The game fishing season is almost over with November month closing in. Discover and explore more the waters of Stuart, Florida with its bountiful game fishes from black fin tuna and hammerhead sharks to snapper fishes and mackerels for enjoyment, relaxation, and game fishing experience. 

What fish can you catch in November in Florida? 

1. Black Fin Tuna

For avid anglers, if you are wishing for a big catch this November, tuna is the first game fish of the month. Blackfin tuna grows to a maximum of 100cm in length and weighs 21 kg., and is identified by a black stripe to dark-blue on its back, which sometimes has a silver belly and golden hue below.  

The Black Fin Tuna or Thunnus atlanticus, is the smallest in the Tuna family that can be caught deeper in the waters, while smaller ones are staying closer to the surface. They are known to travel in schools and can be found also with schools of Skipjack Tuna in the Florida Keys.  

A blackfin tuna are can be found in areas of a wide range and has migratory habits which makes them a bigger challenge even for veteran anglers. Locating Blackfins in Florida are usually found in places such as Stuart, Florida Keys, Destin, Cocoa Beach, Miami, and West Palm Beach.

2. Hammerhead Shark

If you are longing for a more adventurous catch this month Hammerhead Shark is your next target of the season for your game fish collection. Its scientific genus name is Sphyrna, or commonly called hammerhead sharks, T-heads, or T’s, which can be identified literally with its hammer-like structure of the head. Its eyes are on the sides of its flattened "hammer" head, giving it a 360-degree vision, both below and above.  

Fortunately, hammerheads are for catch and release only, and landing and/or harvesting them is illegal because they are becoming extinct. However, the ‘shark’ challenge is still enjoyed by many and considered priceless.  

Locating hammerheads are easy as many of them can be found on shallow waters schooling around and tanning to the sun. Mostly they are around insular and continental coral reefs, and on inlets and mouths of bays. Another way to locate T’s is finding their feeding grounds, look for schools of fishes such as sea catfishes, groupers, stingrays, squids, and even sharks, for certain they are just around catching their own prey also.  

3. Snapperfish

Snapperfishes is one of veteran anglers’ favorite game fish because of their delicacy. Also known as Snappers, belonging to about 105 species of fishes of the family Lutjanidaecan be identified with their long bodies, largemouths, blunt or forked tails, and sharp teeth.  

Catching a snapper fish requires both bait and lures. Snappers will bite on any lures like Jerkbaits, soft plastics, trolled plugs, metal jigs, and poppers. Slowly watching a snapper coming out from the bottom waters and popping out the metal jigs is one of the best moments to enjoy how you can lure and catch your wishful fish coming true.  

There are several places snappers can be caught among them are over grass flats, bars, flats along mangrove shorelines, and structures such as docks, artificial reefs, natural rock ledges, and bridges. When discovering more types of snappers, Florida has a lot to offer by checking out these places like 30A/Santa Rosa Beach, Destin, Panama City Beach, Tampa, Fort Walton Beach, and Key West.

4. Yellow Tail Mahi

For your 4th November game fish collection of the season - Yellow Tail Mahi. Also commonly called dolphinfish or mahi-mahi, is one of two members of the ray-finned fishes under the family Coryphaenidae that dwells off on locations like subtropical, tropical, and off-shore temperate water surfaces. 

Commonly, catching a Mahi-mahi in Florida can be done either using baits like cut bait, live bait, spoons, artificial lures, or jigs or trolling natural baits such as cigar minnows or rigged ballyhoo.  

Locating this offshore fish is not a problem because at this time of the season the Subtropical waters of South Florida are the perfect place for this migratory fish. Popularly, Mahi-mahi can be found on the waters of the Florida Keys and Atlantic Coast of Florida, where most of them are swimming close to the surface of the waters. 

5. Swordfish

Swordfish, under the scientific genus name Xiphias gladius, is popularly identified by its pointed, flat, and long bill. The only member of the Xiphiidae family has a round and elongated body, which can be found in temperate and tropical areas of the Atlantic, Indian Oceans, and the Pacific.  

Swordfishes offers the best as a game fish and food delicacy for fish anglers. Popularly, considered one of the fastest swimmers at around 60mph sprints gave game anglers the best fishing experiences of a lifetime. Imagine hooking a strong swordfish then it shoots out of the water from the depths in an instant and dives back to the waters.      

Since Florida is known as a Swordfish breeding ground, locating these game fish is easy. From Key West to the Jupiter Inlet, they can be found below feeding from surface to bottom areas over Filefish, Redfish, Mackerel, and Squid Barracuda.

6. Grouper

A Grouper, under the subfamily Epinephelinae, is another exciting and most sought by anglers because they are so good to eat! And when it comes to the fight challenge it’s one of the best game fighters of the sea. They are strong, heavy-weighed, and tough game fish that requires a lucky angler a work out because it will tire you out.

Identifying a grouper is not easy because they have similar shapes. Most of them are defined by a wide mouth and a large head with various colors on its body and most commonly with rectangular-shaped dark grey blotches.  

7. Tarpon

Tarpon belonging to the family Megalopidae is also one of the most popular game fishes in Florida. They are famous for being a jumper as high as 10 feet from the water while rattling its gills. They are also known with other names such as Silver Kings, Sabalo, or Silver Sides. Though they are tasty, not a delicacy because of their bony structure.   

Silver Kings can be identified with their compressed bodies and very large scales. Usually, tarpons have greenish or bluish-colored backs that vary from silver to dark. While its belly and sides are brilliant silver-colored.    

These Silver fishes can be found on estuaries, open marine waters, along coral reefs, and shallow coastal waters. They are also usually found in waters that are 74 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit. There are several locations you can check out to find Tarpons such as along West Coast, Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades, Lower Keys, Middle, and Upper Keys.

8. Mackerel

End this November with your last game of fish – mackerels. Commonly, mackerel is a name applied to different species of pelagic fishes. They are mostly found on tropical and temperate waters, feeding along offshores and coastal areas of oceans.  

Mackerels are identified by their deeply forked tails and a back having vertical stripes. Geographically, they live in separate populations and are more restricted in their distribution. Most of them migrate in groups along the coast and some feed on grounds, usually near areas of upwelling.    

Mackerels prefer to stay on warm waters, at least around 70 degrees. They can be found along shallow and clear waters, even in sandy shore-lined beaches. Also, mackerels can be caught along rocks and piers with deeper waters feeding off below. Florida offers a variety of mackerel all-year-round where November is one of the best seasons for mackerel fishing. 

Contact Stuart, FL’s Leader in Boating Charters

Hate2lose Charter has been providing 30 years of high-quality fishing charter services and the customer experience in Stuart, Florida. We offer Deep Sea Fishing Charter trips for you to enjoy the sun, relax, and catch your wishful game fish. We can help you experience what a true fishing experience is all about, which includes finding these fishes and having the best fishing experience of a lifetime. 
Learn to know more by visiting us personally at Pirates Cove Resort and Marina: 4307 SE Bayview St Slip N4 Stuart, FL 34997