Targeting Lionfish in Fort Lauderdale

This just in… well, not really … the invasive, non native Lionfish are taking over Florida’s reefs and anglers and divers are encouraged to target to the fish to help eradicate them.  Our Fort Lauderdale fishing charter customers can help, but there are some important things to know if you’re going to be fishing in Fort Lauderdale.

For starters, when you’re fishing in Fort Lauderdale for Lionfish, or doing any kind of fishing in Florida for that matter, you must have a recreational fishing license. Ironically, even though anglers and divers are being encouraged to target the fish, there is a 100 pound total catch limit. Beyond this, you’ll need a special license intended for commercial fishermen.

If you manage to snag a lionfish on a Fort Lauderdale fishing charter you must take care when handling them, particularly to avoid the venomous glands on the dorsal, pelvic and anal spines. Some fisherman cut these off as soon as they bring the fish on the boat. If you are injured by one of the spines, you should seek immediately medical attention. Having said that, unless you have a particular allergy to the lionfish the sting will likely not be fatal, although victims of lionfish stings report that the stings are extremely painful and can even cause temporary paralysis.

Most of our customers will not find captains targeting the lionfish on deep sea fishing trips in Fort Lauderdale. Grouper, snapper, sailfish, wahoo, and dolphin are much more popular. And for good reason!

Contact Information:
Fort Lauderdale Fishing Charters
1005 Seabreeze Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
954-376-5397