Waterlands

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King mackerelRetention open

Cape · Florida

Cape Cod

28.25°N · 80.67°W · Cape · Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm

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Best score today · 6 PM · King mackerel

76/100Great
Now
6611 AM EST
Best window
5-7 PMEbb tide
Tide now
Flooding2.8 ft ▲

Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine

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14-day forecast

Best days to fish

Best: Wed · 77

24-hour conditions

Tuesday, Nov 10 · 4 PM

Time4P
Score67Great
Tide1.7 ft ▲Flooding
Current0.1 knmodeled · toward S
Wind6 kn NNEgusts 16 · steady
Sea stateLight chop1.6 ft · 6 s
Air temp68°Mild
WeatherClear14% cloud
Water78°FModel

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Atlantic state waters (Nassau through Miami-Dade counties)

IN EFFECT NOW

King mackerel

Retention open
Daily limit
2 per day
Possession
Not published
Size
Minimum 24 in, fork length
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
Hook and line and spearing only. Open year-round.

From FWC Recreational Regulations: King Mackerel, read Sep 13

Other species here

  • Atlantic croaker Retention open (50 per day)
  • Black drum Retention open (5 per day)
  • Bluefish Retention open (3 per day)
  • Bonefish Catch & release (No retention)
  • Cobia Retention open (1 per day)
  • Crevalle jack Retention open
  • Florida pompano Retention open (6 per day)
  • Gag grouper Closed (No retention)
  • Gray snapper Retention open (5 per day (10 snapper combined))
  • Gray triggerfish Retention open (10 per day)
  • Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
  • Mahi-mahi Retention open (5 per day)
  • Permit Retention open (2 per day)
  • Red drum Catch & release (No retention)
  • Red grouper Retention open (3 per day (3 Atlantic grouper and tilefish combined))
  • Red snapper Check regulations
  • Sailfish Retention open (1 per day (1 billfish combined))
  • Sheepshead Retention open (8 per day)
  • Snook Retention open (1 per day)
  • Southern flounder Closed (No retention)
  • Spanish mackerel Retention open (15 per day)
  • Spot Retention open (50 per day)
  • Spotted seatrout Closed (No retention)
  • Summer flounder Closed (No retention)
  • Tarpon Catch & release (No retention)
  • Wahoo Retention open (2 per day)
Always check with FWC ↗Fishing license ↗

Source: FWC · synced yesterday

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When King mackerel is best here

Shoulder season for King mackerel · 4 more weeks at shoulder

King mackerel season by week of the year. Shoulder season for King mackerel · 4 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • This week

King mackerel in Florida →

Spot profile

Cape Cod

Depth
3-9 ftNearest water
Structure
Point · Outer · Semi-exposedPoint · flat bottom
Season
Shoulder seasonKing mackerel

NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.

About this spot

Fishing Cape Cod

Cape Cod is a cape in Volusia-Brevard County Line to Sebastian Inlet 0-20 nm, Florida. Depth in the nearest water is 3-9 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads point, outer water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 30 species here; the best right now are little tunny, bluefish and black sea bass. It is peak season now for little tunny, bluefish, black sea bass and Florida pompano, and shoulder season for king mackerel, Atlantic croaker, black drum and common snook. Little tunny peak from October through November. Bluefish peak from March through April and from November through December. Black sea bass peak from March through April and from October through November.

Tackle & technique

King mackerel
Kings roam from beaches and pier ends out to reefs, wrecks and ledges in 40 to 200 feet, usually feeding in the upper half of the water column. Slow-troll live menhaden, blue runners or cigar minnows on a light wire stinger rig, or pull spoons and ribbonfish past bait schools. Look for clean green water above 68 F with bait and birds on it.
Little tunny
Little tunny travel fast in schools that pin bait against inlets, points, jetties and tide rips, usually within a few miles of shore and often in less than 60 feet. Stay off the school's path, wait for it to surface within range, and cast small metal or epoxy jigs with a fast retrieve. When fish stay down, troll small feathers along bait edges and color changes to find them.
Bluefish
Bluefish travel in size-sorted schools and feed where tide pushes bait past structure: inlet mouths, rips, shoal edges and the surf line, mostly in water shallower than 60 feet. Look for birds and breaking bait and cast metal or poppers into it, or soak cut bunker or mullet on the bottom from the beach. Use a short wire or heavy leader because their teeth cut light line.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

View all on map →
  • Buck Point

    Cape · 3.2 mi

    70
    Top: Little tunnyPeak season
    • Little tunny 70
    • Black sea bass 67
    • Bluefish 66

    11 kt EH 1:46 PM · 4.2 ftL 8:11 PM · 1.0 ft

  • Plover Point

    Cape · 2.3 mi

    69
    Top: Little tunnyPeak season
    • Little tunny 69
    • Black sea bass 66
    • Bluefish 65

    11 kt EH 1:46 PM · 4.2 ftL 8:11 PM · 1.0 ft

  • Mangrove Point

    Cape · 2.8 mi

    69
    Top: Little tunnyPeak season
    • Little tunny 69
    • Black sea bass 67
    • Bluefish 65

    11 kt EH 1:46 PM · 4.2 ftL 8:11 PM · 1.0 ft

  • Indian River Lagoon

    Bay · 3.2 mi

    67
    Top: Black sea bassPeak season
    • Black sea bass 67
    • Little tunny 67
    • Bluefish 66

    11 kt EH 1:46 PM · 4.2 ftL 8:11 PM · 1.0 ft

Open in the tide map

Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with FWC before you keep a fish.