Well, school is back in session and summer is coming to a quick close. September’s highlights are based around bottom spots, nearshore reefs and wrecks, high-speed trolling the edge for wahoo, and long runs out to the deep in search of dolphin. Early morning wahoo action can be expected through September, especially around the full moon. Try pulling Scylla wahoo lures and other high speed rigs between 12-to-16 knots for best results. Two to four rods are sufficient, with not getting tangled being high on the priority list. Use leads that weigh between 24- and 36-ounces on your close baits and smaller leads, if any, on your rigger or long baits. The snapper bite should continue to be good, with good chances of catching cobia, grouper and amberjacks in the same spots. Live bait or cut bait works well this time of year for these species. Last year, and the year before, we had great mahi mahi action in September. They were located way out in the deep, but when you found them, it was as good as Florida offers. Seems like there are some nice fish making their way up the coast now, so I’m expecting this year to be equally as good as long as the water stays nice. The calm days that the end of summer provide also make for ideal daytime swordfishing trips. Focus on fishing one rod until you feel confident enough to send a second one down. Use anywhere from a 6- to a 12-pound lead to get down. Sending two down the first time can sometimes be tangle-some, but it seems like the longer and newer your wind-on leader is, the easier it is to deploy trouble free. Check out R&R Tackle for some of the best and most reliable wind-on leaders and pre-rigged tackle in general. I use 150 feet of 250-pound Focus in depths between 1500 and 1750 feet. Try getting your bait right down to the bottom and fishing it about 100 feet up. Sometimes the bite can be very subtle, so it’s important to pay close attention. Other times they hit so hard the boat shutters. If you haven’t gone swordfishing before, you should definitely give me a call. It’s some of the coolest fishing Florida offers and to get to appreciate it in the daytime makes it that much better. Give me a call to book your offshore fishing adventure today. Looking forward to fishing with you soon.
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