By Capt.Shawn Fairbanks
April is the heart of Florida’s tarpon season. There should be fish everywhere (flats, bridges, inlets, dock lights) pretty much however you want to fish for them you can! Fly fishing the flats in Key Biscayne should be exceptional, ocean side fish should be flooding the flats in coming weeks. Lure and bait fishing will also be hot. Live crabs placed in front of cruising fish will do the job. Dark colored lures will be your best bet. Fishing at night around bridges and inlets with crabs and shrimp will also keep the rods bent and you entertained as well. Also, don’t overlook the possibilities of token permit and bonefish while tarpon fishing the flats. Fishing in Broward County will be directed towards the tarpon as well right now. Dead baiting around shoals and bridges should be the ticket. Large mullet live or dead, are always my go to in the spring. If dead bait fishing is slow, slow troll these mullet in the same area to increase your chances of a hook up. Jacks and Barracudas should fill the void in between tarpon. Snook fishing should be heating up as the fish make their way from the winter haunts to their transitional homes.
Spring time fishing in the Glades is warming up. Tarpon fishing on the flats in Florida Bay is in full effect. Fly fishing and lure fishing will take the grunt of the fish. Redfish will also be found in the same areas. Tailing fish will be open to the perfect offering. Redfish patterns or plastic shrimp imitations are my choice of baits. Stealth will be key here as these fish receive an extreme amount of pressure from anglers. The snook fishing on the outside points has really come around in the last month. Hard bait pilchard imitations are my favorite, with a live shrimp on a troll rite in close second. Snook season is also now open with a size limit of 28 inches to 33 inches and one per angler in ENP.
I hope its high tide on your side. Call us to book your next Catching Expedition or order your next custom rod! Please check out the IGFA School of Sport Fishing schedule. I will be teaching an advanced bait catching technique class on April 22nd from 7-10 pm at the IGFA in Fort Lauderdale.
Capt.Shawn Fairbanks
SalltH2o Customs
Salt-H2o.com