Offshore was very tough this week with the NE and East wind
blowing 20+. We actually had a little south of east which
made the seas even larger on Saturday. Sailfish are around
and pushing bait right up on the reef. Dolphin are around
and have remained steady all winter. With the rough water
trolling has been the most comfortable. Tuna, Kingfish and a
few Wahoo are also in the mix.
On the reef the conditions are tough but the fishing good.
Bottom fishing has been great for Snapper…Yellowtail,
Mutton, Mangrove were all feeding on the bottom and a few
Grouper as well. I had better luck with dead baits and
pinfish were all but useless. Porgies, Yellowjacks,
Amberjacks, Kingfish, Cero’s and Sharks round out the
species.
With the wind coming from the North I have not ventured into
the Gulf but should be ut there once or twice this week as
the wind has lightened and moved a little South. Rockpiles
and wrecks should be holding Cobias and Kingfish along with
plenty of Snapper on the bottom.
Inshore the patch reefs have been a good choice to avoid the
big seas. Keep the chum flowing and you will attract
Grouper, Yellowtail, Mangrove, Mutton, Mackerel, Sharks and
maybe something more unusual like a big Green Moray
Key West Offshore Report:
March 04, 2009
Another
front is pushing through as I write this report. We had a couple of very nice
days and it looks like we will be at the dock for the first two days this week
and then some decent weather should set in. The water temp is running 73 outside
the reef and we have had a nice color change and a ripping current just outside
the reef. Look for conditions to stay about the same for a while.
Offshore has been excellent for Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna and Sailfish. Dolphin
have been surprisingly populous over the past few months. I have had a Dolphin
or two on every trip. Some while at anchor on the reef but mostly trolling along
the color change. Sailfish have been good and Kite fishing with live speedos or
gogs is the best way to approach it. Slow trolling live ballyhoo is a good
tactic as well. Look for the fish along the color change on both sides. I found
plenty of Sails in the green water and some in the blue as well. Kings are
everywhere and can become an annoyance. Tunas are around and anchoring and
chumming with live pilchards is plan A and trolling small dark lures way back is
plan B.
On the reef the bottom fishing is good if you find the right conditions. If you
find some good bottom with a medium current and slightly cloudy water you will
be in luck. Live pinfish, ballyhoo, threadfin, pilchards, whole squid…anything
will get eaten and try to vary the baits. Keep the chum flowing steadily and
Yellowtail will come up. Drifting and jigging with Butterfly jigs, bucktail jigs
tipped with squid will cover ground and find fish. I have been hooking a lot of
Kingfish on the Butterfly jigs so go with the wire assist hooks and a trace of
wire leader.
Wahoo
should heat up around the next full moon so if you are trolling keep a bait deep
and on the reef live chumming will bring them right up to the motors. Keep a big
spinning rod with a circle hook and wire leader. For trolling a blue/white
islander with a ballyhoo on the downrigger will get eaten.
The
Gulf has been a little slow and we are in the no-take season for Grouper in the
Gulf. Cobia have been around but not in huge numbers and we should see another
wave pop up in the next few weeks. Timing seems to be what you need on your side
to find cobia.
Key West Offshore Report:
February 25, 2009
As we
move into March we should start to see the cold fronts become slightly weaker
and less frequent. This will keep the water temperature steady and the fishing
will remain good throughout the month. Water temps outside the reef are running
around 74 and slightly cooler inside the reef.
Offshore should be in prime season for Sailfish, Kingfish, Tuna and Wahoo. Look
for all of these species to be feeding on the large schools of bait that will be
moving up and down the reef and anywhere from 30 feet out to around 250. The
current is moving pretty good to the east and we should see color changes, rips
and breaks all along the reef edge. Ballyhoo trolled plain or behind a blue and
white islander will cover all your bases. One rig trolled deep on a downrigger
will find any Wahoo that are around. Look for the Wahoo bite to be better around
the full moon. Dolphin have been steady since October and don’t seem to be
letting up. Most boats are finding a few Dolphin every day. Bonito and Blackfin
will hit small dark lures trolled on flat lines closer to the boat or way way
back.
The
reef is in prime season for March. Look for large Grouper, Mutton Snapper,
Mangrove Snapper and Kingfish to be on drop-offs and ledges in 60-110 feet deep.
You will have best results if there is a small current. Keep the chum flowing
and you will have many different species show up along the bottom. The top of
the water column will produce Yellowtail if you keep enough chum flowing. Whole
squid, live pinfish, pilchards, ballyhoo, thread herring and shrimp will all
work great for bait.
Gulf
fishing will also be in its prime for March. Cobia, Kingfish, Grouper, Snapper,
Sharks will keep the rods bent. Any rock-pile or wreck will have good action.
The same baits will work here as well. I usually keep a ballyhoo on a stinger
rig back in the current and chum with cut thread herring to get the Kings
active. Most of the Gulf Kings will run in the 30-40 pound range.
Deep
dropping is always a good bet and you will find Snowy Grouper, Tilefish and
Rosefish in 500-700 feet along ledges and rocky top edges of big drops.
Tilefish tend to be more on the top of the humps and Groupers right along the
edge. If you patiently work deeper ledges you can find barrellfish and Golden
Tiles but I have best results in 575-625 feet. Red Porgy, Vermillion Snapper
and Silky Snapper can be found in 350-450 range.
January weather is on us and we should be in for a good month of strong
fronts passing through. Not been many boats were on the water this week
due to the 25+ winds and cold. The Key West Race Week is usually a
little slow anyway.
Offshore has been steady for dolphin all fall and winter, and hopefully
the same trend will remain right through to the spring. There have been
some nice fish caught this past week. Most of the fish have been in the
5-10 pound range with a few 15-20 pound fish mixed in. Any depth from
100 feet to 250 can produce this time of year. I have been working 2
small lures, 1 plain ballyhoo and 1 deep lure in my spread when
trolling. The Dolphin are small and lures keep from having to constantly
change out ballyhoo. Wahoo, tuna and sailfish were biting good this past
week and the tunas and sailfish should remain hot while the wahoo bite
will fade until the next moon phase.
Reef fishing has been good and should be on the upswing as the full moon
moves out. Look for a good current along drops in 60-100 feet. Try to
stay in water that is not crystal clear and the bite will be better. I
have been catching a good variety of fish on whole dead squid and
pinfish. This time of year is good for keeping the rods bent with
a variety of species from grouper to snapper to margates to porgies and
African pompano. Yellowtail have been ok but the fishing has been tough
with the current running up the anchor line. I worked a little closer to
the reef and shallower and found plenty of fish in the medium size
range. The action was fast and furious and came in waves.
The gulf is excellent from now through the spring and into summer. Look
for cobia, kingfish, grouper, snapper, bonito, cero and Spanish mackerel
and some big sharks to be cruising any of the wrecks and rock-piles.
Keep the chum flowing and you will find the fishing to just get hotter
and hotter the longer you sit. I tend to stay on the structure
much longer in the gulf than I do in the Atlantic.
Deep dropping is very productive this time of year if the current
cooperates. It can be difficult to hold bottom and you may need a lot of
weight to do so. Clear water with a good current usually produces good
catches of snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper and tilefish. All of
my barrelfish have been in clear fast moving current during the winter.
On shallower structure there should be loads of silky snapper and red
porgies.
Deep wrecks will be holding tons of bait and huge amberjack, african
pompano and sharks will be working the bait schools. Close to the bottom
there should be plenty of grouper and red snapper.
Key West
Offshore Report: January 14, 2009
Things were a little slow this week with the full moon cycle on us. The
water temperature is about 74.2 on the reef and the current was ripping
east early but has since slowed down. Dirty green water has been out to
200 feet and hopefully the powder blue water will hang around the bar
area and the clear blue in the 150 foot depths.
Offshore has been spotty but we are still catching Dolphin in good
numbers. I have caught Dolphin at least once a week every week of
this year. Usually we see a huge drop in Dolphin catches but it has
remained above average right through early winter so far. Fish
have been caught in every depth from 30 feet right out to 300 or so.
Sailfish have been cooperative and just starting to become a reliable
target. I found a few small fish this week and landed all of them. All
were under 30 pounds. Trolling with Pakula Uzi’s picked up 2 and a naked
ballyhoo the other. Boats have been finding fish on Kite flown baits and
by casting live Ballyhoo to fish spraying bait right up on the reef.
Wahoo have been around this full moon cycle with fish working bait in my
chum-slick twice this week. Tunas are working the usual spots to the
west and live chumming Pilchards is the only way to go.
On the reef the fishing was a little slow with the full moon but small
waves of feeding were there and you had to be ready. Saturday we found a
couple of nice Black Grouper in the 90 foot depths along with two 5
pound Porgies. We would have a feeding wave with a bunch of fish for
5-10 minutes followed by 40 minutes of little Yellowtail stealing baits.
Then another wave, another wait and another wave. The current was
running right up the anchor line most of the time but has slowed quite a
bit. Keep the chum flowing, vary your baits and move around a little and
it will pay off. I found whole Squid to be the best bait. I had a
pinfish sit for 2 hours without a bite and squid were being eaten as
soon as they hit bottom. The biggest black of the week for my charters
was 14 pounds and ate a 4 inch whole squid.
The Gulf was fishing great just up to the full moon. Cobia were on a few
different wrecks and rock-piles I worked and big Kings were there as
well. I found 3 Kings over 40 pounds and a bunch of 15-25 pounders. The
bottom gave up the usual undersized Red Grouper and some good Mangrove
Snappers. Most of the Cobia were release size and 1 25 pound fish ate a
live Pinfish.
Key West Offshore Report:
January 07, 2009
2008 has come to a close and 2009 is shaping up to be a challenging year
for most of us here in the Keys. It was a good week from Christmas
to New Years and we usually get a little break for a week before the
season kicks off. Fishing has been pretty good up and down the
reef as well as offshore and in the Gulf.
Offshore has been pretty good for Sailfish, Dolphin, Tuna and Wahoo.
Sailfish have been spraying ballyhoo close in on the reef. Look for fish
under birds or wherever you see bait fleeing. Ballyhoo and
Threadfin are hanging close to the reef in large schools. I have
found most of the Sails to be right up tight in as little as 30 feet of
water. I have had a few fish out deeper but most seem to be hanging
close to the bait. Dolphin have been around but spotty over the past
week. Some fish have been caught close to the reef while they were
feeding on the same bait as the sailfish and a few fish have been caught
out as far as 400 feet. The water is running 75 degrees outside the reef
and the current has been moving east. Tuna and Wahoo have been better
early in the morning and the bite has been better to the west and early.
Most boats have reported better fishing early in the morning.
The reef has been fair this week. There are good catches of Yellowtail
coming in as well as a few nice Grouper and Mutton Snapper. Kingfish and
Bonito are also working along the drop-offs in 75-100 feet. Live baits
will bring in the Kingfish quickly. Pilchards and small Blue-Runners
will get first billing. The current to the east has been a little
lighter than to the west. The last couple of days it has been running
right up the anchor line making Yellowtailing difficult, we managed to
catch a few really big fish but noting in big quantities.
The wind has been slightly south and that makes for good conditions in
the Gulf. The calm waters are great for a long run and there are
plenty of wrecks and rock-piles to work in search of Cobia, Kingfish,
Grouper and Snapper. A few nice Cobias have hit the docks at
Murray Marine and live Pinfish seem to work best on them. Mangrove
Snapper, Lane Snapper and Muttons will hang around the bottom and big
Kingfish cruise the surface.
Key West Offshore Report:
December 31, 2008
We are in full swing winter fishing mode here in Key West. The water
temp is running in the low 70’s outside the reef and just under 70
closer to shore. With cooler nights the water temp will continue
to cool slightly keeping the fish active. Fronts have been pushing
through often keeping the winds up. We should see some relief this week.
Offshore has been great for Dolphin since September. Every trip we seem
to find some Dolphin in 100-200 feet. They are not huge but good eating
size and have been rounding out the catch. I have been trolling back
through my chum slick after a few hours of bottom fishing and the fish
have been feeding back there anywhere from 50 feet to a half mile back.
Sailfish are coming through in good numbers and any bird activity or
bait spraying will give up their location. A medium NE or East wind with
some swell is best. The drift will be parallel to the reef and current
so you can cover ground. A slight turn of the motors can give you just
the right amount of angle to drift slightly across different depths.
Most of the action has come on Threadfin on the kite and there are
usually multiple hookups. Wahoo should turn on again with the
approaching full moon. The Wahoo bite has been great all year and
usually cycles up right around the full moon. Early morning is best so
get that deep trolled Ballyhoo out there as soon as you hit the edge of
the reef.
Reef fishing has been excellent. The current has been variable and if
you take your time to search along the reef you can find current in your
favor. There seems to be steadier movement out to the west. Yellowtail
will be non-stop action once you find that favorable current and Mutton
Snapper, Mangrove Snapper and Red and Black Grouper will hang closer to
the bottom. Live Pinfish, Threadfin, dead Squid, Ballyhoo plugs and
Bonito strips will all work. You may have some Dolphin show up just in
your chum slick and I have had some Wahoo, Cobia and big Sharks show up
as well recently.
Deep dropping has been pretty good and a medium current is best for
covering ground and the fish are more active with more current. Bonito
or Kingfish as well as Squid are always first choice for baits. I have
had good catches of Tilefish, Snowy Grouper, Yellowedge Grouper, Red
Porgy and Silky Snapper.
Gulf wrecks and rock-piles are great spots when the south wind rolls in.
The comfort level is good and the fish are active. I found Cobia and big
Kingfish prowling a few wrecks and rock-piles. Pinfish were eaten
immediately by Cobia close to the bottom and a whole Ballyhoo on a
stinger are the way to go on the big Kings. Big smokers will come
right up to the back of the boat out there. I wait until the chum has
been going for a while and work the bottom first. Once the area is
chummed up good I chunk with Thread cut into 3 or 4 pieces. The flash it
makes as it sinks gets the Kings motivated. After a few handfuls I throw
out the whole Ballyhoo. It is usually picked up very slowly so keep the
bail open until he gets a good bite on it.
Key West Offshore Report: December 24, 2008
The fishing in Key West has started to really take off. The reef is
on fire and it should remain good from now through the winter months. As
long as you get a window of good boating weather you can catch a huge
variety of fish. Look for areas with a good current along a drop-off. Set
up above any fish that you mark on your fish-finder and chum away.
Offshore is mostly about Sailfish, Tuna and Kingfish this time of year.
There are some Dolphin around but it can be a tough day if that is your
main target. Slow trolling live Ballyhoo along the reef edge in depths
ranging from 50 to 200 feet should be productive for Sailfish. Look
for bait showering as they try to escape predators. Frigate birds will
give away large fish and any current break or color change will hold bait
and the predators will be right behind. Kite fishing with live Thread
Herring, Blue-Runners or Speedos will also draw in the Sailfish. Kingfish,
Tunas and an occasional Dolphin will certainly pick up the same bait as
well. Down deeper the Wahoo are here in good numbers and the bite is
better around the full moon and early in the morning.
On the reef the fishing has been great. The Yellowtail are not huge but
they are hungry and plentiful. Keep the chum steadily flowing and throw
back a handful of Mahua or cut up Thread Herring when you drift your baits
back. Keep the leader small and you will catch plenty. On the bottom the
Mutton Snapper and Grouper bite has been very good. Live Pinfish or
Pilchards will be eaten quickly and dead Squid or Threadfin will work well
also. I prefer Pinfish for bottom fishing as they are more durable whereas
the Pilchards make for better surface live chumming. The variety of reef
fish will keep the day interesting and you may find a Sailfish or Wahoo
back in your chumslick. I had a big Hammerhead working back and
forth across my slick last week but he was not interested in eating the
Blue-Runner I threw him.
Deep Dropping has been good. The usual Rosefish, Tilefish, Snowy Grouper
and Yellowedge Grouper are holding on the edge of drop-offs in the
575-600 foot range. I found Red Porgy and Yelloweye Snapper in 350 feet on
some small structure.
The Swordfish bite has been good during the day and I have had plenty of
slashed baits and a few good hookups in the last few weeks. One nice big
fish came all the way to the boat before coming un-hooked.
Gulf fishing is good for the winter months. I usually head to the Gulf on
a South wind or East wind and find Cobia, Kingfish, Grouper, Snapper, Cero
and Spanish Macks along with plenty of Sharks. The action is good and a
Cobia usually finds its way to the fishbox. Work any wrecks or rock-pile
with Pinfish, Squid and Thread Herring.
Till next week
– enjoy the weather and get out on the water, Capt. Chris.
Key West Offshore Report:
December 17, 2008
We have had some sorry weather the past few weeks and it takes good timing
to get out on the water. When you do get out the fishing has been
exceptionally good. A good chop on the surface is always good for fishing
and locate the current and you will have good luck. The current varies
daily along the reef but seems to be a little more favorable to the west
of Sand Key.
Offshore has been excellent for Dolphin, Sailfish and Wahoo. The approach
of the full moon seems to turn on the Wahoo and we had plenty of fish
around last week. A deep trolled bait or live bait at anchor will get them
to bite. Dolphin seem to be on a never ending run this year so take
advantage while the fishing is good. Sailfish are moving in thick and
covering some ground is always a good way to start the day. Once you find
fish the area should be productive and switching to a kit and live baits
will increase the bites.
Reef fishing has been excellent. Deep wrecks and structure has been
producing plenty of Grouper and Mutton Snapper. Mangrove Snapper and the
vast array of misc. reef fish that cruise the lower keys are about as
hungry as you will see all year. African Pompano, Kingfish, Amberjack,
Margate, Porgies..you name it and it will eat a Pilchard, Pinfish, Squid
strip or Bonito strip.
The Gulf has been productive the past couple of days with the south wind.
Look for Cobia, Kingfish and the Groupers and Snappers to feed on any
wreck or rock-pile.
Deep Dropping was good last week. Plenty of Rosies and Tilefish on the top
pf any humps and big Snowies and Yellowedge on the edge just before the
drop-off.
Swordfishing has been good and any break in the weather will be a perfect
opportunity to make a few drifts. A 20 pound weight will get you to the
bottom in 1600-1800 feet. Leave it on as long as you can and then break it
off and let the bait drift up. Most bites are coming within 100 feet of
the bottom. The winds do let up some of the time but they started blowing
again. In the strong Northeastern winds the Sailfish bite gets hot. Many
Captains reported sailfish hook ups and many landings too. Wahoo was hot
off the end of the Bar and the early morning bite had some nice Dolphin
catches too. After the early morning bite you had to move farther offshore
to find them again. If you stay inside Hawks Channel the seas are smaller
and some good fishing is to be found. Around the patch reefs, they are
loaded with Red Groupers, Some nice Mutton Snappers, and a good variety of
other species, too. Just this Monday I had a warm party of 4 ladies and 2
men anglers. With my Fly rod method the ladies had a great time and out
did the men
Key West
Offshore Report: December 12, 2008
We have had some nice weather the past few days and it looks like it
should stay for the week. The water temp is running 74 outside the reef
and there has been a color change in close to the reef to the west of Sand
Key and a little further offshore to the east of Sand Key. Current has
varied along the reef with the color change. Bait is everywhere on the
reef and it takes about 2 throws to have more than enough Pilchards for a
few days of fishing. Ballyhoo, Blue Runners and Threadfin are also
abundant right now.
Offshore has been excellent for Dolphin, Sailfish, Wahoo and Tunas.
Anywhere in the 90-170 foot range has been producing assorted species.
Boats trolling Ballyhoo have been doing well - drifting and live chumming
will bring in Tunas, Wahoo and Sails. The fall/winter Dolphin fishing has
remained excellent for the past month and it looks like it may hold on a
while longer. Most of the fish are close to the reef with all the bait.
On the reef the fishing has been good for bottom species. Grouper are
cruising all depths and Yellowtail, Mutton Snapper, Mangrove Snapper,
Porgies, Margates and Sharks will be on your bait quickly. The fishing is
hot for a while then cools down giving you the signal to move or just drop
back a little on the anchor line. Keep the chum flowing and have a good
assortment of bait ready. One day Pinfish are the best and the next day
they sit for hours without a bite.
The Gulf has started to pick up with Cobia, Grouper, and assorted
Snappers. Kingfish will make a showing as well. The shallow rock-piles and
wrecks are usually good unless they have felt pressure. I try to get out
into the gulf on more uncomfortable boating days and the fishing is
spectacular. Once the pressure turns on it slows quickly and gets sharky.
Deep wrecks are holding plenty of Amberjack, African Pompano, Sharks,
Cudas along with Muttons, Grouper on the bottom.
Swordfishing has been good and a few nice fish have been caught over the
past month. I had 1 nice fish and plenty of slashes and fish that came
loose. Daytime has been the best bite and it takes some trial and error to
get it all right. Deep dropping has been excellent. With the light winds
and slightly moving current the baits get worked on quickly by Rosefish
and Tilefishbut if you stay near the edges of the drops you will find more
Snowy and Yellowedge Grouper.
Key West Offshore
Report: December 03, 2008
Conditions are great
this week for fishing. We have clear skies, a light breeze, water
temperature around 75 and the current varies along the reef. West of Sand
Key seems to have a little stronger easterly current..
Offshore has been great for fall Dolphin. There have been loads of fish in
the 6-10 pound range and a good amount over 20 pounds. Look for fish in
depths from 120 to 300 feet. I found some nice 12 pounders cruising along
in 150. There was no structure or apparent current break. Just fish
chasing Flying Fish. Wahoo should make another nice showing with the next
full moon. Look for the bite to be early in the morning. Some really nice
Wahoo for the Lower Keys came in this past full moon phase. Sailfish are
also working bait in the 120-200 range. If the wind is up use a Kite for 2
baits out front and drift two more behind. Blackfin Tuna and Bonito as
well as Kingfish and some Cobia have also been caught in the same range.
Drifting with live Pilchards or Thread Herring will bring them to the
boat.
On the reef the bottom fishing has been excellent. Get a Grouper or two
before the closed season goes into effect January 1. I have been finding
big Red Grouper mixed in with some small to medium Blacks. Pinfish and
whole Squid has been the bait of choice. Other misc reef species like
Porgies, Margate, Kingfish, Cobia, Jacks and Sharks round out the fun.
Yellowtail has been good, but not great. The current and wind working
against each other has made it difficult, but not impossible. A little
work and you will be rewarded with some very large Yellowtail. Just keep
that chum flowing steady. Chum them up with some small Pilchards or Mahua.
Swordfishing has been good. We managed to go 1 for 3 on our last trek out
and came home with a 49” fish. Daytime bite has been excellent in the
1400-1600 foot depth. A big squid, bright light and 25 pounds of
break-away weight will be needed for the job.
September
06, 2007 - Key West Off Shore Fishing Report
We hit a record
high temperature today and man was it hot on the water. The water
temperature halfway to the reef in front of Boca Chica was 91.7 degrees.
It was a couple of degrees cooler outside the reef . Current has moved
back into the waters in some areas and it is still non-existent in other
areas. The west seems to be better for current and temperature.
Offshore I
have not found much to make me happy in the past few weeks. Not much
weed, very little debris, picky fish. Dolphin is hit or miss boat by boat.
If you listen to the radio you will hear a few boats with small fish, a
few with one or two nice fish and a few with none. Keep plugging away as
your turn will come. I found Dolphin schools in 250 feet. Most of
the fish were in the 3-5 pound range. I have also found some Sailfish and
Wahoo in the 120-250 foot depth range. Again everything seems to be a
little to the west.
The reef was
alive this morning but slowed as the sun moved straight overhead. I had a
group from Baton Rouge, LA that caught African Pompano, Mutton Snapper,
Scamp Grouper, Triggerfish and Dolphin as well as the obligatory big fish
rock-ups and a countless number of Sharpnose Sharks….all while anchored in
110 feet of water. Not a bad day for late summer heat. Look for fish to be
in the over 100 foot depth and you need to find good current. I found
current and it fished well, but as soon as the current died so did the
bite. I moved and found more current and a good bite and so on and so on.
Bonito strips and Ballyhoo plugs worked for us today.
Gulf fishing
has been OK but will improve with cooling temperatures. As soon as fall
sets in on us we should see huge schools of roaming Mackerel chasing bait.
Kings, Cobia, Grouper will start to move in as the water temps cool.
Now is s good
time to catch up on all your equipment maintenance. Grease up all your
reels, replace worn parts, check all the guides on your rods and have
everything in good shape for when the fishing really turns back on.
