Waterlands

Species guide · Florida

Wahoo fishing in Florida

Acanthocybium solandri, a pelagic species also called ono and hoo. Listed for the Eastern Gulf, South Florida and the Keys and South Atlantic regions. Shoulder season, about 4 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm at 59, 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 4 more weeks
  1. Jan: Off season
  2. Feb: Off season
  3. Mar: Shoulder season
  4. Apr: Peak season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Off season
  8. Aug: Off season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Shoulder season
  12. Dec: Off season

Peak: Apr to May, Oct. In season (shoulder or peak): Mar to Jun, Sep to Nov.

Research notes, Eastern Gulf region

Shelf-edge structure and rigs off the Panhandle and west Florida; spring and fall are best. Lower confidence.

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

South Florida and the Keys

Peak season, about 13 more weeks
  1. Jan: Peak season
  2. Feb: Shoulder season
  3. Mar: Shoulder 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: Peak season
  12. Dec: Peak season

Peak: Nov to Jan. In season (shoulder or peak): Oct to Apr.

Research notes, South Florida and the Keys region

Reef drop-offs and humps off the Keys and Southeast Florida; best from late fall through winter. Tagged fish in the Straits of Florida spent 90 percent of their time in 63.5-81.5 F water (NC Sea Grant).

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

South Atlantic

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

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

Research notes, South Atlantic region

Gulf Stream edge, ledges and weed lines off the Carolinas, Georgia and Northeast Florida. Fish are most abundant from early spring through late fall, with a few lingering in winter (NCDMF); anglers key on the spring and fall runs.

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 wahoo score this hour.

1
59Good
Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (59) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (69) · 92 named spots

2
57Good
Coastal waters from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (57) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (68) · 22 named spots

3
57Good
Coastal waters from St. Augustine to Flagler Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (57) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 7 AM (69) · 4 named spots

4
56Good
Sebastian Inlet to Jupiter Inlet 0-20 nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (56) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (69) · 88 named spots

5
55Good
Flagler Beach to Volusia-Brevard County Line 0-20 nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (55) · Best day Thu, Nov 5 at 8 AM (67) · 21 named spots

6
51Good
Coastal waters from Jupiter Inlet to Deerfield Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (52) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (62) · 6 named spots

7
51Good
Coastal Waters from Mexico Beach to Apalachicola out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (51) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (61) · 24 named spots

8
48Good
Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (48) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (59) · 49 named spots

9
48Good
Coastal Waters From Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola FL out to 20 Nm

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (48) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (58) · 39 named spots

10
48Good
Coastal waters from Chokoloskee to Bonita Beach FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (48) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 6 PM (59) · 81 named spots

11
48Good
Coastal waters from Tarpon Springs to Suwannee River FL out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (48) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (58) · 131 named spots

12
47Good
Coastal waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (47) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (58) · 20 named spots

13
39Fair
Straits of Florida from Craig Key to west end of Seven Mile Bridge out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (39) · Best day Mon, Nov 2 at 6 AM (52)

14
37Fair
Caribbean Waters of Puerto Rico from 10 NM to 17N, including the Coastal Waters of Saint Croix

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (37) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (49)

15
36Fair
Straits of Florida from Ocean Reef to Craig Key out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (36) · Best day Tue, Nov 3 at 7 AM (51)

16
32Fair
Coastal Waters east of Puerto Rico, around Vieques, and around and just north of Culebra and Saint John

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (32) · Best day Wed, Nov 4 at 8 AM (49)

17
32Fair
Coastal Waters from Cabo San Juan to the waters between Anegada Island and Virgin Gorda and North 10 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (32) · Best day Fri, Nov 13 at 4 PM (49)

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 68°F to 84°F, best between 72°F and 80°F.
Water depth
60 to 3000 ft of water.
Structure
Ledge, rip, pinnacle, bluewater, wreck and canyon, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers moving water, with moderate current.Tide stage has little effect offshore. Current edges, temperature breaks and weed lines along drop-offs concentrate fish.
Light
Bites best around dawn and dusk.
Pressure
Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits
20 kt of wind and 6 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Wahoo patrol drop-offs, seamounts, rigs and weed lines where current and temperature breaks meet, usually along the 100 to 600 foot contours. High-speed trolling at 12 to 18 knots with weighted lures covers ground, and slower trolling with ballyhoo or diving plugs works over known structure. Use wire leader, because their teeth cut monofilament.

Methods
high-speed trolling, trolling, slow trolling live bait, vertical jigging
Lures
weighted high-speed trolling lures, skirted ballyhoo, diving plugs, planer-rigged lures
Bait
rigged ballyhoo, live blue runners, live goggle-eyes, bonito strips

Regulations

FWC saltwater regulations Buy a Florida fishing license License types

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Synced with FWC Oct 31, 2026. Rules shown verified Sep 13, 2026.

Federal waters (Atlantic)Retention openFederal

2 per day

Season: No closed season on file

50 CFR part 622, subpart M (Atlantic dolphin and wahoo) · verified Sep 13, 2026

StatewideRetention open

2 per day

Season: No closed season on file

No minimum size. Open year-round.

FWC Recreational Regulations: Wahoo · verified Sep 13, 2026

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