Sizzling Florida Action: Mahi, Blackfin

Our latest charter off the coast of Fort Lauderdale turned into an unforgettable day on the water. While we routinely target aggressive gamefish along the reefs and wrecks, this particular trip produced a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Just a short run from the shore, a heavy bottom rig took a massive strike, and the angler on the rod immediately had their hands full with an extraordinary amount of drag-screaming power. After a grueling battle to bring the fish up through the water column, a giant Smalltooth Sawfish surfaced right alongside the vessel. The crew estimated the incredible prehistoric creature at roughly 15 feet from head to tail. Spotting a healthy specimen of this magnitude in the clear coastal waters of South Florida is a remarkably rare event and a true highlight for everyone on board. Because sawfish are a critically endangered species protected under strict state and federal guidelines, taking proper care during the handling process was our main focus. The fish was kept completely submerged in the water by the boat while the crew safely unhooked it. After a quick look at its impressive saw-like rostrum and a few photographs in the water, the giant swam away strong back into the Atlantic. This trip was a great reminder that you never truly know what is going to hit the bait when fishing the waters off Fort Lauderdale. Our charters run out of Bahia Mar Marina daily, fully stocked with top-quality gear for targeting everything from pelagic species out in the stream to heavy bottom dwellers on the reef.

The summertime bite is officially in full swing off Fort Lauderdale and we have been running hard out of Bahia Mar to keep our anglers' rods bent. We have been hitting the local reefs, deep wrecks, and blue water over our last few outings. The ocean gave us an incredible mix of high-speed surface runs, beautiful color on the wrecks, and pure muscle in the deep water. Our Blackfin Tuna blitz has been spectacular with fish showing up consistently in the clean water lanes between 200 and 500 feet. Trolling small feathers and squid spoons has been the absolute ticket to triggering these line screamers. The highlight of the week was having a young angler step up to the plate on one of these trips. He handled a beautiful, hard-fighting Blackfin like an absolute pro, matching the fish turn for turn until we got it over the gunwale. Moments like that are exactly what family fishing is all about. When we shifted gears to work the deep wrecks, we struck silver by tricking a gorgeous African Pompano. Known for their brutal downward pulling power and stunning, mirror-like looks, these fish are an absolute trophy on light vertical jigs. They are fantastic on the table and even better for photos back at the dock. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, we also headed further out to target big game. June is prime time for apex predators off Fort Lauderdale, and the deep blue delivered a massive Dusky Shark. We rigged up the heavy tackle, and it turned into an epic, back-breaking tug of war before we brought the powerful predator alongside the boat for a clean release. While the summer bite is red hot, the ocean is throwing some challenges our way with a heavy push of Sargassum weed moving in along the coast. The key right now is finding the clean water lanes and open edges. When the weed is too thick on top for a clean troll, we pivot immediately to deep-dropping on the wrecks or drifting live baits where we can control the presentation. We are utilizing light surface trolling rigs for the Blackfins, heavy vertical jigs for the wreck residents, and 80 to 100-pound test heavy tackle for the big game sharks. Whether you want to watch your kids reel in their very first gamefish, hook a silver trophy on the wrecks, or test your strength against a giant shark, the local waters are producing right now.

We started the trip hunting the blue water edges looking for weed lines and bird activity, and it didn't take long before we found a school of hungry Mahi Mahi. The ocean came alive with flashes of neon green and electric blue as multiple rods went off at once, bringing a beautiful haul of hard-fighting schoolies and a few heavy, tournament-sized Bull Mahi over the gunwales. Mahi are the ultimate crowd-pleaser for a charter because they jump high, put up a spectacular fight, and make for an unbelievable dinner after the trip. Once the fish box was looking healthy, we shifted gears to look for a real sea monster, dropping a heavy live bait rig into the deep. When the line finally started peeling, we knew instantly we were dealing with an absolute powerhouse. The drag screamed as a massive Tiger Shark pulled our group into a grueling, hour-long battle of heavy-duty tug-of-war that tested our tackle to the absolute limit. After an incredible team effort on deck, we finally brought the apex predator alongside the boat to admire its distinct dark stripes before safely releasing the beast to fight another day. From high-flying, colorful meat fish to a prehistoric giant, this is exactly what South Florida offshore sportfishing is all about—the bite is hot right now, so click Book Now on our profile to secure your date and catch your own story!