The Black Fin Tunas have started to show up for us here in Fort Lauderdale. The size of the Tunas are smaller, weighing 6 to 12 pounds, but still are a lot of fun to catch and are great to eat. We look for birds diving, as well as the fish crashing on top of the surface, and we are finding the Tunas anywhere from 150 feet of water out to 400 feet of water. It’s not hard to mistake - once there is a school the size of a football field, it looks like the water is boiling with activity. As soon as you spot the birds, they start diving on the school of fish - be sure to keep your eyes on them, as they will disappear as quickly as you spot them. Mixed in with the Black Fin Tunas are Skip Jack Tunas and Bullet Bonitas, and we’ll catch them all when we troll past the school of fish. The best part of working a big school of fish is when you get multiple hook ups getting 3 to 4 fish on at once.
We have also been getting shots at Wahoos, which have been in and around these schools of fish (feeding on the Bullets and Tunas) anywhere from 150 to 400 feet of water. Most of our Wahoo bites have been coming on the deep lines or wire lines. We’ll fish a deep planner and get the bait down 50 feet - trolling them at a higher speed also helps with the reaction bite. I have been getting Wahoo on the surface lures and the Islander Ballyhoo lures. I recommend picking a direction and heading that way, working the area and staying on top of the best water color and/or rip currents you can find. The size of the Wahoos have been ranging from 15 to 50 pounders.
Another fish we have been catching mixed in with the schools of Tunas are Mahi Mahi. Searching for the Tuna birds and trolling your spread close to the area will pay out some decent fish. The size of the Mahi Mahi range from chickens (less than 3 lbs) to gaffers. When catching your first Mahi, be sure to circle back since there’s a good chance there will be more hungry fish.
When the current picks up, I use two kites with live bait fishing up the reef. Kite fishing is a great way to present live baits and, when done right, it’s hard to beat. Everything from Sailfish to Tunas will feed on live bait, and the hook up ratio is higher than most other methods. I have had success with Sailfish, Kings, Wahoo, Tunas and Sharks when kite fishing.
It’s most important to keep an eye on the conditions, and based on the water color, current, and wind direction, we will decide where to fish and what to fish for.
For a successful and adventurous deep-sea fishing charter in Fort Lauderdale FL for Sailfish, Shark, Bonito, Mackerel, Swordfish, Snapper, Wahoo, Tuna, Mahi Mahi and Grouper, contact Captain Zsak. - 954-439-8106 or email us at captdz@gmail.com Website:
www.topshotfishing.com.
