Key West Fishing
All licenses, bait, ice and equipment is provided.
You will need to bring food/drinks, sunglasses and sun protection.
Fully licensed and insured for up to 6 passengers
We will work with all levels of fishermen from novice to expert as well as children. Children under 13 years old must wear a life jacket while vessel is underway.
Depending on the weather and time of year you can expect to catch some of the following: Snapper, Grouper, Kingfish, Sailfish, Mackerel, Bluefish, Bonito, Tuna, Wahoo, Hogfish, Dolphin, Cobia, Sharks, Barracuda, African Pompano, Amberjack, Jacks, Permit, Tarpon, Speckled Trout, Redfish.
Variety is one of the best aspects of Keys fishing. Until you actually see the fish it is sometimes hard to tell what it is. On a recent half day charter one group caught 2 Reef Sharks, 2 Blacktip Sharks, 1 Nurse Shark, numerous Red Grouper, Grunts, Spanish Mackerel, Mutton Snapper, Yellowtail Snapper, Blue Runners, Lane Snappers and Bluefish. Catching this many different species in one spot is common throughout Keys waters.
Most days begin by catching some bait.....either throwing the cast net for Pilchards, Ballyhoo, Pinfish or jigging up Blue Runners and Herring around a buoy or shallow reef.
66 1/2 lb. Key West King Mackerel
Reef fishing- About 6 Miles south of Key West lies North America's only living coral reef. The reef attracts all kinds of predators from trophy size Barracuda to Snappers, Grouper, Kingfish and Mackerel. We usually anchor just outside the reef and set up a chum bag to attract the fish. A live bait on the surface or the bottom can catch fish. The reef edge is also a good place to throw a fly or plug.
Wreck fishing- The Gulf and Atlantic waters around Key West are scattered with large and small wrecks in depths ranging from 20 feet to 300 feet. We usually anchor just above the wreck and chum with frozen block chum. Within a few minutes the chum will attract a multitude of fish. Kingfish, Snappers, Cobia, Grouper, Mackerel, Tuna, Amberjack, Permit and many other fish can be caught around wrecks. Wrecks are also a good flyfishing location.
Offshore fishing- Just outside the main reef the depth steadily drops from 50 feet to over 1000 feet. Billfish such as Sailfish and Marlin as well as Pelagic fish such as Tuna, Wahoo and Dorado can be found in this area. The strategy here is to locate a large pod of bait and begin to chum and drift to see what shows interest. Slow trolling for Sails is also a good tactic in this zone. Cruising in search of weed lines that hold Dolphin is the strategy all summer long. Summer Dolphin fishing is extremely fun!
Key West Harbor- Famous for Tarpon. Anchor up and chum with shrimp boat trash. Live bait works best...Pinfish, Pilchards, Herring, Crabs. Tarpon and Permit, Cobia, Mackerel and Sharks are the main targets in the harbor.
Backcountry- On those very windy days a trip to a backcountry channel can be rewarding. Sharks, Cobia, Jacks and Cudas cruise the channels and the seas are usually nice and calm.
Sharks on the Fly- The channels west of Key West are prime locations to stalk large Sharks with the fly-rod. A butterflied Cuda hanging off the stern in the right location will bring Lemons, Bulls, Hammerheads, Spinners, Blacktips and Reef Sharks in for a closer look. When they get within casting distance throw an orange hackle fly with a wire leader, give it a twitch or two and hold on. Sharks will quickly show you what a really powerful fish feels like at the end of the fly rod.
Deep Dropping- South of the reef there are some tremendous dropoffs and deep ledges. Some spots have depth changes of almost 150 feet in a short horizontal distance. Tilefish, Rosefish, Snowy Grouper, Marbled Grouper, Yellowfin Grouper, Misty Grouper, Queen Snapper, Silk Snapper, Blackfin Snapper....The fish at these depths have the best tasting fillets due to the pressure. There is also very little change in water quality or temperature down there so fishing is always good. I have a Kristal XL-75 electric reel capable of pulling huge Grouper from depths down to 2000 feet. If you have never tried deep dropping with electrics give it a try and you will be amazed at what comes up from the depths. It is also not as easy as it sounds and the reward is high as most of the fish are very large. Most of the Grouper at these depths run in the 30-50 pound range with many well above that. It may take 4 minutes for the baits to hit bottom and 10 to bring up a big fish. I always bring the electric set up along on Dolphin trips since we drop in many of the same areas. If you hit a bunch of Mahi or things are slow you can break it up by making a few deep drops.
Capt. Chris Lembo
(305) 292-0067
(305) 304-0093