Doctrine · not a honey-hole list

Seasonal fundamentals

When a coast, a type of water, and a fish actually line up. If you elected Texas on the list, this page opens on Texas — Seychelles stays off the board until you ask for it. Filter by region, method or habitat, and species. The year bar is peak versus present. Limits cite TPWD and FWC — verify before you keep one.

Texas

Texas — wind is the tide

Seven working bays, one printed table that is often a suggestion.

This coast runs from a brackish border estuary at Sabine to hypersaline rock at Baffin and the clear classroom of the Lower Laguna. The main event is the red. Trout live a foot deeper in the same bays. Flounder own the fall nights at the passes until the November closure. Winter belongs to drum and sheep on mud and granite. Corpus still sees a tarpon along the beach in mid-summer — Port A was once Tarpon, Texas — but that is a bay-boat job, not the skinny skiff. Do not fish Baffin like Rockport. Do not invent Rollover Pass; it was filled in 2019. Birds are GPS for trout. A hard norther empties the shoreline and stacks fish in the guts. Fly when the morning is honest. The gold spoon is what you came for when it is not.

August. Same heat, slightly shorter days. Trout still deep. Reds on the first moving water. Flounder are a September story — do not force them.

Louisiana

Louisiana — river, marsh, and the birdfoot

Wind and the Mississippi move more water than the printed tide.

Venice is the birdfoot — South and Southwest Pass, ponds on the west bank, bulls in the throats, school reds and trout inside, tarpon in the heat on the south passes. Grand Isle is a different desk: one inhabited barrier island, Caminada, Barataria, a state-park surf. Calcasieu is the Texas-border cousin under LDWF rules — same fish, different bag, not Sabine Lake. Reds are 4 a day, 18–27, none over 27. Trout are a slot. Flounder typically close Oct 15–Nov 30. Do not put a Texas tag on a Cameron fish.

August. Same heat. Venice tarpon thinning. Reds on the first moving water. Flounder are an October story here.

Florida

Florida — two coasts, do not mix them

Keys oceanside is bones and permit. Backcountry is reds and snook. Boca is the pass. Jupiter is the inlet.

Biscayne is the north end of the grand-slam stage. Key Largo is the first Key — Card Sound, Garden Cove, Pennekamp as the launch, not a secret flat. Adjacent SPAs are no-take. Islamorada is the mecca — Channel 5, oceanside banks, wrecks for permit that have seen every crab. Flamingo is a different country: reds and snook, not oceanside bones. Marathon and Key West stretch it south. Then the mainland: Boca Grande Pass is the spring tarpon stack, Charlotte Harbor the snook and reds — Gulf rules, not Atlantic. Jupiter is inlet snook and a beach tarpon, clocked to Lake Worth Pier. Snook closures differ by FWC region. FKNMS polygons are Keys-only. Do not headline Jupiter with a bonefish.

August. Snook still closed — Boca through September, Jupiter through August. Bones at first light. Thunder by two.

Bahamas

Bahamas — bonefish country

Winter singles. Summer schools. Permit on the west sides when it lays down.

Andros is the capital — west-side white sand, schools by the acre, double-digit singles in the creeks, tarpon in the bights, permit May through October on the west side and outer cays. Abaco is Marls and ocean cays; verify what is actually running after Dorian. Grand Bahama is the thinking wade, a town to sleep in, big singles on foot. Eleuthera and the Exuma edge take more weather and give you more permit. Tides here are a modeled lunar clock, labeled as such — there is no NOAA gauge on these islands. Flats licensing has been tightening; verify before you wade. Jacks will find you. They are not why you booked the week.

August. Summer pattern holds. Smaller packs, honest shots, west-side permit if it lays down. Fly in the morning. Shade at noon.

Mexico

Mexico — two oceans, do not mix them

Yucatan is bones and sail. Baja is rooster and dorado. Neither is Texas.

Ascension Bay / Sian Ka’an is the Caribbean flat — Punta Allen, permit and bones, biosphere rules, a modeled tide. Isla Mujeres is the other Yucatan desk: winter sailfish on the current, summer mahi, a troll-and-kite day. Cross the country and you are in another fishery. East Cape is rooster in the wash and Gordo Banks when the blue water is in. La Paz is Espíritu Santo and El Bajo. CONAPESCA license. No NOAA gauge. Roosterfish does not live in the Gulf of Mexico.

August. Same heat. Gordo if the water is right. Ascension at dawn. Sail are a winter story.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico — urban tarpon, east-island flats

DNER water. Real NOAA gauges. Not a Keys copy and not FWC.

San Juan is Condado Lagoon and the bay — tarpon under the bridges, snook in the edges, a north-coast drop that is an offshore method. Vieques and Culebra are the Spanish Virgins: more sand, bones and permit, Mosquito Bay a reserve. La Parguera is the southwest mangrove desk, clocked to Magueyes 9759110. Blue marlin live in the story of this island; this brief will not invent a billfish on a lagoon. License is DNER. Do not paste a Jupiter snook closure onto Condado.

August. Same heat. Parguera trees at first light. The north drop if a storm missed you.

Seychelles

Seychelles — GT country

Indian Ocean atolls. Modeled tide. Lodge water on the outer rims.

Alphonse and St François are the photograph — giant trevally on the edge, bones and Indo-Pacific permit on the sand. Farquhar is the southern atoll, same fish, farther. Mahé is the public door: reef, park water, blue water, not the St François flat. There is no NOAA gauge. Tide is a labeled model. SFA license. Roosterfish does not live here. Atlantic jack crevalle does not either. You came for a GT.

August. Still the windy half. Plan Mahé or wait for October.

Type

Offshore

Trolling, the edge, and deep jigging. This is not the grass brief. Weedlines, humps, and named banks — Islamorada Hump, Flower Garden, Gordo, El Bajo, the Cancún sailfish current. Fly-and-teaser when the wind allows it. A heavy jig when it does not. Switch the method filter to Offshore or the engine will hide these marks on purpose. Roosterfish is Baja. Do not invent him on a Galveston morning.

Galveston Corpus Venice Biscayne Key Largo Islamorada Marathon Key West Jupiter Andros Eleuthera Ascension Mujeres East Cape La Paz San Juan Vieques Parguera Alphonse Farquhar Mahé

August · peak

What is actually on

Hogfish

Yellowtail snapper

Mangrove / gray snapper

Lane snapper

Tripletail

King mackerel

Striped marlin

Roosterfish

Peak Present Off

Closures

SE Florida snook (Jupiter, Keys, Biscayne). Typically closed Dec 15–Jan 31 and June 1–Aug 31. Catch-and-release is still fishing. Do not harvest a snook because a desk scored an 8.
Charlotte Harbor / Boca Grande snook. Typically closed Dec 1–end of Feb and May 1–Sep 30. Gulf region, not Atlantic. Verify FWC.

Mahi-mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

Peak AugustFloridaBahamasTexasMexicoPuerto RicoSeychelles

Thermal window

—

70–88°F · best 74–84°F

Dolphin. Keys and Bahamas summer bluewater — weedlines, FADs, the edge. Texas: offshore, not the bay. Absent from a Galveston grass headline.

Fly. 10–12 wt. Baitfish or a chugger on a weedline. This is a boat-in-blue-water game, not a skiff on the flat.

Spin. Ballyhoo or a heavy spoon on color changes, sargassum, and the humps. If you can see the bank, you are inshore of them.

Leads the brief on Mujeres, East Cape, La Paz.

Florida. Florida: typically 10/person, 60/vessel, 20 in fork. Texas: 3/day in federal waters under HMS/coastal rules — verify NOAA HMS and TPWD. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA. Bahamas: check current bag.

Bahamas. Florida: typically 10/person, 60/vessel, 20 in fork. Texas: 3/day in federal waters under HMS/coastal rules — verify NOAA HMS and TPWD. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA. Bahamas: check current bag.

Texas. Florida: typically 10/person, 60/vessel, 20 in fork. Texas: 3/day in federal waters under HMS/coastal rules — verify NOAA HMS and TPWD. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA. Bahamas: check current bag.

Mexico. Florida: typically 10/person, 60/vessel, 20 in fork. Texas: 3/day in federal waters under HMS/coastal rules — verify NOAA HMS and TPWD. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA. Bahamas: check current bag.

Puerto Rico. Florida: typically 10/person, 60/vessel, 20 in fork. Texas: 3/day in federal waters under HMS/coastal rules — verify NOAA HMS and TPWD. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA. Bahamas: check current bag.

Seychelles. Florida: typically 10/person, 60/vessel, 20 in fork. Texas: 3/day in federal waters under HMS/coastal rules — verify NOAA HMS and TPWD. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA. Bahamas: check current bag.

Official source

Sailfish

Istiophorus platypterus

Present AugustFloridaBahamasTexasMexicoPuerto RicoSeychelles

Thermal window

—

70–86°F · best 74–82°F

SE Florida and the Keys are the winter sail coast. Bahamas bluewater. Texas: possible way offshore, not Matagorda. Do not headline a flat with a billfish.

Fly. 12 wt. A shot on a teaser, then the fly. Not a wade. Not a poling skiff.

Spin. Kite, live bait, or a dredge off the reef edge. Islamorada and Stuart in winter. Texas sail are a rare offshore event, not the jetty.

Leads the brief on Mujeres.

Florida. Florida: catch-and-release for Atlantic sail except a rare harvest tag. Federal HMS permit in federal waters. Texas/Bahamas: treat as C&R.

Bahamas. Florida: catch-and-release for Atlantic sail except a rare harvest tag. Federal HMS permit in federal waters. Texas/Bahamas: treat as C&R.

Texas. Florida: catch-and-release for Atlantic sail except a rare harvest tag. Federal HMS permit in federal waters. Texas/Bahamas: treat as C&R.

Mexico. Florida: catch-and-release for Atlantic sail except a rare harvest tag. Federal HMS permit in federal waters. Texas/Bahamas: treat as C&R.

Puerto Rico. Florida: catch-and-release for Atlantic sail except a rare harvest tag. Federal HMS permit in federal waters. Texas/Bahamas: treat as C&R.

Seychelles. Florida: catch-and-release for Atlantic sail except a rare harvest tag. Federal HMS permit in federal waters. Texas/Bahamas: treat as C&R.

Official source

Tuna (blackfin / yellowfin)

Thunnus atlanticus / Thunnus albacares

Peak AugustFloridaBahamasTexasMexicoPuerto RicoSeychelles

Thermal window

—

70–88°F · best 74–84°F

Blackfin on Keys/Bahamas humps and wrecks. Yellowfin farther out. Texas: Flower Garden / canyon water. Not a Baffin or Biscayne headline.

Fly. 12 wt on a blackfin blitz if they come up. Yellowfin is a stand-up outfit, not an 8-weight.

Spin. Humps, wrecks, and the edge. Live bait or a heavy jig. Texas tuna live in 50–100 fathoms, not West Bay.

Leads the brief on Mujeres, East Cape, La Paz, Mahé.

Florida. Federal HMS rules. Yellowfin typically 27 in curved fork. Blackfin often more liberal — verify NOAA HMS and FWC/TPWD the morning you leave the inlet.

Bahamas. Federal HMS rules. Yellowfin typically 27 in curved fork. Blackfin often more liberal — verify NOAA HMS and FWC/TPWD the morning you leave the inlet.

Texas. Federal HMS rules. Yellowfin typically 27 in curved fork. Blackfin often more liberal — verify NOAA HMS and FWC/TPWD the morning you leave the inlet.

Mexico. Federal HMS rules. Yellowfin typically 27 in curved fork. Blackfin often more liberal — verify NOAA HMS and FWC/TPWD the morning you leave the inlet.

Puerto Rico. Federal HMS rules. Yellowfin typically 27 in curved fork. Blackfin often more liberal — verify NOAA HMS and FWC/TPWD the morning you leave the inlet.

Seychelles. Federal HMS rules. Yellowfin typically 27 in curved fork. Blackfin often more liberal — verify NOAA HMS and FWC/TPWD the morning you leave the inlet.

Official source

Red snapper

Lutjanus campechanus

Present AugustTexasLouisianaFlorida

Thermal window

—

64–84°F · best 68–78°F

Gulf wrecks and snapper banks. Texas and Louisiana live on this fish in a short federal window. Not a Galveston grass headline. Not a Keys yellowtail.

Fly. A deep jig is the honest tool. This is not an 8-weight on the flat.

Spin. Federal bottom. Heavy jig or cut bait. The season is announced, not assumed.

Texas. Texas / federal Gulf: season is announced each year. Verify NOAA and TPWD the morning you leave. Do not invent an open day.

Louisiana. Louisiana / federal Gulf: same rule — the season is posted. Verify LDWF and NOAA.

Florida. Florida Gulf and Atlantic are not the same season. Verify FWC and NOAA. Do not invent an open day.

Official source

King mackerel

Scomberomorus cavalla

Peak AugustTexasLouisianaFloridaMexico

Thermal window

—

70–86°F · best 74–82°F

Texas and Florida summer kings. The beach and the first wrecks. Not a trout. Not a wahoo.

Fly. 10 wt. A long baitfish on the first color change. Wire if you are tired of bite-offs.

Spin. Troll or a live bait on the beachfront and the wrecks. Summer Gulf.

Texas. Texas: typically 2/day with a minimum fork — verify TPWD. Federal and state can differ.

Louisiana. Louisiana: verify LDWF king mackerel.

Florida. Florida: typically 2/day with a minimum fork — verify FWC.

Mexico. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA.

Official source

Wahoo

Acanthocybium solandri

Present AugustFloridaBahamasTexasMexicoPuerto RicoSeychelles

Thermal window

—

70–84°F · best 74–80°F

Blue water. Keys and Bahamas winter. Texas is way offshore. Baja and the Seychelles have him too. Absent from a grass headline.

Fly. A teaser and a 12 wt if they come up. Usually a troll.

Spin. High-speed troll on the edge and the humps. Not a king mackerel. Not a bay.

Leads the brief on Mujeres.

Florida. Florida: typically 2/person, 10/vessel. Verify FWC.

Bahamas. Bahamas: verify current bag.

Texas. Texas: verify TPWD and NOAA. Way offshore, not the jetty.

Mexico. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA.

Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico: verify DNER.

Seychelles. Seychelles: verify SFA.

Official source

Blue marlin

Makaira nigricans

Peak AugustFloridaBahamasTexasMexicoPuerto RicoSeychelles

Thermal window

—

72–86°F · best 76–84°F

Blue water only. San Juan’s north drop, the Bahamas, the Yucatan current, Seychelles offshore. Never a flat. Never a Galveston grass sentence.

Fly. A teaser, then the fly, on a boat that already found him. Not a skiff. Not a wade.

Spin. Troll the edge. Puerto Rico and the Bahamas tell this story honestly. Texas is a canyon day. Do not invent one on Condado.

Florida. Federal HMS. Treat as catch-and-release unless a lawful tag says otherwise. Verify NOAA HMS.

Bahamas. Treat as catch-and-release. Lodge and Bahamas rules. Not a flat.

Texas. Federal HMS. Canyon water. Treat as catch-and-release. Verify NOAA HMS.

Mexico. Mexico: Pacific or Yucatan blue water. Verify CONAPESCA. Not a lagoon.

Puerto Rico. Federal HMS and DNER. The north drop, not Condado. Treat as catch-and-release.

Seychelles. Seychelles: verify SFA. Offshore, not the St François flat.

Official source

White marlin

Kajikia albida

Peak AugustFloridaTexasPuerto Rico

Thermal window

—

70–84°F · best 74–82°F

Atlantic and Gulf blue water. Not a sailfish. Not a Keys permit. Do not print him on a mangrove.

Fly. Teaser and fly on the same ocean as the blue. Smaller fish, same rule: not a flat.

Spin. Troll. Mid-Atlantic and the Gulf canyons. Texas is possible. Jupiter is a maybe. Condado is not.

Florida. Federal HMS. Treat as catch-and-release. Verify NOAA HMS.

Texas. Federal HMS. Canyon water. Treat as catch-and-release.

Puerto Rico. Federal HMS. The drop, not the lagoon. Treat as catch-and-release.

Official source

Striped marlin

Kajikia audax

Peak AugustMexico

Thermal window

—

70–84°F · best 74–80°F

Eastern Pacific. East Cape and the mouth of the Cortez. Absent from Texas, Louisiana, the Keys, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Seychelles. Same rule as the rooster: this ocean only.

Fly. Teaser and fly. East Cape and Magdalena when the water is right. Pacific only.

Spin. Troll. Baja. Not the Gulf of Mexico. Not Texas.

Mexico. Mexico: East Cape and the mouth of the Cortez. Typically catch-and-release. Verify CONAPESCA. Not an Atlantic white.

Official source

Swordfish

Xiphias gladius

Present AugustFloridaBahamasTexasMexicoPuerto Rico

Thermal window

—

64–80°F · best 68–76°F

Night and deep. Islamorada and the Miami canyons tell this story. Puerto Rico’s north drop. Never a flat. Never a Galveston trout sentence.

Fly. This is not a fly fish. Night deep-drop or a daytime deep drop.

Spin. Deep drop. South Florida invented the modern recreational swordfish day. Texas is a canyon. Not a jetty.

Florida. Federal HMS. Typically one per person with a minimum length. Night gear rules matter. Verify NOAA HMS and FWC.

Bahamas. Treat as HMS / lodge rules. Verify before you keep one.

Texas. Federal HMS. Canyon water. Verify NOAA HMS. Not a jetty.

Mexico. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA.

Puerto Rico. Federal HMS and DNER. The north drop. Verify the morning you leave.

Official source

Roosterfish

Nematistius pectoralis

Peak AugustMexico

Thermal window

—

72–88°F · best 76–84°F

Eastern Pacific — Baja East Cape and La Paz, Costa Rica, Panama. Absent from Texas, Louisiana, the Keys, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Seychelles. Lives on this atlas only on the Mexico Pacific desks.

Fly. 10–12 wt. A big baitfish in the surf. Baja and Central America Pacific, not the Gulf.

Spin. Live mullet in the wash. Same ocean as the rooster comb — the Pacific.

Leads the brief on East Cape, La Paz.

Mexico. Mexico: verify CONAPESCA. East Cape and La Paz programs are typically catch-and-release.

Official source

Giant trevally

Caranx ignobilis

Present AugustSeychelles

Thermal window

—

72–90°F · best 76–86°F

Indo-Pacific. Alphonse, St François, Farquhar — the reason the atoll week exists. Absent from the Atlantic and the Gulf. Do not print a GT on Galveston or Condado.

Fly. 12 wt. A big baitfish on the atoll edge. He will eat a popper. This is not a Texas jack.

Spin. Stickbait or a live bait on the pass. The eat is violent. Do not bring an 8-weight to a GT.

Leads the brief on Alphonse, Farquhar, Mahé.

Seychelles. Seychelles: verify SFA. Lodge programs are typically catch-and-release. Not an Atlantic jack.

Official source

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