Months come from each species' own season curve around Fort Lauderdale. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.
Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.
| Species | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| King Mackerel | ||||||||||||
| Dorado | ||||||||||||
| Wahoo | ||||||||||||
| Yellowtail Snapper | ||||||||||||
| Common Snook | ||||||||||||
| Mutton Snapper | ||||||||||||
| Gray Snapper |
King Mackerel: January excellent, February peak, March peak, April excellent, May fair, June poor, July poor, August poor, September poor, October fair, November excellent, December excellent. Dorado: January poor, February poor, March excellent, April peak, May peak, June excellent, July good, August fair, September fair, October good, November poor, December poor. Wahoo: January excellent, February good, March good, April excellent, May fair, June none, July none, August poor, September fair, October peak, November peak, December excellent. Yellowtail Snapper: January poor, February fair, March fair, April good, May excellent, June excellent, July excellent, August good, September fair, October fair, November fair, December poor. Common Snook: January poor, February fair, March fair, April fair, May excellent, June peak, July excellent, August good, September fair, October good, November fair, December poor. Mutton Snapper: January fair, February fair, March good, April peak, May peak, June excellent, July good, August fair, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. Gray Snapper: January poor, February poor, March fair, April fair, May good, June peak, July peak, August excellent, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair.
These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.
Peaks in February and March.
Fort Lauderdale kingfish abundance builds with the fall southbound migration (late Oct–Dec). It peaks in late winter (Feb–mid-Mar), when Atlantic migratory kings stack along the reef edge chasing ballyhoo, sardines and goggle-eyes, and smokers move north on the spring run through April. In summer most fish push north, so abundance drops but never reaches zero, because resident fish remain over the deeper reefs and wrecks.
Peaks in April and May.
Fort Lauderdale dorado are present year-round in the Gulf Stream, but numbers are lowest in winter (Dec–Feb), when cold fronts make catches sporadic. Abundance builds through March as northbound migrants ride the Stream, peaking from mid-April through May when big schools and gaffers push past along weedlines. Numbers taper through summer as fish move north, then a smaller fall bump in late September–October comes from southbound and resident fish before the winter low.
Peaks in October and November.
Wahoo off Fort Lauderdale peak in late fall (late Oct–Dec), when cooling water, strong fronts, and migrating baitfish push them along the Gulf Stream edge, with a secondary spring push in March–April. Summer numbers thin as fish spread offshore and north in warm water, but some wahoo remain present year-round.
Excellent in May, June and July.
Yellowtail snapper are resident year-round on Fort Lauderdale's reefs, so the curve stays broad with no zero weeks. Abundance builds through spring as waters warm and peaks from late May through July, when spawning aggregations form on the reef edges. It then tapers through fall and reaches a mild low in winter, when cold fronts and turbid water push some fish deeper or south toward the Keys.
Peaks in June.
Snook are resident year-round in Fort Lauderdale's Intracoastal, New River, and inlets, so the curve never drops to zero. Abundance peaks from late May through August, when fish stack at Port Everglades and Hillsboro inlets and along the beaches to spawn. A secondary bump in early fall follows the mullet run. The winter low reflects cold fronts pushing fish into canals and warmer backwaters, where fewer are present in the open waters.
Peaks in April and May.
Mutton snapper are year-round residents on Fort Lauderdale's reefs and ledges. Abundance builds through spring and peaks from mid-April through June, when fish stage and aggregate around the full-moon spawning periods (strongest in May–June). After the summer spawn disperses, numbers settle to a steady resident baseline through fall and winter.
Peaks in June and July.
Gray snapper are year-round residents on Fort Lauderdale's reefs, Intracoastal docks, inlets and nearshore structure, so the curve never approaches zero. Abundance builds through spring and peaks from late June to early July, when adults aggregate on offshore reefs to spawn around the full moons. Numbers ease through fall, and winter is the lowest stretch as cold fronts push some fish deeper or into scattered holding areas.
It depends on the species. King Mackerel peaks in February and March. Dorado peaks in April and May. Wahoo peaks in October and November. Yellowtail Snapper is excellent in May, June and July. Common Snook peaks in June. Mutton Snapper peaks in April and May.
On October 31, 2026, the forecast windows are King Mackerel 2 PM to 4 PM, Dorado 12 PM to 4 PM, Wahoo 12 PM to 4 PM, Yellowtail Snapper 1 PM to 4 PM, Common Snook 1 PM to 4 PM, Mutton Snapper 1 PM to 4 PM and Gray Snapper 1 PM to 4 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.