Tarpon in ft Lauderdale Hot temps and h

BIG FALL ACTION IS ALMOST HERE Summertime fishing in Ft Lauderdale aint easy, but anglers willing to work through the challenges have still been rewarded with some quality fish. With fall right around the corner, our attention is turning toward one of the most exciting events of the year: the South Florida Mullet Run. SUMMER FISHING HAS REQUIRED PATIENCE The summer season brought the usual combination of intense heat, warm water, afternoon thunderstorms and unpredictable conditions. On some days, we found plenty of bait and active fish. On others, the bait was scattered and the bite slowed down almost as soon as the sun climbed above the horizon. Smaller tarpon, tiny baits like grass shrimp, little pilchards and rain bait can make presentation tough. These fish will spend an entire tide eating the same tiny live baits and anything that looks slightly different gets ignored. Patience is a must in the summer. Evening and nighttime fishing charters have been most productive. Bridges, inlets and dock lights continue to hold snook and tarpon, especially when moving water concentrates baitfish. Summer fishing can test your patience, but one good tide change can quickly turn a slow trip into an unforgettable one. THE MULLET ARE COMING As we move toward September and October, schools of migrating mullet will begin traveling south along Florida’s Atlantic coast. The exact timing changes from year to year and is influenced by water temperatures, weather patterns and tropical systems. Once the first large schools reach Fort Lauderdale, the entire fishery can come alive. Tarpon, snook, jack crevalle, sharks, barracuda and other predators follow the schools and attack from every direction. Sometimes the surface erupts as mullet scatter through the air. Other times, the biggest fish stay beneath the school, waiting for an injured or separated baitfish. This is why the mullet run is one of my favorite times of the year. You never know what is going to eat your bait, and every cast has the potential to connect you with the fish of a lifetime. WHAT WE’LL BE TARGETING Large tarpon are always one of the main attractions. These fish follow the migrating bait along the beaches, through the inlets and into the Intracoastal Waterway. Hooking a big tarpon around a huge school of mullet is about as exciting as inshore fishing gets. Keeping our baits just outside the big schools of mullet, waiting on that heavy unmistakable strike, tarpon blast **hidden content** bait so hard you can feel the force of it from 50 yards away. Peeling drag then flying into the air seconds later putting on a show most anglers dream of. It’s all so visual. Snook will also be positioned near bridges, seawalls, jetties and inlet structure, using the current to ambush passing bait. Some of the largest snook of the season can be caught during this time. FINDING THE BAIT IS THE KEY Successful mullet-run fishing is not simply a matter of finding one school and sitting there all day. The bait can move quickly with the wind, tide and current. Birds, surface activity and nervous water can help reveal where the mullet are traveling, but staying mobile is often necessary. Presentation is important because the fish sometimes have thousands of natural baits from which to choose. A mullet that appears injured or becomes separated from the school is often the one that gets eaten. GET READY FOR 2026 SOUTH FLORIDA MULLET RUN! The summer season has made us earn every bite, but those challenging days help us prepare for the fast paced action of fall. Cooler temps, larger bait concentrations and hungry predators should create some of the best fishing opportunities of the year. The mullet run can arrive suddenly, and its best action does not last forever. If you want to experience big tarpon, snook and other hard-fighting predators feeding around massive schools of bait, now is the time to start planning your Fort Lauderdale fishing charter. You can book online at **hidden content** Whether you are an experienced angler or trying inshore fishing for the first time, the upcoming mullet run offers the chance to witness one of South Florida’s greatest natural events—and possibly catch the biggest fish of your life. Give me a call or shoot me a text if you are looking to book a trip! **hidden content** Captain Dennis Crowley Flat Bottom Fishing Charters Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Miami Tarpon Fishing Report – Night Fishing Charters During the Shrimp Run The annual shrimp run has arrived in Miami, bringing some of the best tarpon fishing we have seen all year. Massive schools of shrimp are moving through the waterways, stacking up along bridges, inlets, and channel edges—creating prime feeding conditions for trophy tarpon in these inshore fishing zones. The bite has been especially strong around bridge shadow lines, where artificial lighting attracts shrimp and baitfish, drawing in large tarpon ready to feed aggressively. For anglers looking to book a Miami fishing charter, this is peak season for targeting tarpon after dark. Current Conditions & Bite Report The most productive window has been the outgoing tide. During this time, shrimp are flushed through the system, and tarpon can be seen rolling and actively feeding near the surface. Live shrimp remains the top bait for most tarpon fishing charters in Miami, but artificial shrimp lures and soft plastics are also producing when presented naturally with the current. Light tackle and free-lined presentations are key to matching the hatch during heavy shrimp movement. Tarpon sizes this week are averaging 60 to 100 pounds, with larger fish staging in deeper cuts and current seams near major bridges. Anglers fishing multiple spots and staying mobile are seeing the most consistent action.

FORT LAUDERDALE NIGHTTIME TARPON FISHING REPORT – JULY 2025 Capt Dennis Flat Bottom Fishing Charters Region: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Time of Day: Night (5 PM – 1:00 AM) Target Species: Tarpon (20–100+ lbs) Water Temp: 83–86°F Tide Influence: Outgoing tide remains the most productive after sunset NIGHT FISHING OVERVIEW Nighttime tarpon fishing in Fort Lauderdale is hot in both action and temperature during July. As the sun goes down, the heat eases off, and tarpon become more aggressive, especially around well-lit structure like bridges, inlets, marinas, and dock lights. Using live pilchards and artificial lures after dark is one of the most consistent methods for hooking into both juvenile and trophy-class fish this time of year. PRIME NIGHTTIME LOCATIONS Bridges & Dock Lights Las Olas Bridge, Sunrise Blvd Bridge, and 17th Street Causeway are prime spots. Look for fish staging in current seams and shadow lines. Tarpon ambush bait flowing with the tide under the lights. ICW & New River Calm canal edges with overhanging docks and dim light provide cover for rolling fish. New River near downtown has been producing well around 10 PM–midnight. Port Everglades Inlet Larger tarpon are active on the outgoing tide at night, especially when bait schools flush through the channel. South side of the inlet, just past the jetty is a prime spot to find both snook and tarpon. LIVE PILCHARDS: NIGHTTIME TACTICS ✅ Setup Rod/Reel: 7′ medium-heavy spinning rod with 5000–6000 size reel Line: 30 lb braid to a 50–60 lb mono leader Hook: 5/0 circle hook, nose-hooked pilchards for freelining How to Fish Them Freeline with the current near light lines and shadow edges. Cast up-current and allow the bait to drift naturally into the strike zone. Keep the drag light — tarpon often hit without warning and go airborne fast. Try a splitshot when the current is strong to keep your bait streamlined. Hot Zones Pilchards drifted near bridge fenders and pilings are getting crushed. Fish are often suspended in 4–10 ft of water, close to structure. ARTIFICIAL LURE REPORT: NIGHT BITES ON PLASTICS & PLUGS Top Performing Lures Lure Type Recommended Models Notes Soft Swim Baits Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ, 3 & 4″ JYG Y Tail Match pilchard color: silver/green or pearl Suspending Twitchbaits MirrOlure MirrOdine XL, Yo-Zuri 3DS Minnow Work slow near light lines Topwater (Calm Nights) Rapala Skitter Walk, Heddon One Knocker Right at dusk Jigs 3/8–1/2 oz bucktail with soft plastics Cast near bridge pilings and work slow Retrieve Tips Use a slow, steady retrieve with occasional twitches near shadow lines. On slick calm nights, long pauses often trigger a strike. For suspended fish, let twitchbaits sink 3–5 seconds before working them through. MOON & TIDE INFLUENCE Moon Phase: Full Moon on July 10 — expect increased activity 2 days before and after, especially during outgoing tides. Best Tides: Outgoing tide from 9 PM to 1 AM has been most productive. Tarpon are staging at choke points, waiting for bait to flush out under dock and bridge lights. FINAL THOUGHTS Fort Lauderdale’s summer nights are alive with tarpon activity. Whether you’re freelining live pilchards near a bridge light or working a swimbait through a quiet canal, this is the time to hook into a silver king. Just remember: stay quiet, fish smart, and be ready when that drag screams and the fish takes to the air If you are in the Ft. Lauderdale/ Miami area and are looking for an inshore fishing charter give me a shout! Stay up to date on our local weather forecast And take a look at our FAQ page to see what you can do to be most prepared for your next fishing charter! Captain Dennis Crowley Flat Bottom Fishing Charters