Tarpon

If you're targeting the Silver King, Fort Lauderdale offers exceptional opportunities in its canals, inlets, and nearshore waters. The spring and summer months are prime time as tarpon migrate along the coast, following baitfish schools. Focus your efforts around bridges, docks, and channel edges, especially during tide changes. Live mullet or crabs are hard to beat, but artificial lures like swimbaits and topwater plugs can also be effective, particularly at dawn and dusk. A key local tip is to pay attention to water clarity; tarpon are more wary in clear water, so opt for slightly stained areas. Launching from boat ramps like the one at 15th Street Fisheries gives you quick access to the Intracoastal Waterway and nearby hotspots. Remember to adjust your leader strength based on the size of fish you're encountering – these Fort Lauderdale tarpon can be bruisers.