UTERSpanish mackerel fishing in The Everglades
In The Everglades, Spanish mackerel peak April and October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. March: On the outside bars and passes.
Snook reopens; reds, snook and tarpon on the fall bait. Snook harvest reopens the 1st. The outside beaches and passes are alive with mullet; reds schooled on the bars; trout back on the flats.
Spanish mackerel in The Everglades, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchArrivingOn the outside bars and passes.
- AprilPeak
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeakSnook reopens; reds, snook and tarpon on the fall bait. Snook harvest reopens the 1st. The outside beaches and passes are alive with mullet; reds schooled on the bars; trout back on the flats.
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish Spanish mackerel near Marco Island, Everglades City, Chokoloskee
Mangrove islands, tidal creeks, oyster bars and the outside beaches from Marco south to Cape Sable, then Florida Bay's shallow basins and banks. Almost none of it developed. The most tide-driven water in the state.
Fish Scouter charts 170 marker / buoy, 49 artificial reef, 40 pass / inlet, 30 beach / surf spots in the The Ten Thousand Islands & Everglades map area — the kinds Spanish mackerel hold on.
What to use for Spanish mackerel
- Glass minnows (bay anchovies)Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Spanish sardinesNose-hooked and free-lined in a chum slick, or slow-trolled on a stinger rig.
- Leader30–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 64–84°F water, best at 68–78°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch Spanish mackerel in The Everglades?
Peak season is April and October. Spanish mackerel are here year-round. March: On the outside bars and passes.
Where do Spanish mackerel hold in The Everglades?
Look on pass / inlet, beach / surf — around Marco Island, Everglades City, Chokoloskee, Flamingo.
What is the best bait for Spanish mackerel in The Everglades?
Live bait: glass minnows (bay anchovies), pilchards (whitebait), threadfin herring (greenbacks), spanish sardines. Glass minnows (bay anchovies): Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook. Tackle: leader 30–40 lb fluorocarbon, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for Spanish mackerel in The Everglades?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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