Bass is a well-known game fish in North America, so it’s quite famous in Miami. If you’re a fishing enthusiast, you may have noticed anglers swarming Miami from March to May for bass fishing. In turn, this may have gotten you curious about everything you need to know when it comes to catching bass in Miami.

If you’re looking for a complete guide to bass fishing in Miami, Florida, this handy guide will suit you. It’ll talk about the prevalent types of bass in Miami, the best bass fishing spots, the most attractive bass baits and lures, bass season and regulations in Florida, and even tackle ways to cook bass.

Catching Bass in Miami, Florida

Miami features two bass species: largemouth bass and peacock bass. Of course, largemouth bass possess large mouths that easily identify them, while peacock bass boast wondrous colors that are a marvel to look at.

You’ll enjoy catching bass in Miami if you’re after trophy fish since largemouths can weigh up to 17 pounds, while peacock bass features lovely shades perfect for pictures.

Florida’s freshwater state fish is largemouth bass, and while its subspecies vary, no one can dispute the enormous sizes these fish can reach. The smallest largemouth weighs 1 pound, while other largemouths weigh 5 pounds on average, and the biggest bass captured in Florida weighed 17 pounds.

Besides largemouth, peacock bass draw plenty of anglers to Miami. This is due to their marvelous shades and aggressiveness. They’re known as freshwater bullies that fiercely attack smaller fish around them, and they trash and fight wildly when hooked. Sometimes, peacock bass fishing sessions even cause gear damage.

Peacock bass are acrobatic and fierce, and it’s also fun to watch these wondrously-hued fish jump around. The smallest peacock bass subspecies is the royal peacock bass, and it can grow to a maximum of 10 inches in length. Meanwhile, the largest peacock bass is the speckled subspecies, which grows to more than 36 inches long. The speckled peacock bass are illegal to catch.

Lastly, butterfly peacock bass grows in abundance compared to other peacock bass subspecies, and they weigh 6 to 15 pounds on average. They’re known to be highly aggressive and forceful, so they offer anglers excellent fishing sessions.

Best Bass Fishing Spots in Miami

Miami’s canals and creeks turn into a bass fishing playground for most anglers. If you’re looking for a specific area for catching bass in Miami, it’s wise to head on to Tamiami Canals and Snapper Creek. These offer you 40 miles of water for bass fishing. 

Alternatively, you can try your luck in Snapper Creek Canal or Snake Creek, and if you’re still not satisfied, check out the nearby cities like Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Naples.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for bass fishing spots for most of Miami’s waters, the best are near underwater structures, shaded areas, rocks, bride pilings, and deep drop-offs.

Best Baits for Bass in Miami

Bass generally appreciate any live bait, but they’re also drawn to streamer flies, spoons, plugs, and popping bugs. Remember, they’re aggressive, so they’ll attack most things within their vicinity.

If you want more ideas, try using golden shiners, wild shiners, or peacock shiners. They work best in catching peacock bass in Miami. Meanwhile, you really don’t need anything specific that’ll work best on largemouth bass because they’ll attack anything, including baby ducks and frogs.

If you’re looking for artificial bait ideas, opt for spinnerbait, crankbait, or suspending jerk bait. 

Common Techniques for Redfish Fishing

Light tackling, fly fishing, and spinning work well when it comes to catching bass in Miami. However, be prepared for possible gear damage and plenty of force and resistance once the bass is hooked.

Bass Season in Miami, Florida

Bass season in Miami doesn’t close. However, January to February and October to December are seen as low season for bass fishing, while May to July is high season.

Bass Fishing Regulations in Florida

Most fishing enthusiasts actually catch and release bass. This is because most large bass are female, and the anglers would rather have the bass reproduce than be eaten.

However, you can bag up to 5 largemouth bass without a minimum length and 2 peacock bass with a length not exceeding 17 inches. 

Cooking Miami Bass

Bass meat is flaky, white, and less oily compared to other fish. It’s often filleted, fried, and baked, but you can grill, boil, steam, and pan-sear bass meat as well.

Hiring a Fishing Charter for Bass Fishing

Fishing charters guarantee you a high chance of success when it comes to catching your preferred fish. Similarly, they ensure you’re equipped with the best gear, accommodations, and guides.

Other Fish to Catch in Miami

Besides bass, Miami’s waters are also home to amberjack, barracuda, bonefish, dolphinfish, grouper, mackerel, permit, redfish, sailfish, seatrout, snook, snapper, tarpon, tilefish, tuna, and wahoo. Follow the links to each fish to learn more about them, or visit our blog for useful guides when it comes to catching fish in Miami, Florida.