Port Canaveral Offshore – October 2026

For those of you who have been waiting to catch something different—something other than kings and tarpon or, better yet, something you can actually take home for dinner (because, unfortunately, you can’t eat a king…but let’s not even go there), the wait is over. The fall run is here!

This is a great time of year to target the fish that migrated north during the spring and are now making their way back south, assuming that’s actually what’s going on. Mahi, wahoo, blackfin tuna and sailfish will all start showing up. We’ve already seen quite a few green fish hit the boards, along with a good number of blackfins. Nothing huge so far, but there have definitely been some decent fish mixed in.

Kingfish are also starting to heat back up. Although November is historically when the larger schools really move in, we’re already starting to see them show up, and the fishing should only get better from here.

The fall run generally isn’t quite as strong as the spring run, but it can still produce some awesome fishing. A lot of fish are being caught in relatively shallow water right now, especially on slow-trolled live bunker while targeting kings.

Now is also the time to start rigging your ballyhoo again and paying close attention to temperature breaks and weedlines. Start around 100 feet of water and work deeper from there. And remember: don’t pass fish to find fish. If you’re marking bait and activity, give the area a chance.

Be sure to put out a few naked ballyhoo for the sails, and don’t forget the shotgun rig. A wire-rigged bait sent way back can be deadly, with black and purple being great color choices.

Continue working the regular reefs with live bunker and mullet, but don’t overlook the wrecks. If you find a wreck loaded with bait, there’s a very good chance something is nearby feeding on it.

I had a slow day recently and decided to make a run over to a wreck. The water was absolutely boiling with small sardines. On my very first pass, we doubled up with a fat king and a bonita. After that, it turned into a full-on bonita firefight!

Bonita are a blast when they’re fired up, they also make excellent strip bait and, of course, they’re good eating too. (You eat tuna, right?)

Beach fishing has definitely heated up. With the nice weather and plenty of bait along the beaches, there are plenty of opportunities right now. Pompano, flounder, snook and whiting are all being caught, and the shark fishing from the beach has been going off too.

The mullet run is in full swing, so there’s plenty of bait in the water and plenty of predators taking advantage of it.

All in all, this is a great time to be on the water. The fall run is getting started, the variety of fish is increasing, and the next few weeks should only get better. Get your gear ready, keep an eye on the bait, and go fishing!

–Capt. Chris Cameron