Yearly Archives: 2012

Seasonal Patterns have arrived in Key West…The Bite is On!

The past thirty days have brought massive improvements to the fishing here in Key West. As we predicted in last month’s reports, the seasonal fall patterns are now fully in place and the conditions continue to improve bring the action to an absolute peak! Each new front passes through and we experience an improved fishery! We are enjoying banner days on the water right now!

This is a very exciting time in Key West as several prized offshore pelagic species have migrated into our local waters in numbers. The shallow water species population in the backcountry has reached epic proportions! If you are a light tackle angler, now’s the time to get busy!

Let us break down the recent action as reported from the docks of Key West Pro Guides…

Offshore:
Sailfish are arriving as we move towards their early pre-season spawning migration. Sailfish are one of those magical species of pelage’s that are at or near the top of every angler’s “Bucket List”. The success rate for the light tackle angler targeting Sailfish is improving daily right now! Early Dolphin has already provided us with some excitement on the weed lines as well. Black Fin Tuna are making their presence known by “slamming” baits most days now while the Skip Jacks and Bonito simply overpower you by sheer numbers. A 36 pound Kingfish was boated yesterday which signals a changing of the guard and we now look forward to the arrival of the elusive Wahoo! The offshore angler can pick and choose their target species right now. Rarely do we enjoy both the “tail- walking” Sailfish and the thunder & lightning of the “speed Demon” Kingfish in the same day. But you can right now with Key West Pro Guides. 866 259 4205 for additional offshore information or to book your “blue water” adventure today!

Atlantic Reef:
The action here has been excellent for some time now. Yellow Tail Snapper remain plentiful and a favorite targeted species for many anglers including the locals who appreciate them as wonderful table fare! The Mutton Snapper are on fire! Captain Chuck boated 21 Keeper Mutton this week! Quick note to all of you Grouper anglers…season is about over to keep Grouper. December 31 and it is all over for a while! Let’s get on them now!

Atlantic Wrecks:
Fishing has been fast paced of late, with nice Mutton Snapper’s leading the way! We still have some excellent Margate Snappers running 8 to 10 pounds are the sharks are still eating them like candy! Sharks are numerous on the wrecks right now and super exciting on light tackle. Heavyweight Amberjacks are still holding court on the deeper sites.

Gulf Wrecks:
The action remains excellent in the Gulf. Mangrove Snapper fishing continues while the Cobia cruise in numbers. The elusive Permit is still here but more are being found on the shallower “patch reefs”. Nice size Gag Grouper remain easily found lately while the behemoth Goliath Grouper continues to run the show on certain sites.

Backcountry:
Redfish are here friends! Spanish Mackerel and huge Jack Crevalle have invaded the shallows in giant schools. Pompano and Sea Trout will keep the rod bent all day long! Always dependable, the Mangrove Snapper bite is on providing the angler with excellent table fare at the end of his day on the water! For the more edgy light tackle angler, giant Barracuda and Black Tip sharks are patrolling the backcountry and ready to battle with a winner takes all attitudes. If you enjoy shallow water angling…this is the time of fast-paced action! Site casting to predators In crystal clear, calm waters that is exactly what we have waiting for you here at Key West Pro Guides.

Flats:
Bonefish and the ever-elusive Permit continue to provide a challenge to the flats anglers. Big Barracuda are plentiful as well and should not be overlooked for exciting action. A super bonus…we are finding Cobia following the numerous Rays giving us some easy targets! Sharks are quite commonly found foraging on the flats during this time of year also. This is a time of plenty for the flats angler. There are more targets for the fly fisher’s as well…if you are interested in getting on the flats with the best flats guides in Key West Call us today at 866 259 4205 and book your flats adventure with the pro’s at Key West Pro Guides.

Friends…what can we say…Key West fishing has turned on! To book your charter today with Key West Pro Guides and experience true “world class” fishing from the flats to offshore and everywhere in between…

As Fall Arrives with Cooler Temperatures, the Action Heats Up!

The fall time frame in Key West brings many options for the light tackle angler from the flats to offshore. As we begin our transition from the summer’s steamy air and water temperatures into cooler and frankly more comfortable conditions, fish are on the move. We welcome the migration patterns of several outstanding pelagic species soon to arrival in our offshore waters. Many of the shallower resident species of the backcountry are reacting to the changes as well. This is a time of plenty for the angler willing to work for it. Let us break down the recent action as reported from the docks of Key West Pro Guides…

In the Shallows and on the Flats……
Bonefish and Permit are still keeping the flats anglers on their toes! The Tarpon action unfortunately is over on the flats for this year. A nice bonus…we are finding Mutton Snapper cruising on the backs of the rays presenting challenging targets! Jack Crevalles are plentiful and offer a good fight with fast action. –As the conditions are bringing changes to the deeper water so they are changing the shallows. The major difference is that the backcountry waters are not cooling nearly as quickly as offshore. For the near future at least high water temperatures will still prevail. This will keep the action slower on Redfish and Snook and Trout are not “on” just now either. The good news…Permit! The action with these sought after fish is good! Can there be a more desirable species in the backcountry this time of year? In addition, the shark fishing is crazy good right now with several species from Black Tip to Spinner and the always-present Lemon. A shark on light tackle is edgy stuff friends and we highly recommend targeting them if you are looking for a battle! The always available Jack Crevalles and Mangrove Snapper are everywhere and perfect to target for those family outings or if you have a novice angler in your group!

On the Wrecks –Gulf & Atlantic……
Things are really heating up in the Gulf. Mangrove Snapper fishing has been excellent. Cobia are now cruising the more remote and distant wrecks in numbers. The elusive Permit are here as well and always an appreciated target to pursue. Nice size Gag Grouper in numbers have been easily found lately while the behemoth Goliath Grouper continues to offer the angler an ultimate game of tug- o’- war!– Fishing has been fast paced of late with nice Mutton Snapper’s leading the way! Big Margate Snappers running 8 to 10 pounds are plentiful if you can keep them away from the several shark species cruising these sites. Heavyweight Amberjacks are certainly making their presence known as are a massive population of Bonito. No problem keeping the rods bent here!– The action here has been far better than well offshore due to very good water conditions.

On the Reef…..
The Reef has been providing excellent Yellow Tail Snapper action daily with these tasty fish averaging 3 lbs for the last few weeks. Landing a limit is quick work most days. The Grouper action remains good and the Mutton Snapper bite has been exciting recently.

Offshore – In the Blue…..
The far offshore “Blue Water” conditions have vastly improved but still are not perfect from recent weather. In fairness, the action has been in the “fair” range as the Gulf Stream flows 50 miles out from Sand Key. The Mahi Mahi action is dwindling as expected with a few decent size fish being taken in the 350’ to 400 ‘ depths recently. Bonitos remain good and Barracuda are so plentiful they have become annoying! We are looking forward to the cold fronts coming our way soon, which bring the “speed demons” to us. Kingfish, Mackerel and Black Fin Tuna to mention a few will arrive shortly and things will immediately fire up offshore.

All in all friends fishing ain’t bad…but it is getting much better and soon! Our days are calm and comfortable, water conditions are coming to us and the newly arriving species have our full attention. Looking forward…book your charter today for the upcoming fall period with Key West Pro Guides and experience the “world class” fishing both Key West and our team is known for!

Tight lines,

Captain Paul [email protected]
Captain Roc [email protected]

Summer has arrived!! Summer is here!! (Actually it’s been here on and off since February!!) we welcome the summer fishery with much anticipation. With the light warm winds from the south-east, the offshore action heats up and the backcountry and flats kick into full gear. Heres how things are shaping up, come on down!!

Offshore:
The Gulf Stream is currently about 21 miles south creating some massive and well-formed weed lines starting in the 700′ range out to the &qout;Wall”. Daily limits of Dolphin are routine with some quality Bulls to 30 pounds plus. Mixed in with the Dolphin are wahoo, Bonito and even some decent Sailfish! With the consistent southeast wind, the weed lines stack up and form massive patches, providing shelter to bait and opportunity for predators to feed. As the summer progresses, more and more fish move through, giving us plenty of opportunity to target them!!

Deep Wrecks:
The remote wreck sites we prefer to fish are on fire right now. These isolated wrecks are holding huge populations of Mutton Snapper to 20 pounds. Heavyweight Amberjacks are plentiful averaging above 30 pounds, while Cobia are super aggressive traveling in small “wolf packs” of 3 to 6 fish. Solo larger Cobia are being taken from the backs of sharks in the deep. The larger sharks routinely hold in excess of 15 or 20 Cobia at a time. Most of these fish are in the 20-30lb. range and always appreciate a well presented bait!!

Reef:
As always, the reef provides non-stop action for the light tackle angler. Our resident brute Snapper and Grouper are always ready to go “head to head”. Mutton Snapper continue to feed aggressively while ranging above 20 pounds. Plentiful and larger Mangrove Snapper will keep the fishing rods doubled over all day long. Keeper size Grouper are easily found on many of the ledges and hangs. The big three are the Blacks, Gags and Reds. To the west the bite has been outstanding, most of the Reds are in the 10-15lb. range with the Gags being the most abundant, most averaging 10-15lbs. Yellowtail Snapper are crazy good just now and should remain so for sometime. This is after all the prime time of the year for the Flag (large) Yellowtails. Excellent fun to catch and amazingly good as table fare…do not pass up the opportunity to experience this type of Yellowtail action while visiting the island!

In the Gulf:
Its Permit time on the distant Gulf wreck sites. Lying well offshore, these wrecks are a magnet to the largest Permit every season, those beauties that exceed 40 pounds. Although the Permit spawn is in it’s last month, these elusive sport fish are still on the wrecks in decent schools. By coming together, the angler is offered the rarest of light tackle opportunities to successfully target the Permit.

Also calling these remote wrecks home are schools of large Jack Cravalles every angler’s favorite top water action fish. Cobias are commonly found cruising these locations as well. Large Mangrove Snapper are abundant and the predators are in their element. Black Tip, Lemon, the super aggressive Bull and our apex predator, the awe inspiring Hammerhead all patrol these waters. Sharks are the norm during your time fishing these non-pressured fishing locations so be prepared to earn your prey.

In the Harbor:
Often time’s anglers new to Key West are amazed by the excellent fishing that takes place right in our harbor. Tarpon fishing at night is something every angler should have at the top of his or her “bucket list” and the Key West Harbor is the place for it to happen. The truly largest Tarpon all come shallow at twilight to feed and our harbor offers a perfect blend of action, comfort and safety while fishing at night. Along with the Tarpon action, we enjoy Permit, Sharks and several additional species all looking for that “late night snack”. With the water temperatures now ranging in the mid to lower 80’s, conditions are perfect for Tarpon to move into the basins. The Key West Pro Guides team has been averaging 3 to 5 Tarpon hooked up nightly during the four-hour trips. These Tarpon are in the 60 to 150 pound range and the larger specimens are coming!

On the Flats:
No question these next few months are the best flats fishing of the year. Bonefish to 11 pounds are plentiful while Permit and Tarpon are red hot! Although Flats fishing is a bit on the technical side the experienced light tackle and fly angler will enjoy huge dividends for their patience and stealth. Giant Barracuda and several species of sharks have invaded the flats and only add to the target list for the angler.

The Back Country:
Conditions in the backcountry could not be more perfect! Super clear waters allowing for sight casting to the many species roaming the shallows to feed. Permit are everywhere up to 30 pounds. Captain John boated three Permits yesterday on live crabs, all weighed in the 25 to 30 pound ballpark…that is as good as Permit in the shallows get! The Redfish bite is still good along with the Snook holding on the Mangrove Islands and shorelines. Cobia can be hooked up while found following the large Rays feeding on the softer bottoms. Large schools of Jacks are always present and the Sea Trout action has been good although we are going to witness Trout slowing soon. Again large Mangrove Snapper are easily found and a limit of 10 should only take about 10 casts! The most impressive action in the backcountry recently has been with sharks. Lemon sharks are numerous and the Key West Pro Guides “back country” guides are experiencing times when as many as fifteen sharks can be in the immediate area of the boat and anglers as they chum these prehistoric warriors to the boat. Check out the newest video on our home page! Now’s the time to book your fishing adventure of a life time. Come live the dream of fishing the world’s most prolific waters in Key West with the islands top pro guides, Key West Pro Guides! Please call us toll free 866-259-4205 or after hours until 11 PM 305-509-4140. Thanks again for your interest in our June Fishing Report.

Tight lines,

Captain Paul [email protected]
Captain Roc [email protected]

Spring is in the air in Key West….and so are the Tarpon!

Ask any shallow water angler and they will quickly explain that in the springtime of the year, Key West is THE place on the planet to pursue giant Tarpon. Our flats and shallow water back country is teeming with behemoth “Silver Kings” for the spring spawn. Nowhere on earth does the light tackle angler or fly fisher have the opportunity to target such a massive Tarpon population.

Set aside the fact that Key West holds the record for the largest Tarpon ever landed in Florida at 245 lbs. Ignore the fact that Key West is home to the most prolific shallow water fishing in the country. You may choose to overlook that the Florida Keys are home to 200 of the top saltwater guides in the world. Nevertheless, you cannot deny Key West Pro Guides are the Tarpon Specialists in Key West! From the docks of Key West Pro Guides…Our Fishing Report for April…

Offshore:
The Gulf Stream is currently about 22 miles south creating some massive and well-formed weed lines starting in the 700’ range out to the “Wall”. Daily limits of Dolphin are routine with some quality Bulls to 30 pounds plus. Big Kings in excess of 35 pounds still prowl well offshore -with huge schools of Bonito. The Sailfish bite continues to improve as the number of Sailfish grow building towards spawning soon offshore. Captain Chuck had a banner day recently taking a limit of Dolphin the target species. Largest Bull was 38 pounds!

Deep Wrecks:
The remote wreck sites we prefer to fish are on fire right now. These isolated wrecks are holding huge populations of Mutton Snapper to 20 pounds. Heavyweight Amberjacks are plentiful averaging above 30 pounds while Cobia are supper aggressive traveling in small “wolf packs” of 3 to 6 fish. Solo larger Cobia are being taken from the backs of sharks in the deep. From around 40 pounds routinely up to the behemoth Captain Ryan boated yesterday tipping the scales at 68 pounds! That is a hand full of Cobia friends.

Reef:
As always, the reef provides non-stop action for the light tackle angler. Our resident brute Snapper and Grouper are always ready to go “head to head”. Mutton Snapper continue to feed aggressively while ranging above 20 pounds. Plentiful and larger Mangrove Snapper will keep the fishing rods doubled over all day long. Keeper size Grouper are easily found but a friendly reminder, Grouper are out of season and unfortunately must be released. On the other hand, YellowTail Snapper are crazy good just now and should remain so for sometime. This is after all the prime time of the year for the Flag (large) YellowTails. Excellent fun to catch and amazingly good as table fare…do not pass up the opportunity to experience this type of YellowTail action while visiting the island!

In the Gulf:
Its Permit time on the distant Gulf wreck sites. Lying well offshore, these wrecks are a magnet to the largest Permit every season, those beauties that exceed 40 pounds. Although the Permit spawn is still a few months away these elusive sport fish are already gathering in large schools. By coming together, the angler is offered the rarest of light tackle opportunities to successfully target the Permit. Also calling these remote wrecks home are schools of large Jack Cravalles every angler’s favorite top water action fish. Cobias are commonly found cruising these locations as well. Large Mangrove Snapper are abundant and the predators are in their element. Black Tip, Lemon, the super aggressive Bull and our apex predator, the awe inspiring Hammerhead all patrol these waters. Sharks are the norm during your time fishing these non-pressured fishing locations so be prepared to earn your prey.

In the Harbor:
Often time’s anglers new to Key West are amazed by the excellent fishing that takes place right in our harbor. Tarpon fishing at night is something every angler should have at the top of his or her “bucket list” and the Key West Harbor is the place for it to happen. The truly largest Tarpon all come shallow at twilight to feed and our harbor offers a perfect blend of action, comfort and safety while fishing at night. Along with the Tarpon action, we enjoy Permit, Sharks and several additional species all looking for that “late night snack”.

With the water temperatures now ranging in the mid to high 70’s conditions are perfect for Tarpon to move into the basins. The Key West Pro Guides team has been averaging 3 to 5 Tarpon hooked up nightly during the four-hour trips. These Tarpon are in the 60 to 150 pound range and the larger specimens are coming!

On the Flats:
No question these next few months are the best flats fishing of the year. Bonefish to 11 pounds are plentiful while Permit and Tarpon are red hot! Although Flast fishing is a bit on the technical side the experienced light tackle and fly angler will enjoy huge dividends for their patience and stealth. Giant Barracuda and several species of sharks have invaded the flats and only add to the target list for the angler.

The Back Country:
Conditions in the backcountry could not be more perfect! Super clear waters allowing for sight casting to the many species roaming the shallows to feed. Permit are everywhere up to 30 pounds. Captain John boated three Permits yesterday on live crabs, all weighed in the 25 to 30 pound ballpark…that is as good as Permit in the shallows get! The Redfish bite is still good along with the Snook holding on the Mangrove Islands and shorelines. Cobia can be hooked up while found following the large Rays feeding on the softer bottoms. Large schools of Jacks are always present and the Sea Trout action has been good although we are going to witness Trout slowing soon. Again large Mangrove Snapper are easily found and a limit of 10 should only take about 10 casts!

The most impressive action in the backcountry recently has been with sharks. Lemon sharks are numerous and the Key West Pro Guides “back country” guides are experiencing times when as many as fifteen sharks can be in the immediate area of the boat and anglers as they chum these prehistoric warriors to the boat. Check out the newest video on our home page!

Now’s the time to book your fishing adventure of a life time. Come live the dream of fishing the worlds most prolific waters in Key West with the islands top pro guides, Key West Pro Guides!

Please call us toll free 866 259-4205 or after hours until 11 PM 305 509 4140. Thanks again for your interest in our April Fishing Report.

Tight lines,

Captain Paul [email protected]
Captain Roc [email protected]

“Old Man Winter” Brings Red Hot Fishing Action to Key West

Straight from the docks of Hurricane Hole Marina, Key West…the elite Key West Pro Guides team reports outstanding fishing from the flats to offshore!

Here is how the action breaks down on January 20, 2012

Offshore:
With images of Hemingway, battling giant Blue Marlin in the Gulf Stream now is the time to head offshore from Key West. With recent cold fronts dropping the air temperatures into the seventies and more importantly the water temperatures into the high sixties the migratory pelagic species have arrived in massive numbers, aggressively prowling the near shore flow of the Gulf Stream providing the light tackle offshore angler with true world class action. Explosive strikes with long, line stealing runs followed by battles lasting for hours on end await the adventuress a mere 10 miles off the mainland. Captain Tyson states it is a perfect time to experience Sailfish “tail walking” across the surface waters! Locating the massive schools of Ballyhoo is the key. From the antics of schoolie Dolphin to the speed demons of the deep, Wahoo, Kingfish and Black Fin Tuna are all ready to go head to head with you. Captain Chuck reports Black Fin Tuna ranging from 15 to 25 pounds are plentiful. Wahoo are everywhere and feeding aggressively. Yesterday alone in excess of a dozen large Wahoo hit our fish boxes ranging to 44 pounds with one exceptional fish tipping the scales at 53 pounds! Kingfish are falling in the mid 20 to higher 30-pound ballpark. Huge schools of Bonito are patrolling the offshore as well. Conditions indicate this is only the early stages of what promises to be an outstanding offshore bite for the next few weeks and months. From novice to seasoned pro, now is the time to wage war offshore. Book your offshore charter today!

The Deep Wrecks of the Atlantic:
Key West Pro Guides offers the Wreck Angler a unique opportunity! As one of the very few private charter fishing operations in Key West possessing Federal Waters Charter Fishing Permits, Key West Pro Guides guests experience fishing the most remote and isolated fishing grounds anywhere on the planet. These distant locations are known only to the few. Vast areas with 200 plus known wreck sites scattered between the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits are home to huge populations of quality species which some have never seen a hook. Anglers are limiting out every time off the dock by deep dropping whole live Ballyhoo and small Runners or easily mastered jigging spoons targeting the massive Amberjacks. Captain Ryon reports Mutton Snapper to 20 pounds and quality Black & Gag Groupers to about 30 pounds are common just now. Schooling Bonito and giant Barracuda to 6′ in length are daily visitors to the deep-water wreck sites while Lemon and the super aggressive large Bull Sharks are so numerous they are becoming overwhelming at times. Most recently the Key West Pro Guides Offshore guides have been dealing with a stronger than normal current, about two knots. This is a strong current flow and only the most experienced guides can remain productive day after day…no problem for the KWPG pro’s. The next few months offer the rare opportunity to target several quality species on the deep wreck sites of Key West, reserve your charter of a lifetime today!

On the Reef & Gulf Wrecks:
Fishing the endless miles of natural reef near Key West is Nirvana to many knowledgeable anglers during our winter months, and for good reason. Abundant YellowTails beckon, promising “Flags” to 5 pounds as appetizing table fare. However, the distant Gulf wrecks often times offer the best fishing offshore for our winter months. Key West Pro Guides offers the Wreck Angler a unique opportunity! As one of the very few private charter fishing operations in Key West possessing Federal Waters Charter Fishing Permits, Key West Pro Guides guests experience fishing the most remote and isolated fishing grounds anywhere on the planet, those located in Federal Waters of the Gulf. Without these Federal permits “other guides” must remain closer inshore fishing well known and highly pressured “spots” of maps and charts. Guides without permits and locals alike pound these locations daily. Why not target prized Black & Gag Grouper ranging to 30 pounds and Mutton Snapper to 20 pounds all promising to be worthy adversaries for light tackle. Super aggressive Bull Sharks to 10 feet in length patrol the reef and wrecks while Cobia to 50 pounds tag along on their backs. Our Captain Brad laughingly reports “hooking the Cobia is easy…it’s the 300 pound 10’ long Bull Sharks with nothing but dinner on their minds that’s a bit more difficult to handle”. Our mild weather and typically calm seas will bring the thrill of reef fishing to the hard-core angler or lend itself well to the family outing as the perfect choice. Captain Zach says, “a perfect species to target if you are looking for fast paced and steady action now and for the next few weeks would be the Mangrove Snapper”. More commonly known as the “Gray” Snapper, these structure relating fish ranging to about 5 lbs. Heading to these amazing areas with a live well full of fresh live Pilchards is a can’t miss proposition. Advance reservations are required to fish the most prolific natural reef in North America or the most remote shipwreck sites in the Federal Waters of the Gulf with the Captains of Key West Pro Guides.

Patch Reef’s:
In the local waters off Key West, there are several smaller areas of bottom structure known as “patch reefs”. Because these much-defined bodies are so isolated and remote fish related to them like magnets! As the only real cover for miles in every direction several species of fish co-mingle, becoming very aggressive and competitive for forage.

On these solitary outposts, the fishing can be tremendous at times. The surface action recently has been beyond belief with the elusive Permit reports Captain John J. These sought after sport fish are renowned for their strength & tenacity especially on light tackle and fly gear. Mangrove Snapper to 5 pounds and Grouper are extremely aggressive bottom dwellers. Black Grouper and Gags over 20 pounds are routine. Red Grouper have been abundant averaging 15 to 18 pounds. Both Spanish and Cero Mackerel have taken up residence in numbers with a median weight near 20 pounds! “Wolf Packs” of 3 to 10 marauding Cobia to 30 pounds are common in the Atlantic now. When the patch reefs are holding the population of fish as they do during the winter months here, you cannot get bait to the bottom! If you’re ready to experience the most intense action imaginable, reserve your charter today with Key West Pro Guides and tell them…”I want to fish the patch reefs!”

In the Gulf:
The Gulf of Mexico adjacent to Key West and the lower keys offers the finest shallow water wreck fishing anywhere! From ancient shipwrecks to WWII vessels, the smooth bottom of the Gulf is strewn with fish attracting relics of days gone by. A comfortable boat ride across calm Gulf waters brings our anglers in touch with several resident species throughout the year. The Snapper and Grouper bite is always dependable. Most recently, Captain Jason reports Mangrove Snapper to 4 & 5 pounds have been inexhaustible. Larger Gag Grouper are likewise plentiful. Huge schools of ferocious Jack Crevalles police the surface while volatile Permit control the mid level depths. These outlying structures also provide for the behemoth Goliath Grouper. Heavy weight combatants, Goliath Groupers weighing in the hundreds of pounds destroy tackle and render anglers to submission every trip to the Gulf wrecks. Super aggressive Bull Sharks are always present challenging the angler with “winner takes all” battles.

On the outer edges of our accessible Gulf fishing grounds stand the fabled “Gulf Towers”. These five man-made monument like structures lure only the most extreme and hard-core anglers. Key West Pro Guides, one of only a few private charter-fishing operations in Key West that possess Federal Waters Charter Fishing Permits can take you there! Well beyond the reach of any weekend enthusiasts, the Gulf Towers receive little or no fishing pressure allowing for massive populations of quality fish. Enormous schools of Permit have always related to the Gulf Towers along with the largest of Cobia, those rare specimens exceeding 50 pounds. Pelagic species from Bonito to the apex predator in our sub-tropical waters, the awe inspiring Hammerhead Shark are all there, waiting, ready for face to face warfare…

Impressions from our Gulf Tower charters by anglers: Unbelievable, Never in my life… Backbreaking, Exhausted, Relentless, like Tug O War, Mercy and most commonly “Uncle” …are you ready? Call or contact Key West Pro Guides for a fishing adventure remembered for a lifetime!

Back Country:
The Key West backcountry waters are typically thought of as being crystal clear and pristine, shallow, calm and protected, home to an immense population of marine life and sea birds. As is the nearby Great White Heron Bird Refuge, a National Marine Sanctuary with its beautiful flora and fauna in constant bloom creating a serene environment almost spiritual to many who enter. All absolutely accurate, however to the light tackle angler and fly fisher this is also a place of unequalled competition between predator and prey! These shallow basins and grassy-bottomed bays form into amazing lagoons with remote Mangrove Islands protecting the hidden passages to fishing grounds like none other. Colossal numbers of fish roam the shadows of the shorelines such as the Redfish and Snook reported by Captain Johnny, along with plentiful juvenile Tarpon and Barracuda. Slot-sized (keeper) Redfish most recently have been on the warpath. While targeting Pompano yesterday Captain Paul reports boating eleven quality Redfish and seeing several very large Snook all well beyond the legal keeper size. In the open basins schooling species, Speckled Sea Trout, Pompano, Jacks and Lady Fish provide non-stop action on live baits, perfect for the more novice anglers. Limits of nice size Pompano are routine when fishing with our Captain Dave. Permit affords the serious angler that “once in a life time” experience of multiple fish days now through March. Permit ranging from 14 to 20 pounds are cruising the channel edges enjoying our slightly cooler water temperatures, perfect for that well presented fly or live crab. When found positioned in the deeper “holes” near the flats, schools of Permit to 40 pound trophies are possible. Mangrove Snappers to 4 pounds are everywhere while several shark species search the shallows to feed. Black Tip, Spinner and Lemon sharks are very common with Bull Sharks making regular appearances’. Backcountry fishing by nature is very non-technical. The spinning equipped typically used is most “user friendly” so easily mastered. This is a can’t miss fishing trip for everyone! Book your Backcountry Charter today with any one of the islands best shallow water captains at Key West Pro Guides.

On the Flats:
Never has any form of fishing captured the imagination of so many anglers. True flats fishing has often been described as consisting of ½ fishing and ½ hunting. While on the fabled Key West flats it is about the art of guide and angler working in concert first locating elusive fish in mere inches of water, then positioning themselves for a perfectly delivered presentation of live bait, jig combination or fly, culminating in the take by Bonefish, Permit, or Tarpon. The sheer exhilaration of hooking any of these sport fish is palpable as they race away across the flats at break-neck speeds. Although some angling skills are beneficial certainly, they are not necessary to enjoy success on the flats.

The winter months are a superb time frame for interested anglers to pursue Bonefish to 12 pounds, Permit to 20 pounds and juvenile Tarpon on the flats. Recently we are enjoying giant Barracuda warming themselves over darker patches of the bottom while seeing Cobia following the foraging Rays over the white sand and marl bottoms. Sharks constantly cruise the flats including the rare Hammerheads. During a very short window of time, Mutton Snappers appear on our flats, which happen typically very soon. Captain Mike reports being on large schools of Bonefish to 11 pounds recently while fishing the Gulf side of the island back towards the north and east. This is a typical location every year for some of the largest Bonefish taken in the keys and around Key West. Our Captain Pete says Bonefish can swim at 30 miles per hour and faster when spooked or hooked. Until you have experienced the thrill of a large hooked Bonefish, screaming away from you well…you should not call yourself a shallow water flats angler.

Fishing the flats is something most anglers may only dream of. Sight casting to treasured sport fish in the tropics is the type of adventure we cherish. Our flats alone are reason enough to travel to our island home at the end of the road, Key West! Never settle for less…fish with the best, Key West Pro Guides.

To reserve your charter with TailChaser Charters & the elite Key West Pro Guides team call us toll free at 877.290.4413 or after hours dial 305 509 4140. We staff our Reservations and Information desk from 7 AM to 11 PM daily weekends and holidays included. We reply to on- line inquiries immediately 24/7 at www.keywestproguides.com or www.tailchasercharters.net We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Tight lines,

Captain Paul [email protected]
Captain Roc [email protected]