Boatless Fishing Forum, Reports, Info

Hi Guys! I am planning my vacation in Fort Lauderdale in August (sorry for my english ...im French Canadian) , it's my first time on Fort Lauderdale and I was wondering if you guys can help me. Is there any specific easy access fishing spot for exotic freshwater fishes in canals? Im also interested in fishing saltwater canals. Thanks in advance

The further west you go generally the better the fresh water fishing is. Try the canals along Orange/Griffin Rd peacocks, largemouth snook and tarpon in there. As far as salt based land fishing not a lot of areas outside of the local piers and the jetties at the local inlets.

Perfect ,I will try those canals! Thanks for your answer

If you're willing to drive 30 minutes south there are plenty of peacock bass to be found in most any canal in the Kendall area.

Here's the best bash fishing spot in the area. Fish in the evening, right around dusk until dark. White fluke or pumpin seed trick work (both zoom) worked rapidly near the surface. Expect to catch plenty of fish. 7+ lbers are not uncommon, with some getting significantly larger. There are some patches of hyrdilla that you can fish with texas rig for the biggest fish if you wanna spend the time. The fishing gets better the further you go down, and there is a rock ledge near the end that is great if you let the fluke sink a foot or two. Don't skip the first spot at the north side of the intersection it usually holds a fish or two.


Google search for locks near the coast, where the freshwater canals let out into the saltwater canals after heavy rains. If it rains hard one day, head to a lock in the palm beach or ftl lauerdale area and catch freshwater cihclids or whatever on small spinners, toss em in a bucket full of water, and carry it to the saltwater side of the lock. Freeline the live bait with a 3/0 circle hook by tossing it into the churning water at the lock and letting it swim down the canal. Big snook school up when this happens. You can try using a weighted jig head to get them deeper if you want.

The canal beside the falls mall in Kendal holds plenty of peacocks too. If you are short on time just buy some golden shiners from the local bait shop and freeline them on a 1/0 circle just past the hut (a lock I believe) about 200 yards down the canal. There are some rock formations that they live under. Don't fish the mall side of the canal, security will kick you out. Fish the other side. Park in the mall parking lot near the overpass and walk around.

The c14 canal is great for snakehead and bass fishing. Fish in the middle of the day for snakeheads. Use a frog lure and a steady retrieve very close to the bank. Watch for them coming up for air and cast them and retrieve. They spook VERY easily, so you'll need to make very, very long parallel casts along the bank. Wait a few seconds after the strike and set the hook very hard.


There are mounds of fire ants more or less up and down the entirety of all of the canals in the area. Look for fresh mounds of dirt and don't step on them. If you step somewhere that feels unusually soft, move immediately. Then again, getting bit by those things sort of becomes just another day at the office once you've done it enough times. Still I try to avoid them. Hopefully this is enough to get you started. The canals in Kendall that hold peacocks also usually hold oscars, tilapia, and various other cichlids if you're into that. A very small xrap can catch just about all of them, or live bait is always a good call. Shiners or minnows will get you hooked up immediately, but bass fishing is easy in Florida, just a weedless trick worm is enough to catch 10-20 on a single stretch on a good day.

I hear that Lake Michigan is really really good this time of year, check it out on GE

Wow !! I could not ask for better info !! Thanks a lot Cvstrat, that's awesome , I will go right were you told me and thanks for the info about ants hheheh we dont have to care about them in Quebec,Canada.

krash wrote:I hear that Lake Michigan is really really good this time of year, check it out on GE

Wonder if there's any fish left in Lake Michigan.

crashmister wrote:Wonder if there's any fish left in Lake Michigan.

The fishery has been improving the past few years in Lake M.