May is the top season for big game fishing in Fort Lauderdale. This is the time of year that all the big game species migrate through our waters. Shark fishing is extraordinary this season. Hammerhead, mako, thresher, bull, tiger and many other sharks are abundant along the edge of the gulfstream. 300-400’ of water is prime territory for going after sharks, sailfish, bull dolphin, tuna and wahoo. Kite fishing is the preferred method of luring in these monster fish to bite. Fishing deep around our local shipwrecks is also a great method of fishing. Amberjacks are stacked up around just about any artificial reef you go to. Just drop a live bait to the bottom anywhere near the shipwreck and you should be hooked up almost immediately. Groupers have finally opened up here in Florida as of May 1st. The best grouper bite is currently around the 250ft depth area around any artificial reef or high profile bottom. Squid and live blue runners will get the best grouper bite this time of the year.
Offshore trolling for dolphin is getting really good. We are finding some big fields of seaweed floating 10-12 miles offshore. The weeds are stacking up and forming into massive patches, some patches as large as a football fields. This is very fertile grounds for catching mahi-mahi. The mahi-mahi are congregating underneath these ‘seaweed islands’ in schools. Offshore, there have also been some schools of blackfin and skipjack tunas. Trolling fast around the outskirts of the school with some natural feathers is fun for some exciting tuna action.
There is a lot of activity off our coast these days. Good luck to everyone fishing out there and tight lines!
Capt. Brett Magers
New Lattitude Sportfishing
(954) 707-2147
www.newlattitude.com