Sailfish, Wahoo and King Mackerel In Fort Lauderdale
Capt. David Ide
January 30, 2018
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
The past couple weeks have been pretty exciting on the edge (where the gulf stream current starts). The recent sailfish tournaments have seen dozens of sailfish caught and our fleet has caught several as well including 4 in one day! With Northeast winds this week, I expect the sail fishing to be the best it has been so far. We will be flying our kites and live baiting as well as trolling planers to try to cover more ground in efforts to find the fish. If you want to catch a sailfish, I recommend you book a 6 or 8 trip to give yourself a better chance while your captain and crew tries different techniques to give you the best opportunity as locking into multiple fish.
I have several dates open, please BOOK online as soon as you have your date and lets go fishing!
As we get deeper into the winter fishing season we are greeting with cool temperatures in the morning. Your captain most likely will have a warm cup of coffee is in his hand as he steers the boat east and looks for signs of life to be you on trophy fish. This time of the year we are looking for bait schools, frigate birds and rips in the water to give away their location. Our customers are always welcome up in the bridge (tower) to help up find clues to where the fish are holding.
As a full-time fishing fleet, we are on the water daily, most of the week 3 times a day. This is a huge advantage when you choose to fish with us, as we generally know where the fish are holding from the days before your trip. If you chose to fish a half day with us, it is our priority to ensure we maximize every minute you are on the boat with us.
Once we clear about 90 feet of water, the depth of water begins to drop off faster. This is where the bait schools usually hold and the predators are right there with them. If we find a northern current of more than one knot, watch out! It won't be long before a sailfish takes to the air with one of our baits.
Finding the area where the green water of our shoreline meets the bluewater of the gulf stream is always a sure bet as well. The odds of finding fish here are much greater as the area holds weedlines, debris and baitfish as well.
Check out this beautiful sailfish we caught while fishing the edge in about 180 feet of water this week:
After a nice tag and release, this fish swam away healthy as can be and allows up to protect the fishery by tracking the movement and growth of the fish next time it is caught. Great jobs guys!
As we move further offshore, we have been finding frigate birds and smaller birds. The smaller terns have been more productive as they have been picking bait out of the small weed patches. And you guessed it, just below the weed patches has been steady mahi-mahi.
A mahi-mahi over 20 inches is put on ice and kept fresh for you to take home (we don't sell your catch!). Back at the marina, your first-mate will clean the fish and provide the fresh filet's in bags with ice for you to take home. Need more ice for your cooler? Just ask your mate and we will top you off as there is never a charge for ice. We recommend you bring your fresh catch down the road to one of the local restaurants and have them grill or blacken it with a side of rice and vegetables. It doesn't get much fresher than that!
I always say, the winter is some of the best fishing. It is not coincidence that the fish are here this time of year. It is because we have the warmest water temperatures in the state. Every trip has the opportunity to catch a wide range of species including wahoo!
Just look at this beautiful fish that our charter caught last week with first mate "Wahooooo Sean". He is know as the wahoo whisper and it is his favorite fish to catch with clients.
The meat of a wahoo is absolutely delicious. We recommend you steak your catch and grill it, however some customers prefer to eat it sushi/sashimi style. All great stuff and way to go!
As we close out January and enter February, our calendar is filling up fast from our past customers and new customers. If you have dates in mind, we highly recommend you reserve them as soon as possible, especially if you need a weekend date.
Here are some more great catches including Blackfin Tuna, Baracudda caught by our junior angler and a beautiful king Mackerel.
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