What Fish is the Best to Catch in November in Florida?

Are you wondering what fish is the best to catch in November in Florida? There are several sport fish you can target during this time of year because fall means cooling water temperatures and the changing migration patterns of certain species. Redfish, spotted seatrout, tripletail, and sailfish are all active in different parts of the state during the month of November.

Redfish

When you ask most experienced Florida inshore anglers what fish to catch in the fall, redfish is more than likely going to be the answer. The best time to target redfish is generally between the months of September and November when big adult “bull” redfish (fish over 27-inches in size) migrate into the passes and estuaries to feed and spawn. Places like Crystal River and New Smyrna Beach offer anglers some of the best opportunities to catch big redfish during the fall months.

Spotted Seatrout

Once fall arrives and water temperatures begin to cool, spotted seatrout move out onto shallow grass flats to ambush prey near grassy potholes or oyster bars. Seatrout are one of the best inshore saltwater fish species for families to target because they often feed in schools and provide consistent action for new anglers. If you’re wondering where to fish in the fall for seatrout, try destinations like Steinhatchee in Florida’s Big Bend region or Jacksonville Beach in Northeast Florida.

Tripletail

From October to May, tripletail can often be found feeding on crustaceans around nearshore stone crab trap buoys or weed lines in the Gulf of Mexico. Clear skies make it much easier to spot and cast to tripletail (which often have the appearance and profile of a large leaf in the water), but you’ll also want to consider tide and wind direction because they can also be found free-floating with the current. Some of the best fall fishing for tripletail takes place during the fall months in Gulf waters around Naples and Marco Island.

Sailfish

If you want to know what species to target in the fall if you plan to go offshore fishing around Miami and the Florida Keys, sailfish are an option. During the late fall and winter months sailfish migrate southward to warmer waters and are caught regularly off the coast of south Florida. Sailfish are one of the most popular bluewater (offshore) pelagic sport fish species due to their speed and the amazing aerial jumps they display when hooked.

Now that you know a little about each of these four fish species, you don’t have to wonder what fish to catch in the fall while on a fishing trip in Florida. You can pick one species to focus on or make plans to catch them all.