When is the best time of year to catch (fill in the blank) fish? That’s one of our most common questions and we built a page just for it! This page shows seasonal information about each fish we can catch out of Port Canaveral. This guide combines Sea Leveler’s detailed catch records and fishing reports with Captain Greg’s 30+ years of local fishing experience. Select Offshore, Nearshore or Long Range and then select the fish you want to view.
Ladyfish
Silver acrobats and repeated leaps.
Nearshore
Ladyfish are slim silver fish that often jump repeatedly when hooked. They provide lively action on light tackle and are generally released or used as bait.
Trip options
Family Fun
Fishing techniques
Casting live shrimp or small bait near feeding fish and bait schools on light spinning tackle.
Ideal conditions
Moving bait around protected port water, jetties, or beach edges, especially where fish are visibly feeding.
Typical size
1–5 pounds
Edibility
Baitfish
The season at a glance…
Ladyfish are possible year-round around Port Canaveral’s port, jetties, and beach edges, with better opportunities from September through March. The calendar shows the strongest action during the fall bait run, especially October. Available bait, water conditions, and the captain’s fishing plan influence opportunities throughout the year.
Seasonal strength: 1 = lower opportunity · 5 = stronger opportunity · Closed = seasonal closure shown in our calendar, however regulations change and closures can happen earlier after catch quotas are filled. Ratings compare months for each fish. They are not catch percentages or guarantees.
Based on Sea Leveler’s catch records, fishing reports, and Captain Greg’s 30+ years of experience fishing Port Canaveral. Weather, water conditions, and bait movement affect the bite each day. Harvest regulations can change; your captain confirms what may be kept.
01
Finding the Action
The captain looks for bait and feeding activity around the port, jetties, or beach edges. He positions the boat and shows you where to cast a live shrimp or small bait.
02
The Bite and Jumps
A bite can come quickly. Once hooked, ladyfish often jump and twist at the surface. You follow the captain’s coaching to keep the line tight without pulling too hard on the light tackle.
03
At the Boat
The captain handles the catch and either releases it or saves it for bait. If the feeding school moves, he may search for more action or switch to another available nearshore species.
Ladyfish can give someone learning to fish a lot of action. They take a small bait and often jump repeatedly once hooked. We usually release them or use them for bait, but the fight can be a lively part of a Family Fun trip. — Capt Greg