Wreck Fishing off Fort Lauderdale, Florida

By Capt. Steve Souther, Marlin My Darlin Sport Fishing

What was once accidental is now purposely done to enhance Fort Lauderdale fishing opportunities. Ships of years ago, blown off course by storms were grounded or sunk throughout the world’s seas. The activity these wrecks created with fish accumulating around the area gave modern environmentalists ideas on how to create fish habitats and havens. The Artificial Reef programs were started years ago down here with Fort Lauderdale fishing in mind, and have been going strong ever since.

 A few early mistakes were made with what kind of materials would work. It was found that steel and concrete structures worked best. Both hard and soft corals would attach and grow to these types of structures, whether intact, or broken up into pieces. Between 25 and 30 of these wrecks and reefs are accessible on a 4 hour trip from Port Everglades inlet, our departure point for our Fort Lauderdale fishing charters. 

Whether these wrecks and reefs are situated in deep or shallow water, they do have some things in common. They create habitat for small fish. Places to hide become abundant and residence is taken up quite rapidly. Bait fish accumulate around the areas as well, using the structures to elude capture. Where bait and small fish reside, you will find bigger fish, a successful working example of our deep sea fishing food chain. 

You will also find predators around both shallow and deep structures. Barracudas and sharks are commonly found close by. While bigger fish generally like the deeper wrecks and reefs available here for Fort Lauderdale fishing, a shallow spot can also produce large species from time to time. 

Here on the southeast coast of Florida our waters get deep quickly. Within a few miles of shore, we reach depths over 300’. At 6 miles from shore 800’ depths are attained. Most of our wreck and artificial reef fishing is done inside 400’. The tackle we use is determined by the species we are targeting. Mono leaders are used for Snapper, Grouper, Amberjacks and Cobia. If you are lucky, a mono leader will capture that Barracuda or Shark as well. But if the predators are your targeted species, wire leaders are recommended. The depth of the wreck will also determine how much weight is used. Deeper drops in heavy current can require up to a 5 lbs of lead to achieve the desired results. 

Artificial, live, dead or cut bait can be used. Any of these work well, but live bait is usually our choice for Ft. Lauderdale fishing wrecks. Jigging an artificial lure or bait can be a thrill when you hook up, but can also be tiring if the bite is slow. Cut and dead baits also will produce good results providing the little “chewers” don’t eat you up. Small, unwanted mouths can be frustrating, but that activity can produce a larger bite. 

The surrounding area can also be a great place to search for fish. Since these habitats attract bait fish, almost every species available we catch here can be found at times in the area. Kingfish, Sailfish, Mahi Mahi, Bonita, Wahoo and Tuna will frequent these spots on their migration through our area. The fact is, you just never know what you will connect with while fishing around these spots… but they do improve your chances. 

We have fished these areas for years. Almost every trip will find us on or around one or two of these reefs or wrecks. Whether fishing the kite with live bait, dropping a line to fish the wreck directly, or trolling by a few times, these wrecks and reefs provide us the opportunity to give you the best fishing experience we can. 

We are always happy to discuss our methods, tackle and rigging in regards to our Ft. Lauderdale fishing wreck sites.  For more information or to arrange a trip, call us at (954) 761-8202.