Ladyfish: season, lures and limits

Showing the fish for Northeast Florida, Jacksonville to Flagler.

Fishing region

Season in Northeast Florida

Peak months: Jul, Aug.

JFMAMJJASOND

FWC Where to Saltwater Fish: ladyfish summer (Nassau, Duval) and late summer (St. Johns, Flagler). (Our inference)

Season by region

Myrtle Beach	JFMAMJJASOND
Charleston	JFMAMJJASOND
Northeast Florida	JFMAMJJASOND
Space Coast	JFMAMJJASOND
Panhandle	JFMAMJJASOND
Alabama	JFMAMJJASOND
Louisiana	JFMAMJJASOND
Lower Texas	JFMAMJJASOND

Where to find them

Inlets and estuary shell banks in summer; lighted docks at night.

Schools chasing small fish and shrimp at the surface; birds mark them.

What to look for

Birds diving, fish skipping and jumping on the surface.

What to throw

Jighead with a scented soft-plastic shrimp or mullet (Gulp style)1/4 to 1/2 oz, 3 to 4 in. Slow drag and hop on the bottom with pauses; scent does the work.

Bucktail or jighead with a 4 to 5 in paddle tail1/2 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in tail. Slow hops along the bottom: lift, drop, let it touch, repeat.

Topwater popper or walk-the-dog plug1 to 2 oz, 4 to 6 in. Popper: sharp pops with pauses. Walker: rhythmic side-to-side twitches.

Swimming minnow plug (Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow style)3/4 to 1 oz, 4 to 5 in. Steady medium retrieve with occasional twitches and pauses.

Bait

Live or cut shrimp, Small live baitfish. Small hook under a float or free-lined.

Leader

Light leader; they have very fine, sharp teeth.

Common mistakes

Expecting to land every one; they jump and throw hooks

Landing

They jump and thrash; swing small ones up quickly.

Handling

Fine sharp teeth
Slimy and thrashing

Hold firmly behind the head; unhook with pliers.

Keep or release

Poor eating (bony, dry); usually released or used as shark bait.

Recipes for ladyfish

Typical: 18 to 24 in, 2 to 3 lb. Large: Up to about 3 ft. SC record 5 lb 14 oz (1994).

Limits

FishOS has not checked the FL limits yet. Check the size, bag and season rules with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission before you keep a fish.

Sources

Florida FWC: Where to Saltwater Fish (species and seasons by county, Nassau to Monroe) (Official source)
Florida Museum, Discover Fishes: ladyfish (Official source)
FishBase species summary: Elops saurus (ladyfish) (Official source)
Carolina Sportsman: ladyfish in Winyah Bay, SC (Angler knowledge)
SCDNR saltwater game fish records (Official source)

All the fish of Northeast Florida

Ladyfish