Last Updated on December 10, 2025 by Eric

December fishing off Port Canaveral means king mackerel on the reefs, tripletail on the buoys, shot calls for sailfish and wahoo on clean edges, and steady bottom options when the wind kicks up.

Why December is different on the Space Coast

December delivers the first real cold fronts and that is the switch that turns on our winter pattern. North wind events flatten the surf and pull clean water tight to the beach. Bait stacks on Pelican Flats and 8A Reef, rips and color changes sharpen offshore, and the day after a front often fishes like someone flipped the lights on. It is a month of crisp mornings, quick decisions, and high percentage windows.

What bites in December

King mackerel. This is prime time for nearshore kings. We slow troll or bump troll natural baits over Pelican Flats and the 8A complex, then slide inside or outside the main clusters based on where the bait marks best. Clear water means lighter wire and cleaner rigs. Expect Spanish mackerel and the odd blackfin in the mix when the water has that green tea tint.

Tripletail. Sunny, calm afternoons reveal fish on buoys, trap floats, and random surface junk from the beach out to the first reef line. Idle with the sun at your back, set up well up current, and let a shrimp or small bucktail drift to the mark. December sits at the front of their winter sweet spot and can be sneaky good when the ocean settles.

Sailfish and wahoo. December is part of the central Florida sailfish push. Work temperature breaks and bait edges off Cape Canaveral with a spread built for quick bites. On stronger frontal periods and moon windows, set a couple of deep divers and a wire bait for wahoo and keep your speed discipline tight.

Bottom options. If wind limits a long run, reefs inside of the main edges still produce lanes, mangroves, triggers, and porgies. Red snapper is almost always closed in December in the South Atlantic, so handle and release them quickly and build your cooler with open species.

Where and how we set up

We usually start on Pelican Flats or 8A at first light with a slow troll for kings. If the sun pops and the breeze drops, we check buoys for tripletail with a pitch rod ready. If a clean edge sets up within range, we push offshore midday and work the warm side of the break for a sail or a drive‑by wahoo. If the breeze stays up, we shift to protected reef lanes and pick at snappers and triggers until the tide or weather opens another door. The plan is simple: fish the stage the day gives you and keep moving toward the best life you can find.

Cadence and tackle that fit December

Nearshore spreads stay simple and quiet. Two flats on stingers and a long bait down the center cover most king situations, with a downrigger ready if marks slide under the bait. Pitch gear stays rigged with a small bucktail or live shrimp for tripletail. Offshore, we keep a lean sail spread with a light dredge for life days, and we switch to deeper divers and wire when the screen shows packs below one hundred feet. Gaffs, dehookers, and venting tools live on the ready rack so fish care is tight from hookup to cooler or release.

Regulations to know before you go

Atlantic king mackerel carry a 24 inch fork length minimum and a daily bag of two fish per person in Florida Atlantic state waters. Tripletail are two per person at a minimum of 18 inches total length. Cobia in Atlantic state waters are one per person or two per vessel at a minimum of 36 inches fork length. Atlantic dolphinfish are five per person with a 20 inch fork length minimum in state waters. Wahoo are two per person and have no minimum size in state waters. Atlantic sailfish, if harvested, must be at least 63 inches lower jaw fork length and the limit is one per person. On the East Coast, snook harvest closes December 15 through January 31. Red snapper in the South Atlantic opens only for a very short summer window and is closed in December. We verify all rules the morning of your trip.

December quick hits

• The day after a front is often your best king bite, especially over Pelican and 8A
• Tripletail fishing improves with sun and light wind, so plan a midday window for buoy hops
• Build your offshore plan around temperature breaks and bait edges, not a fixed depth number
• When the slow troll dies, switch to bottom rods and keep the cooler honest with legal snappers and triggers
• Handle sailfish quickly for release and ice blackfin tuna immediately for quality

How Canaveral Kings runs December charters

We depart from 800 Scallop Drive, Port Canaveral. The boats carry all tackle, bait, safety gear, and the right spread for the day. We match your crew to the best window, pick the launch time around the front cycle, and call audibles based on what the water shows us. If you want the full winter playbook, read our anchor piece Winter Fishing in Port Canaveral and then lock dates.

Book your December window

December is short and productive. Lock a weather window, keep the plan flexible, and let us put you on the right part of the bite. Call (321) 543-5109 or book online.