Waterlands

Species guide · Florida

Sailfish fishing in Florida

Istiophorus platypterus, a pelagic species also called sail, sails and Atlantic sailfish. Listed for the Eastern Gulf, South Florida and the Keys and South Atlantic regions. Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM at 42, one of 17 Florida bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Shoulder season
Where it's scoring nowAll Florida waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

Eastern Gulf

Shoulder season, about 6 more weeks
  1. Jan: Not present
  2. Feb: Not present
  3. Mar: Not present
  4. Apr: Off season
  5. May: Off season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Peak season
  8. Aug: Peak season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Off season
  12. Dec: Not present

Peak: Jul to Aug. In season (shoulder or peak): Jun to Oct.

Research notes, Eastern Gulf region

FWC says Panhandle fish are more abundant in summer and fall, along blue-water edges well offshore; a few are hooked from Panama City piers.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

South Florida and the Keys

Off season, about 1 more week
  1. Jan: Peak season
  2. Feb: Peak season
  3. Mar: Peak season
  4. Apr: Shoulder season
  5. May: Off season
  6. Jun: Off season
  7. Jul: Off season
  8. Aug: Off season
  9. Sep: Off season
  10. Oct: Shoulder season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Peak season

Peak: Dec to Mar. In season (shoulder or peak): Oct to Apr.

Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region

Winter run from Palm Beach through Miami and the Keys. FWC says sailfish are more abundant in South Florida October through March, when cold fronts drive bait south along the reef edge in 80-240 ft.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

South Atlantic

Off season, about 6 more weeks
  1. Jan: Peak season
  2. Feb: Shoulder season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Off season
  5. May: Off season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Off season
  10. Oct: Off season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Peak season

Peak: Dec to Jan. In season (shoulder or peak): Jun to Aug, Nov to Mar.

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Two fisheries in one region. Stuart and Fort Pierce, just north of Jupiter Inlet, peak mid-November through February; Georgia and the Carolinas see fish along the Gulf Stream edge in summer. Water temperature at the spot separates the two, so weight SST here.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 17

Florida bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's sailfish score this hour.

1
42Fair
Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM

Best window today 8-10 PM (42) · Best day Mon, Sep 21 at 9 AM (52) · 131 named spots

2
41Fair
Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM

Best window today 8-10 PM (41) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 8 AM (53) · 20 named spots

3
40Fair
Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM

Best window today 8-10 PM (40) · Best day Tue, Sep 22 at 7 AM (51) · 24 named spots

4
39Fair
Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm

Best window today 8-10 PM (39) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 8 AM (51) · 39 named spots

5
38Fair
Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm

Best window today 8-11 PM (38) · Best day Wed, Sep 23 at 9 AM (52) · 49 named spots

6
38Fair
Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (38) · Best day Fri, Sep 25 at 9 AM (49) · 81 named spots

7
35Fair
Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 4 AM (35) · 22 named spots

8
35Fair
Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 4 named spots

9
35Fair
Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 12 AM (35) · 21 named spots

10
35Fair
Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 8-10 PM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 6 AM (35) · 88 named spots

11
35Fair
Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (35) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 5 AM (35) · 92 named spots

12
31Fair
Coastal waters from Jupiter Inlet to Deerfield Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 8-11 PM (31) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 8 AM (35) · 6 named spots

13
26Fair
Caribbean Waters of Puerto Rico from 10 NM to 17N, including the Coastal Waters of Saint Croix

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (26) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 6 AM (35)

14
26Fair
Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out 20 NM

Best window today 8-10 PM (26) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (35)

15
26Fair
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM

Best window today 8-10 PM (26) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (35)

16
21Poor
Coastal Waters from Cabo San Juan to the waters between Anegada Island and Virgin Gorda and North 10 NM

Best window today 8-11 PM (21) · Best day Fri, Sep 18 at 6 PM (35)

17
19Poor
Coastal Waters east of Puerto Rico, around Vieques, and around and just north of Culebra and Saint John

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (19) · Best day Sat, Sep 19 at 6 AM (35)

Not scored in this forecast: Anegada Passage east of Virgin Gorda and Saint Croix south to 17N, Atlantic Waters of Puerto Rico AND USVI from 10 NM to 19.5N, Bayside and Gulfside from Craig Key to West End of Seven Mile Bridge, Biscayne Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Pine Island Sound, Eastern Choctawhatchee Bay, Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound, Gulf of America including Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal Channel, Lake Okeechobee, Mona Passage Southward to 17N, Pensacola Bay Area including Santa Rosa Sound, St. Andrews Bay Waterways, Tampa Bay waters and Western Choctawhatchee Bay.

How and where it feeds

Water temperature
Feeds from 72°F to 87°F, best between 75°F and 83°F.
Water depth
60 to 1500 ft of water.
Structure
Rip, reef, ledge, bluewater and open water, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Tide has little effect offshore. In Southeast Florida the best days come when a north or northeast wind blows against the Gulf Stream behind a cold front, stacking bait along the reef edge and color changes.
Light
Some lift around dawn and dusk.
Pressure
Tends to feed as pressure rises after a front.
Wind and sea limits
22 kt of wind and 6 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Sailfish feed along reef edges and color changes, usually in 80 to 240 feet off Southeast Florida and farther out along the Gulf and Carolina shelf edge. Fly live goggle-eyes, pilchards or threadfins from kites, or slow-troll live ballyhoo, on non-offset circle hooks. In winter the best bite often comes the day or two after a cold front, when north wind stacks bait along the edge.

Methods
kite fishing, slow trolling live bait, trolling rigged ballyhoo, bait and switch
Lures
teasers, skirted ballyhoo, small trolling lures
Bait
live goggle-eyes, live blue runners, pilchards, threadfin herring, live ballyhoo

Regulations

FWC saltwater regulations Buy a Florida fishing license License types

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Sep 16, 2026.

No reviewed sailfish rule for Florida is on file yet. Check with FWC before you keep one.

Other Florida species