Bass, Snakehead, and Bowfin. You can also find big Snook, Tarpon, Redfish, and more in saltier waters.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reefs: <\/strong>There are almost 100 reefs around Fort Lauderdale. You need a boat to reach them, but they&#8217;re well worth the journey. Shallow spots hold Yellowtail and Mutton Snapper, Mackerel, and Cobia. Deeper reefs are home to big Snappers, Groupers, Amberjack, and more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gulf Stream:<\/strong> If you&rsquo;re after real bucket-list fishing, this is the place to go. The Gulf Stream comes right past Fort Lauderdale, bringing Wahoo, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, and Sailfish within 10 miles of the shore. You can even catch Marlin and Swordfish out here!<\/li>\n<\/ul><h2 id=\"when-to-go-fishing-in-fort-lauderdale\">When to Go Fishing in Fort Lauderdale<\/h2><p>There&rsquo;s no bad time to visit Florida&rsquo;s Gold Coast. The weather&rsquo;s always warm and the fish are always biting. However, there are a few angling events that you don&rsquo;t want to miss. At the same time, some species are off-limits for part of the year.<\/p><h3 id=\"fort-lauderdale-fishing-tournaments\">Fort Lauderdale Fishing Tournaments<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150623\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Tournaments-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Several sportfishing boats heading offshore for a fishing tournament\" class=\"wp-image-12764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150623\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Tournaments-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150623\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Tournaments-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150623\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Tournaments-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150623\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Tournaments-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150623\/Fort-Lauderdale-Fishing-Tournaments-2048x1364.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>Most tournaments in the Fort Lauderdale area run out of nearby <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/location\/us\/FL\/pompano-beach?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=12741\">Pompano Beach<\/a>. The season starts off in February with the Sailfish Challenge, a serious bluewater event with hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes. Expect some fierce rivalry if you sign up for this one.<\/p><p>If you&rsquo;re looking for something more relaxed, check out the Saltwater Summer Series. Three tournaments run from May to August: the Shootout, Slam, and Showdown. These are more fun-focused events, targeting Kingfish, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, and Tuna. They still offer plenty of friendly competition, though.<\/p><p>Do you love fishing, charity, and wine? Ever wished that you could enjoy them all at once? Sounds like the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.linevineanddine.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Line, Vine, and Dine Tournament<\/a> is for you. This charitable event benefits local causes with a Billfish tournament and auction. There are no big prizes, but you can expect some seriously good food and plenty of fine wine.<\/p><h2 id=\"fort-lauderdale-fishing-regulations\">Fort Lauderdale Fishing Regulations<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/20125225\/Fort-Lauderdale.jpg\" alt='An infographic featuring the flag of Florida and text saying \"Fort Lauderdale Fishing Regulations, What You Need to Know\" above a vector of a boat against a blue background' class=\"wp-image-69824\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/20125225\/Fort-Lauderdale.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/20125225\/Fort-Lauderdale-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/20125225\/Fort-Lauderdale-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/20125225\/Fort-Lauderdale-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>Before you start reeling in fish, you should be aware of some important closed seasons. Most Grouper species are protected from January 1 to May 1, while Hogfish are off-limits from November 1 to April 31. Snook have two closures around Fort Lauderdale: December 15 to January 31, and June 1 to August 31. Finally, Tarpon are release-only all year round.<\/p><p>Whenever you visit, make sure you buy a fishing license if you need one. All freshwater anglers aged 16 and up need a license. In saltwater, you don&rsquo;t need a license on a charter or a licensed pier. Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/florida-fishing-license\/\">Florida license guide<\/a> for exceptions and common questions.<\/p>    <h2 id=\"fort-lauderdale-fishing-faqs\">Fort Lauderdale Fishing FAQs<\/h2>\n<div id=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb\" class=\"fbgb-faq-block aligncenter fbgb-faq-style-accordion\">\n    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-container\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-item \" data-faq-item=\"0\">\n                <div class=\"fbgb-faq-question\" \n                     role=\"button\" \n                     tabindex=\"0\" \n                     aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                     aria-controls=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-0\">\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-question-text\">Does Fort Lauderdale have good fishing?<\/span>\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-icon\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M6.5 12.4L12 8l5.5 4.4-.9 1.2L12 10l-4.5 3.6-1-1.2z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <div id=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-0\" \n                     class=\"fbgb-faq-answer \"\n                     aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-answer-content\">\n                        <p>Yes. Fort Lauderdale offers excellent angling opportunities for both saltwater and freshwater anglers. It\u2019s as famous for its deep sea pursuits as it is for its inland fishing thrills.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-item \" data-faq-item=\"1\">\n                <div class=\"fbgb-faq-question\" \n                     role=\"button\" \n                     tabindex=\"0\" \n                     aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                     aria-controls=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-1\">\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-question-text\">What fish are biting in Fort Lauderdale?<\/span>\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-icon\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M6.5 12.4L12 8l5.5 4.4-.9 1.2L12 10l-4.5 3.6-1-1.2z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <div id=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-1\" \n                     class=\"fbgb-faq-answer \"\n                     aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-answer-content\">\n                        <p>You can catch anything from Snook and Tarpon inshore to Sailfish offshore. But that\u2019s not all! Nearshore waters are brimming with Snapper and Grouper varieties, while inland fisheries bring memorable Peacock Bass.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-item \" data-faq-item=\"2\">\n                <div class=\"fbgb-faq-question\" \n                     role=\"button\" \n                     tabindex=\"0\" \n                     aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                     aria-controls=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-2\">\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-question-text\">Can you fish from the beach in Fort Lauderdale?<\/span>\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-icon\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M6.5 12.4L12 8l5.5 4.4-.9 1.2L12 10l-4.5 3.6-1-1.2z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <div id=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-2\" \n                     class=\"fbgb-faq-answer \"\n                     aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-answer-content\">\n                        <p>Absolutely! Fishing from the beach is quite popular in Fort Lauderdale. However, there\u2019s an important rule you have to remember \u2013 you can only fish from Fort Lauderdale Beach between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. as hours are limited.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-item \" data-faq-item=\"3\">\n                <div class=\"fbgb-faq-question\" \n                     role=\"button\" \n                     tabindex=\"0\" \n                     aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                     aria-controls=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-3\">\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-question-text\">How is fishing in Fort Lauderdale in December?<\/span>\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-icon\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M6.5 12.4L12 8l5.5 4.4-.9 1.2L12 10l-4.5 3.6-1-1.2z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <div id=\"fbgb-faq-69ea7ba9afadb-item-3\" \n                     class=\"fbgb-faq-answer \"\n                     aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-answer-content\">\n                        <p>Fishing in Fort Lauderdale is excellent in December. However, it might be good to know that not all species will be up for grabs during the month of December. While fishing is extraordinary for Sailfish, it\u2019s usually closed for Snook. December is also great for other big game fish, such as Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, and Tuna.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n    \n    <\/div>\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Does Fort Lauderdale have good fishing?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Fort Lauderdale offers excellent angling opportunities for both saltwater and freshwater anglers. It&rsquo;s as famous for its deep sea pursuits as it is for its inland fishing thrills.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What fish are biting in Fort Lauderdale?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"You can catch anything from Snook and Tarpon inshore to Sailfish offshore. But that&rsquo;s not all! Nearshore waters are brimming with Snapper and Grouper varieties, while inland fisheries bring memorable Peacock Bass.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Can you fish from the beach in Fort Lauderdale?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Absolutely! Fishing from the beach is quite popular in Fort Lauderdale. However, there&rsquo;s an important rule you have to remember &ndash; you can only fish from Fort Lauderdale Beach between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. as hours are limited.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How is fishing in Fort Lauderdale in December?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Fishing in Fort Lauderdale is excellent in December. However, it might be good to know that not all species will be up for grabs during the month of December. While fishing is extraordinary for Sailfish, it&rsquo;s usually closed for Snook. December is also great for other big game fish, such as Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, and Tuna.\"}}]}<\/script><h2 id=\"why-fort-lauderdale-because-its-all-on-your-doorstep\">Why Fort Lauderdale? Because It&rsquo;s All on Your Doorstep!<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150626\/Fort-Lauderdale-Beach-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A view along Fort Lauderdale Beach from the sea, with the beach, buildings, and the surf\" class=\"wp-image-12761\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150626\/Fort-Lauderdale-Beach-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150626\/Fort-Lauderdale-Beach-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150626\/Fort-Lauderdale-Beach-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150626\/Fort-Lauderdale-Beach-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150626\/Fort-Lauderdale-Beach-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>Fort Lauderdale offers some serious variety. Bass, Snook, Tarpon &ndash; you don&rsquo;t even need to leave the city to enjoy the trip of a lifetime. The offshore bite is just as impressive, with deep-water Snappers and even Billfish biting within sight of land. Throw in <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/location\/us\/FL\/fort-lauderdale?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=12741\">a large charter fleet<\/a> and Florida&rsquo;s famous weather, and you just sorted your vacation plans for the next decade!<\/p><p><em>Have you ever been fishing in Fort Lauderdale? What did you catch and how? Let us know your stories or drop us a question in the comments below. We look forward to hearing from you!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s no secret that Florida&#8216;s Gold Coast has great fishing. The area is impressive even by Floridian standards, with huge fish right in town and deep waters just a stone&rsquo;s throw from the shore. If you&rsquo;re planning on fishing Fort Lauderdale, you&rsquo;re in for a treat &ndash; especially if you know what to do. In [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":12763,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1472],"tags":[358,365,359,340,555,514,408,416],"class_list":["post-12741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-where-to-fish","tag-beginners-advice","tag-charter-advice","tag-fishing-without-a-boat","tag-florida","tag-fort-lauderdale","tag-peacock-bass","tag-sailfish","tag-snook"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fort Lauderdale Fishing: The Complete Guide (Updated 2022)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/fishing-fort-lauderdale\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fort Lauderdale Fishing: The Complete Guide for 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fishing in Fort Lauderdale: - Top spots &amp; species - How to fish (charter fishing, deep sea fishing, shore fishing) - When to come | For beginners and pros\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/fishing-fort-lauderdale\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"FishingBooker Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FishingBooker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-02-19T12:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-20T15:42:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2020\/02\/14150624\/Fort-Lauderdale-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1701\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Albert\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Albert\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video\" content=\"http:\/\/fast.wistia.com\/embed\/iframe\/xs45ahoupn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:type\" content=\"text\/html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:duration\" content=\"437\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:width\" content=\"960\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:height\" content=\"540\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:adult\" content=\"false\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:upload_date\" content=\"2020-02-19T12:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:allow_embed\" content=\"true\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Fort Lauderdale Fishing: The Complete Guide (Updated 2022)","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/fishing-fort-lauderdale\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Fort Lauderdale Fishing: The Complete Guide for 2026","og_description":"Fishing in Fort Lauderdale: - 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