Key West Fishing 02-16-16

On Tuesday, the winds continued to blow out of the north, allowing us to guide charters to the Atlantic side of Key West. I led my clients south on the leeward side of the Keys for some slow trolling off the reef edge with live bait (Goggle Eyes and Blue Runners). My party managed to hook three Kingfish with the biggest trophy weighing 47 pounds. Wahoo have also been biting on live bait, although inconsistently; our anglers caught a 25-pounder and a 45-pounder this past week.

Sailfish can also be caught in the deepwater south of Key West when the winds are blowing out of the north or the east. Lately, our charter captains have been seeking 15 to 30-pound Blackfin Tuna above deepwater shipwrecks in one-hundred-and-fifty to two-hundred-and-fifty foot depths. When fishing for Blackfins, we usually cast our nets in the saltwater grass flats for Pilchers. The Tuna greedily bite on this live bait after we tempt them to the surface by chumming.

The winds will continue blowing from the north this week, drawing our boats to the south for some Deep Sea action. If you are looking for some Light Tackle fun, we'll be seeking Yellowtail Snapper as well. We'll set up our light spinning reels with fifteen-pound test. We should see six-pound fish biting on live Pilchers.

We look forward to seeing you in Key West,

Captain Damon Santelli