Getting Ready for Sailfish Season October 12, 2020

Sailfish Season is Around the Corner

 It’s officially fall in the northern hemisphere which means the cold fronts should begin making their way south across the eastern seaboard. This drop in temperature means many things for different fisheries but it’s more than welcomed in South Florida as it usually kick starts sailfish season.

Fall brings northeast winds and a drop in temperatures that pushes bait and predators south along our coast. Our earliest sailfish tournaments don’t start until November but October is usually spent prepping for tournaments, catching bait, and pre-fishing. Local fishing charters usually start kite fishing any moment now and as soon as they have a few good days, the weekenders hit the water. 

Time to Break out the Kites

 With the summer doldrums behind us, fall brings more wind to which we respond with more kite fishing. Now is a great time to start rigging your kite lines, respooling your reels, and taking inventory of your tackle. Be sure to check your kite plugs for corrosion (they sometimes rust out over summer) and make sure you have a healthy inventory of kite leaders, bridle bands, kite lines, clips, and more.

Fall is a great time of year to rep your favorite hoodie or fleece jacket so you’re ready for more wind, spray, and a decline in temperatures. October is still a great time of year further up the coast all the way to the Outer Banks but tournament teams will soon be moving south with many of them making South Florida home for the winter.

Kite Fishing for Sailfish

 Kite fishing for sailfish can be the ultimate test as these finicky billfish are the target species for plenty of large tournaments during the next 6 months. These acrobatic billfish are a lot of fun on light tackle with numbers being the goal rather than size. We sometimes see double digit days fishing for sailfish from Islamorada-Stuart as early as December so it’s important to start getting ready soon.

 In addition to sails, big kingfish, cobia, wahoo, and more will be making their way south.  You never really know what to expect while kite fishing so be ready!

Thank you to our friends at FishMiamiCharters.com