Fresh Las Olas Fishing Reports

The Shrimp Run is here and in full effect! This is one of my favorite times of the year, the Shrimp Run! Cold weather kicks off this huge flow of shrimp and the Tarpon can’t get enough! Fishing the Shrimp Run for Tarpon in Miami is one of the most exciting times of the year! Drifting by the boat by the thousands these shrimp shine like diamonds at night. Their eyes glow in the dimmest of ambient light from bridges, docks and buildings and the tarpon glide sideways just below the surface scooping as many as they can. This time of year brings out some of the biggest Tarpon, this past week we’ve hooked into some fish pushing 150LBS!! And all caught on light tackle with just a shrimp and a circle hook!! Between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale finding the bait is key. A few nights we fished downtown Miami on the incoming tide, cruised around until we started seeing the shrimp on the surface in big numbers then started drifting our baits. When the shrimp are that thick it doesn’t take long for the tarpon to show up. I’ll fish 3 lines at a time, one on a float, one on a flat line and one with a small splitshot this way we cover most of the water column on our drift. Fishing for tarpon with live shrimp can be tricky as sometimes the bite will feel like a grunt just picked you up and sometimes the fish will damn near knock the rod out of your hand. We fish open bail and when you feel a strike no matter how big or small you feed the bait to the fish for a few seconds then close the bail and hang on!! We also put in some time at Haulover, fishing close to the bridge near the slack tides when the tarpon start to roll around. That inlet has a crazy current so the bridge only has a short window where you can get a clean presentation for these big fish. Anchoring way up ahead of the bridge and drifting baits back in the current works best for me. Here in Ft Lauderdale the shrimp are just starting to show up in small numbers and the incoming tide at night has proven successful. Drifting the inlet close to the jetty is one of the most effective ways to find big fish when conditions allow. It takes some time and patience to get a clean spread out there when drifting shrimp with a few lines and as the tide and current change almost each drift is different. Take your time, get those lines out there and wait out these big fish. When the bite really turns on you can start throwing artificials out at these fish and they’ll bite. I like using the large profile shrimp lures in a white color at night. Less is more when using these lures, a slow retrieve with just a little bit of action gets the job done. It’s only gonna get better in Ft Lauderdale for tarpon fishing as the season goes on. Soon the fish will stack the bridges and the inlet and will form a consistent pattern as the shrimp start to fill in here. If you are in the Ft. Lauderdale/ Miami area and are looking for an inshore fishing charter give me a shout! This is one of the best times of the year for BIG Tarpon!!

Hey anglers! Captain Mike here with your fishing report for January and February. The winter months are in full swing, but that doesn’t mean the fishing has slowed down! We’ve had some incredible days on the water, with plenty of action for both seasoned pros and first-timers. Offshore Action: The sailfish bite has been on fire! We’ve been hooking into these majestic fish regularly, with some days seeing multiple sails raised and fought. Kite fishing with live bait has been the most effective method, but we’ve also had success trolling dead baits. Blackfin tuna have also been a consistent presence offshore, which is highly unusual for this time of year. We usually don’t see them until April at the earliest, this is a rare opportunity to catch this amazing fish. We’ve been finding schools of tuna around the reefs and wrecks, and they’ve been eager to take live bait. These fish are a blast to catch and make for some delicious table fare! Kingfish Bonanza: February is kingfish time, and we’ve been seeing some smoker kings showing up in our chum slicks. These toothy critters are a thrill to catch, and they put up a great fight. Live bait has been the key to success here, with pilchards and goggle eyes being the baits of choice. Wahoo! While not as consistent as the sailfish or tuna during these months, we’ve had some exciting encounters with wahoo. These speed demons can show up at any time, and when they do, it’s game on! High-speed trolling with lures like Islanders and Marauders has been the most effective way to target them. Keeping a wahoo lure or two in the spread while targeting other species is always a good idea this time of year. The payoff is well worth the effort when you hook into one of these powerful and delicious fish. Tips for Success: Live bait is key: Make sure you have plenty of live bait on hand, as this is what the fish are feeding on this time of year. Be patient: Sometimes the fish can be finicky, so be patient and don’t give up. Dress appropriately: It can get chilly on the water in the winter, so dress in layers and bring a rain jacket. Book your trip early: Our trips fill up quickly in winter and spring, so book your trip in advance to secure your spot. Looking Ahead: The fishing should continue to be excellent in the coming months, with the sailfish and kingfish bite remaining strong. We’re also expecting to see more wahoo and dolphin showing up as the water warms up. So, if you’re looking for an action-packed fishing trip, give us a call at Good Hit Sport Fishing. We’ll put you on the fish and make sure you have a memorable experience! Tight lines, Captain Mike, Good Hit Sport Fishing

Cooler months in South Florida, while everyone else in the country freezes their tail off. We in South Florida get the opportunity to continue to go fishing, some recent cold fronts have turned the sailfish on, along with other species including, shark fishing, king fishing, and snapper fishing. Sailfishing in january is often peak season for sailfishing in warmer waters. Look for them in deeper offshore waters, commonly around structure like reefs or drop-offs. Trolling with bointa strips or using live bait like goggle eyes, pilchards, or cigar minows can be effective. Shark Fishing-This time of year can yield great shark fishing opportunities, especially for species like bullsharks, sandbar sharls, tiger sharka and hammerhead sharks. They can be found nearshore or offshore. Chumming the waters with cut bait can attract sharks to your fishing spot. Goliath Grouper- while they can be targeted year-round, . It’s essential to look for specific spots where they're known to hang out, often around reefs or wrecks. We typlically hook golaith groupers while taegting sharks, and they are very aggressive. King Fishing-King mackerel are usually active in the winter months. They often gather near structures such as wrecks and reefs. Trolling with live bait or artificial lures can lead to successful catches. Snapper Fishing-Snapper, particularly species like red snapper, can be caught in deeper waters during January. They tend to be plentiful around reefs and rocky bottoms. Using squid or fish fillets as bait typically works well. Make sure to prepare for colder weather when heading out. If you have any specific interests or need tips on techniques, feel free to ask!

Cooler months in South Florida, while everyone else in the country freezes their tail off. We in South Florida get the opportunity to continue to go fishing, some recent cold fronts have turned the sailfish on, along with other species including, shark fishing, king fishing, and snapper fishing. Sailfishing in january is often peak season for sailfishing in warmer waters. Look for them in deeper offshore waters, commonly around structure like reefs or drop-offs. Trolling with bointa strips or using live bait like goggle eyes, pilchards, or cigar minows can be effective. Shark Fishing-This time of year can yield great shark fishing opportunities, especially for species like bullsharks, sandbar sharls, tiger sharka and hammerhead sharks. They can be found nearshore or offshore. Chumming the waters with cut bait can attract sharks to your fishing spot. Goliath Grouper- while they can be targeted year-round, . It’s essential to look for specific spots where they're known to hang out, often around reefs or wrecks. We typlically hook golaith groupers while taegting sharks, and they are very aggressive. King Fishing-King mackerel are usually active in the winter months. They often gather near structures such as wrecks and reefs. Trolling with live bait or artificial lures can lead to successful catches. Snapper Fishing-Snapper, particularly species like red snapper, can be caught in deeper waters during January. They tend to be plentiful around reefs and rocky bottoms. Using squid or fish fillets as bait typically works well. Make sure to prepare for colder weather when heading out. If you have any specific interests or need tips on techniques, feel free to ask!

Cooler months in South Florida, while everyone else in the country freezes their tail off. We in South Florida get the opportunity to continue to go fishing, some recent cold fronts have turned the sailfish on, along with other species including, shark fishing, king fishing, and snapper fishing. Sailfishing in january is often peak season for sailfishing in warmer waters. Look for them in deeper offshore waters, commonly around structure like reefs or drop-offs. Trolling with bointa strips or using live bait like goggle eyes, pilchards, or cigar minows can be effective. Shark Fishing-This time of year can yield great shark fishing opportunities, especially for species like bullsharks, sandbar sharls, tiger sharka and hammerhead sharks. They can be found nearshore or offshore. Chumming the waters with cut bait can attract sharks to your fishing spot. Goliath Grouper- while they can be targeted year-round, . It’s essential to look for specific spots where they're known to hang out, often around reefs or wrecks. We typlically hook golaith groupers while taegting sharks, and they are very aggressive. King Fishing-King mackerel are usually active in the winter months. They often gather near structures such as wrecks and reefs. Trolling with live bait or artificial lures can lead to successful catches. Snapper Fishing-Snapper, particularly species like red snapper, can be caught in deeper waters during January. They tend to be plentiful around reefs and rocky bottoms. Using squid or fish fillets as bait typically works well. Make sure to prepare for colder weather when heading out. If you have any specific interests or need tips on techniques, feel free to ask!

Cooler months in South Florida, while everyone else in the country freezes their tail off. We in South Florida get the opportunity to continue to go fishing, some recent cold fronts have turned the sailfish on, along with other species including, shark fishing, king fishing, and snapper fishing. Sailfishing in january is often peak season for sailfishing in warmer waters. Look for them in deeper offshore waters, commonly around structure like reefs or drop-offs. Trolling with bointa strips or using live bait like goggle eyes, pilchards, or cigar minows can be effective. Shark Fishing-This time of year can yield great shark fishing opportunities, especially for species like bullsharks, sandbar sharls, tiger sharka and hammerhead sharks. They can be found nearshore or offshore. Chumming the waters with cut bait can attract sharks to your fishing spot. Goliath Grouper- while they can be targeted year-round, . It’s essential to look for specific spots where they're known to hang out, often around reefs or wrecks. We typlically hook golaith groupers while taegting sharks, and they are very aggressive. King Fishing-King mackerel are usually active in the winter months. They often gather near structures such as wrecks and reefs. Trolling with live bait or artificial lures can lead to successful catches. Snapper Fishing-Snapper, particularly species like red snapper, can be caught in deeper waters during January. They tend to be plentiful around reefs and rocky bottoms. Using squid or fish fillets as bait typically works well. Make sure to prepare for colder weather when heading out. If you have any specific interests or need tips on techniques, feel free to ask!