Fired Up Offshore Forecast – April 2021

This is the time of year to brush off your Mahi-Mahi fishing tackle. Anglers will need to venture out past the normal 70’-90’ reefs to find their action as the shallower reefs will slow to a crawl. No worries though because the deeper waters will be holding fish! The usual amberjack reefs and wrecks will have their share of action. Use live bait on a 3-way swivel with the appropriate weight. Heavier tide will require heavier lead. Croakers, spots, and grunts work best for these arm shredding beasts. Bunkers do work but tend to spin in heavy current and can cause a tangle. Don’t be surprised if you catch a few groupers as well, it’s their spawning season. Use proper care when releasing them back. (circle hooks)

Dorado fishing. It can be the time of your life or you could question yourself on why you bought a $100k boat or just filled your friends’ boat with $800 of fuel. Those more adventurous, went to the other side came back in with huge hauls which means they just never crossed over to the western wall. Look for the usual. Temperature breaks, weed lines, color changes, and mass quantities of flying fish. I can’t stress enough to follow the food chain. As far as what baits and skirts. I personally think it doesn’t matter. I like all natural, so I run all naked baits. Every now and then I’ll send a chugger back to make some noise, but my success rate is much higher on naked ballyhoo. Use teasers, dredges, bowling pins, anything to create a bait school effect.

This report has been brought to you by Captain Tyler Vollmer and Captain Chris Cameron of Fired Up Fishing Charters, your premier fishing guide charter of shark fishing Cocoa Beach, offshore fishing Port Canaveral, nearshore fishing Cape Canaveral, and Orlando charter fishing