Sport Fishing Charters - Key West

 

Get the best techniques for fishing on Key West and choosing the best fishing charters in the business. If you get excited at the thought of reeling in a big ocean game fish then you really want to find yourself

on a private charter boat off the coast of Key West​

Maybe you'd like to go shark fishing. The picture to the left is of a shark. You can catch many kinds of predatory fish off Key West. Generally you'll fish off the reef edges in water over 1,500 feet deep. Usually you'll drop your bait to a couple hundred feet or more. Often you'll just troll and drag your bait just below the surface.

The fish you're likely to catch on  a Key West deep sea fishing charter are the most coveted game fish. The great white shark can grow to 20 feet long and weigh as much as 5,000 lbs. This is one huge shark with potentially over 3,000 teeth, all of which are replaced with new sharp teeth regularly. The blue marlin and the black marlin are among the largest fish in the sea and can grow to over 1,000 lbs. The swordfish and the bluefin tuna can get almost as big as the blue marlin. You may catch a sailfish which is considerably smaller, around 200 lbs. but if you think reeling a 200 lb fish in is easy, give it a shot.

​

Smaller but easier to catch on a frequent basis are dolphin,  aka mahi mahi, mackerel, cobia and wahoo. The fishing charter boat captains will troll the waters about 15 miles off the coast of Key West. They'll troll along reef edges and grass lines where small bait fish live. The fishing captains will chum the water with tiny bits of cut fish and blood. This attracts the larger fish and the bait fish. You'll catch your game fish by leaving your line 20 yards or more behind the boat. Your line will usually be 30 to 50 lb. test line and the bait will be small live bait fish.

​

Reef fishing is a bit different. You'll probably be on one of the Key West party boat fishing charters that take 15 or so parties out at a time on a 50 foot party fishing boat. The captains know the reefs and wrecks around Key West quite well and they'll know where to go to catch fish all day. You can catch various snapper like mutton and yellowtail. Red snapper are considered endangered so except during rare red snapper season, you'll have to release any red snapper. The fishing charter captains have been complaining that the red snapper are taking over the Gulf of Mexico but authorities still restrict catching them.

Jacks such as yellowjack and amberjack, especially amberjack are also quite popular. They're great fighters and are also very good to eat. They're tough fish so you don't want to try to catch them on cheap fishing gear. Amberjack in particular are known for tearing up fishing gear. Don't worry though. If you're on a pro fishing charter boat they'll make sure you''ve got all the gear you need to reel in those big ones!

​

If you're a would be vacation angler and you'd love to experience the thrill of game fishing, come on down to Key West. We've got the 3rd largest reef system in the world,  warm clear water and lots and lots of great fishing. Book a fishing charter boat here in Key West and experience the thrill of a lifetime.​