SAILFISH BITE WAS ON FIRE
March and April delivered some of the best sailfish action we've seen in years. We put together multiple double-digit release days, with one afternoon trip that hooked seven sails and released three of them in under four hours. The bait pods were stacked along the edge and the sails were lit up.
Kite fishing trips were the workhorse: live goggle-eyes and sardines on the surface, drifting along the temperature break in 150-300 feet. When you see a sail come up on a bait and light up purple before the strike, it never gets old. Our offshore fishing charters run kite fishing trips December through April.
BLACKFIN TUNAS PUSHING 30+ POUNDS
The blackfin tuna run this spring was unusually strong. We caught fish in the 15-25 pound range almost every day on the edge, and several pushed over 30 pounds. They were aggressive on live bait and surface plugs, and a few came on vertical jigs when we found schools holding deeper.
Blackfins fight harder for their size than almost anything else out there. They make great table fare too. The captain breaks down the techniques on each trip. More on the spring offshore trips is on the offshore charter overview.
A 45 LB SMOKER KING IN THE MEAT MAYHEM
The catch of the spring goes to Jorge Decardenas. He landed a 45 pound smoker kingfish on 15 pound spinning tackle during the Meat Mayhem tournament. That's a serious fish on a serious light line. It took patience, a clean drag, and not horsing the fish through the fight.
We had several other kings in the 8-10 pound range round out the day, plus a 20 pound African Pompano that came as a complete surprise on a deep drop. Tournaments push the gear and the captain hard. Check out more catch photos in the fishing photo gallery.
GROUPER OPENS MAY 1
Heads up: grouper season opened May 1, which means the bottom fishing shifts gears immediately. Black grouper, red grouper, and gag grouper are all back in play. We'll be running the wrecks and ledges in 80-200 feet of water targeting them through the summer.
The bottom fishing charter overview has the full deep-dropping species list. Spring into summer is also when the mahi start showing up offshore. Book early if you want the prime weekend slots. Lock in a spring grouper or mahi trip with Captain Jason.
- Captain Jason
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When is sailfish season in Fort Lauderdale?
December through April is peak, with January and February being the most consistent. Spring (March-April) can produce huge double-digit release days when cold fronts push bait down the coast. The seasonal breakdown is in our Miami offshore fishing guide.
What's a smoker kingfish?
Slang for any kingfish over about 40 pounds. They're rare. Catching one on light spinning tackle is even rarer. Our offshore fishing trips regularly produce kings in the 15-30 pound range, with occasional smokers on the right day.
Can I do spring tournaments with Cool Runnings?
Yes. Captain Jason has years of tournament experience and runs charter teams through several South Florida events each year. Mention tournament fishing when you book the charter and he'll match the trip plan to the event.
