Florida Charter Fishing, Cocoa Beach, Fort Lauderdale to Tampa Bay Charters

If ever a state was specifically created for saltwater charter fishing, it's Florida. With 770 miles on the Gulf of Mexico and 580 on the Atlantic, along with numerous islands, the Keys, and the Everglades, the Sunshine State is an angler's heaven. If you count the shorelines of inlets, bays, and capes, Florida has over 8,000 miles of shore.

Florida charter fishing is a huge industry in the state from Key West, Miami, Fort Lauderdale fishing areas to Tampa and Clearwater on the west coast to Cocoa Beach and Jacksonville fishing on the east coast. People come from all over to try their luck at catching an unforgettable trophy, to put a few fish on the table, or to simply enjoy a few hours relaxing in the wonderful Florida weather. Saltwater fishing here includes just about any kind of fishing you can imagine - casting, fly fishing, trolling, surf fishing, bottom fishing, or fishing from one of the many piers. Different parts of the state have different fish that are targeted, along with Florida fishing charters that "specialize" in certain fish.

In northern Florida, anglers head out in the Atlantic to troll and drift fish for king mackerel and cobia. The state record king weighed 90 pounds, and the record cobia tipped the scales at 114.5 pounds. There's a definite strategy to locating and enticing both species, and you'll increase your chances by hiring any one of a number of different Florida fishing charters.

Offshore trolling off the coast of northern Florida can result in sailfish, dorado, and barracuda. The state record for these fishes are 116 pounds; 77 pounds, 12 ounces; and 67 pounds; respectively.

Florida deep sea fishing is great in this area for grouper and snapper. In fact, the state record goliath grouper, at 680 pounds, was landed off Fernandina Beach. The 17-pound state record gray snapper was also caught in northern Florida.