Fishing charters in Fort Lauderdale
Capt. John Logan
March 20, 2018
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
The latest front has dropped early morning temperatures into the lower fifties with afternoons climbing into the low seventies. Beautiful virtually cloudless days with a slight south current and comfortable fishing conditions for deep sea fishing charters in Fort Lauderdale due to the slight northwest winds. Catches continue to vary widely on any given day with some days being very difficult.
There have been some Kings in water from 120 to 150 feet in depth. Trolling deep with braided lines and planers will draw the most bites. A typical planer approach includes two rods / planers and we fish ours with the shorter one @ about 40 feet down and our second longer rod digging down to just over 60 feet. We prefer a natural baits such as Bonito or Mullet strips shaped by our mates to 6 to 8 inch lengths.
As for larger fish there have been few Sails and with good sized Sharks being in the area most days we have been fortunate to have gotten into some good fights. This is basically very simple fishing involving setting typically two or three baits ( fresh dead baits ) in the spread. One @ the surface, one @ mid depth, and the third directly on the bottom, raised only enough to prevent hanging up on the bottom. We like to fish those baits along with live baits in kites hoping for Sails, Mahi, etc. With the Sails and Mahi being a tough go right now the Sharks have often been the first to arrive, but they too can be elusive some days. New regulations regarding shark tackle now mandate the use of circle hooks exclusively. We like baiting up with them with a single hook per bait and we like then big. We have used the thin wire smallish circle hooks for Sailfish for years, but there is no thin wire on these, and no small either. We like them and are enjoying a very good hook up ratio, which had been a concern. The hook is designed to catch ( and does when not offset, also a stipulation) in the corner of the mouth. not in their throat or deeper. Good news for the Sharks as all of them with us are catch and release, and they swim off healthy and little the worse after the release. That 1st photo with this report is of a nice Great Gray that took a two pound freshly dead Bonito fished right off the transom.
Occasional Wahoo with the vicinity of 200 feet of water being a good place to look. Bonito in with the Kings. The Blackfin Tunas have on most days practically shut down with the strong bite we had been enjoying now a memory. Snappers bit well today in water just over 300 feet. Some Golden Tiles despite the ever so slight south current. A couple of nice Groupers for us on live Bally- Hoo. Catch and release/ out of season for them, fine to keep the snappers.
Tight lines and good fishing
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