Cool Cast Charters Blog

I had a full day today (Tuesday), guiding two action-filled charters from Key West to the south. We began the first charter at the reef, where each angler nabbed their limit of Yellowtail Snapper (10 apiece).

The cloudy waters around the reef have attracted plentiful sharks, including Blacktip Reef sharks and even trophy Hammerheads.

This weekend, our captains led some highly successful charters to the reef south of Key West. Since visibility in the waters surrounding the reef was low, plenty of Blacktip Reef Sharks mobbed the area hunting for Snappers.

We've been really excited about offshore conditions on the Atlantic side of Key West lately. The Gulf Stream has shifted unusually near the Keys, flowing only two miles away from the reef.

Capt. Tony guided our charter vessel, the Coolwater, on an excursion west of the Florida Keys. After finding an excellent spot twenty five miles west of Key West, he anchored near the reef's edge. Our clients pulled in Bonita, Cero Mackerel, and Yellowtail using live bait on light tackle rigs. Tony also utilized some kite fishing techniques. The party snagged a Sailfish as well as some King Mackerel, the largest tipping the scales at 35 pounds. The prized catch of this trip was also caught using the kite: a Hammerhead Shark weighing 225 pounds.