South Florida is deep into its summer routine: flat mornings, a hard afternoon storm, and a fishery that rewards anyone willing to leave the dock in the dark. The current has been running strong and close, which puts good blue water within a short run of Port Everglades. With the new moon arriving this week, the night tarpon fishing at the inlets should be at its best.
What’s Hitting
Mahi are the primary offshore target, scattered but findable along the weedlines and current edges in 300 to 800 feet. Mutton snapper are feeding well on the reef edge in 70 to 120 feet, particularly around the new moon. Blackfin tuna are showing on the humps and the deeper wrecks at first light. Inside, tarpon are working the Port Everglades inlet and the New River bridges on the night tides, and snook are stacked in the same places — catch-and-release only under the current closed harvest season.
Where to Find Them
The weedlines set up 8 to 14 miles out depending on the day’s current; run east until you find a clean edge with life on it rather than committing to a number. The reef edge off Commercial and Oakland Park is producing muttons on the drift. Port Everglades and Hillsboro Inlet hold tarpon and snook after dark, and the Intracoastal bridge lights from Las Olas north are worth a late-night pass.
Tides & Conditions
Offshore water is 84 to 86 degrees with a strong north-setting current. Inshore is high 80s. New-moon tides mean the biggest exchange of the month through the inlets, which is exactly when the tarpon feed hardest on the outgoing. Morning seas 1 to 2 feet, building in the afternoon with storms. Blue water has been holding within 6 to 10 miles most mornings.
Tackle & Tactics
For mahi, keep a spinning rod rigged with a small ballyhoo or a bucktail ready to pitch — the fish are often small and boat-shy, so a light 40-pound leader helps. Muttons want a fresh ballyhoo or pinfish on a long fluorocarbon leader with a knocker rig. Inlet tarpon: live mullet or crabs on 60- to 80-pound leader, or a heavy flair hawk jig worked in the current. Snook on the bridges are eating live pilchards and swimbaits on the shadow lines.
Local Intel This Week
The 15th Street ramp and the Hollywood ramp on Dania Cutoff Canal are the practical launches for inlet and offshore trips. Land-based anglers are catching snapper and jacks from the Hillsboro Inlet jetty and the Anglin’s Pier area. Fish are concentrating on the inlets and current edges this week rather than spreading over the flat reef. Snook harvest is closed on the Atlantic coast and several reef species are under federal restriction — check current FWC and NOAA regulations before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
Don’t run to a number offshore. Run east until you find a weedline that actually holds life — flying fish, small tripletail, birds working — and then work it thoroughly. A clean, empty weedline is just floating grass; ten minutes of looking beats an hour of trolling dead water.
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