Fishing in Ft. Lauderdale Happy New Year
Capt. John Logan
December 31, 2016
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
First of all we would like to thank everyone who has joined us aboard the Marlin My Darlin for Fishing in Ft. Lauderdale a Happy New Year. The pleasure was ours to have you aboard. If anyone knows where the time goes, as it seems to literally fly by, please let us know. So this will be our last fishing report of the year for the Fort Lauderdale fishing area and we hope those of you who have fished with us in the past as well as the local anglers who follow us and all readers of this report the very best in the coming year.
Mother nature has finally gotten around to showing a bit of muscle as our first "real"cold front moves into the area. Low to mid 50s in the forecast and as is often the case a bit of good north wind to go along with the temperature change. The mid 50s might seem so mild to some, and it is, but that is close to a 30 degree drop from what we have been experiencing. Sweater weather......again.
Every cold front will now bring an expectation of a better Sailfish bite in our area. As that wind swings to the Northeast and then around to the Southeast there will also be expectations of more Mahi-Mahi to get blown closer to shore following weeds and bait blown by the wind and as we have said before "lessening the "playing field" by compressing these fish closer to shore and the reefs, increasing our odds of encountering these fish.
And there is always the possibility of a true whopper as seen in the lead photo of the 49 pounder landed by 13 year old angler David, a predictably tough fish that took a pink Compact squid imitation fished with a Stan Ruer mylar insert and flavored with a fresh Bonito strip trolled out of the long outrigger.
There are Kingfish to be taken and some Blackfin Tunas and full grown Bonito as well. Lots of Ballyhoo in our area and they are getting the attention of the Blackfins and Bonito and an occasional Sailfish. Squeezing in Grouper as the season ends on the Dec. 31st. Scattered Jacks on the wrecks both shallow and deep. Fishing for Grey and Golden Tilefish has been good in the deep. Despite some really good sized fish being taken of all varieties overall the fishing has been erratic and we are pulling for some positive predictability with this frontal system pushing through.
Happy New Year and tight lines. Rick, Matt, Tom and Garrett
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