Yearly Archives: 2017

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

KEY WEST is 100% after the storm…we are fishing everyday and the island is ready for your visit. Our airport is open, cruise ships are making port of call, resorts, restaurants, bars are all open and totally operational…our beautiful island is spotless.

Looking forward November will arrive with cooler temperatures and several newly arriving fish species to pursue. Fantastic action for Key West angling continues through the fall time frame.
From the Flats and Back Country to Offshore the overall population and wide variety of species in our local waters is changing yet still offers the light tackle angler so many options…

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing is rapidly changing and vastly improving for light tackle action. Gone are most of the warm water species replaced with some outstanding and explosive species for the trolling fan. November typically brings red hot Kingfish action. Big “Smoker” Kingfish with numbers growing daily will be providing excellent action from the reef to well offshore. The Mackerel family is here in huge numbers in general with quality size Cero and Spanish of late. November is an excellent time to target the action packed Black Fin Tuna. There is nothing better than crossing paths with a school of Black Fin on the hunt…total chaos but remarkably fun. We often times see a spike in the Wahoo action during November. Wahoo are fish that produce memorable takes, and long line stealing runs not soon forgotten by anglers. The iconic Sailfish begins to come to life and the rare but possible Marlin remains promising. Unfortunately we say good bye for the most part to the wonderful Mahi (Dolphin fish) as the cooler water temperatures force a migration away from our local waters by most. The apex predators remain active with November being a good month for large Barracuda although numbers may be down somewhat…so the angler simply trades quantity for quality. We are moving into an exciting period for offshore however, we believe a ½ day charter still has real limits for the remainder of our next few weeks/months. Our recommendations are to book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) with the full day giving us all the tools to work with for you.

Reef & Wreck:
November can bring some light to medium winds however the waters on the reef verses further offshore will remain comfortable most days. This continues to be a good time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. The “reef donkey” is here in big numbers and ready to dislocate the angler’s shoulders. Amberjack fishing becomes red hot for a couple of months now. The Cobia action remains solid with good numbers and average sized fish being taken regularly through the end of November. The Snapper family continues to produce numbers however November is not typically a great Mutton month here. The Yellowtail and Mangrove numbers make up for the larger Mutton’s absence most days. The Grouper family will usually not disappoint for November for the table fare anglers. Our elusive Permit will still be making their presence known but will be slowing from a peak activity month in October. Always challenging, the Permit is a sought after sport fish and prized by anglers from around the planet. November will still offer the angler a good chance for success.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year also offers an abundance of visible marine life and tropical birds on the Mangrove Island shorelines with mirror calm, crystal clear waters. The overall population of fish in the back country remains large with several sport fish species, edible fish, and predators to target. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or 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.

Tarpon time is over in the back country as the migration of adult fish has taken place. Remaining is our resident population of primarily juvenile Tarpon and these fish are super sensitive to changing conditions and become very “hit or miss”. Some Tarpon are still here but we typically do not target them now!

The ½ day to ¾ day morning departure trips continue to produce well however the afternoon water temperatures are not as high now so the later part of the day with good tides can be awesome. Permit can be pursued on the shallow patch reef and isolated shallow wrecks and the bite is good on quality size fish most days. The Redfish action kicks off during November most years while Snook on the given day continue but we would place them in the “good” to “fair range” now. Cobia fishing continues. This is a time of fast paced “excellent” action from the schools of BIG Jacks including some huge Yellow Jacks continue to be red hot with the larger fish going north of 25 pounds…an absolute blast on light tackle and top water! Towards the middle of November we should see the ramping up for Trout fishing. These are one of the best “indicator” species to showcase the full transition into our fall patterns.

The Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper fishing remains good in the back country. For serious “table fare” harvest we definitely recommend the reef & wreck trips now but to include a few “keeper” fish for lunch or dinner will not be a problem in our shallows.

The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the menu. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. This is predator time so these aggressive species are always ready to go “head to head” so you adrenaline junkies out there should sight casting top water lures to cruising Barracuda! The Bonefish population in the back country has been fun lately on the deeper flats due to the west and we should continue to enjoy this bonus back country action for all of October before slowing somewhat. For the serious Bonefish angler the flats are still your trip but to include the possibility of Bonefish on the back country trips for a while yet is reasonable. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip.

Flats:
Periods of decent Bonefish action continue for the patient angler willing to work for his prey. The Bonefish during November can be of quality size with fish ranging from 4 to 8 pounds and occasionally larger yet. Permit typically will still provide the occasional opportunity on the flats but again this is slowing. The flats angler should now include Barracuda and sharks on his hit list as well. Tarpon are out of action on the flats for now. 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.

Notable:
This is a time of lower and more stable water temperatures so good fishing conditions continue, friends. We still recommend fishing morning trips if going shallow as they remain the most productive over the later afternoon hours for the serious angler. The PM half day trips have improved and can be quite enjoyable especially for those people just looking to stay in calm waters and enjoy a fun few hours catching fish. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be very good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active in the shallow waters of our back country. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

With September we continue through a period of good late summer time action overall, and now have the highest water temperatures of the entire year behind us. The late afternoon hours will continue to be noticeably slower than the morning’s more productive time frame especially in the shallows. We suggest early departures fishing until early afternoon for the best success most days.

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing continues with good Mahi Mahi action. The Mahi bite has remained excellent for August but the slowing for these awesome fish is on the horizon in September. Mahi (Dolphin fish-Doradao) are plentiful, schooling fish that provide excellent action at a blistering pace most days. High leapers when hooked up, beautiful colored fish that also are a favorite for many on the dinner plate. Wahoo are prized and very sought after, elusive sport fish that peaked during July & August in our waters. Wahoo will be migrating away from Key West during September so as we get deeper into the month the Wahoo will noticeably lessen. September brings improvements to our already quite good Spanish and Cero Mackerel action as they now enter into the “excellent” range which lasts for several months.

The predators remain aggressive with September also being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We have moved into an exciting period for offshore angling however, we always believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more and get on the water early.

Light Tackle Reef & Wreck:
September is a calmer time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the offshore reef and wreck sites. The Grouper and Snapper family continue to produce. Yellow Tails Snapper and cousin the Mangrove Snapper are plentiful and tasty nowadays and become the stars on the reef for table fare species to target! Our elusive Permit is always challenging but September remains a good time for these prized sport fish. Cobia remain in decent numbers and provide quality action but are now out of the “excellent” range let’s say more the “good range”. Spanish and Cero Mackerel action improves and becomes quite good for September and can be counted on for fun with lighter tackle. Amberjack will continue to provide brutal battles for the light tackle angler for early September but will be slowing later into September. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be good.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters. With the shallows we continue to battle higher water temperatures so look to the morning half of the day to be far more productive. Tarpon are off our radar as the spawning migration that brought thousands of adult Tarpon to our waters has taken them away now. We do have a small year round resident population of Tarpon however their level of activity is slower in the higher water temperatures found in our back country. A Tarpon taken in September is a “bonus fish” for sure. Permit and Cobia take the lead for the most desirable sport fish to pursue. September remains a decent time to target these nomadic fish as they free roam the back country. Several additional sport fish species, edible fish, and predators are in the near shore shallows now to target. Snook most days take up their positions on the mangrove shorelines and channel eddies with early morning low light conditions being the most productive to pursue them. The Snook bite slows from the August levels but remains good. Key West is not a huge Snook fishery, nothing in comparison to the Everglades just 130 miles away but we do enjoy them here. September water temperatures remain too high for any real Redfish action. The numerous schooling species will continue to provide the best action most days. Just a few of the schooling species remaining in our bays now are the ever present brutish Jack, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless again in September that keeps the younger anglers happy with the super-fast bite of schooling fish. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly most days.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips with early departure times continue to produce well but the afternoon water temperatures are still high. Therefore in September the later part of the day our action slows. The Mangrove Snapper fishing continues to be very good in the back country for those who intend to save a few “keepers” for an evening meal. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. September remains predator time so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go “head to head”. We highly recommend a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters but get off the docks early.

Flats:
Our Bonefish action remains solid for September. Permit have been rather scarce on the flats during the high water temperatures of August. With September things begin to improve later in the month especially. Permit prefer lower water temperatures than the extremes of the super shallow flats still. Some morning activity can be expected on the flats with Permit but by late morning the Permit typically will have retreated to more comfortable water conditions of the back country. The flats angler should certainly be including Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
We recommend fishing morning trips for September as the air temps and in turn water temps continue to slow the afternoon bite. Fish early and understand 90% of the fish will be taken before 2:00 o’clock. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be good trips for later in the day departure times as the depths are not as drastically affected. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

With August we continue through a period of outstanding action overall, but now have the highest water temperatures of the entire year to contend with. The late afternoon hours will be noticeably slower than the morning’s more productive time frame especially in the shallows. We suggest early departures fishing until early afternoon for the best success most days.

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing continues with great Mahi Mahi action. The Mahi bite remains excellent for August but the slowing for these awesome fish is on the horizon towards September. Mahi (Dolphin fish-Dorado) are plentiful, schooling fish that provide excellent action at a blistering pace most days. High leapers when hooked up, beautiful colored fish that also are a favorite for many on the dinner plate. Wahoo are prized and very sought after, elusive sport fish that peak in July & August in our waters. August still provides some good Spanish and Cero Mackerel action but again will be slowing by months end.

The predators remain aggressive with August also being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We have moved into an exciting period for offshore angling however, we always believe a 1/2 day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the 3/4 day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more and get on the water early.

Light Tackle Reef & Wreck:
August is referred to s “the calms” by boat captains in Key West. This is a much calmer time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the offshore wreck sites as well. The Grouper and Snapper family continue to produce. Yellow Tails Snapper and cousin the Mangrove Snapper are plentiful and tasty nowadays and become the stars on the reef for table fare species to target! Our elusive Permit is always challenging but August remains a good time for these prized sport fish. Cobia remain in decent numbers and provide quality action but are now out of the “excellent” range let’s say more the “good range”. Spanish and Cero Mackerel remain in the “good” range and can be counted on for fun with lighter tackle. Amberjack will continue to provide brutal battles for the light tackle angler for August. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be good.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters. Tarpon for the most part are off our radar by early August as the spawning migration that brought thousands of adult Tarpon to our waters has taken them away now. We do have a small year round resident population of Tarpon however their level of activity is slower in the higher water temperatures found in our back country. A Tarpon taken after August 1 is a “bonus fish” for sure. Several additional sport fish species, edible fish, and predators are in the near shore shallows now to target. Snook most days take up their positions on the mangrove shorelines and channel eddies with early morning low light conditions being the most productive to pursue them. Key West is not a huge Snook fishery, nothing in comparison to the Everglades just 130 miles away but we do enjoy them here. The numerous schooling species will continue to provide non-stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species remaining in our bays now are the ever present brutish Jack, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless again in August that keeps the younger anglers happy with the super-fast bite of schooling fish. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

The 1/2 day to 3/4 day trips with early departure times continue to produce well but the afternoon water temperatures are high. Therefore in August the later part of the day our action slows. The Mangrove Snapper fishing continues to be very good in the back country for those who intend to save a few “keepers” for an evening meal. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the 1/2 day trips. August remains predator time so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go “head to head”. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters but get off the docks early.

Flats:
Our Bonefish action remains solid for August. Permit have been rather scarce on the flats during July and August remains about the same. Permit prefer lower water temperatures than the extremes of the super shallow flats now. Some morning activity can be expected on the flats with Permit but by late morning the Permit typically will have retreated to more comfortable water conditions of the back country. The flats angler should certainly be including Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
We recommend fishing morning trips for August as the air temps and in turn water temps slow the afternoon bite. Fish early and understand 90% of the fish will be taken before 2:00 o’clock. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be good trips for later in the day departure times as the depths are not as drastically affected. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

With July we continue through a period of outstanding action overall, some of the best fishing action of the entire year in fact, however we also have some transitions for certain species to consider now. The Tarpon continue proving good action in the back country but changes are coming soon, schools of Bonefish remain on the flats. Mahi continue to dominate the blue water fishing while the primary reef species remain aggressive. It’s a time of exceptional action for a few of the more elusive species when fishing the waters of Key West!

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing has finally settled from the recent winds and rain of June. July with our typical weather patterns means we are in for a strong period of great Mahi Mahi action offshore. The Mahi improves moving into high gear during late June & all of July and is now the angler’s bread & butter species in blue water. Mahi (Dolphin fish-Doradao) are plentiful, schooling fish that provide excellent action at a blistering pace. High leapers when hooked up, beautiful colored fish that also are a favorite for many on the dinner plate. When the Mahi are biting as they are in July, businesses close on the island…it gets that good! A prized and very sought after but elusive sport fish makes a strong appearance now…Wahoo typically improve to a high point of activity and numbers in July. Black Fin Tuna continue to be on our radar but are slowing as we get into July. There are few species of pelagic fish capable of the total chaos when a school of big Black Fin or Mahi show up. The iconic Sailfish bite is waning and by months end is pretty much done.

The predators remain aggressive with July also being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We have moved into an exciting period for offshore angling however, we always believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more.

Light Tackle Reef & Wreck:
Our gentle July winds are typically light and refreshing and very welcome after the stiff breezes of May and June. Gone are the gusty offshore days and with them the rougher sea conditions. This is a much calmer time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. The Grouper and Snapper family continue to produce. The Mutton Snapper are now in a post spawn state so fall back to normal habits. Yellow Tails Snapper and cousin the Mangrove Snapper are plentiful and tasty nowadays and become the stars on the reef for table fare species to target! Our elusive Permit is always challenging but July remains a peak action time for these prized sport fish. Cobia remain in decent numbers and provide quality action but are now out of the “excellent” range let’s say more the “good range”. Spanish and Cero Mackerel remain in the “good” range and can be counted on for fun with lighter tackle. Amberjack rebound most years in July from a low point in activity during June. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be crazy good.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters remaining filled with Tarpon however we look to those early departure times to fend off the afternoon rising water and air temps. The overall population of Tarpon in the back country has peaked for the year so we now enter “post spawn” for these prized “bucket list” fish which indicates the movement towards slowing action. Several additional sport fish species, edible fish, and predators are in the near shore shallows now to target. Snook most days take up their positions on the mangrove shorelines and channel eddys. The numerous schooling species will continue to provide non stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species remaining in our bays now are the ever present brutish Jack, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless again in July that keeps the younger anglers happy with the super fast bite of schooling fish. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

Tarpon action remains good. The population of Tarpon has leveled off at one of the largest in recent years. The sunset Tarpon feeding activity continues to be productive with good tides. Albeit, not at the level of May and early June but still worth the try. We do not recommend more than 3 anglers as a max on our Tarpon bay boats for night trips. If you have more than three anglers understand the time restraints in catching multiple Tarpon and the need for larger vessels to accommodate the chaos that comes with larger fish going berserk at boat side.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips with early departure times continue to produce well but the afternoon water temperatures are climbing. Therefore in July and August the later part of the day our action slows. The Mangrove Snapper fishing continues to be very good in the back country for those who intend to save a few “keepers” for an evening meal. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. July remains predator time so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go “head to head”. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters but get off the docks early.

Flats:
Our Bonefish action remains solid for July. Although the success rate for the “Flats Slam” where the angler successfully lands a Bonefish, a Permit and a Tarpon in the same day becomes far more difficult as the Tarpon action begins a slow decline and a portion of the Permit population remain offshore as late spawners….this rare feat at the very pinnacle of flats fishing accomplishments is still possible. Permit have been rather scarce on the flats until lately but the action is improving now as some of the early spawners resume more typical habits. Tarpon are still primarily found at home in the back country or deeper channels. The juvenile Tarpon (fish ranging from 20 to 40 pounds) will be better targets as the heat comes with July and the post spawn adult Tarpon begin to think about the migration to move away from our waters. By months end the Tarpon fishing will have drastically slowed for the remainder of the year…look to the Mangroves and the juvenile fish now for the better Tarpon action. The flats angler should certainly be including Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
We recommend fishing morning trips for July and August as the air temps and in turn water temps slow the afternoon bite. Fish early and understand 90% of the fish will be taken before 2:00 o’clock. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

It is June and we continue through a period of outstanding action, some of the best fishing action of the entire year. The Tarpon are proving truly world class action in the back country schools of Bonefish are feeding heavily on the flats. Mahi dominate the blue water while the first choice reef species become aggressive with their spawning. It’s a time of exceptional action when fishing the waters of Key West!

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing has exploded since the recent unseasonably cold and windy conditions have passed. The winds of May should now be well behind us so these more typical weather June days the offshore bite can be spectacular. The iconic Sailfish bite continues but is waning for June! Mahi action swings into high gear during June & July and is now the angler’s bread & butter species. Mahi (Dolphin fish-Dorado) are plentiful, schooling fish that provide excellent action at a blistering pace. High leapers when hooked up, beautiful colored fish that also are a favorite for many on the dinner plate. When the Mahi are biting as they are in June, businesses close on the island…it gets that good! Black Fin Tuna continue to be on a tear but will be slowing as we get well into June. There are few species of pelagic fish capable of the total chaos when a school of big Black Fin or Mahi show up.

The predators remain aggressive with June being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We have moved into an exciting period for offshore angling however, we always believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more.

Light Tackle Reef & Wreck:
Our gentle June winds are typically light and refreshing and very welcome after the stiff breezes of May. Gone are the gusty days of April and May with them the rougher sea conditions. This is a much calmer time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. Grouper season opened May 1 and it has been “Katie bar the door”! The Snapper family continues to produce. The larger Mutton Snapper will continue to provide some exceptional days on the reef as they play out the last of their spawning rituals now. Yellow Tails Snapper and cousin the Mangrove Snapper are plentiful and tasty nowadays and become the stars on the reef for table fare species to target! Our elusive Permit is always challenging but June & July are a peak action time for these prized sport fish. Cobia remain in numbers and provide quality action but are now out of the “excellent” range let’s say more the “good range”. Spanish and Cero Mackerel remain in the “good” range and can be counted on for fun with lighter tackle. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be crazy good.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters now filled with behemoth Tarpon. The overall population of Tarpon in the back country has reached epic proportions. Plus several additional sport fish species, edible fish, and predators are in the near shore shallows now to target. Snook most days take up their positions on the mangrove shorelines and channel eddies. The numerous schooling species will continue to provide non-stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species remaining in our bays now are the ever present brutish Jack, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless again in June that keeps the younger anglers happy with the super-fast bite of schooling fish. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

Tarpon action is epic. The population of Tarpon has leveled off at one of the largest in recent years. Tarpon fishing in Key West is prolific. These behemoth sport fish are on every saltwater angler’s “bucket list” and rightfully so. Key West now offers the angler a high level of success to landing possibly the largest fish of a life time. The sunset Tarpon feeding activity is stellar therefore so are our Sunset Tarpon trips. These trips are spectacular when conditions (primarily the tides) are optimal. We do not recommend more than 3 anglers as a max on our Tarpon bay boats for night trips. If you have more than three anglers understand the time restraints in catching multiple Tarpon and the need for larger vessels to accommodate the chaos that comes with a 100 pound fish going berserk at boat side.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips continue to produce well as the afternoon water temperatures are still far from the highs coming in July and August so the later part of the day with good tides can still be productive but no so much for Tarpon in particular. The Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper fishing continues to be very good in the back country. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now but to include a few “keeper” fish for lunch or dinner will not be a problem in our shallows. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. Remember where you find large Tarpon schools you find feeding sharks. June remains predator time especially in the Marquesas so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go “head to head”. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters.

Flats:
Our Bonefish action remains big time for June…June can certainly still produce those Grand Slam events where the anglers successfully lands a Bonefish, a Permit and a Tarpon in the same day…a rare feat at the very pinnacle of flats fishing accomplishments. Permit have been rather scarce on the flats until lately but the action is peaking now. Tarpon are still primarily found at home in the back country but are beginning to venture out and can be found on the deeper flats and channel edges now. The flats angler should certainly be including Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
We still recommend fishing morning trips if going shallow as they remain the most productive over the later afternoon hours for the serious angler looking primarily for Tarpon action, but again the afternoon trips are good and Tarpon are certainly possible. The PM half day trips continue to be good action trips as the population of fish in the shallows remain very large. The afternoons can be quite enjoyable especially for those people just looking to stay in calm waters and enjoy a fun few hours catching fish. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be very good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

May has finally arrived and we continue through a period of outstanding action, over the next few months some of the best fishing action of the entire year. The migrating Tarpon have arrived and are flooding into shallows of the back country schools of Bonefish are feeding heavily on the flats. Sailfish and Mahi dominate the blue water while the first choice reef species become aggressive entering into spawning time. It’s a time of exceptional action when fishing the waters of Key West!

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing has exploded since the recent unseasonably cold and windy conditions have passed. The winds of March and April should now be well behind us so these more typical May days the offshore bite can be spectacular. The iconic Sailfish bite continues! Mahi action swings into high gear during May and will rapidly become the angler’s bread & butter species. Mahi (Dolphin fish-Dorado) are plentiful, schooling fish that provide excellent action at a blistering pace. High leapers when hooked up, beautiful colored fish that also are a favorite for many on the dinner plate. When the Mahi are biting, businesses close on the island…it gets that good! Black Fin Tuna continue to be on a tear. There are few species of pelagic fish capable of the total chaos when a school of big Black Fin show up.

The predators remain aggressive with May being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We have moved into an exciting period for offshore angling however, we always believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more.

Light Tackle Reef & Wreck:
Our May winds are typically light and refreshing. Gone are the gusty days of April and with them the rougher sea conditions. This is a great, calm time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. Grouper season opens May 1 and it is Katie bar the door! The Snapper family continues to produce. The larger Mutton Snapper will continue to provide some exceptional days on the reef as they enter into their spawning rituals now. Yellow Tails Snapper and cousin the Mangrove Snapper are plentiful and tasty nowadays! Our elusive Permit is always challenging but May is a peak action time for these prized sport fish. Cobia remain in numbers and provide quality action. Spanish and Cero Mackerel remain in the “good” range and can be counted on for fun with lighter tackle. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be crazy good.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters now filling with pre-spawn Tarpon. The overall population of Tarpon in the back country has reached epic proportions. Plus several additional sport fish species, edible fish, and predators are in the near shore shallows now to target. Redfish are all but done for now however Snook take up their positions on the mangrove shorelines and channel eddies. The numerous schooling species will continue to provide non-stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species remaining in our bays now are the ever present brutish Jack, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless again in May that keeps the younger anglers happy with the super-fast bite of schooling fish. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

Tarpon time is here. The population of Tarpon has continued to increase daily throughout all of April. Tarpon fishing in Key West becomes prolific. These behemoth sport fish are on every saltwater angler’s “bucket list” and rightfully so. Key West now offers the angler a high level of success to landing possibly the largest fish of a life time. We begin seeing the sunset Tarpon feeding activity increase so we are now offering our Sunset Tarpon trips. These trips are spectacular when conditions (primarily the tides) are optimal. We do not recommend more than 3 anglers as a max on our Tarpon bay boats for night trips. If you have more than three anglers understand the time restraints in catching multiple Tarpon and the need for larger vessels to accommodate the chaos that comes with a 100 pound fish going berserk at boat side.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips continue to produce well as the afternoon water temperatures are still far from high so the later part of the day with good tides can be awesome. Good Cobia fishing continues and can produce some quality fish and action in the back country. The Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper fishing continues to be very good in the back country in May. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now but to include a few “keeper” fish for lunch or dinner will not be a problem in our shallows. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. Remember where you find large Tarpon schools you find feeding sharks. May remains predator time especially in the Marquesas so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go “head to head”. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters.

Flats:
Our Bonefish action kicks in big time for May…May typically produces those Grand Slam events where the anglers successfully lands a Bonefish, a Permit and a Tarpon in the same day…a rare feat at the very pinnacle of flats fishing accomplishments. Permit have been scarce on the flats but the action is peaking now. Tarpon are still primarily found at home in the back country but are beginning to venture out onto the flats now. The flats angler should certainly be including Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
We still recommend fishing morning trips if going shallow as they remain the most productive over the later afternoon hours for the serious angler looking primarily for Tarpon action, but again the afternoon trips are good and Tarpon are certainly possible. The PM half day trips continue to improve as the population of fish in the shallows continues to increase. The afternoons can be quite enjoyable especially for those people just looking to stay in calm waters and enjoy a fun few hours catching fish. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be very good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!

Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

April arrives and we enter into a period of outstanding action, over the next few months some of the best fishing action of the entire year. The migrating Tarpon have arrived and are flooding into shallows of the backcountry, schools of Bonefish are feeding heavily on the flats. Sailfish and now Mahi dominate the blue water while the first choice reef species become aggressive. It’s a time of exceptional action when fishing the waters of Key West!

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing has continued to improve since the recent unseasonably cold and windy conditions have passed. March is a time of wind and April is as well but to a lesser degree however on the more typical days the offshore bite can be spectacular now. The iconic Sailfish bite continues! April does signal the beginning of the end to our Kingfish action unfortunately. April sees an explosion in the aggressiveness of Black Fin Tuna. There are few species of pelagic fish capable of the total chaos when a school of big Black Fin show up. Mahi action swings into high gear during April and will rapidly become the angler’s bread & butter species. Mahi (Dolphin fish-Dorado) are plentiful, schooling fish that provide excellent action at a blistering pace. High leapers when hooked up, beautiful colored fish that also are a favorite for many on the dinner plate. When the Mahi are biting, businesses close on the island…it gets that good!

The predators remain aggressive with April being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We have moved into an exciting period for offshore angling however, we always believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more.

Light Tackle Reef & Wreck:
April typically has some wind with it therefore the waters on the reef verses further offshore will remain far more comfortable most days. This continues to be a good time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. The Cobia action continues to be outstanding with fish exceeding 50 pounds taken of late. Cobia should remain excellent for all of April then typically slow over the next few months. The Snapper family continues to produce and with April we expect steady action targeting the Mangrove and YellowTail action. The larger Mutton Snapper will continue to provide some exceptional days on the reef. The Grouper family as always provides outstanding action however the harvest of Grouper ended January 1 with the season now closed until May in Monroe county (all of the keys). Our elusive Permit is always challenging, the Permit is a sought after sport fish and prized by anglers from around the planet. April typically shows a marked improvement from the last few months and we are on the way to excellent Permit action over the next few months. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be crazy good.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters now filling with pre-spawn Tarpon. The overall population of Tarpon in the back country continues to grow throughout the month joining with several additional sport fish species, edible fish, and predators to target. Redfish are all but done for now as our water temperatures begin a season rise. Snook are a hit or miss in still in early April and better targeted in later April. The numerous schooling species will continue to provide non stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species remaining in our bays now are Trout and Pompano but their days here are numbered and the action is definitely coming to an abrupt end. The ever present Jack, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless again in April that keeps the younger anglers happy with the super fast bite of schooling fish. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

Tarpon time is here. The population of Tarpon has continued to increase daily throughout all of March. The spawning migration that brings adult Tarpon to Key West is well underway and the activity and productivity on Tarpon is increasing. Tarpon fishing in Key West becomes prolific. These behemoth sport fish are on every saltwater angler’s “bucket list” and rightfully so. Key West now offers the angler a high level of success to landing possibly the largest fish of a life time. We begin seeing the sunset Tarpon feeding activity increase so we will offer our Sunset Tarpon trips beginning about April 1. These trips are spectacular when conditions (primarily the tides) are optimal. We do not recommend more than 3 anglers as a max on our Tarpon bay boats for night trips. If you have more than three anglers understand the time restraints in catching multiple Tarpon and the need for larger vessels to accommodate the chaos that comes with a 100 pound fish going berserk at boat side.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips continue to produce well as the afternoon water temperatures are still far from high so the later part of the day with good tides can be awesome. Good Cobia fishing continues and can produce some quality fish and action in the back country. The Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper fishing continues to be very good in the back country in March. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now but to include a few “keeper” fish for lunch or dinner will not be a problem in our shallows. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. Remember where you find large Tarpon schools you find feeding sharks. April remains predator time especially in the Marquesas so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go “head to head”. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters.

Flats:
Our Bonefish action kicks in big time for April…April is the first of a few months that typically produce those Grand Slam events where the anglers successfully lands a Bonefish, a Permit and a Tarpon in the same day…a rare feat at the very pinnacle of flats fishing accomplishments. Permit have been scarce on the flats but the action is coming to us better now. Tarpon are still primarily found at home in the back country but are beginning to venture out onto the flats now. The flats angler should certainly be including Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
This is a time of transition in regards to our water temperatures so fishing conditions in general have improved nicely, friends. We still recommend fishing morning trips if going shallow as they remain the most productive over the later afternoon hours for the serious angler but again the afternoon trips are good. The PM half day trips only continue to improve as the population of fish in the shallows continues to increase. The afternoons can be quite enjoyable especially for those people just looking to stay in calm waters and enjoy a fun few hours catching fish. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be very good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!

Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

March arrives and we kick off some of the best fishing action of the entire year. The migrating Tarpon have begun to arrive and are flooding into shallows of the back country. This remains a fast paced action trip with an even wider variety of sport fish and predators for the light tackle angler to pursue. It’s a time of exceptional action when fishing the waters of Key West!

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing has continued to improve. The iconic Sailfish bite is on! March remains an excellent period for Kingfish action but slows by April. Big “Smoker” Kingfish continue providing excellent action offshore and more recently nearer the reef during of late. March sees an explosion in the aggressiveness of Black Fin Tuna. There are few species of pelagic fish capable of the total chaos when a school of big Black Fin show up. Mahi action is a bit better for March so we will have more days of great action when these outstanding pelagic get fired up…there are more and more Mahi around in our waters every day. The predators remain aggressive with March being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We have moved into an exciting period for offshore angling however, we believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more.

Reef & Wreck:
March typically has some wind with it therefore the waters on the reef verses further offshore will remain far more comfortable most days. This continues to be a good time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. The Cobia action continues to be outstanding with fish up to 55 pounds taken of late. Cobia should remain excellent for the next few months. The Snapper family continues to produce and with March we expect steady action targeting the Mangrove and YellowTail action. The large Mutton Snapper provide some exceptional days on the reef. The Grouper family as always provides outstanding action however the harvest of Grouper ended January 1 with the season now closed until May in Monroe County (all of the keys). Our elusive Permit is always challenging, the Permit is a sought after sport fish and prized by anglers from around the planet. March typically shows a marked improvement from the last few months and we are on the way to excellent Permit action always by April. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be crazy good.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters now filling with newly arriving migratory Tarpon. The overall population of Tarpon in the back country continues to grow throughout the month joining with several additional sport fish species, edible fish, and predators to target. Redfish are slowing as our water temperatures begin a season rise. Snook are a hit or miss in March and better targeted in April. The numerous schooling species will continue to provide non-stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species remaining in our bays now are Trout and Pompano but their days here are numbered now. The ever present Jack, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless again in March. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

Tarpon time is here. The population of Tarpon will continue to increase daily throughout all of March. The spawning migration that brings adult Tarpon to Key West is underway and the activity and productivity on Tarpon is increasing. Tarpon fishing in Key West becomes prolific. These behemoth sport fish are on every saltwater angler’s “bucket list” and rightfully so. Key West now offers the angler a high level of success to landing possibly the largest fish of a life time.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips continue to produce well as the afternoon water temperatures are still far from high so the later part of the day with good tides can be awesome. Good Cobia fishing continues and can produce some quality fish and action in the back country. The Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper fishing continues to be very good in the back country in March. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now but to include a few “keeper” fish for lunch or dinner will not be a problem in our shallows. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. Remember where you find large Tarpon schools you find feeding sharks. March remains predator time especially in the Marquesas so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready ready to go “head to head”. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters.

Flats:
Our Bonefish action continues to improve…although still not at the levels of April March can be a productive time to fish the flats for the patient angler. Permit have been scarce on the flats but the action is coming to us better now. Tarpon are still primarily found at home in the back country but do begin to venture out onto the flats in later March. The flats angler should certainly be including Barracuda and sharks on his hit list.  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.

Notable:
This is a time of transition in regards to our water temperatures so fishing conditions in general are improving, friends. We still recommend fishing morning trips if going shallow as they remain the most productive over the later afternoon hours for the serious angler but again the afternoon trips are good. The PM half day trips only continue to improved as the population of fish in the shallows especially grows. The afternoons can be quite enjoyable especially for those people just looking to stay in calm waters and enjoy a fun few hours catching fish. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be very good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

February arrives as one of our most productive periods for offshore angling continues. The shallows of the back country remains fast paced with the widest variety of sport fish and predators for the light tackle angler to pursue. It’s a time of fast paced action fishing the waters of Key West!

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing has continued to improved. The iconic Sailfish bite is on! February remains an excellent period for Kingfish action. Big “Smoker” Kingfish continue providing excellent action offshore and more occasionally nearer the reef during February. The Mackerel family is here in huge numbers in general with quality size Cero and Spanish. February sees an increase in the aggressiveness of Black Fin Tuna. There are few species of pelagic fish capable of the total chaos when a school of big Black Fin show up. We see a slowing down momentarily for the solitary Wahoo during February that will last until mid-May. Mahi action is a bit better for February so we will have a few days of great action when these outstanding pelagic get fired up…there seems to always be a few Mahi around in our waters but in fairness to the angler…think of them as still a wonderful bonus fish when they come in the boat during February. The apex predators remain active with February being an awesome month for large Barracuda. We are moving into an exciting period for offshore however, we believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more.

Reef & Wreck:
February can bring wind therefore the waters on the reef verses further offshore will remain far more comfortable most days. This continues to be a good time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. The Cobia action continues to be in the excellent range for the next few months. The Snapper family continues to produce and with February we see a significant increase with the Mangrove and YellowTail action. The large Mutton Snapper continues to provide us with some exceptional days on the reef and wrecks. The Grouper family will offer some outstanding action however the harvest of Grouper ended January 1 with the season now closed until May in Monroe county (all of the keys). Our elusive Permit are always challenging, the Permit is a sought after sport fish and prized by anglers from around the planet and February shows much better action from the last few months on the way to excellent Permit action by March. The predator action with Barracuda and Sharks continues to be outstanding.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year remains an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters. The overall population of fish in the back country continues to grow with several sport fish species, edible fish, and predators to target and also numerous schooling species will provide non-stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species in our bays now are Trout and Pompano, Jacks, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless in February. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or the family. The back country is also a fly fishers dream come true with protection from the wind for casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

Tarpon time is still not here so generally speaking Tarpon will remain slow in the back country during early and mid-February however on the given day the bonus Tarpon shows up. In our back country waters in February is our small resident population of mostly juvenile Tarpon and the angler needs to keep in mind these fish are super sensitive to changing conditions and become very “hit or miss”. Tarpon are here but we typically do not target them until about the first of March.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips continue to produce well however the afternoon water temperatures are not as high now so the later part of the day with good tides can be awesome. The Redfish action during February is as good as we enjoy in Key West. Good Cobia fishing continues and can produce some quality fish and action in the back country. Snook are certainly not super active with our cooler water temps but we do have those rare days of mild air temperatures and calmer winds that can bring the Snook to life in the back country. This is a time of fast paced “excellent” action in general from the schooling species such as Jacks including some huge Yellow Jacks, Sea Trout, Pompano and more.

The Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper fishing improves greatly in the back country in February. For serious “table fare” harvest we certainly recommend the reef & wreck trips now but to include a few “keeper” fish for lunch or dinner will not be a problem in our shallows. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. February is predator time especially in the Marquesas so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go “head to head”. We “highly recommend” a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters.

Flats:
Short periods of “decent” Bonefish action continue for the patient angler in February. Permit typically will be scarce on the flats and Tarpon are completely out of action on the flats for a little longer. The flats angler should now include Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
This is a time of more stable water temperatures so fishing conditions in general have settled in, friends. We still recommend fishing morning trips if going shallow as they remain the most productive over the later afternoon hours for the serious angler but again the afternoon trips are good. The PM half day trips only continue to improve and can be quite enjoyable especially for those people just looking to stay in calm waters and enjoy a fun few hours catching fish. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be very good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!

For today’s action call 866 259 4205

January has arrived kicking off one of our most productive periods for offshore angling while the back country remains fast paced with the widest variety of sport fish to predators for the light tackle angler to pursue. It’s a great time to fish the waters of Key West!

Deep Sea/Offshore:
Our offshore fishing has vastly improved. The iconic Sailfish bite is on! January is the real kick off for one of our most productive time frames offshore which continues for months into the spring. January is all about Kingfish action. Big “Smoker” Kingfish continue providing excellent action well offshore and occasionally nearer the reef. The Mackerel family is here in huge numbers in general with quality size Cero and Spanish. January remains an excellent time to target the action packed Black Fin Tuna. There are few species of pelagic fish capable of the total chaos when a school of big Black Fin show up. We continue taking the solitary Wahoo during January. Soon as we begin thinking the Mahi action is slow we will have a few days of great action fire up…there seems to always be a few Mahi around in our waters but in fairness to the angler…think of them as a wonderful bonus fish when they come in the boat during January. The apex predators remain active with January being a good month for large Barracuda. We are moving into an exciting period for offshore fishing however, we believe a ½ day charter still has some challenges with ever changing travel times between marina and fishing grounds. Best bet book at least the ¾ day (six hour trip) especially if you are a party of three or four or more.

Reef & Wreck:
January can bring winds therefore the waters on the reef verses further offshore will remain far more comfortable most days. This continues to be a good time for the angler with concerns about rough sea conditions to head out to the nearer shore wreck sites as well. The “reef donkey” remains active and ready to test the anglers resolve. Amberjack fishing remains good for January before slowing for a short period in February. The Cobia action continues to in the excellent range for the next few months. The Snapper family continues to produce and with January comes the Mutton! The YellowTail and Mangrove numbers finally slow for January but only briefly as February arrives they both improve significantly. The Grouper family will usually not disappoint for January however the harvest of Grouper ends January 1 with the season now closed until May in Monroe county (all of the keys). Our elusive Permit typically take a brief break during January. Always challenging, the Permit is a sought after sport fish and prized by anglers from around the planet but January is far from a stellar month to pursue them.

Back Country:
Always a fun and productive trip the back country this time of year moves into an excellent time for fast paced action while targeting a very wide variety of species. Anglers will appreciate our calm, crystal clear waters. The overall population of fish in the back country continues to grow with several sport fish species, edible fish, and predators to target but also numerous schooling species have now arrived to provide non-stop action most days. Just a few of the schooling species in our bays now are Trout and Pompano, Jacks, Lady Fish, Blue Runners, Grunts, Porgies…the list is nearly endless in January. A perfect trip for the hard core light tackle angler to the novice angler or 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 casting and plentiful fish which will readily pursue a fly.

Tarpon time is slow generally in the back country during January but on the given day the bonus Tarpon shows up. Remaining is our small resident population of juvenile Tarpon and the angler needs to keep in mind these fish are super sensitive to changing conditions and become very “hit or miss”. Some Tarpon are still here but we typically do not target them for the next few months.

The ½ day to ¾ day trips continue to produce well however the afternoon water temperatures are not as high now so the later part of the day with good tides can be awesome. The Redfish action during January is as good as we enjoy in Key West. Good Cobia fishing continues and can produce some quality fish and action in the back country. Snook are certainly not super active with our cooler water temps but we do have those rare days of mild air temperatures and calmer winds that can bring the Snook to life in the back country. This is a time of fast paced “excellent” action in general from the schooling species such as Jacks including some huge Yellow Jacks, Sea Trout, tasty Pompano and more.

The Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper fishing can slow in January even in the back country. For serious “table fare” harvest we definitely recommend the reef & wreck trips now but to include a few “keeper” fish for lunch or dinner from the back country will not be a problem in our shallows. The predator fishing continues. Giant Barracuda and several species of Sharks in the shallows are on the hit list. Our Monster Shark charters are awesome and continually produce multiple larger sharks even on the ½ day trips. January is predator time especially in the Marquesas so anglers can count on these aggressive species to be ready to go head to head. We highly recommend a back country charter this time of year and especially for those guests looking for a shorter than full day trip in calmer waters.

Flats:
Short periods of decent Bonefish action continue for the patient angler in January and February. Permit typically will have moved off the flats and Tarpon are completely out of action on the flats for now. The flats angler should now include Barracuda and sharks on his hit list. 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.

Notable:
This is a time of more stable water temperatures so fishing conditions in general have settled in, friends. We still recommend fishing morning trips if going shallow as they remain the most productive over the later afternoon hours for the serious angler but again the afternoon trips are good. The PM half day trips have improved and can be quite enjoyable especially for those people just looking to stay in calm waters and enjoy a fun few hours catching fish. Reef trips in the afternoon fishing slightly deeper waters along with the patch reefs can be very good trips for later in the day departure times. Sharks are plentiful and active. Pursuing these heavy weight monsters on light tackle is challenging to say the least and talk about something you cannot do at home!

Let’s go Fishing!
Call Key West Pro Guides today to book your charter 866 259 4205 daily 7 AM to 9 PM. We look forward to your call!