Offshore Fishing: The Best Time to Go

Offshore fishing is a popular recreational activity that takes place in deep water. It is a category of saltwater fishing that gained popularity due to unmatched angling action. Here, you can catch the biggest sport fish, including yellowfin tuna, striped marlin, redfish, striped bass, and Spanish mackerel. 

Anglers worldwide will spend time and travel miles away from the shore, hoping to catch huge fish species roaming the water's deep parts.

Aside from location, target species, and fishing styles, the time you visit during your offshore fishing trip is important. Although fishing has no timetable, there are some best times to go fishing. Continue reading the information below to learn more about it.

When determining the best time to go fishing, consider the following factors:

1. Falling tide

When the tide changes from high tide to low tide, a falling tide occurs. Take advantage of the falling tide during the two-hour interval before the actual low tide, and anglers will guarantee that it is one of the best times to fish. 

2. Rising tide

A rising tide occurs when the tide changes from low to high. Although some say that fishing during this time is slightly unfavorable, thanks to its frequently moving waters, the feeding activity of the game fish is strong. It is, therefore, way better than any other time. 

To further enhance your angling opportunity, try fishing two hours before the full high tide and watch how abundant the game fish are. 

3. Moon cycles

The moon cycle affects the fishing game due to moonlight and tides. Although the said effect of the moon cycle is far from an exact science and varies from the opinion of one angler to another, the night of the full moon is not the usual best way to go fishing. When better light comes from the moon, the smaller fish are easily preyed on by larger fish, leading some anglers to believe that angling action during this time is less. 

However, some say that reducing smaller fish enables them to catch larger fish better, depending on the angler's point of view. But generally speaking, the best time to fish is believed to be three days before and after the full moon since the tides are greatly affected, and so is your fishing game. 

4. Season

Planning a fishing trip is ideal for planning what type of fish you will target. Why? Because certain fish species are seasonal and depend on what time of the year you visit. 

Some species are more active during winter, some during summer, and others are abundant throughout the year. 

5. Time of Day

Sunrise and sunset are the key times in a day when you can often have a fantastic catch. One hour before and one hour after the sunrise is expected to produce a bountiful amount of fish. The window hour before and after the actual sunset also has a good catch. 

Night fishing is also a great option if you do not have enough time during the day. Between 9 pm and 3 am can give you an excellent angling action.

Many factors can affect your fishing trip, and one of them is time. However, skill and luck also play a vital role in fishing. No matter what time of the day you try to fish, may it be the best time or not, if your skill and luck don't allow you, then your catch might not be as many as you expected. 

Ideal Places for Offshore Fishing

Whether you have a bountiful catch or not, take it as a good experience and consider your fishing trip a success. The more experience you have, the luckier you'll be in the next. 

If you wish to experience deep sea fishing again, here are the ideal places for offshore fishing.

1. Outer Banks, North Carolina

The Outer Banks is one, if not the most, popular fishing destination in North Carolina. It is a deep sea fishing haven, especially for tuna, and is considered the billfish capital of the world. They offer numerous fishing charters with experienced chartered captains that will help you level up your fishing game and catch your first-ever trophy fish. 

Saltwater Fishing in the Outer Banks is unmatched during its peak season. You can easily catch white marlin, blue marlin, and sailfish. 

2. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 

Everything is possible here in South Carolina’s fantastic water, whether offshore, nearshore, or inshore fishing. 

Just 10 miles from shore, you can experience a great offshore fishing opportunity. Here, you can catch different varieties of porgy and shark and black sea bass, and Spanish mackerel. You can troll around these amazing waters and catch mahi mahi and barracuda. Go a little farther; you can see a bigger fish or reel in some new species when in luck. Check here to find a mahi mahi guided trip.

If you want a guided fishing experience, you can check out North Myrtle Beach Fishing Charters. Captain Keith Logan operates the boat here and has the best angling experience on these waters.

3. Key West, Florida 

Florida has great opportunities for deep sea fishing and flat fishing. According to the city's fishing report, numerous bonefish can be seen on the gulf and Atlantic sides of the keys. Due to its cool water temperature, fish actively feed during the mid-day. So, don’t forget to buy a Key West fishing license.

For offshore fishing, the bite remains steady. Plenty of pilchard and ballyhoo can be seen on the beach and the reef. Yellowtail and mangrove snapper bite well when you are between 70 to 90 feet, while Maui remains biting slowly during this time of the year. 

For a more exciting experience, you can also check out here to find a spearfishing guide Florida.

4. Gulf Stream

South Florida’s main driving force for its fishery comes from the Gulf Stream. The swift current of the stream became the feeding ground for much large game fish, including amberjack, mako shark, and blackfin tuna. You can catch them by kite fishing, trolling, or hook and line. 

Dolphin fishing is also possible in this water body since they prefer blue waters with a strong current. When you deep drop bottom fishing, you might be surprised to catch a queen snapper, yellowedge grouper, tilefish, or yelloweye rockfish. 

During the summer season, anglers usually don't start to fish not until they are in the Gulf Stream, where saltwater fishing is unsurprisingly abundant. 

Offshore fishing is a fun and rewarding activity for anglers. There are plenty of destinations where you can visit. Pack your things and plan your fishing tours now!