South Florida Mullet Run 2026
Capt. Dennis Crowley
August 21, 2026
Fort Lauderdale - Saltwater Fishing Report
BIG FALL ACTION IS ALMOST HERE
Summertime fishing in Ft Lauderdale aint easy, but anglers willing to work through the challenges have still been rewarded with some quality fish. With fall right around the corner, our attention is turning toward one of the most exciting events of the year: the South Florida Mullet Run.
SUMMER FISHING HAS REQUIRED PATIENCE
The summer season brought the usual combination of intense heat, warm water, afternoon thunderstorms and unpredictable conditions. On some days, we found plenty of bait and active fish. On others, the bait was scattered and the bite slowed down almost as soon as the sun climbed above the horizon.
Smaller tarpon, tiny baits like grass shrimp, little pilchards and rain bait can make presentation tough. These fish will spend an entire tide eating the same tiny live baits and anything that looks slightly different gets ignored. Patience is a must in the summer.
Evening and nighttime fishing charters have been most productive. Bridges, inlets and dock lights continue to hold snook and tarpon, especially when moving water concentrates baitfish. Summer fishing can test your patience, but one good tide change can quickly turn a slow trip into an unforgettable one.
THE MULLET ARE COMING
As we move toward September and October, schools of migrating mullet will begin traveling south along Florida's Atlantic coast. The exact timing changes from year to year and is influenced by water temperatures, weather patterns and tropical systems. Once the first large schools reach Fort Lauderdale, the entire fishery can come alive.
Tarpon, snook, jack crevalle, sharks, barracuda and other predators follow the schools and attack from every direction. Sometimes the surface erupts as mullet scatter through the air. Other times, the biggest fish stay beneath the school, waiting for an injured or separated baitfish.
This is why the mullet run is one of my favorite times of the year. You never know what is going to eat your bait, and every cast has the potential to connect you with the fish of a lifetime.
WHAT WE'LL BE TARGETING
Large tarpon are always one of the main attractions. These fish follow the migrating bait along the beaches, through the inlets and into the Intracoastal Waterway. Hooking a big tarpon around a huge school of mullet is about as exciting as inshore fishing gets.
Keeping our baits just outside the big schools of mullet, waiting on that heavy unmistakable strike, tarpon blast that live bait so hard you can feel the force of it from 50 yards away. Peeling drag then flying into the air seconds later putting on a show most anglers dream of. It's all so visual.
Snook will also be positioned near bridges, seawalls, jetties and inlet structure, using the current to ambush passing bait. Some of the largest snook of the season can be caught during this time.
FINDING THE BAIT IS THE KEY
Successful mullet-run fishing is not simply a matter of finding one school and sitting there all day. The bait can move quickly with the wind, tide and current. Birds, surface activity and nervous water can help reveal where the mullet are traveling, but staying mobile is often necessary.
Presentation is important because the fish sometimes have thousands of natural baits from which to choose. A mullet that appears injured or becomes separated from the school is often the one that gets eaten.
GET READY FOR 2026 SOUTH FLORIDA MULLET RUN!
The summer season has made us earn every bite, but those challenging days help us prepare for the fast paced action of fall. Cooler temps, larger bait concentrations and hungry predators should create some of the best fishing opportunities of the year.
The mullet run can arrive suddenly, and its best action does not last forever. If you want to experience big tarpon, snook and other hard-fighting predators feeding around massive schools of bait, now is the time to start planning your Fort Lauderdale fishing charter. You can book online at www.flatbottomcharters.com
Whether you are an experienced angler or trying inshore fishing for the first time, the upcoming mullet run offers the chance to witness one of South Florida's greatest natural events—and possibly catch the biggest fish of your life.
Give me a call or shoot me a text if you are looking to book a trip! 954-551-8914
Captain Dennis Crowley
Flat Bottom Fishing Charters
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
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