Wahoos have shown up to crush our kite baits and our Kingfish baits trolled behind planers. The only thing better than the screaming drags and intense fights with Wahoo are how Wahoo taste on your dinner table! King Mackerel are Challenging Sailfish for Dominance! King Mackerel (‘Kingfish”) have also set up shop on and near the reefs to pounce on our unwary kite baits and trolled baits and they have only gotten thicker – and hungrier. Kingfish have teeth that are more like surgical scalpels and they fight hard, which is why we call them “smokers” – they will smoke your drag on scorching runs once they’re hooked. When they’re not crushing our live baits under the kite or slow-trolled, Kingfish have also been responding to our strip baits trolled below the surface on planers along with as Islanders with ballyhoo in both the blue/white and red/black color combinations. We’ve been finding the Kingfish in between 70 and 150 feet of water. Fishing has been so good that we even caught them on our Drift boat the “Lois Ann”.

Here in south Florida, as we anticipate the arrival of our first significant cold front, we have already seen effects of cooler weather. Schools of Mullet fill the canals and with the bait fish moving into our area, so do bigger fish. These days, it is not unusual to see a Sailfish or two while we troll for other species. One of our most sought-after game fish, these sightings and bites will become more frequent. Dragging live Ballyhoo or Bonito bullets can also be very productive. If this is one of your “bucket List” fish, now is an excellent time to come try your luck. Kingfish have been biting well in the reef area. The Bonitos have reduced their numbers giving us a chance at a few kings now. October and early November is also an excellent time of year for Blackfin Tuna and Wahoo. You just never know what will strike when trolling the area with rigged dead baits. Mahi-mahi have also been making appearances. The small ones released just a few months ago are now “keepers”. And as time goes on, the larger fish will be showing up. With the baitfish running close to shore, there is no reason to venture to deeper waters or further from shore. They will be found in close, sometimes less than a mile from shore. On the days that conditions do not give great trolling results; the bottom has been active with snapper and grouper. Our wrecks and reefs have been producing some great fish as of late. And most are great table fare if you are looking for something to eat. With the fish on the move, any day can be the day that fish of a lifetime shows up. Exciting, good eating, biggest ever in your life, it can all happen right now. Come join us, won’t you? Capt. David

While some of you up north are already feeling cooler temperatures, here in south Florida we relish the coming weeks. It might not seem like much but there is a big difference between low 90’s and mid to high 80’s. With the days becoming shorter the ocean waters will also see the temperatures drop. And that begins our fall fishing. As the water cools, small bait fish begin their travel south for the warmer water. Mullet are the most predominant easily seen from the beach or in the canals. Huge schools traveling south and behind them come the fish following the food. Our fishing trend changes from the summer pattern of Kings and Bonito to more of the pelagic type fish. Sailfish become a daily occurrence while trolling as do Tuna and some Mahi. October is usually one of the better months for Wahoo. And all these fish can be had just a few miles from shore here in Fort Lauderdale. This is also a time of year we start switching from trolling to fishing with live bait. While we do and can troll year-round, with cooler water, the surface waters are more conducive to presenting live bait either from the riggers or the kite. Kite fishing has always been a favorite because you often get to see what’s biting your line. Sailfish, Mahi or sharks can easily be seen. Wahoo, Tuna and King are usually too quick, and a splash is all you will get. If you are planning a trip to Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood Beach, consider fishing while you are here. It should be good and you never know… You might just catch that fish of a lifetime. Reservations can be made right on our website. For additional information give us a call or fill out on of our email requests for info.