It’s a new year and a whole new batch of fish are moving into the south Florida waters. Lately, we’re getting some cooler temperatures moving through, something that is out of the ordinary for Fort Lauderdale. We’re known for our year-round warm weather. While some Floridians go into hibernation when the cold weather hits, fishermen in know head out to go fishing. Cold fronts are one of the best meteorological events that can happen for the charter fishing boats. Cold weather gets the sailfish frisky and eager to bite any bait they come across. We catch sailfish throughout the year here in Fort Lauderdale, but it’s when the temperatures drop that we catch the big numbers of them.
Sailfish are the most sought after gamefish in the entire world. People come from all around the world to Fort Lauderdale during the winter months to try to capture one of these elusive species. It’s now, during the months of January and February that the sailfishing peaks for us in south Florida. You can almost set your watch by it, when the temperature drops, the sailfish flags start flying. The coldest days are the days when you can catch record numbers of sailfish on a single trip. A lot of variables are involved in sportfishing, but chilly weather is definitely a big positive for catching sailfish.
January-February are great months for a lot of species. Mahi-mahi fishing can be good. They are always around, just scattered and if you can find them, you can do well with either a big one or a nice school of smaller ones. Wahoo are biting too on the edge of the Gulfstream. We catch them trolling, usually on the deep lines, and always when you least expect it. You know it’s a wahoo when the drag ‘smokes’ off the reel on the bite. Regular catches of bonitos and kingfish, sometimes a barracuda or blackfin tuna, are also being caught on the reefs. Fishing is always variable and sporadic, but mainly good this time of year. Good luck to everyone fishing Ft Lauderdale over the coming weeks. I’ll sea ya on the water.
Capt. Andy Roydhouse www.FishHeadquarters.com 754-214-7863
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