Deep Sea Fishing in Fort Lauderdale with Top Shot Fishing Team
Capt. David Zsak
November 16, 2025
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
We've had some fantastic fishing here in Fort Lauderdale, and these two recent trips aboard the 52' Hatteras "Happy Day Today" and Top Shot Sportfishing Charters delivered everything from Smoker Kings to great family memories.
Trip 1 – Matthew and Friends Score Smoker King Mackerel
Matthew and his friends flew in from around the country for a getaway of golf and deep sea fishing in Fort Lauderdale, and the timing couldn't have been better. Conditions were ideal—75°
temperatures, a light north current, and a gentle northeast breeze. At 1 PM we pulled away from the Bahia Mar Marina, and within 20 minutes we had lines in the water catching bait. Love it when a plan comes together.
In just 10 minutes we loaded the livewell with over a dozen lively Bullet Bonitos—perfect baits for toothy predators. Kyle rigged them on wire stinger treble rigs, with one treble set along the jawline and the stinger trailing near the tail. This prevents pelagic fish with sharp teeth from chopping the bait in half and missing the hook.
With five baits swimming in 100 + feet of water, the action started almost immediately. A 20-pound King Mackerel exploded on the shotgun high line, ripping off drag as one of the anglers jumped into action. After a strong back-and-forth fight, we sunk the gaff and welcomed the first quality King into the boat.
We reset and continued trolling along the reef, an area we call Sailfish Alley, where migrating pelagics cruise north and south. A few boats in the fleet hooked Sailfish and we were hoping to raise one ourselves.
But then came the hit we'll be talking about for a long time.
One of the Bonito baits got absolutely crushed—and the fish smoked off line in a way that instantly told us this was a special one. Matthew settled into the fight, dealing with long, powerful runs before finally working the fish to the surface. Kyle reached out with a clean gaff shot, and the celebration began.
Once on deck, we measured the King Mackerel at 58 inches long—an absolute moose for Fort Lauderdale. A truly memorable catch for the entire crew.
Trip 2 – John & Chris Enjoy a Perfect Father-Son Half Day
John and his son Chris joined us for a 4-hour charter looking for action and something fresh for dinner. Conditions were just right with one- to two-foot chop and light winds—perfect for keeping lines tight and rods bending.
We started the trip trolling the reef offshore Fort Lauderdale with surface baits and a pair of deep planer lines. The action came early when the planer tripped and Chris was on his first fish of the day—a feisty Bonita. He did a great job as a junior angler fighting it to the boat, and we ended up catching a few more Bonita. It wasn't long before the next rigger line got a hit.
This time a Mahi Mahi chased down the Ballyhoo, inhaled it, and turned sideways—hooked up. Chris was back in the chair and once again did a fantastic job bringing the fish to the transom, where Kyle gaffed the Mahi and brought dinner aboard.
To finish out the trip, we moved to a deep water shipwreck. I positioned the boat just up-current, and we dropped a live bait rigged with a circle hook and two-pound lead straight to the bottom. Almost immediately the bait got picked up. John set the hook and brought a solid Jack to the surface. After a quick photo, we released it to fight another day.
For their first deep sea fishing trip in Fort Lauderdale, John and Chris had a great outing—four Bonita for nonstop action, a nice Mahi Mahi for dinner, and a bonus Jack to close out the day.
Book Your Fort Lauderdale Deep Sea Fishing Charter
To book your own adventure aboard the Happy Day Today and Top Shot Sportfishing Charters, contact Capt. Dave Zsak at (954) 439-8106 or visit www.topshotfishing.com.
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