We're entering into mahi mahi season and it's starting to show decent numbers. We'd like to see bigger fish but we are at least seeing some at all. during summer months, when the seas are calmer, we will venture further offshore in search of floating debris or weed lines. Now finding weed alone isn't a guarantee, in fact it's just one factor. Mahi do not eat seaweed but simply hunt around it, finding small bait fish, minnows, shrimp, crab etc. It is often that we will find seaweed lines that are miles long yet we won't have a single bite. The reason for this is that the weed might have already been hunted on and the fish have moved on or it's a new patch that hasn't been found yet. The recent trips have shown this exact example. I've found fantastic looking weed lines and have trolled up and down without a single bite and then "kapow"!! Fish on! As mentioned earlier, a lot of these fish are young and are simply too small to harvest but we are seeing a few that make the mark and get a free boat ride home in the cooler! The best method for mahi is often by trolling ballyhoo or bonito strips matched up with various skirts. Many captains prefer to use live bait but those only come into play once you've made contact with the fish and they seem to be in abundance. You'll have a live bait to offer up when multiple fish come to the boat. Live bait isn't always necessary though. If you're considering booking based on this report then please consider a few things. The ocean is vast! It's simple massive and mahi are highly migratory fish. They can swim thousands of miles per year and eat as much as they can but sometimes they are nowhere to be found. We spend the majority of our lives in pursuit of the perfect moment but often times we are left to dream of a better trip... Next time!

The last few weeks have been tough. Tough for everyone in fact but there's a light at the end of the tunnel! March is usually a warm month but this year we saw a few additional cold fronts then normal and the skies were light blue and fishing was very challenging at times. The last few days I've been catching decent amount of tuna throughout the day but mostly during afternoon charters. That being said, they can bite all day, sometimes or not at all. Wahoo have made an appearance as well with a few decent fish being caught on the planers while trolling. March is typically the time where amberjack move around the wrecks and are caught dropping live baits on heavy tackle and several lbs of weight just to hit bottom. The current in South Florida can at times be ridiculously strong, so strong in fact that anchored ships seem to be underway due to their wakes! That's right, a wake while being achored. When the current is that strong, it can be hard to fish a ship wreck because you'll have to drop a long way ahead of the wreck and slowly drift back over the spot. Fish can move behind structure just to tuck away from the current. Blue water from the Gulfstream will be much closer at those times and wahoo and tuna will be biting. How about mahi mahi? A few have been caught but nothing to write home about and Sailfish continue to move through in decent numbers but are still not guaranteed. Water temperatures are beginning to warm slightly and spring weather will bring in much better fishing from now through summer!

The last few weeks have been tough. Tough for everyone in fact but there's a light at the end of the tunnel! March is usually a warm month but this year we saw a few additional cold fronts then normal and the skies were light blue and fishing was very challenging at times. The last few days I've been catching decent amount of tuna throughout the day but mostly during afternoon charters. That being said, they can bite all day, sometimes or not at all. Wahoo have made an appearance as well with a few decent fish being caught on the planers while trolling. March is typically the time where amberjack move around the wrecks and are caught dropping live baits on heavy tackle and several lbs of weight just to hit bottom. The current in South Florida can at times be ridiculously strong, so strong in fact that anchored ships seem to be underway due to their wakes! That's right, a wake while being achored. When the current is that strong, it can be hard to fish a ship wreck because you'll have to drop a long way ahead of the wreck and slowly drift back over the spot. Fish can move behind structure just to tuck away from the current. Blue water from the Gulfstream will be much closer at those times and wahoo and tuna will be biting. How about mahi mahi? A few have been caught but nothing to write home about and Sailfish continue to move through in decent numbers but are still not guaranteed. Water temperatures are beginning to warm slightly and spring weather will bring in much better fishing from now through summer!

South Florida has finally seen the push of SAILFISH that we've been waiting for! As stated in previous reports, cold fronts were needed to push the fish further along their journey. With a few additional cold spells, we started to see increased numbers. The water temperature hardly changes through the cold front but it's more about air pressure changes. The first day of a cold front usually begins with high dew point and rain which clears into bright blue and clear skies. Once the front made it's way through we begin to see the prevailing easterly winds come back. When the happens, it's madness. Recent tournament boats have seen double digit numbers from fort Pierce, FL down to the upper keys! Now that's a dream for a charter Captain but it can happen! Mahi mahi have joined in as well and are starting to show the signs for a healthy March/april. Join soon to catch a SAILFISH of your very own and a mahi for dinner!

The blackfin tuna are starting to show up! Blackfin tuna are caught all year long however we see a larger number of turn during early spring months. They range in depths between 100-350' and are caught trolling or with the use of live bait from a kite. Typically, they are eating very small minnows that we call "crack minnows" due to their appearance resembling shards of glass. They are as small as a fingernail clipping and we often use a small spoon to blend in or "match the hatch". Blackfin tuna are not as large as yellow or blue fin however they are fantastic eating and are a great sport fish! As summer months approach and the days grow longer, we will start to see the afternoon bites offering the most action for tuna however they can still show up earlier as well. Book now and fire up the grill!

Cold fronts = sailfish! We've been steadily watching the cold fronts as the Florida State saw snow once again. An occurrence of once a decade. These cold fronts are important for game fisherman such as myself but only one cold front is not enough. We need a few back to back to really see the advantage. Now we've received just that. We're just kicking off the season and are within the 4th cold front and the fish seem to be showing up. This morning (jan 25,2025) we managed to hook 2 sailfish within an hour apart meanwhile a few other boats saw similar success! Kite fishing in windy days will be the go to method so anticipate using live bait. Some live baits are caught on the trip, others are purchased to save time! As sailfish and other highly migratory fish travel south, they enter into narrowing depths and they begin to concentrate. Finding the perfect depth can be pivotal in setting up the kites on the drop. Color changes in the water can also provide variance in water temps, a sensitive element to fishing for billfish. I anticipate a strong season as we have weather reports that will push temperatures into the low 40s this month into feb. The colder the weather, the further south the fish will travel and in greater numbers! Capt Matt.