If you’ve never had the chance to chase colossal pelagics only a couple of miles from the shore, Hollywood deep sea fishing will be an exhilarating experience for you. Why is it so popular? With the continental shelf sloping sharply close to shore, you can find a fantastic deep sea fishery within just two miles of the dock. You could be casting your line in 500 feet of water after a short boat ride, which means that all the prized game fish are virtually at Hollywood’s doorstep.
What to Catch
When you head out into the deep, blue waters that surround Hollywood, your fishing options are endless. The extraordinary variety of the catch is irresistible for beginner anglers and pros alike. With Blackfin Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Swordfish, Sailfish, and a variety of Sharks all in the cards, you only need to decide what it is you want to target. If trolling or bottom fishing is your preferred technique, you can find charters that specialize in them, or if you’d like, you can go on a Swordfish hunt for the day.
If you’d like to combine bottom fishing with your deep sea fishing adventures, Hollywood has an abundance of reefs and wrecks to offer. This is where deep dropping comes into play, and it’s not uncommon to find giants of the deep at the end of your line. Vermillion Snapper is a common catch, as well as Golden Tilefish, and both of these game fish are delicious. Barrelfish, Wreckfish, and more are also in the cards, usually in 600 feet of water. Groupers (Snowy, Warsaw, Black, Gag, Scorpion) also prefer to hide from the warm surface temperatures, and you can find them in 500 feet of water.
If you’re after big Sharks, you can look forward to anything from Hammerhead and Mako to Blacktip, Spinner, and Silky Sharks. Whatever you hook, the fight to bring it into the boat will be fierce and memorable.
Where to Go
Passionate anglers who come to fish in Hollywood appreciate the distinct advantage of deep sea fishing found so close to the shore. You can go 3–5 miles offshore, and the water can be anywhere from 400–2,000 feet deep. And this is where the creme de la creme of the fishing community loves to hang.
The Gulf Stream that brings warm waters so close to the Hollywood shore (you only need to go out 1–2 miles) creates the perfect feeding grounds for top ocean predators. And where the feeding grounds are, magnificent fishing opportunities follow. You can find good-size Blackfin Tuna a couple of miles from the shore, in 300–600 feet of water, around artificial wrecks and deeper reefs.
If you head even further out, you’ll be in the domain of Mahi Mahi and Swordfish. Though you can catch Mahi Mahi in shallower waters as well, the deeper you go, the better the chances you will land a big one. If Swordfish is your ultimate prey, then SE Florida is the place to come. The captains in this part of the world pioneered daytime swordfishing, and you’ll hardly find a better Swordfish bite in the broad daylight anywhere in the world. Bouncers Haul of Swords is one of the best Swordfish hot spots in the area.
Speaking of impressive Billfish, Sailfish is the crown jewel of Hollywood fishing, and there’s never a strict rule when you can hook one. Usually, 300–500 feet is the sweet spot for Sailfish, and if you want to go when the bite is red hot, winter months are your best bet.
How to Fish
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Tuna can’t resist rigged ballyhoo, natural feathers, and bonito strips, so trolling with them will give you the best results. Mahi Mahi is another possible catch when you can use this setup.
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Trolling is the name of the game when it comes to Hollywood deep sea fishing, but sometimes when the winds are strong, kite fishing with live bait for Sailfish is the recipe for success.
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Chasing Sharks? Use bonito or small king mackerel as live bait and drop it in the waters that are over 300 feet deep for a supersized Mako or Hammerhead.
When to Go
Fishing in the deep Hollywood waters is exciting year round, so whenever you go, you won’t be disappointed. The Sailfish winter bite is extraordinary, so if you’d like to take a breather from all the snow and cold, come to Hollywood to discover new fishing horizons.
According to some charter captains, April is the best time to come if you’re after a mixed bag of catch and beautiful fishing weather. There’s no limit to what you could reel in this month – Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna (Blackfin, Skipjack), Bonito, Jacks, Barracuda, and Sharks. Speaking of Sharks, in case you want to go after these giants, you will do well to come anytime from February to May. For all the anglers that enjoy deep dropping, Grouper and Snapper fishing is very good in May and June, and beautiful golden Tilefish is lively throughout the year.
Whether you’re after your next trophy or you want to work on your angling skills, the diversity of SE Florida deep sea fishing will exceed your expectations.