KEY WEST FISHING REPORT - April 27th 2010

This morning, I guided a group down south to the Gulf Stream aboard the Coolcast to take advantage of the great wind conditions and the Sailfish run. At a depth of about 130 feet, our party hooked an array of fish, including one Sailfish, a Bonito, a Blackfin, and some Mahi Mahi. I set up the anglers with live Cigar Minnows and Threadfins as bait. The Mahi Mahi (also known as Dolphin Fish) really begins to bite at this point in the year. I actually spotted the Mahi Mahi, and quickly gave my clients a couple of light tackle rods to cast near these excellent fighting fish. They reeled in two, a female weighing 20 pounds and a male that tipped the scales at 32 pounds.

I also headed over to Permit Reef for the first time this season. This time every year, schools of spawning Permit swarm this pile of rocks in fifty feet of water. I set up light spinning rods with live peelers so my clients can simply cast into the mass of shimmering silver fish. Our group hooked seven Permit.

In the morning on Wednesday, I'm following the shrimpers in order to catch the Blackfin Tuna that follows these boats into the Gulf of Mexico.

Good anglin',

Capt. Damon Santelli