It is well known that weedlines and clumps of seaweed are highly productive areas for catching numerous offshore species, including dolphin and tripletail. But whether you come to regard seaweed as a blessing or a burden depends very much on how you approach it.

First of all, before I say anything else, let me strongly suggest that you pick up a good pair of polarized sunglasses. Since by far the lion's share of this fishing will occur when old Sol is out in full glory, they should be considered indispensable. This will allow you to look into the water, rather than just at it, treating the surface like a window instead of a mirror.

Not only will this assist in detecting predator fish, but it's essential for monitoring baitfish behavior--or whether there are even any present. Assuming there is, notice if they are swimming casually about or bunched up in a tight ball and very skittish. You can guess which indicates bigger fish nearby.

Once you chance upon such an opportunity, you now have a couple of choices. Most often, the first step is to troll by it. This is especially good when the area looks fishy but you feel you must cover the water to find the best bite, since there are no obvious predators. If you are fishing on the east coast of Florida, most weedlines tend to stretch north to south. In the Keys, of course, they normally go east to west. The exceptions are around cuts and inlets, where tidal forces can change that for quite a range. Wind may push weeds in a given direction, but it is current that lines them up.

Sunglasses on, keep the sun behind you as you scan. This will allow maximum visibility to the greatest depth. Be ready for action, as fish are likely to show at any time. Whenever possible, try to go against the current, since this will always keep new water under your keel.

Since how and where the weed is clumped depends to a great extent on the interaction of wind and current, these factors cannot be ignored. The longer a wind has prevailed toward shore, for example, the closer you can expect the weedline to be. Periods of offshore wind can blow it so far away as to make it unreachable for the small boater. Always consider that when you plan your fishing trip, since it will likely dictate what you'll be catching. In green water, expect kingfish, bonito and of course barracuda. In clearer stretches where the cleansing effect of the Gulf Stream is plainly visible, pelagics like dolphin and wahoo are more likely.