Every year, thousands of anglers travel to Florida to catch the striking mahi mahi. But the question is, when is the best time to catch mahi mahi?

Fishing mahi mahi in Florida’s spring and summer months is the best time. The mahi mahi, or dolphins, are active all year round in Florida waters. There is a noticeable lull in October.

Season Quality for Mahi Mahi (Dolphin Fishing)

Spring Excellent fishing in most parts of the state.

Summer Fishing is great, but it can be very crowded with other anglers. It will be difficult to find charter availability.

Fall is the best season for mahi in Florida Keys. The rest of the state is less favorable for mahi.

Winter is the slowest season in mahi mahi throughout the state. Fish can still be caught with consistency.

The mahi mahi, also known as the dolphin fish is a tropical fish that loves Florida’s tropical waters. They spend many months of the year in the state.

This article will discuss the best times to fish mahi mahi in Florida. It will also break down the seasons. We will also break down Florida’s regions and show you which season is best for your destinations.

Mahi mahi fishing in Florida

Best Time to Fish Mahi Mahi in Florida

The mahi mahi population of Florida is thriving because they have easy access to the Gulf Stream and other deep waters. This means that you can catch a mahi mahi any time of the year. However, there are great times to go when you can almost guarantee multiple fish in the boat within a single day.

The population is quite dense in Florida. However, larger mahi mahi begin to appear around April in the waters around the southern half of the state. They move north as the waters warm, and reach the Gulf Coast panhandle around June.

They remain in Florida until the water begins to cool again. This is usually around September. Spring and summer are the best times to fish mahi mahi. You can actually find large mahi mahi along the east coast. The warmer waters of the Atlantic draw them there longer than on the west coast. This is true all the way through October and November.

This article will provide a detailed breakdown of the best mahi mahi locations in Florida.

Seasonal Breakdown of Mahi Mahi (Dolphin), Florida

You will need to be able to determine the fishing conditions in the area where you are going to fish for mahi mahi. We will break down Florida’s waters to show you when it is best to fish.

Atlantic Coast

The Atlantic Coast of Florida is the best for fishing mahi mahi. The Atlantic Side has deeper waters, and the deepest water is closer to the coast. You can fish for mahi mahi in many locations while still keeping the coast in sight and still catch a monster.

St. Augustine, Cape Canaveral and St. Augustine are the top spots for mahi mahi along the Atlantic Coast. April through September are the best months to fish mahi mahi from the Atlantic side. The northern coast will see more action in June and July, while the southern portion of the coast is hot until October. Winter season is the worst time on the Atlantic side.

This article will provide a detailed breakdown of the best times for fishing in Palm Beach.

Gulf Coast

Although the Atlantic is more popular, the Gulf Coast remains a great place for fishing for mahi mahi. Although the Atlantic side has larger fish, there are still many good-sized dolphin fish available. Many of these fish range from 3-10 pounds. They are just as tough as bigger fish, so don’t let their size fool you.

April through August are the best months for fishing for mahi mahi along the Gulf Coast of Florida. Other than those months, January and December are the worst months for dolphin fishing.

This article will help you learn about the best times to fish in Panama City. This article will provide a detailed breakdown of the best times to fish at Cocoa Beach.

Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are home to the largest mahi mahi population in all of Florida’s waters. The best part about fishing in the Florida Keys is that the fish are available all year. Many factors contribute to this, including the proximity to deep water in the Gulf and Atlantic as well as the convergence between several ocean currents that keep the waters at the perfect temperature year-round.

Although there is plenty of action all year, the larger ones arrive around April and stay until October and November. Actually, October is the best month to fish for mahi mahi on the keys.

If there was one, December and January would be it. There are still many mahi mahi, but the larger ones will move to the area in April and September.

This article will give you a detailed breakdown of the best times for mahi mahi to be caught in the Florida Keys.

Southern Florida (Miami/Everglades).

The mahi mahi is a popular fish in Miami and the southern tip. It takes a short ride from the dropoff to reach the Gulf Stream’s deeper waters to get to the area where mahi hang out. You’ll see them under any kind of floating debris and vegetation.

Although mahi mahi can be found all year in South Florida, and tend to grow a lot during the winter months of the year, it is best to catch them between April and August.

This is the season when larger mahi migrate through the region to northern waters. It’s important to act quickly and find a guide who can tell you where they are at any given time.

The article was written by a professional charter captain at Salty Knots Fishing Charters with 15+ years of experience in the Gulf of Mexico. Salty Knots Fishing Charters is a local fishing charter service based out of St. Pete Beach, Florida. “We know what it takes to catch a giant trophy fish!” Salty Knots Is the best when it comes to Fishing Charters St Petersburg FL.