Deep Sea Charter Fishing with Topshotfishing in Fort Lauderdale
Capt. David Zsak
September 3, 2026
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
The Fort Lauderdale fishing has been producing a great variety of action lately aboard the Happy Day Today. Over the past several charters, we've caught everything from Mahi Mahi and Blackfin Tuna to King Mackerel, Sailfish, Sharks, Bonita, Snapper, and a big Jack Crevalle. Here are a few of our recent trips.
Brandi and Family – Mahi Mahi, Blackfin Tuna and King Mackerel
Brandi, her husband, and their son joined us from North Carolina for a half-day Fort Lauderdale fishing charter. We started the morning trolling the reef in about 150 feet of water, and the ocean was alive with activity.
We spotted frigate birds flying overhead, which is always a good sign of ocean life. It's especially exciting when the birds start circling low and diving toward the surface, which is exactly what these frigate birds were doing.
We worked our trolling spread close to where the birds were diving, and suddenly both rigger lines came down at the same time. Double header—fish on! After a couple of fun fights, we brought two Mahi Mahi into the boat.
We put the lines back out and continued trolling the reef, where we had pretty steady action catching Bonita with a few King Mackerel and Blackfin Tuna mixed in.
Our most productive setup was trolling two deep planer lines rigged with sea witches and baits. Getting those baits down deeper in the water column was producing most of our bites.
It was a great half-day of Fort Lauderdale fishing with Brandi and her family and a nice variety of Mahi Mahi, Blackfin Tuna, King Mackerel, and Bonita.
Pete and the Girls – Daddy-Daughter Fort Lauderdale Fishing Trip
Pete and two other dads brought their three daughters out for a special daddy-daughter fishing trip before the girls headed back to school. The families are local, and the dads wanted to get the girls offshore for a fun morning of Fort Lauderdale fishing.
We started the charter trolling the reef, where the girls caught several Bonita. Bonita are great first-time fish for kids because they hit hard, make strong runs, and give younger anglers a chance to learn how to fight a fish.
The real excitement came when we hooked into a massive 36-inch Jack Crevalle.
Big Jack Crevalles are incredibly strong fish, especially on light tackle. A fish this size can easily take 30 to 40 minutes to battle.
The dads and daughters all had an opportunity to get involved in the fight before we finally brought the big Jack alongside the boat. We brought the fish aboard for a quick picture and then released it back into the ocean.
To finish the charter, we headed over to one of our Snapper spots and dropped some baits to the bottom. The girls caught several Vermilion Snappers, which was a perfect way to end their morning.
Bonita, Snapper, a big Jack Crevalle, and three young anglers getting some great experience on the water made for a memorable daddy-daughter Fort Lauderdale fishing trip.
Tyson's Bachelor Party – Shark Fishing in Fort Lauderdale
Tyson and his group traveled down from Utah for a bachelor party and wanted to experience some deep-sea fishing in Fort Lauderdale. With six guys on the boat looking to fight something big, Shark fishing was at the top of their list.
Shark fishing has always been a bachelor-party favorite. When you have a group of guys looking for a big-game fishing experience and some good stories to take home, there's not much more exciting than watching a heavy rod bend over with a Shark on the other end.
We set up in an area that had good reef structure, current, and plenty of bait around.Our first mate rigged a couple of large, bloody baits and sent them down toward the bottom. Then it became a waiting game. The excitement started when one of the rods suddenly bent over and started pulling drag. We had the bite we were looking for.
The guys took turns fighting the Shark as it made powerful runs underneath the boat. It turned into a great battle and gave everyone a chance to experience just how strong these fish can be. After a great fight, we finally worked the shark alongside the Happy Day Today. All of our Shark fishing is catch and release. Once we had the Shark under control alongside the boat, we removed the hook and safely released it back into the ocean.
It was exactly the kind of big-game experience Tyson and his bachelor party were hoping for and another exciting day of deep sea fishing in Fort Lauderdale.
Jordan and Family – Afternoon Sailfish
Jordan, his wife, and their two kids traveled down from Pennsylvania and booked us for an afternoon Fort Lauderdale fishing charter.
We had excellent conditions with calm seas, light easterly winds, and comfortable temperatures. The water was crystal clear and blue as we trolled the reef in approximately 125 feet of water. That's when one of the rods suddenly started ripping off drag. Almost immediately, a Sailfish exploded out of the water.
Jordan grabbed the rod while the Sailfish started putting on an incredible air show behind the boat. An average Sailfish can jump anywhere from five to fifteen times during a fight, and this fish gave us exactly that kind of performance. Between the acrobatic jumps, the Sailfish made several hard runs and deep dives that kept Jordan working. After an awesome battle, Jordan worked the Sailfish alongside the Happy Day Today. We got some great pictures and then released the fish to swim away strong.
Catching a Sailfish is always one of the highlights of Fort Lauderdale fishing, but having Jordan's wife and two kids there to experience the jumps and excitement made this one even more memorable.
Dennis and Family – King Mackerel, Bonita and Nurse Shark
Dennis, his wife, and granddaughter joined us for a morning Fort Lauderdale fishing charter aboard the Happy Day Today. We had nice weather with light southeasterly winds, a one-to-two-foot chop, and only a light amount of seaweed. This month, we're starting to see some of the heavier summer seaweed move out, which has made it easier to keep a clean trolling spread behind the boat.
We started the morning trolling the reef in approximately 200 feet of water. Our spread consisted of two deep planer lines rigged with sea witches and baits along with four surface lines pulling a combination of lures and natural baits. It didn't take long before we started hooking into some nice-sized Bonita and King Mackerel.
After spending some time trolling, we decided to change things up and try some bottom fishing. We dropped our baits down and ended up hooking into a nice-sized Nurse Shark, giving the family another strong fight and something completely different to finish the morning.
That's one of the great things about Fort Lauderdale fishing. Within a short distance from shore, we can troll the reef for King Mackerel and Bonita, bottom fish over structure, or target much larger fish.
It was another fun morning on the water with Dennis and his family and a great way to experience the variety of deep sea fishing Fort Lauderdale has to offer.
Ready to experience some of the best Fort Lauderdale fishing for yourself? Book your next fishing adventure aboard the Happy Day Today with Top Shot Sportfishing Charters. Whether you're looking to catch Sailfish, Mahi Mahi, Tuna, King Mackerel, Sharks, or just enjoy a great day of deep sea fishing in Fort Lauderdale, Capt. Dave and crew are ready to get you on the fish. Contact Capt. Dave at 954-439-8106, visit topshotfishing.com, or follow Top Shot Sportfishing Charters on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram for our latest catches, fishing reports, videos, and updates from the water.
Target Species:
Mahi Mahi, Sailfish, Jack Cervalle, Snapper, Shark
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