Deep sea fishing out of Fort Pierce is a shortcut to fun days on the water filled with screaming lines and massive catches. The waters roll down to 200+ ft and deeper and the distance you need to travel is not intimidating - the sweet spots are scattered between 15 and 40 miles offshore.

A full day trip should be enough to get you close to some of the intimidating game fish though - think Mahi, Marlin, Wahoo, Swordfish, Sailfish, or bottom-dwelling Snapper, Grouper, and Amberjacks. Let’s dive in and see what you can get.

What can you get out of Fort Pierce?

As you head east, towards the gulf stream, you will experience a surge in fish size and numbers. These trips will be a great experience for anglers with stamina but also newbies looking to get a taste of their first deep sea fish.

Just as you break the 10 mile mark from the dock, you will find yourself above Snapper and Grouper fisheries. The bottoms are between 70 and 90 ft deep, so make sure you have jigs and rods ready for action. And, while you’re there, you should check out the reefs where Kingfish swim. The waters are approximately the same depth and offer enough space for some prime time trolling for Kings.

If you want more playful opponents, you will love the fact that approximately at the same distance you could be snatching Mahi Mahi and Sailfish. Some really big specimens have been reeled in where the waters are between 75 and 90 ft deep.

As a rule of a thumb, the deeper the fishery, the bigger the catch, and you can count on that around Fort Pierce as well. Get your trolling gear ready for Bull Dolphins that strike hard and live up to 20 miles out, where the ocean is about 180 ft deep or more. Here you can also get some feisty Sailfish - and in winter months they will be starving.

You can get Tunas at roughly the same latitude, anywhere after the 12 mile point, as well as Wahoo, White and Blue Marlin, and some more Mahis.

And for the ultimate award, go explore the deep waters near the gulf stream, so 30 miles and more from the shore. These waters are home to Swordfish - praised for their strength and stubbornness. They won’t give in easily and will usually stay at depths of 500 ft and deeper. But if you want a quarter-ton sized catch, then Fort Pierce is the place to be.

What’s the best time to go deep sea fishing?

The colder months are a great time to target game fish without the blaze of the summer. Sailfish are active around this time, closely followed by Mahi Mahi and Sailfish at the end of the year. So if you’re thinking about what to get your friends for Christmas, give them a fishing trip to remember.

Summer months are traditionally Snapper and Grouper time, and the hype that surrounds them is not any weaker around Fort Pierce. And for a reason. They are yummy and shiny, and who wouldn’t like to get a photo with Red Snapper.

Speaking of bottom fish, if you want to pick up a fight with a brute, then count on Amberjacks that, luckily enough, can be reeled in throughout the year