Full Day Shark and Mackerel Fishing in Daytona Beach
Private Trip
Offshore Fishing
Fullday offshore fishing targets sharks, mackerel, and mahi.Small group experience with maximum 4 guests aboard.Professional crew guides reef and bottom fishing adventures.
Picture yourself heading out past the breakers as the sun climbs higher, watching Daytona's coastline shrink behind you while the deep blue waters of the Atlantic stretch endlessly ahead. This isn't your typical pier fishing – we're talking about a serious offshore adventure that puts you right where the big fish live. Our full-day charter targets the productive reefs and structure just offshore from Daytona Beach, where King Mackerel patrol the blue water and bottom fish stack up like cordwood. With Go Fish Sportfishing, you're getting access to prime fishing grounds that most anglers only dream about, plus the expertise of captains who've been working these waters for years.
Your day kicks off early – we're talking first light departure to maximize your time on the productive water. The boat heads out roughly 8-15 miles offshore, depending on where the fish are biting and what the conditions look like. You'll spend quality time both trolling the blue water for pelagic species and anchored up on structure for bottom fishing. The beauty of this full-day trip is the variety – when the mackerel bite slows down, we switch gears and drop baits to the bottom for snapper and other reef fish. Our crew handles all the rigging, bait prep, and boat positioning, so you can focus on what you came for: fighting fish. The boat is equipped with quality rods and reels, but feel free to bring your own gear if you've got favorites. We keep a cooler stocked with ice to preserve your catch, and there's plenty of room to move around during those long fights with bigger fish.
We run a mix of tactics depending on what's biting. For the King Mackerel, we'll troll a spread of live baits behind the boat – typically blue runners, threadfin herring, or whatever baitfish we can catch fresh that morning. The key is covering water and presenting baits at different depths using downriggers and planer boards. When we mark fish on the bottom machine or hit a productive piece of structure, we'll anchor up and drop bottom rigs with circle hooks and cut bait. This is where you'll connect with the Lane Snapper, Vermilion Rockfish, and smaller sharks that cruise the reefs. The crew will show you how to work the bottom, when to set the hook, and how to fight fish without getting tangled up with other lines. If you're new to offshore fishing, don't sweat it – our guys will walk you through everything from baiting hooks to using the fighting belt for bigger fish.
King Mackerel are the crown jewel of Daytona's offshore scene, and for good reason. These torpedo-shaped predators can stretch over 40 inches and put up fights that'll test your arms and your drag system. They're most active from spring through fall, with the bigger fish showing up when the water temps hit that sweet spot in the mid-70s. Kings are notorious for their blistering initial runs – when one hits your bait, you'll know it instantly. What makes them so exciting is their unpredictability; they might jump, they might dive deep, or they might just bulldoze their way around the boat for 20 minutes.
Atlantic Bonito might not get the respect they deserve, but these little rockets will surprise you. They're smaller than Kings – usually in the 3-8 pound range – but pound for pound, few fish fight harder. Bonito are speed demons that often travel in schools, so when you find one, there's usually more around. They're excellent on light tackle and make fantastic table fare when prepared fresh. Look for them in the same areas as the mackerel, often mixed in with the schools.
Vermilion Rockfish are bottom dwellers that live around the offshore structure and artificial reefs. These red-colored beauties typically run 1-3 pounds and are absolute table fare champions. They're not the hardest fighters, but they're consistent biters when you find them, and they school up tight on good bottom. The best part about vermilion snapper is they're usually willing to bite year-round when weather permits offshore trips.
Lane Snapper are another reef favorite that keeps the action steady when you're bottom fishing. They're smaller than their red snapper cousins but make up for it in numbers and willingness to bite. Lanes have beautiful yellow stripes and pink hues, and they're curious fish that often investigate any commotion around the boat. They're perfect for anglers who want consistent action and great eating fish to take home.
Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks add some variety to the mix and give you a different kind of fight altogether. These smaller sharks – usually 2-4 feet long – are common around the same reefs where we target snapper and other bottom fish. They're surprisingly strong fighters that use their body shape to their advantage, often spinning and rolling during the fight. While not typically kept for the table, they provide exciting action and great photo opportunities before release.
This full-day offshore adventure gives you the complete Daytona Beach fishing experience – from the rush of trolling for Kings in the blue water to the steady action of bottom fishing over productive reefs. With a maximum of just 4 anglers, you're guaranteed plenty of fishing time and personal attention from our experienced crew. The variety of species and techniques means there's always something happening, whether you're a seasoned offshore angler or someone looking to step up from inshore fishing. Our captains know these waters like the back of their hand, and they're committed to putting you on fish while showing you the techniques that work best in these specific conditions. Don't wait for the perfect weather window to book – the best fishing days fill up fast, especially during peak season when the Kings are running thick and the bottom bite is hot.
Our 2024 26-foot center console cuts through Daytona's offshore waters with twin 150HP Yamaha engines, cruising at 30 knots to get you on the fish fast. This fishing machine handles up to 4 anglers comfortably while you target King Mackerel, Bonita, and Mahi around the reefs. The boat comes equipped with a fish finder to locate schools, GPS for precise navigation, and VHF radio for safety. Keep your catch fresh in the onboard icebox and stay comfortable with the head facilities. Whether you're trolling the blue water or bottom fishing the structure, this center console gives you the speed and stability to make the most of your day chasing sharks, mackerel, and whatever else is biting off the Daytona coast.
Sarda SardaAtlantic Bonito are built for speed, averaging 3-8 pounds but capable of hitting 40 mph when they're fired up. These silver torpedoes with dark stripes school in huge numbers and feed aggressively in the mid-water column. Spring and fall migrations bring the best action when they're chasing bait near the surface. You'll spot them by the bird activity - they push baitfish up and create a feeding frenzy that's hard to miss. Guests love the non-stop action once you find a school - they'll hit almost anything you throw at them. They're not great table fare here in the States, but the fight is pure adrenaline. Pro tip: when you see birds diving, get there fast and throw small spoons or jigs. Once the school sounds, it's game over until you find the next one.
Rhizoprionodon TerraenovaeAtlantic Sharpnose Sharks are our most common inshore sharks, running 2-4 feet and 6-9 pounds with that distinctive pointed snout and black-tipped fins. You'll find them year-round in the surf zone, bays, and even brackish water - they're not picky about where they hunt. Summer months are peak time when they're most active in the shallows chasing bait. Guests enjoy them because they're the perfect introduction to shark fishing - strong fighters but manageable size, and they'll hit just about any bait you put down. The meat's actually pretty tasty if you want to keep one for the table. They're also great live bait for bigger sharks if you're targeting giants. Local tip: bring a landing net and gloves - their skin is rough as sandpaper and those teeth are razor sharp even on the small ones.
Scomberomorus CavallaKing Mackerel are some of the fastest fish in these waters, typically running 20-40 pounds with occasional giants hitting 60+. You'll find them cruising the 40-150 foot depths around our offshore reefs and structure. They're highly migratory, so spring through fall gives you the best action when water temps hit that sweet 68-84°F range. What makes them special is that blazing speed - they'll rip line off your reel like few other fish can. The meat's excellent too, though watch the mercury if you're pregnant. Here's a local tip: rig two hooks on a wire leader when using live bait - one in the nose, another trailing behind. Kings love to hit the back half of a baitfish, and that second hook will save you from a lot of missed fish.
Lutjanus SynagrisLane Snappers are perfect "starter" snappers - usually running 10-14 inches and 3-7 pounds with those distinctive pink and yellow stripes that look like candy cane lanes. They hang around coral reefs and sandy bottoms in 70-230 feet, making them ideal targets on our offshore trips. March through September is prime time when they're spawning and feeding aggressively. What guests love is how willing they are to bite - they're not nearly as finicky as their larger snapper cousins, so kids and beginners often rack up numbers. The meat is fantastic eating, sweet and flaky. They're aggressive little fighters too, giving you a good scrap for their size. Here's the trick: they feed heaviest at night, so if we're fishing evening trips, drop some shrimp or cut squid down to them and you'll often double up.
Sebastes MiniatusVermilion Rockfish aren't native to our Atlantic waters - they're actually a Pacific Coast species found from California to Alaska. You won't encounter these bright red, mottled fish on our Daytona trips since they live around rocky bottoms and reefs in 100-500 foot depths on the other side of the continent. They typically run 14-22 inches and make decent table fare, but you'd need to head to California or Oregon waters to target them. Instead, when we're bottom fishing our Atlantic reefs, we're more likely to pull up grouper, snapper, and other local species that thrive in our warm Gulf Stream influenced waters. If you're interested in colorful bottom fish with similar fighting characteristics, our local snappers and grouper will give you that same satisfying tug.
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