South Florida is running its classic summer offshore program — leave early, run out to the color change, and be back before the afternoon builds. The Gulf Stream has been in tight, which shortens the run and has kept mahi within reach of smaller boats.
What’s Hitting
Mahi are the target of the week, scattered along the weedlines and under frigate birds from 200 feet out. Most are schoolies in the 8- to 15-pound range with a few gaffers mixed in. Blackfin tuna are on the humps and around the deep bait in the early morning. On the reef, mutton snapper are still active off the full moon and mangrove snapper are stacked on the second and third reef lines. Kingfish are around in modest numbers, and sailfish are a bycatch this time of year rather than a target.
Where to Find Them
Run to the color change and work any weedline or debris you can find — the current has been setting north and pushing weed inside 400 feet on some days. Blackfin are on the deeper humps and off Port Everglades in the pre-dawn dark. Muttons are on the reef edges in 70 to 110 feet at first light. Snapper are on the second reef in 40 to 60 feet and around the artificial reef structures. Tarpon are still available at night in the Intracoastal near the bridges.
Tides & Conditions
Post-full-moon tides are strong through midweek. Seas have been running 2 to 3 feet with a light east wind and laying down early. Water temps are near 86 on the surface, low 80s down deep. Afternoon storms are daily — the offshore window closes around noon most days.
Tackle & Tactics
For mahi, keep a spinning rod rigged with a bucktail and a bare hook for pitching live pilchards or ballyhoo — a hooked schoolie held in the water keeps the whole pack at the boat. Blackfin want a small live bait or a vertical jig fished on 30-pound fluoro. Muttons take a long 40-pound fluoro leader and a whole ballyhoo on the bottom. Snapper on the reef are a light knocker rig with 20-pound fluoro and cut bait in a chum slick.
Local Intel This Week
The 15th Street Boat Ramp, Cove Marina in Deerfield, and the Dania Beach ramp are the reliable public launches for offshore access. Fish are concentrating on the weedlines and the reef edges rather than the shallow inside water. Snapper, grouper, and pelagics all carry different seasons and limits — check current FWC and NOAA federal regulations and seasons before keeping any fish.
This Week’s Tip
When you hook a school mahi, do not boat it immediately. Leave it in the water alongside and have a second angler pitch to the fish that follow — you can often take four or five off a single hooked fish before the school scatters.