Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Cape Canaveral, FL (A Guide)
Port Canaveral is one of the most popular beach cities in Florida and home to some incredible deepsea fishing opportunities. Knowing the best seasons to fish in Cape Canaveral will make a huge difference for your fishing success.
The best season to fish in Port Canaveral for marlin, amberjack, bass, and cobia is summer whereas winter is the hottest time to catch snapper, snook, striped bass, and tuna. The spring and fall are also great times to fish Cape Canaveral.
| Fish Species | Best Seasons to Catch Fish in Cape Canaveral |
| Snook | December through March are the best months. |
| Tuna | April through August is the best season for tuna in Port Canaveral. |
| Redfish | Redfish are available year-round; fall and winter are the best. |
| Tarpon | Tarpon are available year-round; fall is the best season. |
| Cobia | November through April are the best fishing months. |
| Marlin | April through September is the best timeframe. |
| Spotted Seatrout | September through December is the best time. |
| Black Drum | February through May tends to be the best months. |
| Mahi Mahi | December through May is best; June & July can be good too. |
Port Canaveral, Florida offers the ideal setting for anglers. Due to the location, it is one of the best places in Florida for fishing. Port Canaveral is located on a barrier island between the Banana River and the Atlantic Ocean. The Banana River is actually a lagoon and is part of the Indian River Lagoon system which is composed of the Banana River, Mosquito Lagoon, and the Indian River.
Best Times to Fish Cape Canaveral
Sea trout
Fish for trout on the lagoon side of Port Canaveral in the marshes, around oyster reefs, floating algae mats, and sand bars. They bite more often in the early mornings and evenings when the sun is low.
Fishing for sea trout in the lagoon is best during the winter months with the optimal times being December to February. The cold water pushes them into pools in the marshes and tidal rivers where they hole up for the winter.
Mullet
In the fall mullet migrate down along the Atlantic coast to warmer waters, passing right through Port Canaveral. Opinions differ about eating mullet but generally, in Florida, they are good to eat fried. Finger mullet are good bait for snook.
Amberjack
Amberjack fishing out of Port Canaveral is good all year. The best season is spring (March to June) when they spawn. The Atlantic recreational season in Florida for amberjack is open year-round, too.
This differs from the Gulf side of Florida, where the season is only open in May and again from August through October. Charter a boat and catch them offshore near artificial reefs.
Mangrove Snapper
Mangrove snapper, also known as gray snapper live along the coast in mangroves, seagrasses, around jetties, oyster reefs, and bridges.
In the summertime (July and August) it is better to fish for them at night offshore where they spawn. During the rest of the year, fish for them inshore around Port Canaveral on the lagoon side. At night is the best time to fish inshore too. Mangrove snappers feed at night and in the early morning.
There is less ship traffic during these times which improves your odds of landing a fish. The ships tend to scatter the fish. Mosquito Lagoon, a part of Canaveral National Seashore and only an hour drive from Port Canaveral is known to be an excellent place to catch large mangrove snapper. Mangrove snapper fishing in Port Canaveral is good all year.
Cobia
Cobia numbers are excellent all year in Port Canaveral. That being said, the peak times are when they are migrating up and down the coast of Port Canaveral.
This happens in March and April when they head north, and in August and September when they head south. Fish for cobia offshore around artificial reefs. In the summer you may find them closer to shore, near oyster reefs, and inshore artificial reefs.
Mahi Mahi
Mahi Mahi are offshore fish found in the pelagic zone. April through June is the prime time to reel in mahi around Port Canaveral. The summer and late fall are decent for mahi too.
Snook
Snook are highly regulated in Florida and one of the most popular fish to catch in Port Canaveral. The season differs between the Gulf Coast and the Atlantic coast. The season for snook on the Atlantic coast is February 1st-May 30th and September 1st – December 14th.
Size limits apply to them as well. Look up the regulations on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission website beforehand. Regulations can vary slightly from year to year.
Snook are caught inshore around fishing piers, docks, or from a boat in inlets and bays. The best time to catch snook is at night. You will have the most luck reeling in snook November to December before the season closes and in February and March. Live bait is the best way to catch them.
Tripletail
Fish for tripletail in the middle of the day when you can easily spot them lurking near channel markers, floating sargassum mats, and buoys. The best time of year for a tripletail is March to June and October to December.
Blackfin tuna
Blackfin tuna are offshore pelagic fish. You will need to charter a boat and fish for them in deep open water. The best time of year is December through March.
Yellowfin tuna
Yellowfin are also found offshore and it’s best to charter a boat. They are found near Port Canaveral from April to June.
Wahoo
Wahoo are present year-round but are easier to find during cold months when they congregate near the surface. Usually, you will find them congregated above artificial reefs offshore. The most advantageous months to snag a wahoo out of Port Canaveral are November to February.
Sailfish
Sailfish are a popular offshore sport fish in Florida. They are so popular that Florida made it their state saltwater fish. The best times to catch sailfish out of Port Canaveral is October through March.
They are catch and release only unless you have a federal HMS permit. Regardless, many anglers still enjoy the sport of reeling in sailfish as they put up a good fight.
Red drum
Red drum are usually caught inshore in the Banana River and Cape Canaveral near mangroves, seagrass beds, oyster reefs, docks, and marshes. They are caught year-round in Port Canaveral with September to October being the best months.
The best time of day is the morning, but it also depends on the tides. High tide is usually the best time because it brings them deeper into the marshes and mudflats.
Black drum
Black drum around Port Canaveral are known as some of the biggest in the state. Often coming in at around 80lbs. You can catch them in the Banana River and Cape Canaveral near mangroves, oyster reefs, sand bars, off of docks, and in marshes. The peak time for black drum is October through December.
King mackerel
King mackerel are abundant year-round. They are one of the most popular Port Canaveral fish to catch from a charter boat. They are caught in deep water near shore and offshore.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Recommended Fishing Charters near Cape Canaveral
These Cape Canaveral-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Type of Fishing Offered |
| Canaveral Charter Adventures | Wreck, Reef, Offshore, Inshore & Nearshore |
| Saltire Fishing Charters | Wreck, Reef, Offshore & Nearshore |
| Patriot Fishing Charters | Wreck, Reef & Offshore |
| Reaper Fishing Charters | Wreck, Reef & Offshore |
| Cocoa Beach Offshore Adventures | Wreck, Reef, Offshore & Nearshore |
| Reel Magic Adventures | Nearshore |
| All Points Guide Service | Backcountry, Wreck, Reef, Offshore, Inshore & Nearshore |
| Pushing Limits Fishing Charters | Wreck, Reef, Offshore & Nearshore |
Overview of Port Canaveral Fishing
In the Port Canaveral area, you will be fishing the best of both worlds. On the west side, you have a lagoon that offers a diversity of habitats including grassy salt marshes, mangroves, seagrasses, and oyster reefs.
There is an abundance of marine life here and the Banana River is a huge breeding ground for fish. On the east side, you can do surf fishing and offshore fishing for pelagic species.
In Port Canaveral, anglers will not be disappointed. There are opportunities to catch snook, mullet, black drum, pompano, jack crevalle, king mackerel, mangrove snapper, red snapper, flounder, wahoo, sailfish, mahi-mahi, tarpon, cobia, amberjack, blackfin tuna, yellowfin tuna, and more.
Places to fish in Port Canaveral (Best Times)
Jetty Park
Jetty Park is the most popular place in Port Canaveral to fish from land. It has a 1200 ft fishing pier equipped with cleaning stations. It extends out along the Port Canaveral canal towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Expect to catch surf fish like pompano, mackerel, jack crevalle, and inshore fish such as red drum, sheepshead, mangrove snapper, snook, and black drum. There is a $15 fee to get into the park. The park offers a campground too, making Jetty Park the perfect place for a weekend of fishing.
Freddie Park and boat ramp
Freddie Patrick Park is close to Jetty park and is free. It features docks, a fish cleaning station, restrooms, and two covered pavilions.
Cherie Down Park
Cherie Down Park is a good place to access the beach for surf fishing. It has restrooms, covered picnic tables, and plenty of parking.
Rodney S. Ketcham boat ramp
Located near the Port Canaveral locks, the boat ramp has a park area with benches, picnic tables, restrooms, and a fish cleaning station. Locals fish from the sea wall into the canal. People fish here throughout the day, but it is best to fish at night when the boat traffic is less.
Banana River Park
Banana River Park is a good place to wade out into the river and fish. There is also a dock with a fishing platform. This is a good location to catch baitfish, mangrove snapper, black drum, red drum, and sea trout.
Booking charters in Port Canaveral
Best season to go
There is something to catch in Port Canaveral all year. So anytime is a good time to plan a trip. The busiest season for charter companies is late spring (April-June). This is when a lot of popular offshore fish are in their peak season like mahi mahi and yellowfin tuna. Air temperature-wise this is the best time too. Generally, the highs are in the 80s and lows are in the 60s. September through November is about the same.
Summer is unbearably hot during mid-day. If you are fishing in the summer it is best to do a half-day trip and come back around lunchtime. Winters are mild with highs in the 70s and lows in the 40s with the exception of a few days that get colder.
June 1st to November 30th is hurricane season in Florida. Booking a charter during this time has some of the best fishing, but the chance of rain is greater.
Charter trip type
Charter companies in Port Canaveral offer half-day, ¾ day, and full-day trips for offshore fishing. For inshore trips, you can book half-day trips that are 6 hours or trips that are only a few hours. Evening shark fishing trips are also popular.
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