Fort Lauderdale Beach Fishing

Fort Lauderdale Beach is one of Florida's best-known beaches, and the city allows fishing only on the sand between NE 18th and NE 23rd Streets, during set daytime hours. It is a simple surf spot: a rod, a sand spike and the first trough.

• The one stretch of the city's public beach where its rules allow fishing
• Pompano and whiting in the cooler months, with bluefish and Spanish mackerel after cold fronts
• Jacks, blue runners and summer snook along the shoreline
• Clear Atlantic water and easy access from A1A

The fishing stretch is the sandy public beach between NE 18th Street and NE 23rd Street, along A1A (North Ocean Boulevard) just north of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. The beach is run by the City of Fort Lauderdale.

• Getting there: follow A1A north from Sunrise Boulevard past the state park; the fishing stretch begins at NE 18th Street
• Parking: limited in this hotel and condo district; use public parking where posted signs allow
• Fishing hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and national holidays
• The walk: from A1A across the sand to the water
• Surface: soft sand all the way; pack light or bring a beach cart

The surf here changes with the seasons more than with the tide.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and whiting in the trough, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on passing bait, jacks arriving
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook cruising the shoreline, jacks, blue runners and ladyfish, whiting on calm days
• Fall (Sep-Nov): the mullet run along the beach, with jacks, bluefish, snook and the occasional tarpon crashing bait
• Winter (Dec-Feb): the best pompano and whiting months, with bluefish and Spanish mackerel after cold fronts

A 9- to 10-foot surf rod reaches the trough without wading far.

• Pompano and whiting: a two-hook pompano rig with a 2 to 4 oz pyramid sinker, baited with sand fleas, shrimp or scented synthetic baits, cast into the first trough
• Bluefish and Spanish mackerel: silver spoons or small jigs on a short wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader, retrieved fast through bait schools
• Jacks and blue runners: spoons, small plugs and jigs
• Summer snook: a white bucktail or small swimbait worked parallel to the beach in the first trough
• Keep your gear in a tight footprint so swimmers and walkers can pass

The Atlantic has two tides a day here, and the surf fishes best when the water is clean and moving.

• Best: the rising tide toward high water, when fish push into the trough
• Calm to moderate surf with clear water; a strong onshore blow muddies the trough and makes casting hard
• Winter cold fronts bring pompano, bluefish and mackerel, often a day or two after the front passes
• The permitted hours are in the middle of the day, so plan around the days when the rising tide falls inside them
• Summer afternoon storms build quickly over the beach

This is a busy, open surf beach lined with hotels.

• Swimmers come first: keep casts and lines well away from anyone in the water
• Rip currents can form along this beach; never wade out past your knees to cast
• Shuffle your feet in the shallows to warn off stingrays
• Lightning strikes open beaches; leave the sand at the first thunder
• Heat and sun: bring shade, water and sunscreen
• Accessibility: soft sand from A1A to the water, which is hard going without a beach wheelchair

The fishing stretch is plain beach, so bring what you need.

• No bait shop, fish-cleaning station or rod holders on the sand
• Restrooms and showers are not listed for this stretch; plan ahead
• Bring water, sun protection and shade; there is no cover on the sand
• The city's Ocean Rescue service guards Fort Lauderdale's beaches; follow any lifeguard instructions
• Bring a sand spike, a cooler and a bucket for bait

• Check the time before you set up: the city permits fishing here only during its set hours
• Look for the darker, deeper water of the trough just off the beach and cast into it
• Sand fleas dug from the wet sand where the waves wash up are the best pompano bait
• Winter days after a cold front are the best pompano days
• Take every hook, line and bait scrap off the sand when you leave; the city requires it

Fort Lauderdale Beach is run by the City of Fort Lauderdale, and its beach rules apply.

• Fishing or netting is permitted on the sand between NE 18th and NE 23rd Streets, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and national holidays, and must be done safely
• All bait, line, hooks and tackle must be removed from the beach after fishing
• Dogs are not allowed on the sand except service animals and at the designated Canine Beach
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt
• Shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything