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Photo: Shannon Rankin, NOAA, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Elagatis bipinnulata
How to catch Rainbow runner in Florida
Rainbow runner feed in 74–90°F water and bite best at 78–86°F.
25 pts · trophy at 30"Feeds 74–90°FBest 78–86°FIn season nowArtificial reefWreckLedge / hard bottom
About
A striped blue-and-yellow torpedo of a jack on the weedlines and the reef edge in summer, faster than it looks, and good on the grill. The dolphin fisherman's bonus.
How to fish it
Troll small feathers along the weedlines, or pitch a pilchard when they show under the boat.
What it eats
small trolled lureslive pilchardsjigs
Live bait for it
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.
BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.What to fish it with
the sizes that fish itLeader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
Hook4/0–8/0
Braid50–100 lb
The rule
not confirmed hereWithin the general bag — confirm at MyFWC.
The current rule at MyFWC →Month by month, water by water
When rainbow runner is the story
The Ten Thousand Islands & Everglades
JFMAMJJASOND
The Florida Keys
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Miami & Biscayne Bay
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Palm Beach & the Treasure Coast
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