Yearly Archives: 2014

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

“As our tropical sun relinquishes its grip allowing water temperatures to cool the fishing action heats up!”

As we transition into our fall patterns fishing especially in the shallows improves. Falling water temperatures assisted by recent cooling rains and the appearance of abundant forage for the sport fish have brought the flats and back country into excellent condition and the fish have responded. Let’s explore the action anglers are experiencing now and for the near future here in Key West…

On the flats: The action and overall number of fish migrating back onto our flats of recent has been promising. October looks to be exceptional for targeting large Bonefish. The patient angler will be rewarded with quality Bones ranging from 4 pounds to those double digit behemoths Key West is renowned for. Likewise the Permit action has improved drastically of late on the flats. Holding primarily to the deeper edges and the channels adjacent to the flats quality Permit are being taken. Captain Jared reports some outstanding action over the past ten days on large Bonefish on fly.

As expected the predators have followed suit moving back into the shallows in numbers. Barracuda are once again plentiful and aggressive on the flats. Sharks are patrolling during the deeper tide stages providing anglers once again with multiple species to pursue. On the deeper flats and at higher tides Ladyfish have now ventured out so Sea Trout cannot be far behind. All in all the flats are back and improving everyday. If you are that angler that enjoys the chase of elusive sport fish…book now for tomorrow through the end of October for some awesome late season action on the flats.

In the Back Country: Things could not be better in the back country friends! Those same cooler water temperatures have really turned up the action. The Key West Pro Guides “back country” team reports fast paced action on a variety of species most trips off our docks of late. Captain Ryan is on the Bonefish & Permit once again reporting larger than average fish being taken recently. Bones in the back country are tipping the scales at 3 to 7 pounds routinely while Permit are averaging in the 12 to 15 pound arena but are ranging up to 25 & 30 pounds. The Permit have moved in from deeper waters to reached the outer edges of the back country. Many Permit are cruising in the channels of the back country now in search of forage, most have been found recently on the “patch reef” areas and shallow wrecks sites in small “wolf packs”. As the water temperatures continue to fall and the fish adjust to the season, Permit will push shallower soon reaching all the way into the bays and about the Mangrove Islands shorelines. A live Crab or large Shrimp is the ticket!

Captain Dave reports the conditions in the grassy bottomed bays and basins are near perfect and the fish are responding. He remarked the Redfish bite is on! Dave also continues to locate schools of large Ladyfish and a even a few early arriving Sea Trout in many of the grassy bays to the east. Moving towards our fall season the Trout action is just so perfect for families and novice anglers to experience incredible catches and numbers of fish ever charter comes home a winner. This is such a fun time in the back country! Captain Kelso says shortly after Sea Trout come to life we look for the exciting Pompano to appear (typically here by mid-October). Pompano are action packed schooling fish that are marvelous as table fare. Typically prized by anglers for everything good a fish can provide day in and day out in the shallows…great action, easy to locate & catch and so tasty on the dinner table…a perfect combination.

Captain John has been on fire lately targeting the predators! The Barracuda are on a tear and the shark population is growing daily in the back country. In the coming few days and weeks the predator fishing will definitely explode! If you enjoy sight casting to large aggressive fish on light tackle this is the perfect time to take things to the limit…sharks in the shallows on light tackle…awesome experience for all.

On the Reef: For the deeper water oriented angler conditions for our natural reef fishing in the Atlantic is as good as it gets for this time of year. The Yellow Tail Snapper bite is crazy good and knowledgeable anglers are loading up on these tasty and challenging fish. In general the Snapper and Grouper action is dependable and these heavy weight bottom dwellers are providing our anglers with plenty of “winner takes all” tug o’ war battles. We love it when our guests put the fishing rods to the limit on the Mutton Snapper and that is exactly what has been happening for the past few weeks now!

Deep dropping the wrecks: “With an early start and plenty of Pilchards out on the deeper wrecks…we’ll bring you back exhausted!” so says Captain Brad. The Key West Pro Guides “offshore” team has been on huge YellowJack’s and Amberjack’s for some time now resulting in banner days for the angler looking to go “head to head” with these hard fighting fish. The entire “Jack” family is prized for tenacity and the Yellow Jack and AJ sit at the head of the table! Captain Chuck says the early bite and most later afternoons have been exciting as Black Fin Tuna are all over these deeper wrecks. Captain Tyson has also been on the Bonito in these same type locations. Both Captains are chumming up these sport fish with live bait offerings setting reels screaming for our anglers. If you like moving away from the land mass this is hands down the best action in the deep.

Offshore: As is often the case friends in most fisheries…when one area lights up another slows and that is exactly what has happened here in Key West. The “Blue Water/Deep Sea” angler has had to work hard for his fish offshore. The few scattered weed lines are holding some late season Mahi but they are on the smaller size now as their season here draws to a close. By end of October the Dolphin action is typically over for the year. The Sailfish are slow but should begin to improve in October building towards year’s end when the Sailfish really turn on. “Troller’s” are focusing more on the Black Fin and Bonito for action now on the deep wrecks. Many are dropping baits on their way back to the docks for the AJ action on scattered deep wrecks as well to round out the day.

Key West Pro Guides…the island’s most productive guide team! Thanks for reading our local fishing report today friends, we trust you found the information helpful and we guarantee its accuracy. If we may assist you in any way…if you are ready to get on the water today or sometime in the future please give us a call at toll free 866 259 4205. Daily we staff our phones from 7 AM to 11 PM and we respond to on line interests and inquiries 24/7. Let’s go fishing!

Capt. Paul & Capt. Roc
866.259.4205

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

It’s Kick-Off Time in Key West

Mid-August is a time of transition for Key West angling.
Making the right move can result in “Banner Days”…

Deep Sea/Offshore:

As the Gulf Stream moves farther out from the land mass the fishing/trolling action is affected. Weed lines break down, currents many days lessen in force and bait fish scatter. Things become far more “hit or miss” nearer shore therefore the angler must cover far more water to be productive. This is the time of year when the hard core offshore angler understands run times and distances increase to the more productive fishing grounds well offshore. Our recommendation for the late summer are “Full Day” charters but with the option of stopping on the reef or wrecks when returning from trolling well offshore.

Dolphin (Mahi Mahi) remain our primary target species in blue water. Fish running up to 15 pounds are the average with many in the 6 to 12 pound slot as routine. Larger Dolphin if found will definitely be well offshore. On the upside the elusive Wahoo are here and the rare Marlin can come this time of year but again well offshore beyond the ½ day range for certain.

Reef & Wreck:

When the offshore action slows this time of year the reef and wrecks typically come to life for us in Key West.  With our seasonally super calm waters on the reef now this becomes a perfect time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out. Comfortable and calm seas make for enjoyable conditions for those worried about motion discomfort…Plus with the fast paced action there is no time to give anything a second thought other than fighting fish. The Snapper and Grouper bite is predictable now and most days we fill the fish box with those wonderful “table fare” species. Yellow Tail Snapper our local favorite for the dinner plate are plentiful and active. Limiting out on Yellow Tail “Flags” is routine. The Mutton bite on the deeper wrecks continues with fish running from 12 to 15 pounds plus. Mangrove Snapper are spawning on the reef so numbers are large and the fish are aggressive. Grouper continue to range to about 20 pounds as well.

For the angler looking for more of a challenge Permit are on the isolated wrecks most days. Permit are elusive and certainly one of the more prized sport fish in our waters and we are entering a very productive time to pursue them. Cobia as well will be found on the reef and about most wreck sites. Typically the Cobia are traveling near the surface in smaller “wolf packs” of about 3 to 5 fish but ranging from 15 to 50 pounds plus. Many locations on the reef will hold a population of Mackerel and for those anglers looking for a workout…the Amberjack are still here for a while yet. Predators are plentiful on the reef and around the isolated ship wreck sites. Large Barracuda are common and several species of sharks are patrolling these areas as well.  The Bull sharks and occasional Hammerheads will make your pulse rise when they swim along-side the boat before helping themselves to your hooked fish still in the water. This is the best deep water trip in our recommendation and can be enjoyed on a ½ day or better on a ¾ day charter thus allowing for great action early then beating the heat of the late afternoon on the water.

Back Country:

Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year also offers an abundance of visible marine life, sea and tropical birds on the Mangrove Island shorelines and mirror calm, crystal clear waters. The overall population of fish in the back country remains impressive with several sport fish species, edible fish, and predators to target…a perfect trip for the family or groups numbering up to 4 anglers. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for long casts and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

The current Tarpon population is down to our resident year round fish levels. The migration of visiting spawning Tarpon has taken place and things in the Tarpon world have settled down somewhat. We refer to these fish as our juvenile Tarpon and they will range from 10 pounds to maybe 50 pounds…still awesome fighters on light tackle and/or fly but not many of the behemoth fish of the early summer months remain. Frankly, we tend to down play the Tarpon action as they become one of many excellent species holding in the back country. Anglers should look towards the elusive Permit or numerous Redfish for example. Jacks are providing fast paced action and while try to knock the fishing rod from your grasp…Trout will soon arrive joining Mackerel in the bays and grassy bottomed basins. Do not overlook the shark fishing now in the back country. Black Tip, Lemon, Bull even Hammerheads are all coming shallow to feed…shark fishing on light tackle in the shallows is unbelievably exciting and brings you head to head with our apex predators.

We HIGHY recommend a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip.

Flats:

Bonefish continue to provide heart stopping excitement for the highly skilled and patient angler willing to work hard for his prey. The Bonefish action is very good with quality size fish ranging from 4 to 8 pounds. This action should continue to be the norm typically throughout all of October before slowing somewhat. Just a remainder that we provide a true “flats fishing experience” and this should not be confused with the back country fishing. These are two totally different experiences and if you are unsure of the differences call us at 866 259 4205 for more insights. If Bonefish are on your angling “bucket list” this is an exceptional time to book your trip with one of our legendary flats guides.

Notable:

For those anglers looking for that “one of a kind” fishing experience we suggest Sharks in the Shallows! Sharks are especially plentiful and active in the shallow waters of our back country this time of year. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home! Black Tip, Lemon, Bull and Hammerhead are but a few of the several sharks cruising the shallows while feeding aggressively. Granted not dangerous but certainly not for the faint of heart either…sharks in the shallows will provide you with memories of a lifetime…Are you up for it?

Let’s go Fishing!

Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 11 PM. We look forward to your call!

May-Day May-Day!!
The Waters of Key West are on Fire!

June in Key West brings some of our best fishing of the entire year. No matter if you are a shallow water angler pursuing the elusive sport fish of the flats and back country or a deep water aficionado targeting the big game fish offshore…now is the time!

From Bonefish to Tarpon, Grouper to Mahi Mahi…we have them all and the action is fast paced on quality fish. Let’s explore the options for the light tackle angler when stepping aboard with us at Key West Pro Guides.

Flats: Bonefish are plentiful and of good size ranging from 4 pounds to monster double digit fish. The fly fishers are enjoy large schools of aggressively feeding fish of late to the east while our pro flats guides are on the Permit and Tarpon to the west daily. Captain Dave Irwin has boated several large Permit of late along with this seasons largest Tarpon at an estimated 193 pounds pictured on our current Face Book page. Captain Jared has been the fly anglers best friend with several notable catches and Captain Eric has been solid on the Bonefish for some time now. Captain Andrew has been fishing the Atlantic side of the island with good results on the days the recent winds would allow. All in all friends this is as good as it gets on the flats. June into July is your best opportunity to experience our world class flats fishing so book now!

Back Country: Where to begin…the Tarpon action continues as Key West right now is the most prolific Tarpon fishery on the planet! These behemoth “bucket list” sport fish have flooded into our pristine back country waters by the thousands. To date the Key West “Back Country and Flats” guide team have totaled nearly 600 Tarpon jumped since March! In addition to the Tarpon action we are enjoying at least twenty additional species of great fish while working the bays and mangroves of the back country. Captain John Jackson says the Permit action has been stellar and Captain Ryan has been on some outstanding Redfish action. Captain Kelso states predators are abundant from giant Barracuda to several species of sharks including our local resident apex shark the super aggressive Bull. Hammerheads are witnessed on occasion as well. Captain Mitch reports schooling fish such as big Jacks can provide the fastest paced action many anglers will ever experience while tasty Mangrove Snapper are filling their dinner plates nightly. The marine life alone found in the back country this time of year makes this charter worthwhile. Friends…this place looks like Walt Disney went in there and built it for us…just beautiful with crystal clear clam and protected waters you never need worry about waves in the shallows…no such thing.

For the serious Tarpon anglers to novice angler or a family fun trip, I HIGHLY recommend booking a back country charter. Guests for years have said their time spent in the back country with us was the highlight of their entire time in Key West. Come see for yourself what draws people from around the world…let’s go fishing!

Reef: To explain the reef action in June and July we must think in terms of the water column. We have numerous species of fish co-mingling on the natural reef of the Atlantic and several remote and isolated “patch reef’s”. The bottom dwellers such as Snapper and Grouper are steady and running quite large. Captain Chuck and has filled the cleaning tables recently with monster Mutton Snapper and Grouper. Captain Ryan V has been on crazy large Mangrove Snapper for the past few weeks while brother Captain Tyson has been slamming the Flag Yellow Tails every trip off the docks on the surface. The occasional Black Fin or solitary pelagic often cruise the middle of the water column along with Spaniosh and Cero Mackerel forcing species such as Permit and Cobia to the upper column or surface at times. Sight casting to a school of Permit in our crystal clear waters is awesome and seeing a “wolf pack” of marauding Cobia coming at you will burn the impression into your memory banks for life!

Wrecks: Captain Brad has been all over the spawning Permit holding on the far offshore Gulf wrecks. Permit to 40 pounds are routine and the numbers of these elusive sport fish are impressive. Keeping in mind as one of very few Charter fishing operation in Key West processing “Federal Waters” Charter Fishing Permits which are mandatory to legally fish these distant wrecks holding the major populations of Permit we can take you out there without concern. On the Atlantic wreck sites there are few guides that can match Captain Logan of late and his excellent Cobia catches. Cobia upwards of 60 pounds are hitting the docks on a regular basis. Cobia just may be the most over looked wreck fish by many anglers…that is until they catch their first one!

Offshore: Captain Chip Veach continues to produce the most impressive daily catches of any guide on the island. From Dolphin our bread and butter blue water fish in June and July to the Black Fin Tuna, Mackerel and more, our offshore weed lines are jammed with sport fish and pelagic species. Captain Darin boated a solo Wahoo recently of gigantic proportions. Captain Grant took a nice late season Sailfish recently while filling the fish box with table fare for his guests. Captain Ryan M has been the utility guide of late as no matter what targeted species his anglers are looking for he just goes out and finds them. This is exactly what the KWPG team is all about. We cover all the bases.

Now is the time for that well earned R & R trip to Key West. We would appreciate the opportunity to share our world class fishing with you. BUT…friends you do need to book well in advance. Calling 866 259 4205 will put you in touch with our Reservation Specialists and from there…all you will have left to do is roll outta bed and step aboard for the fishing adventure of a life time!

Capt. Roc & Capt. Paul
Key West Pro Guides
866-259-4205

Welcome anglers to the Key West Pro Guides fishing report for April and May. As the largest private charter fishing operation in Key West we cover the entire spectrum of fishing opportunities in our local waters and beyond. Therefore we have the most “real time” input from our hand-picked team of legendary guides on which to base our report. No “blue skies” or guess work here friends just the plain truth about what we have experienced of late and what our nearly thirty years of experience and history in Key West reliably tells us is coming from the flats and back country to the reef and wrecks and blue waters offshore.

For an “up to the minute” report on today’s action call Captain Roc at toll free 866 259 4205 from 7 AM to 11 PM. Let’s talk fishin’…

Flats:

As spring arrives our flats action gets red hot with Bonefish ranging from 4 to 11 pounds plus and Tarpon from 60 to 150 pounds as expected however “did you know” Permit in March can be awesome on the flats? Captain Jared Cry reports excellent action recently on quality Permit and the Marquesas have been hot! Our Captain Eric Ryan has been on fire with early Tarpon as well. Great news Captain Andrew Asher will be back on the island and fishing from April 1st. Captain Andrew has been on an adventure he will enjoy sharing with you while you pursue the flats together! Captain Mike Bartlett has been steady on fish for several weeks now as always. Captain Pete Heydon has been putting the fly fishers to work on the flats to the east recently and reports good numbers of Bonefish daily.

The more remote and isolated flats you fish the better the action so March and April is an awesome time to make the long run to the Marquesas. These distance fishing grounds in the spring can provide the light tackle and fly angler with stellar action on those “bucket list” flats species. Captain Dave Irwin just this week “lit it up” in the Marquesas with two exceptional fly anglers visiting from Scotland. These guests stated they experienced the most incredible fly fishing of their lives! They really enjoyed the big Barracuda that fill the inside harbor this time of year!

These fabled shallows are home to one of the most prolific fisheries on the planet but even so…success is never a sure thing. You MUST have an experienced and knowledgeable guide at the helm with years spent learning the idiosyncrasies of these keys.

The Key West Pro Guides team of “Flats Guides” set the standard for success and have for several years. The Marquesas have become like the “back of their hands”. Now is the time to get off the couch and step aboard one of our new state of the art boats and fish with a renowned guide on the flats of Key West!

Back Country:

What more can we say about the Key West back country…it is THE place on the planet for Tarpon action as the early spawning migration has arrived and the population of behemoth Tarpon continues to grow. Tarpon averaging 60 to 120 pounds are routine on the days without old man North Wind making his presence known to the anglers. On the better condition days now ahead of us the action is an excellent indicator of what is about to come our way. This season it seems everything including the Tarpon action is happening a bit ahead of schedule. Our winter weather this year was unseasonably warm and the water temperatures remained higher than normal. Most of us believe this will positively affect this seasons fishing. Bait fish have flourished and are quite plentiful so the gorging Tarpon have plenty to enjoy. These nocturnal feeders are already quite active early most mornings and we have really had some outstanding half-day Tarpon charters lately. Captain Paul Tryon and Captain John Jackson have set the bar for success with Tarpon in the back country early then finishing off the day on sight and opportunistic feeders such as Permit on the “patch reefs” providing the angler with the best of all worlds. Captain Jackson recently was reported to have released more Tarpon last season than any guide in Florida by a team of Tarpon DNA researchers.

Captain Dave Brucker is already up to his old tricks escaping deep into the back country to put his anglers on several quality Tarpon and Sharks. Captain Kelso has found some new Redfish “honey holes” as well reporting exceptional success this month. Of course Tarpon are getting all the press right now from the back country and understandably so…however Tarpon are but 1 of easily 20 excellent species calling the Mangrove Islands and shallows bays home. Redfish have been everywhere and the Permit action has been equally as good. Captain Paul and Captain John have been all over nice size Cobia of late reaching up to 30 pounds plus! The Mangrove Snapper fishing simply cannot be any better for those anglers looking to enjoy their catch at trips end. Large schools of Jacks, Pompano and the waning but still good Sea Trout action has provided the family trips with fast paced and non-stop action. Shark fishing in the shallows has come on with a vengeance! For those anglers looking for calm waters and big fish…shark fishing will fit the bill. Black Tip, Lemon, super aggressive and even our apex predator shark the awe-inspiring Hammerhead are all in the skinny waters right now! Talk about something you probably cannot do on your home waters…This charter is not for the faint of heart. The Key West Pro Guides “back country” team is tops in Key West and recognized as the most productive team for back country action for the light tackle and fly angler.

Reef and Wreck:

Otherwise known as our “bread and butter” fishing in the early springtime if you are a lover of the deeper waters. The table fare species have been awesome this season. Key West offers anglers world class bottom fishing nearly year round but like all fisheries ours still has peaks and valleys to the action. February, March and April is a time of steadily increasing numbers and species found on the structure and cover. This season already we have enjoyed outstanding Snapper and Grouper fishing. Grouper season is open in Federal Waters, those big Grouper are ready to go “head to head” and now we can toss em’ straight into the fish box! May 1 is the opening date for Grouper in the Atlantic.

Captain Chuck and Captain Brad have been on the tasty BIG Mangrove Snapper and even BIGGER Mutton Snapper and are regularly filling the clean tables with 12 to 25 pound Mutton. Captain Ryan Logan as usual fishing the reef has been deadly on “Flag” YellowTail Snapper. He also reports some large YellowJacks and most days finding Cobia on the backs of sharks. Captain Chip Veach continues to astonish with magnificent catches from the distant locations known only to him… Captain Grant has been doing well on early Tuna and Bonito near the natural reef and recently has boated several in the Black Fin in the 20 to 25 pound range. Captain Darin reports nice Black and Gag Grouper (released) and the larger Kingfish along with Cero Mackerel are all over the wrecks right now with some Kings reaching towards the 50 pound mark.

Offshore:

In fairness even the top pro’s here with Key West Pro Guides were hit or miss early this season. When Captain’s such as Ryan and Tyson Veach are working hard to find fish…friends the fish are hard to find. That has recently turned around 180 degrees however as this stellar brothers “tag team” have been putting guests on Sailfish, Dolphin, Black Fin Tuna and massive Kingfish lately. Live Bait is the key and when drifting fresh live baits over the past couple of weeks they have boated several trophy sized Sailfish and Wahoo. The conditions are coming to us now and with talent and experience such as these guides bring to the game no worries getting on the quality fish from here on.

Deep Sea:

Captain Billy reports excellent Sailfish and Dolphin action but it is happening well offshore lately. The longer charter lengths are recommended and necessary for the best blue water action for now. Captain Billy, a fourth generation Key West charter captain will find the big sport fish when most others cannot. The Linda D.- V. is a 40′ twin diesel powered thing of beauty with its air conditioned salon, full restroom, tuna tower, fighting chair and top deck mates. This is hands down the finest deep sea option for the angler looking for exceptional fishing and comfort in Key West.

Winter Fishing in Key West is all about ACTION!

Friends, the fishing action across the board from the flats & shallow back country to the reef and wrecks to far offshore in our blue waters has been awesome! Let’s explore the current activity, recent notable catches and most importantly our predictions for the near future. We hope you enjoy the Key West Pro Guides fishing report for January 2014…

On the “Flats”:

We have been enjoying unseasonably warm water temperatures lately which in turn has brought the flats to life. Bonefish ranging from 4 to 11 pounds plus have been quite plentiful. A wonderful bonus for January reported by our Flats Captain’s Jared Cyr & Dave Irwin is the juvenile Tarpon bite. These smaller but super active Tarpon have been an absolute ball exploding top water plugs and feeding heavily on live baits near the mangrove flats and deeper edges. As always the flats anglers have had no problems in targeting large Barracuda and the shark fishing is impressive. Every shark charter off the docks for the past few weeks have experienced banner catches with several different species of shallow sharks such as Lemon and the racy Black Tip plus the much larger Bull Sharks have been making their presence known often as well. With the forecasted cold fronts moving through, our fishing is changing up bringing the more typical “winter time” species into play. Sea Trout and especially the Redfish are getting aggressive and providing great light tackle action as reported by every Key West Pro Guide fishing shallow.

In the “Back Country”:

Our back country guide team has been on an impressive tear lately in the shallows. The Sea Trout bite has been excellent with fish ranging upwards of the 4-5 pound mark! A few large schools of Redfish have been located and the traditional locations for Reds along the mangrove island are also producing well with several quality “slot fish”. Permit have been the target for many anglers recently and they have not been disappointed. Captain Dave Brucker and Captain Paul Tryon have had the hot hand on the typically elusive sport fish which have been boated in the 12 to 27 pound range this past week alone. Outstanding Mangrove Snapper catches are coming to the docks daily. Yesterday afternoon Captain’s Tryon, Jackson and Brucker teamed up to absolutely fill every inch of the cleaning tables here at the docks. Beautiful fat Snapper was first choice for dinner last night in Key West! The only thing that made the Snapper fishing difficult was apparently the Barracuda and numerous large sharks in the shallows were Snapper fishing also! Our Captain Kelso has been on the Cobia! Cobia are an island favorite species and anglers really appreciate these hard fighting, tasty fish which reach the 15 to 50 pound weights in our local waters quite easily. The recent traditional winter time cold fronts have affected the back country favorably turning the larger Redfish on and bringing into the bays those largest “Gator Trouts” Key West is so well know for…our back country team has been impressive keeping the anglers coming home happy with limits every day. The best news is there is nothing on the horizon we see to change this exceptional back country action for now…

The Natural “Reef and Ship Wrecks”:

The Key West Pro Guides renowned Veach brothers have set the standard for YellowTail Snapper and Mutton Snapper of late. These brothers have been on the fish in impressive numbers and weights. Both Tyson and Ryan Veach have had astonishing catches for their many guests over the past few weeks and there is no stopping them for now. Although the season to keep Grouper has closed on January 1, the bite has been outrageously good. It seems the big Grouper understand we must release them! Captain’s Chuck and Brad have found a “honey hole” for huge Kingfish reaching the 43 pound mark on the scales over the past few days. Kings are sought after for their tenacity when hooked up and a 43 pound King is akin to being slammed by a speeding freight train friend! Fishing the deeper wrecks has been quite productive recently when targeting Black Fin Tuna like Captain Chip has been doing. On these same deep wreck sites we have encountered numbers of Bonito and Kingfish as well. We are all awaiting the next full moon stage on January 15 which should turn on the super aggressive Wahoo and the action will likely be off the scale! We are predicting catches of Wahoo that exceed the 40-50-60 pound weights both on the deeper wrecks and for the offshore “blue water” anglers.

The “Offshore”:

January is Sailfish time in Key West! The offshore guides are reporting good Sailfish numbers and action. Captain Logan scored with an impressive 35 pound Wahoo this week, a beautiful fish. The Black Fin Tuna have been providing some fast paced action for the entire offshore guide team. Bonito have been plentiful as well. Captain Brad make quite a statement bringing in two very nice Dolphin for this early in our season. Taking a Bull (male) and Cow (female) to about 15 pounds caused quite a stir around the cleaning tables for sure. More so when the folks at our marina’s waterfront restaurant served them up to the lucky guests fishing with Captain Brad that day. Offshore the full moon on the 15th of January will turn things up a notch for certain. The Wahoo bite will explode!

All in all friends the bite is on and it’s your turn on the rod! Let’s go fishing! Give us a call at toll free 866 259 4205 or on line at [email protected] for our immediate reply. We look forward to hearing from you soon! Check us out on our Face Book page or catch our latest reviews on Trip Advisor. Thanks for your interest in our January fishing report as written by Captain Paul & Captain Roc of Key West Pro Guides.