As we slide into April the fishing here in Ft. Lauderdale has and will continue to change from the first quarter of the year. Warmer days mean the best fishing will be earlier in the day and then again late afternoon. There will be numerous days in the middle of the day where they will bite well but fishing early and then late will have it’s merits.
There are Sailfish around but the numbers will be down from the winter months. These fish will also be more evenly distributed inshore and offshore as well in a direct change from the near shore fishing of the winter months. Mahi-Mahi enter more into the picture. Wahoo fishing can be very good along the reefline and just deeper, and we will see them out in the deeper water and Gulfstream on edges and around floating debris. Almost always a home run when we can find and floating tree in the current. Small limbs, lumber and even trash (such as a thoughtlessly discarded trash bag) can hold bait which in turn can hold the Mahi-Mahi and Wahoo in the area. Tripletail will hang close to the floaters as well, but most smaller than the big boy in the photo.
Smaller Tuna offshore with some fat ones in by the reefs. Greater Amberjacks on the wrecks and Tilefish in tthe 700 to 800 foot depths will will be targets when we bottom fish. Grouper season will soon reopen and of course they will get some attention as well as the snappers that share their bottom areas. More and more large Sharks will be passing through and some big Bull Sharks will take up residence on shipwrecks. We have a slew of sunken ships (Artificial reefs) and a good number of natural ones of well and these areas hold the Bulls ans other Sharks on them as well.
Half day trips will offer a chance at most all of the above with Kingfish being the main species. Offshore focus will typically be Mahi-Mahi. There will be some Blue Marlin showing up offshore and Swordfish out there will be an option to be considered on an all day trip.