Key West Fishing Report: Yesterday we headed out for a productive bottom fishing trip near the reef with live Ballyhoo and plenty of action on rod and reel! ?️ Weather & Sea Conditions • Air Temperature: Typical Key West winter warmth in the low-70s °F range. • Water Temperature: Around 70–75°F — perfect for snapper, grouper and reef species. • Wind: Light to moderate winds from the Northeast around ~7–13 mph — great for reef and nearshore fishing. • Fishing Forecast: Current activity is average, so matching tides and baits continues to be important for consistent bites. ⸻ ? Trip Summary We started the day by stopping to pick up fresh live Ballyhoo to target bottom species — always a productive bait choice for Key West reef and bottom fishing. Once baited up, we headed out to the reef and anchored for bottom fishing. ? Catches & Action • Snapper: We immediately landed three legal snapper right off the anchor — great start! • Groupers: A few groupers came up, but they were undersized so we released them for future conservation. • Barracuda: Opportunistic barracuda were in the mix — these hard-fighting predators love Ballyhoo! • Lane Snapper: We also added some tasty lane snapper to the tally. This kind of mixed-species bottom and reef fishing is classic Key West in January — cooler water temps but active reef bites when tides and calm conditions align. ⸻ ? Tide & Bite Insights • Tides in the area were transitioning throughout the day — fishing around moving water and tide changes helped keep the bites consistent. • Solunar activity was average — combining this with live Ballyhoo and anchored reef drift techniques helped produce steady bites. ⸻ ? What This Means for Anglers If you’re planning a Key West fishing charter for bottom fishing, reef fishing, snapper & grouper trips, now is a great time to head out. Live Ballyhoo continues to be a top bait choice, especially when paired with calm seas and manageable tides. Conditions like yesterday allow for comfortable fishing and steady action, whether you’re chasing snapper, barracuda, or other reef species.

We headed out on a Key West fishing charter around 3:00 PM and started the afternoon fishing the Key West reef, which has been producing steady action lately. Right away, we caught a legal mutton snapper along with three red grouper, all within legal size limits. Since grouper season is closed in Key West, the red grouper were safely released in excellent condition. While reef fishing, we found cero mackerel stacked up and feeding aggressively around the boat. As soon as we shut the engines down and dropped baits, they were instantly biting. We landed several cero mackerel before deciding to make a move offshore. With sunset approaching, we ran offshore to target tuna fishing in Key West, which is especially productive this time of year about 30 minutes before sunset. Before trolling, we stopped at a wreck and dropped a jig — a tuna crushed it before the jig even reached the bottom, giving us our first tuna of the trip. Once we started trolling offshore, the action fired up immediately. We hooked into a solid 20-pound tuna, and not long after that, all four rods went off at the same time. With just me, my wife, my mother, and our 15-month-old baby onboard, it was a wild and memorable moment. We successfully landed all four tuna, followed by two bonito to finish out the trip strong. Conditions were ideal for an afternoon Key West fishing charter. Winds were light to moderate, seas were comfortable, and water temperatures were sitting in the mid-70s, which is perfect for tuna and reef species. The current was moving steadily, keeping bait active, and the late-day tide change lined up perfectly with the sunset tuna bite. This trip highlights why reef fishing and offshore fishing in Key West can be extremely productive on afternoon and sunset charters. From reef species like mutton snapper and cero mackerel to fast-paced tuna fishing offshore, this is one of the best times of year to be on the water. ⸻ ? Ready to Book Your Key West Fishing Charter? If you’re looking for an action-packed Key West fishing charter, a family-friendly fishing trip, or a sunset tuna charter, now is the perfect time to get on the water. Afternoon trips offer cooler temps, calmer seas, and some of the best bites of the day. ? Book your Key West fishing charter today and experience the reef-to-offshore action for yourself. Dates fill fast this time of year!

? Key West Fishing Charter Report – Sand Key Lighthouse Reef Yesterday was an excellent day reef fishing in Key West, Florida, with steady action and ideal winter conditions just offshore near Sand Key Lighthouse. We ran double half-day fishing charters, and the reef definitely delivered. ? Key West Reef Fishing Action Fishing the reef, we landed: 2 cero mackerel A big mutton snapper A solid red grouper, caught just in time before the season closes We started the trip catching live ballyhoo, then slow-trolled the reef, which is one of the most effective techniques for Key West reef fishing charters this time of year. The live bait made all the difference, and once the bite started, it stayed consistent throughout both half-day trips. ? Weather, Wind & Current Conditions Conditions were nearly perfect for a Key West fishing charter: Winds from the ENE to NE at about 6–10 mph Light to moderate seas with a comfortable reef chop Clean water and a steady southwest-moving current along the reef line near Sand Key That moving current helped stack fish on the structure and kept them actively feeding, which is exactly what you want when targeting mutton snapper, grouper, and cero mackerel in Key West. ? Why This Time of Year Is Great for Fishing in Key West Winter is one of the best seasons for reef fishing charters in Key West, especially around Sand Key and the outer reef. Cooler water temps, live bait availability, and consistent currents create prime conditions for quality reef species — and yesterday was a perfect example. If you’re looking to book a Key West fishing charter, now is a great time to get on the reef and take advantage of these conditions. ?