Fishing Outlook May 2009

May fishing off Fort Lauderdale is always something I look forward to each year. Expectations are high as we leave the reef areas more often and begin searching further from shore for schools of traveling Dolphin (Mahi-mahi) as they move through our area. At this time of year, these fish are on the move and do not take up residence on floating debris as they do a little later in the season. Often found by sea birds following the schools, these fish are exciting to catch as you often see them coming into your bait spread behind the boat before they strike. Their size can range from Micros (under the legal size limit) to 20, 30, 40 pounders and more. Dolphin fishing has already improved in the last few weeks and we expect this trend to improve even more in the next few weeks and months.

King Mackerel fishing has been consistent in the reef area and is expected to remain so for some time. A staple off Fort Lauderdale, it is often something that is targeted for at least part of our trips. While fishing for Kingfish, Bonito, Dolphin, Wahoo and a few Sailfish are also caught in the same area on a regular basis. It is one reason we spend time in close to the reef area as it lends itself well to such a variety of fish. Soon, the Kings and Bonito will become so thick, it gets hard to catch anything but. You just can’t seem to keep your baits in the water long enough before one of these fish strike.

While Shark fishing was a bit disappointing in April, the last few weeks have seen improvement for hooking into one of these large predators. Hammerhead, Bull and Sand Bar sharks have been more active both on the surface and at depths as of late. When people think of catching something big while deep sea fishing, sharks are always impressive as they can test anglers and tackle to their limits. Other species of shark are also around but are less predominant as the weather and water gets warmer.

As school sessions end and the kids have more time on their hands, it’s a great time to take them fishing. The action is steady and it keeps their attention as we troll along. Long waits for strikes is not the norm as summer off Fort Lauderdale gets into full swing.

Hope to see you soon.