Fort Lauderdale Fishing Report – May 2009

Deep Sea Fishing in Fort Lauderdale during the month of May offers an endless variety of fish, from giant Mahi – Mahi on the troll to 10 ft Game Sharks on the wrecks. Now’s the time to call in sick and head offshore to go sport fishing in South Florida and experience the thrill of a lifetime!

May is the last hurrah for the Atlantic Sailfish, as the Game Shark bite comes in at #1. The 10 – 25 lb King Mackerel are holding heavy on the reef along with the Bonito, Black fin Tuna and the big boy Mahi – Mahi. These are the main species feeding offshore right now and they are hitting anything presented correctly, from the kite to the bottom bait. The Wahoo action remains strong and steady along with the Nighttime Swordfish bite. Whether you’re looking to tug on something bigger than your 10 yr old or you’re just out there to catch dinner for the family, we’ve got you covered. Come offshore fishing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida aboard the Lady Pamela II.
The Springtime Sailfish bite should continue on through the middle to the end of May. Now is the time when you can expect to see the larger Sailfish lingering on the edge. Our Sport fishing charter fleet has seen a few floppers here and there, getting a handful of bites per week. During the first weekend in May, the Frequent Flyer II ventured off to the Bahamas and landed a giant Sailfish just a few miles off of the coast of Bimini. They’re still out and about and kite fishing is key to catching. Live bait dangling on the surface does it every time. I’d say 90% of the Sailfish we hook up with eat from the kite. Sail fishing is one of my all time favorites, especially when they put on a parade of head shaking leaps. However, the time has come and we’ve officially started the countdown. You only have a short time left to land the pretty pelagic until the season kicks off later in the year.

Game Sharks are some of the largest fish that pass through our waters here in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Hammerheads, Tigers, Bull Sharks and the endangered Big Eye Thresher are in the neighborhood so to speak. It’s the Game Shark’s time to shine and they are making it a point to do so. The Lady Pamela II and the Frequent Flyer II have been catching some monsters with rigged King fish heads sitting deep at 350 ft of water. There will be many high fives after a grueling fight with one of these guys.
The reef is RED HOT! A short time trolling is rewarding. Fresh strip baits and planner rods catch the eye of the King Mackerel and Bonito. The Kings have showed up and man did they chunk up. Landing 10 – 30 lb’ers is common these days with the occasional 60 lb’er. These fish fight like a son of a gun and will leave you wanting more. Not only is the reef littered with Kings, lit up Sails loiter around the area as well, tapping and plucking at the bait with its spindly beak.
Monday night was beautiful, calm and comfortable for our Nighttime Swordfish trip. Captain Darin and I lead our anglers 16 miles offshore to fertile grounds where we deployed our spread and hoped for a stray Swordfish. It wasn’t long before a beefy Broadbill ate the best of baits and was hooked. Our anglers got a few cranks in until the Swordfish pulled the hook and decided to release himself and fade away. Shortly after, another Swordfish visited our bait, took a bite and fell off.
If you can’t play hooky from work, leave an hour early and get your fix with one of our action packed nighttime fishing trips. The Snapper and Game Sharks show themselves quite nicely on the wreck around sunset.
Sea ya on the water.
Tight Lines!
Captain David Ide
954-761-8045