Wahoo season is waking up - right on the full moon.

The wahoo bite is heating up into the full moon. The play: pull a planer with a sea witch and bonita strip in 150-300 feet of water. Start shallower first thing in the morning (120-150 feet), then slide out to 200-300 feet as the sun climbs. Fort Lauderdale boats proved it this week - an 18-pounder and a 30-pounder hit the dock on the same morning trip, along with 10 mahi.

OFFSHORE: Mahi are scattered in 400-600 feet. Blackfin tuna are biting in 200-300 feet. Kingfish are holding along the 120-foot ledge.

BOTTOM: Mutton snappers are chewing in 90 feet on sardines, yellowtail are steady, more amberjack are showing on the wrecks, and the reefs are loaded with barracuda. The first bonitas are arriving - unbeatable live bait for bigger predators.

INSHORE: The finger mullet run has started. Snook and tarpon are stacking up around the bridges and inlets, best at night on the outgoing tide. A live mullet on the edge of the school is the tarpon ticket; fish one under the school on a knocker rig for snook.

And the word from across the Gulf Stream: the wahoo are biting in the Bahamas.

Looking ahead: sailfish should start showing more consistently as we move into fall. Bait movement is increasing, the days are getting shorter, and the action only gets better from here.

Tight lines,

Richard

Sources: Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing (Fort Lauderdale, Sept 25), Juno Bait & Tackle weekend outlook, Florida Sportsman South Florida forecast.