Offshore Summer!

As we move into the sunny summer weather that the Keys are famous for, we enjoy some of the best fishing of the entire year. The wind has started to lay down, making longer runs to often inaccessible areas possible. Many species migrate back-and-forth to their spawning areas, making concentrations of large specimens easier to find. Grouper season has opened. They are a great tasting, violent fighting fish, with an insatiable appetite. Another fish that never stop eating has started to arrive. Mahi-Mahi, also known as dolphin (fish, not the mammal) are tasty and great fun, especially when schooling. We recommend at least a six hour trip to give you the best shot at one of these awesome fish. Let us make your Key West experience special too!

The winter migration brings a variety of offshore fish in seach of food. As the ballyhoo arrive in greater numbers, so do the fish. Sailfish, mackerel, wahoo and tuna stay within easy reach. There’s usually a few mahi around to make a “slam” within reach. On a full day trip, we may spend a little time in the morning catching live baits, as we did this day. It makes a difference! Let us help make your Key West vacation special too!

Once the winter winds start laying down for the late spring and summer, the dolphin/mahi become a somewhat consistent target for us. Trolling with Ballyhoo and lures alike, we find them in various depths, from the reef, to weigh out at Wood’s Wall, where the bottom drops quickly from 900 to 1800 feet. Typically, the later in the summer it gets, the deeper we have to run to find them, but it’s always good to keep an eye out for some kind of floating structure or circling and diving birds. Trolling can often be boring for the impatient, but when you get the bite, it can turn into mayhem quickly, so anglers have to be on their toes! The dolphin/mahi tend to run in schools and often follow a hooked fish to the boat, where they can be caught one after another on light spinning tackle for loads of fun. Trolling allows you to cover a lot of area, and burns a lot of expensive fuel, but it can also keep you somewhat cooled off by creating a light breeze in the nonexistent summer winds. Make plans to come dolphin/mahi fishing in Key West. Let us help make your Key West vacation special!