February is here and we’re deep into the winter fishing season in Fort Lauderdale. Sailfish Alley has been active this year. Sailfish are highly sought after by South Florida fishermen. They put up an outstanding fight, often spending more time in the air displaying aerobatic jumps and somersaults than they spend fighting in the water. Sailfish are surface feeding gamefish and most often caught trolling rigged baits over the reef or by using the kite fishing method. Both of these methods allow baits to be presented on the surface where sailfish are the most likely to bite. Trolling allows you to cover more territory, while kite fishing yields the best hook up ratio. Whichever technique you choose, this time of year has great potential to catch sailfish.
Sailfish are awesome and exciting but they aren’t the only species biting this season. February is one of the most productive months of the year for both blackfin tuna and wahoo. These prized fish are great table fare and are extremely tough fighters. They can both be caught in just about any depth, but they are most concentrated in 90 to 180 feet of water. This area, atop the reef and along the drop of the continental shelf, amasses the biggest concentration of edible baitfish. When it comes to fishing, it’s all about the food. Trolling deep planer baits or weighted lures will be your best approach to target tunas and wahoo. These fish are fast and they are constantly moving. Trolling allows you to explore different depths, spots and zones you want to fish, as well as stay with and on top of the school once you do find them. Tunas and wahoo are pack hunters, so when you get one of them, it’s a good bet there are others there too. Multiple hook ups are common so don’t slow down to fight fish immediately. Troll a bit longer and let that second or third fish catch up to your baits. It can mean the difference between a lonely tuna in the box or a bevy of tunas in the box.
To everyone fishing this month, good luck, tight lines and have fun out there fishing.
Capt. Nick Colosi
New Lattitude Sportfishing
(954) 707-2147
www.newlattitude.com