Fishing Report

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.

“Fall and winter are a time of plenty for the light tackle angler in Key West”

Most anglers relate the arrival of colder weather and falling water temperatures with a slow fishing period. Many occasional fishermen reluctantly put their fishing gear up for the season and begin to day dream about those first warm spring days months away. The knowledgeable angler however simply   travels to Key West for amazing action targeting several “bucket list” species calling our local waters home for the winter…

Key West is a world class fishing destination…no question. However, like all fishing grounds we do have seasonal patterns and fish migrations along with the weather which affects our day to day fishing. As we enter into the fall and early winter months our fishing does change but does not in any way lessen. In fact, most hard core saltwater anglers look forward to this time frame and visiting our island for spectacular action both in the shallows and offshore. Let’s explore the current bite and exactly what our long history as the largest and certainly best staffed and equipped fishing operation on the island proves for the next few months.

As we move through a quick transitional period every October we watch for the tell-tale signs of “what is to come”. The Gulf Stream dominates the currents and conditions in the Atlantic bringing several quality sport fish and pelagic species to our waters following huge gatherings of forage and more suitable water conditions. With now well-defined weed lines, currents and awesome color changes our top pro guides eagerly await the fast moving weather fronts passing the island every few days. This is surely the single most prominent indicator of the presences of our most challenging light tackle sport fish. Most notably offshore is the Sailfish. Every angler appreciates the beauty of these magnificent fish “tail walking” across our azure colored waters.  Conversely, the shallow water aficionado experiences equally as exciting species arriving to flood our pristine back country bays and Mangrove island shorelines. Brutish Redfish and Speckled Sea Trout in enormous schools begin feeding heavily in the calm, protected waters. Snapper gather in the deeper impressions and bottom contours and especially on the ledges in the meandering channels in numbers becoming super aggressive.  Predators naturally follow this migration of fish into the shallows led by the plentiful Giant Barracuda and our apex predator…sharks.

As you clearly see the presence of so many outstanding species now comingling in smaller areas provides some of the fastest paced action of our entire calendar year. Verses storing your gear, slap on some sun block and get on the water with the Key West Pro Guide team for the fishing adventure of a lifetime! We are here to assist you daily from our toll free Reservation Desk at 866 259 4205. We look forward to your call so we may share our amazing fishing while becoming friends.

Enjoy the following fishing locations and breakdown. We trust this will help you in deciding upon the perfect fishing experience while visiting the island.

On the “Flats”:

Bonefish remain active and in good numbers. Tides are essential always to finding quantities of large Bonefish but even more so now in the fall months. Typically this is a time of behemoth Bonefish, those specimens exceeding the inspiring ten pound mark. Usually elusive the Permit have been cooperating lately and we have boated several Permit in the fifteen to twenty pound range. Our Captain Dave Irwin has had the hot hand putting his guests on several large Permit in the past few weeks. There simply is no substitute for years of professional experience when on the flats!

In the “Back Country”:

We highly recommend this charter for action and excitement this time of year. Although non-technical fishing, it is challenging, where even the most novice anglers will enjoy success. Redfish dominate the action of late and should for some time. Schools of “reds” are holding on the mangrove island shorelines and will “knock the rod from your hands” at times! Excellent fish averaging from four to eight pounds and talk about delicious on the dinner table, Redfish are tough to beat! Sea Trout are arriving and so the action in the open bays heats up! A live shrimp and a “poppin cork” equal big smiles for most anglers right now! Fast paced action and a hardy battle make the Trout a favorite of many locals and visiting anglers alike. Mangrove Snapper are holding in the deeper holes out to the east and north of the island. These remote and isolated areas are some of the most productive fishing grounds in Key West especially when the Snapper go on the war path! The Barracuda population in the back country is always substantial but has recently grown becoming quite impressive over the past few weeks. This along with the free roaming large sharks offers a thrilling experience most anglers cannot duplicate at home! “Cuda’s” are renowned for lightning bolt strikes on top water plugs and what shallow water angler doesn’t giggle at the thought of a twenty five pound missile exploding on his offering in just a few feet of crystal clear water…Sharks are everywhere and the anglers looking for that adrenalin rush will enjoy the trip. Black Tip, Lemon, Spinner and the awe inspiring Bull Shark are all patrolling the shallows right now. This warfare will remain open to all comers for several months now. Don’t miss out on our amazing shark fishing…see our Monster Shark Challenge charters listed on the website…not for the faint of heart!  Mom, Dad and the kids will all love the backcountry! You remain comfortable without a thought of rough or open waters while fishing in the most scenic locations found in the Florida Keys and Key West. A “memories of a lifetime” trip for all!

The Natural “Reef and Ship Wrecks”:

This is home to the bottom dwellers, those wonderful “table fare” species Key West is so well known for. The Grouper is king on the reef. No species of fish can match their tenacity and strength. Grouper and Snapper fishing may very well be the most popular charter booked in Key West. Our consummate pro guides fish those secret locations well off the beaten path. Locations handed down from father to son over generations of fishing our local waters. Here is where, and this is why, we are famous for banner days filling the fish box with the most sought after species on the reef and wrecks. Yellow Tail Snapper are elusive schooling fish that anglers love to target in Key West.  Tasty, scrappy fighters and just plain fun to catch…the Yellow Tail is a local favorite in Key West and the Yellow Tail are on fire right now! The bite is as good as we can remember and the number of “flag tails” (largest Yellow Tails in the school) are impressive for this time of year. The Yellow Tail should offer excellent action for several months now. The newly arriving Kingfish and Mackerel are finding their way onto the reef and are cruising the deeper wrecks already. Kingfish are typically thought of as found well offshore and they are certainly, however the sheer numbers of these nomadic warriors spills over to the reef and isolated wreck sites as the top predators forage on live baitfish always plentiful around the cover and structure. Permit and Cobia are both present most days on these same areas this time of year. Cobia have been exceptional with several fish ranging up to thirty pounds plus of late. The Permit action will continue to improve from the good action already throughout the end of December.

The “Offshore”:

Most anglers have that iconic imagery of Hemingway battling giant Blue Marlin well out in the Gulf Stream when offshore or “deep sea” fishing becomes the topic of conversation. Today we have stepped through the “rabbit hole” to experience truly “world class” action on light tackle while fishing from state of the art vessels. Here is where the angler goes head to head on a level playing field with the most challenging denizens of the deep. WARNING fellow anglers…Billfishing is extremely addictive! Marlin to Swordfish all travel our deep trenches while Sailfish, Tuna, Kingfish, Wahoo, Mackerel and more patrol the near surface waters offshore. Sailfishing is our preferred target offshore in the fall and for certain as the fast approaching cold fronts move through. Sailfish thrive in these conditions of wind and cold. In Key West we consider these conditions anything requiring tying your hat down or a long sleeve shirt but still…if a Sailfish is on your bucket list…now’s the time and Key West Pro Guides is the best sailfish team in Key West!

This fishing report is based upon the actual experiences of our Key West Pro Guides team while on the water daily. Not a “word of mouth” report filled with inaccuracies. We “walk the walk” as well and we’d enjoy fishing with you soon. For additional information or to book your charter please contact Captain Roc at toll free 866 259 4205 or at [email protected].

Tightlines…. Capt. Paul Tryon

Spring is finally here and the bite is great!!

The Flats and shallow waters of our amazing Key West backcountry are alive and the action is world class. Anglers from around the world are here to pursue the awesome Tarpon action. Daily reports of multiple behemoth Tarpon is routine on the Key West Pro Guides docks at Hurricane Hole Marina.

These pre-spawning Tarpon are super aggressive and just crushing baits early and well into the day but the night time bite is just on the verge of going crazy! The largest Tarpon taken nearly every season come at twilight. Those fish ranging beyond the 150 pound range always feed heavily at dusk…this provide you the ultimate light tackle fishing experience.

Can you imagine sitting calmly on the dark waters as twilight blankets you overhead. The gentle sea breezes are comforting and the sounds of the Key West night life filters out from the shore. Then…all hell breaks loose! A massive 6′ long “Silver Rocket” explodes from the surface in a wildly acrobatic leap of escape. You are hooked up my friend and the next hour may be the most memorable of your angling life.

Meanwhile life on the flats is good. Perfect water clarity, plenty of bright sunshine and finally some calm winds have brought us the perfect combination for excellent flats fishing. Bonefish are plentiful and ranging in size from about 4 pounds to a few double digit monsters on the high side on the early moving tides. Our elusive Permit are being pursued on the flats deeper edges and often times well out to the patch reefs so it is fair to say Permit are scattered but reasonably plentiful and on average very nice size. A 20 pound Permit is an awesome fish on light tackle and we are boating them regularly and for the most part it is the live bait presentations getting the job done.

About the Mangrove islands and smaller shallow bays we are still enjoying the outstanding action with big schools of Jacks. These “thugs” just move through and area and create havoc…the surface waters begin to boil as hundreds of Jacks surround the bait fish herding them into ever tightening bait balls before exploding through to forage. These feeding frenzy appear out of nowhere and if the angler is ready…that first cast right into the heart of the school can get the fishing rod knocked from your hands!

Often mistakenly overlooked the predator fishing in the back country can be amazing. Sharks are everywhere and beyond the resident species such as our Black Tip, Lemon and others now is the time of the apex sharks such as the awesome Bull Shark and occasionally the awe-inspiring Hammerhead. These monsters can exceed 12′ in length and tip the scales in the several hundreds of pounds and we choose to go “head to head” with them every day armed only with light tackle and the desire for unequalled violence. Shark fishing in the back country with Key West Pro Guides is legendary!

Offshore conditions are finally near perfect. After periods of high winds and rain, the persistent early season cold fronts are finally behind us and we enter into some of the most productive angling of the entire calendar year.

The Sailfish spawn is upon us and producing those multiple fish days we are so well known for here in Key West. As we type this report the Key West Sailfish Championship is on day 2 and 48 Sailfish have been released!! Guys the bite is on, many anglers have already scratched “SAILFISH” from their personal Bucket List. No other species sings of offshore light tackle action as does the Sailfish while they “tail walk” across the surface!

The early arriving Dolphin are beginning to flood our weed lines and color changes. The offshore boats are reporting fish in 700ft and on the wall, there have been decent weed lines with the south winds of lately, most fish in the teenage size, a few in the low 20’s. We love to see the Dolphin reach our waters as they truly become our “bread & butter” offshore species, and why not. What’s not to like about these absolutely beautiful, plentiful fish that strike like a lightning bolt, often times making high leaps into the air, offer up long battles and stand shoulders above most fish as table fare.

As the winter month species such as the Kingfish begin to bid us farewell migrating away from our waters we welcome our newly arriving spring time pelagic species such as the magnificent Wahoo. Spanish and Cero Mackerel remain in numbers and Black Fin Tuna continue to amaze even the most seasoned Key West veterans with banner catches. The last couple of weeks have been good to us on the Tuna. Capt. Chip has been on fire with the tuna, averaging 17-209 a trip fishing the shrimpboats. We have experienced the most sensational Black Fin Tuna fishing many of us can remember in years this season so far. Spring time is also the time of the predator as Giant Barracuda now cruise the surface waters. For sheer excitement a larger Barracuda will provide the light tackle angler as much excitement as any fish in the ocean.

Let’s talk about the reefs and wrecks!

The Reef & Wrecks are on fire friends! Although we have already enjoyed some outstanding reef & wreck action this season NOW is the turning point as we dive head-long into the spawn. Mutton Snapper is a perfect example of the May-June-July “spawner” that has already produced amazing catches to those few veteran guides that know our waters. Grouper are red hot however you need to keep in mind our Grouper season remains closed for a few more weeks. Amberjack are patrolling the bottom dwellers in good form and offering the angler his chance at fighting a Volkswagen from the ocean floor!

Goliath Grouper are absolutely everywhere on the deeper wreck sites and we have busted up enough fishing gear already this season! The Yellowtail Snapper is a favorite for those anglers looking for something for the dinner table. We have boated some Jurassic sized “Flag” Yellow Tails recently and it appears we off to an exception Yellow Tail season. The blue collar Mangrove Snapper never fails to keep the action fast paced and the fish platters full!

Sport fishing on the reef & wrecks can be spell binding in the spring. When you look across the surface to schools of huge Permit or a “wolf pack” of mammoth Cobia and your cast going sailing well of target…don’t feel badly. Buck Fever happens on the water as much as in the woods!

All in all friends your timing to visit Key West and get on the water now is perfect! We look forward to the opportunity to share our inspiring waters and world class light tackle angling with you…let’s go fishing!

Call today toll free 866 259 4205 to book your charter! Please keep in mind as we enter the busy “on-season” booking well in advance of your visit is highly recommended. We look forward to your call or on line inquiry to [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook!! Every new “Like” from today until May 31st will be entered in a drawing for a free fishing charter!! Visit facebook/Key West Pro Guides!!

Capt. Paul & Capt. Roc

Spring is finally here and the bite is great!!

The Flats and shallow waters of our amazing Key West backcountry are alive and the action is world class. Anglers from around the world are here to pursue the awesome Tarpon action. Daily reports of multiple behemoth Tarpon is routine on the Key West Pro Guides docks at Hurricane Hole Marina.

These pre-spawning Tarpon are super aggressive and just crushing baits early and well into the day but the night time bite is just on the verge of going crazy! The largest Tarpon taken nearly every season come at twilight. Those fish ranging beyond the 150 pound range always feed heavily at dusk…this provide you the ultimate light tackle fishing experience.

Can you imagine sitting calmly on the dark waters as twilight blankets you overhead. The gentle sea breezes are comforting and the sounds of the Key West night life filters out from the shore. Then…all hell breaks loose! A massive 6’ long “Silver Rocket” explodes from the surface in a wildly acrobatic leap of escape. You are hooked up my friend and the next hour may be the most memorable of your angling life.

Meanwhile life on the flats is good. Perfect water clarity, plenty of bright sunshine and finally some calm winds have brought us the perfect combination for excellent flats fishing. Bonefish are plentiful and ranging in size from about 4 pounds to a few double digit monsters on the high side on the early moving tides. Our elusive Permit are being pursued on the flats deeper edges and often times well out to the patch reefs so it is fair to say Permit are scattered but reasonably plentiful and on average very nice size. A 20 pound Permit is an awesome fish on light tackle and we are boating them regularly and for the most part it is the live bait presentations getting the job done.

About the Mangrove islands and smaller shallow bays we are still enjoying the outstanding action with big schools of Jacks. These “thugs” just move through and area and create havoc…the surface waters begin to boil as hundreds of Jacks surround the bait fish herding them into ever tightening bait balls before exploding through to forage. These feeding frenzy appear out of nowhere and if the angler is ready…that first cast right into the heart of the school can get the fishing rod knocked from your hands!

Often mistakenly overlooked the predator fishing in the back country can be amazing. Sharks are everywhere and beyond the resident species such as our Black Tip, Lemon and others now is the time of the apex sharks such as the awesome Bull Shark and occasionally the awe-inspiring Hammerhead. These monsters can exceed 12’ in length and tip the scales in the several hundreds of pounds and we choose to go “head to head” with them every day armed only with light tackle and the desire for unequalled violence. Shark fishing in the back country with Key West Pro Guides is legendary!

Offshore conditions are finally near perfect. After periods of high winds and rain, the persistent early season cold fronts are finally behind us and we enter into some of the most productive angling of the entire calendar year.

The Sailfish spawn is upon us and producing those multiple fish days we are so well known for here in Key West. As we type this report the Key West Sailfish Championship is on day 2 and 48 Sailfish have been released!! Guys the bite is on, many anglers have already scratched “SAILFISH” from their personal Bucket List. No other species sings of offshore light tackle action as does the Sailfish while they “tail walk” across the surface!

The early arriving Dolphin are beginning to flood our weed lines and color changes. The offshore boats are reporting fish in 700ft and on the wall, there have been decent weed lines with the south winds of lately, most fish in the teenage size, a few in the low 20’s. We love to see the Dolphin reach our waters as they truly become our “bread & butter” offshore species, and why not. What’s not to like about these absolutely beautiful, plentiful fish that strike like a lightning bolt, often times making high leaps into the air, offer up long battles and stand shoulders above most fish as table fare.

As the winter month species such as the Kingfish begin to bid us farewell migrating away from our waters we welcome our newly arriving spring time pelagic species such as the magnificent Wahoo. Spanish and Cero Mackerel remain in numbers and Black Fin Tuna continue to amaze even the most seasoned Key West veterans with banner catches. The last couple of weeks have been good to us on the Tuna. Capt. Chip has been on fire with the tuna, averaging 17-209 a trip fishing the shrimpboats. We have experienced the most sensational Black Fin Tuna fishing many of us can remember in years this season so far.  Spring time is also the time of the predator as Giant Barracuda now cruise the surface waters. For sheer excitement a larger Barracuda will provide the light tackle angler as much excitement as any fish in the ocean.

Let’s talk about the reefs and wrecks!

The Reef & Wrecks are on fire friends! Although we have already enjoyed some outstanding reef & wreck action this season NOW is the turning point as we dive head-long into the spawn. Mutton Snapper is a perfect example of the May-June-July “spawner” that has already produced amazing catches to those few veteran guides that know our waters. Grouper are red hot however you need to keep in mind our Grouper season remains closed for a few more weeks. Amberjack are patrolling the bottom dwellers in good form and offering the angler his chance at fighting a Volkswagen from the ocean floor!

Goliath Grouper are absolutely everywhere on the deeper wreck sites and we have busted up enough fishing gear already this season! The Yellowtail Snapper is a favorite for those anglers looking for something for the dinner table. We have boated some Jurassic sized “Flag” Yellow Tails recently and it appears we off to an exception Yellow Tail season. The blue collar Mangrove Snapper never fails to keep the action fast paced and the fish platters full!

Sport fishing on the reef & wrecks can be spell binding in the spring. When you look across the surface to schools of huge Permit or a “wolf pack” of mammoth Cobia and your cast going sailing well of target…don’t feel badly. Buck Fever happens on the water as much as in the woods!

All in all friends your timing to visit Key West and get on the water now is perfect! We look forward to the opportunity to share our inspiring waters and world class light tackle angling with you…let’s go fishing!

Call today toll free 866 259 4205 to book your charter! Please keep in mind as we enter the busy “on-season” booking well in advance of your visit is highly recommended. We look forward to your call or on line inquiry to [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook!! Every new “Like” from today until April 30th will be entered in a drawing for a free fishing charter!! Visit facebook/Key West Pro Guides!!

Capt. Paul & Capt. Roc

It may be “Old Man Winter” in the North but Key West is on fire!

The New Year brought red-hot fishing action to the local waters of Key West. Fishing has exploded from the flats to offshore. Newly arriving pelagic species now commingling with our resident species has grown the population of fish on the reef and deep wrecks to staggering proportions, in turn providing the light tackle angler with the most prolific fishing grounds on the planet. Straight from the docks of the Key West Pro Guides team, comes our most recent fishing report…

Offshore:
This is the time to head for the abundant “blue waters” offshore with the professional’s of Key West Pro Guides. The angler willing to commit to the time and distances required to reach these fertile fishing grounds is rewarded with Sailfish, Black Fin Tuna and Kingfish when presenting live Pilchards to the deep. A slow troll with Speedos brings elusive Wahoo to the battlegrounds as well. Although it remains premature for Dolphin, the signs for coming action are promising. Be prepared for a ľ-day or better yet, a full day charter on the water to take full advantage of the offshore bite for now. Captain Tyson and Captain Ryan V. among several others on the Key West Pro Guides offshore team have been on limits of huge Black Fin Tuna almost daily. The recent Tuna action is the best for many years here in Key West. Great tenacity and wonderful on the dinner table makes the Black Fin an excellent choice to target for the offshore anglers and there are none better to guide you than the Key West Pro Guides team. Check out the pictures posted to our Face Book pages of late for awesome Black Fin Tuna catches.

Deep Wrecks:
Heavyweight Snapper rule the bottom and structure while pelagic Kingfish and Tuna patrol the middle of the water column over the remote offshore wreck sites. “Deep-dropping” live baits is always productive however “chunking” of late has been exceptionally fruitful as well. The angler needs to prepare for a serious “tug of war” on the isolated wreck sites known so well to the Key West Pro Guides team. Captain Grant has been slamming the large Kingfish with many exceeding the 30-pound range working these deep wrecks. Captain Brad has steadily been on the deeper wrecks recently providing some absolutely banner days on quality Snapper over 20 pounds on average. Massive Amberjacks have been in Captain Zach’s cross hairs for the past few trips to these well offshore sites producing some tired but smiling anglers returning to our docks. Wrecks located in deeper water depths require exceptional skill to fish properly. Few guides on the island can match these talented Captains on the deep water sites. Reef: Non-stop action awaits the angler on the plentiful reef now. Both Grouper and Mutton Snapper are abundant and especially the prized Yellow Tail for the table fare anglers. Kingfish are routine and the Cero Mackerel bite has been excellent. Predictably, the predators are always near-by with Barracuda taunting our Key West Pro Guides guests to go “head to head”. Captain Chuck has “been the man” on the reef for the past few weeks. He has the Mutton Snapper pinpointed and has been slaying them! Captain Chuck’s guests fishing the reef have been consistently filling the fish box every trip off the dock. Check out our Face Book pages picturing Captain Chuck and his happy guests around the cleaning table! Captain Ryan L. has been on the Yellow Tail with a vengeance as well. “Flag” Yellow Tail is the norm for now. Great family trips are here for the asking with the Key West Pro Guides reef team.

Gulf Wrecks:
Several “Bucket List” species of the light tackle angler present themselves on the remote Gulf wrecks preferred by the Key West Pro Guides team now. Permit and Cobia cruise the near-surface waters atop the most secluded sites while Gag Grouper, Reds and plentiful large Mangrove and Lane Snapper keep the action fast paced and fun. Captain Paul has been the Permit “Master” recently onboard the TailChaser. Enjoy the numerous pictures of prized Permit on our Face Book page depicting Captain Paul and his many satisfied guest anglers. For the past few weeks Captain Paul has consistently produce 25 to 30 pound Permit in the Gulf. Captain John on a group outing this week boated several quality Cobia from the near shore “patch reef’s” and shallow wreck sites in the Gulf. Some Cobia were taken on plugs while others willingly “crushed” live baits cast to them on the surface. Watch for the daily tweets about the backcountry action on our Key West Pro Guides Twitter posted on our homepage.

Backcountry:
The shallow and pristine waters of the backcountry are absolutely teeming with quality fish. From the migratory Redfish and Sea Trout to the resident Mangrove Snapper, Pompano and huge wintertime Jacks, the light tackle and fly fisher are challenged at every turn. Tantalizing sight-casting opportunities to juvenile Tarpon and Permit when conditions are favorable keeps the Key West Pro Guides staff alert for that “fish of a lifetime” for our many guests traveling into the backcountry. Numerous species of sharks confront the not so “faint of heart” in the shallows. Black Tip, Lemon and Spinner sharks brazenly defy anglers while easily found foraging near the mangrove islands and channels. The half-day backcountry charters are seldom as productive as this time of year. Captain Dave B and Captain Johnny have ruled the backcountry shallows. Our Face Book posts have featured several notable catches by these two guides recently. Captain Johnny is a top Pompano guide and has been producing these action-filled fish from large schools to 7 pounds! Few guides in Key West have the local knowledge to consistently locate these nomadic fish as they roam about the vast backcountry. Captain Dave has been on the big wintertime Jacks and Sea Trout routinely. Captain David I has turned some heads with juvenile Tarpon in the 20 to 30 pound range over the past few weeks and the trend looks to continue. Captain Mitch has set his sights on afternoon sharks and has really come through for our hard-core backcountry anglers.

Flats:
Our wintertime weather patterns and water temperatures are dominating the flats. Wind and cooler air temperatures fashion a “day by day” approach to targeting the juvenile Tarpon, Permit and Barracuda on the flats recently. The Key West Pro Guides “flats team” are of the finest guides on the island and are acutely attune to these conditions. The flats action is ready to ignite at any time! Captain Mike and Captain Pete are working very hard and enjoying success on the fickle flats this month. Reports of some Bonefish but better Permit action on the incoming tides is inspiring for the shallow water sight casters. Check out the Permit “beauty” boated by Captain Mike on our Face Book page in early January! Captain Eric has targeted the many large Barracuda cruising the flats lately for action. A great shot of repeat guest and friend to Key West Pro Guides professional guide and renowned flyfisher James Hybarger with his awesome “giant cuda” taken on fly is posted on our Face Book pages! Captain Jared has quietly been on juvenile Tarpon as well, most coming in the 20 to 30 lb range. All agree the flats action is steadily improving.

Save yourself from the daunting “cabin fever” of the icy north by visiting our tropical island home. Come experience for yourself what Hemingway, Zane Grey and today’s leading anglers all agree on…the Key West waters offer world class action from the flats to offshore!

Call today toll free 866 259 4205 to book your charter! Please keep in mind as we enter the busy “on-season” booking well in advance of your visit is highly recommended. We look forward to your call or on line inquiry to [email protected]

Capt. Paul and Capt. Roc

[email protected]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tight lines,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tight lines,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tight lines,

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