Other notable catches this past week have included a massive mangrove snapper, a 30-pound king fish, two gag grouper, and several bonita. The week has also continued with the permit and tarpon trend, which is sure to stick around for the rest of spring. This is mating season for tarpon and our captains are keen to the tarpon behavior, knowing exactly when the best times are to catch this bad boys! Memorial Day weekend is coming up fast and the majority of our charters are already booked up for that weekend, so if you're looking to go out with one of our local Key West fishing guides, make your reservations now!

While we are still in the thick of tarpon fishing in Key West, this past week has seen more of a focus on other species, both in the shallow flats areas and the deeper offshore fishing sites. It has been reported that while flats fishing in Key West, the permit have been the biggest catch. Spring is an excellent time for permit fishing in Key West . You can catch these suckers on the offshore trips, but the unique style of fishing in the flats makes for an interesting permit fishing experience. Our top-notch roster of Key West fishing captains are all locals who fish in these waters year-round. They know these waters like the back of their sun-burnt hands. So you can be sure that when you are going out fishing with one of these guys, you will be getting the best possible Key West fishing experience!

Key West deep sea fishing has been catching have been big! Two of our captains came back last week with report of nearly 50-pound dolphin mahi-mahi catches! Other larger species they've caught out in the offshore waters include wahoo, sailfish, snapper, and grouper. On one sunset trip early last week, our captain and his happy customers came back with a report of eight Silver King catches. The action is as full and exciting as ever down in Key West. It straight up feels like summer time and we are gearing up for the busy Memorial Day weekend!

Lady Fish are known as the “Poor Man’s Tarpon”. They have a few similarities to the tarpon but are less exaggerated and smaller. They have a slender body with small scales that come off very easily. Their last dorsal ray is slightly elongated on a single dorsal fin. They have no teeth and a slightly pointed head. The Florida record is 4 pounds and 10 ounces.

Seasons for Lady Fishing in Key West

Lady fish are available November through April in the Lower Florida Keys an Key West.

Where to Catch Lady Fish in Key West

The Lady Fish is an inshore fish and is found in bays, basins, and estuaries. They are usually found in schools and thrash schools of bait.

How/ Techniques to Catch Lady Fish in Key West

Key West Fishing Charters catch Lady Fish with the same techniques as Spotted Sea Trout fishing. The guide usually drifts across grassy bottom basins in the backcountry. The fish are very acrobatic and once hooked stay in the air more than the water.

Equipment Used to catch Lady Fish in Key West

Ultra light spinning tackle with 6 pound test and a 7 foot fast action rod. Small jigs, crank baits, and lures work well. They are not very finicky, but hit like thunder.

Offshore we are seeing the beginning of grouper season! These delicious fish can be taken home with you and cooked up at one of the many local seafood restaurants. We have seen catches that include black and red grouper, as well as gag grouper and scamp grouper. The other main catches this week off shore has been Mahi Mahi, another awesome species to catch since you can also take it back to shore with you! Bring your sunscreen and come hang out with one of our highly respected and talented local Key West fish guides!

Another species we've been very successful in catching lately is Blackfin Tuna. Recent reports have been coming back with these guys weighing between 15 and 30 pounds. The most success we've had in catching blackfin tuna has been in the really deep waters, we're talking depths of 150-250 and usually above the shipwrecks that are found in waters this deep.

As for the shallow water trips out to the flats, I myself have gone on a few of these this week. The big star fish has been the Kingfish. One day we caught three Kingfish on a half-day charter, with the biggest one weighing in at 47 pounds! We did slow trolling off on the reef edge and used live bait to catch these big boys. Same method worked marvelously for Wahoo, with our biggest one weighing in at 45 pounds.

On the Atlantic side, offshore anglers have been having success utilizing live bait to catch Wahoo, Sailfish, and Blackfin Tuna approximately eight to fifteen miles from the docks while fishing in Key West. They've been hitting Pilchards as well as Thread-fin Herring. We've been having the most success in one hundred twenty to two hundred twenty feet of water. Bottom fishing with Mutton Snapper has also been good lately. We recently had a really nice half day outing, bringing back two of four Sailfish and a half dozen Mahi Mahi.

On the Gulf of Mexico side, anglers are regularly nabbing twenty to forty-five pound King Mackerel approximately eight to twenty miles from port on the Coolwater recently reported a forty-three pounder on one of his charters. The King Mackerel are also hitting the live bait, including Herring and Blue Runners.

About the catch

Although there was a cold front we were still having amazing charters going out all week. The unseasonable warm weather has continued here in Key West and this week One of our top catches of the week wasby Mac Williams on the Coolwater with a Black Fin Tuna over 15lbs on his first fishing charter ever.

Inshore and Flats Fishing

While this month is traditionally colder we have been fortunate to have a warm february and that is good news for every fisherman in the area. Our Flats fishing charters has been especially successful with several permits and jacks being caught on a daily basis.

Deep Sea Fishing

While our flats fishing charters have been doing well our deep sea fishing charters have also had their fair share of great catches. The wahoo have not begun biting quite yet but we have been seeing grouper all over the reef and there are plenty of snapper all around the mangroves.

Hopefully the colder front that we are expecting this weekend will pass by quickly and we will be able to get back on the waters quickly. If you are looking for a charter call us today as our charters book up fast in the second half of February.

An angler's paradise, a golfer's haven and a shopper's dream all rolled into one package. Dock your boat at Sunset Marina in Key West, Florida, and feel the tensions flow away. On the gulf side of the island, protected by two breakwaters, Sunset Marina is located on Key West's Stock Island, a quick bicycle or car trip from Key West's famous shopping and restaurants. The luxury condominium resort provides a wide spectrum of amenities.

Many Amenities

Offering state of the art floating concrete docks with slips of 30, 40, 50 or 60 feet for sale or lease, Sunset Marina is ideally situated just off Key West proper. A laundromat and climate controlled shower are on premises. The full service marina store is open daily until 6 p.m., with a supermarket about two miles away. The marina is close to the exciting night life for which Key West is famous but far enough away to provide quiet, restful sleep. The marina also offers fresh water hookup, 30 or 50 amp power connections, Wi-Fi access, refueling pumps, and a waste pump-out facility.

Just Down the Road From Key West Golf Course

The Key West Golf Course is within walking distance of the marina. The 18-hole Rees Jones' designed course won Trip Advisor's 2013 Certificate of Excellence, with reviewers saying it is a fun course to play. Mention is made that with tropical nature all around, including mangrove trees, iguanas, ibises and egrets, it never gets boring. The course offers a couple of difficult holes to keep everyone on their toes. The clubhouse has a restaurant open until 4 in the afternoon providing a nice lunch or a refreshing cocktail.

Shopping, Art Galleries and Bars

Key West's famous shopping and art galleries are just across the narrow Cow Key Channel. A city bus is available with bicycle, taxi or private car as other options. Once over the channel, it's a straight shot down Truman Street to Duval Street with its abundance of Fine Art galleries and its interesting shops. Key West offers a wide choice of museums, including kid-pleasing Ship Wreck Museum and The Heritage House Museum and Robert Frost Cottage, where some of the island's most famous celebrities gathered in their day. Ernest Hemingway's house provides another must-see museum. Duval Street is also home to some of the most iconic bars and restaurants on Key West. The Green Parrot is the oldest bar on the island; it offers honky-tonk music starting each evening around 5:30. It has a laid-back, fun vibe, as do most of Key West's bars and ubiquitous seafood restaurants.

Key West Florida Fishing

No discussion of Key West could be complete without talking about its famous fishing. Key West offers tours for every kind of fishing available. If you want to do intense battle with a fighting fish, book a deep sea tour. One of the better Key West charters that offer deep sea fishing is the Coolcast, run by Captain Mike LeDrew. Deep sea fishing with modern techniques on a modern boat provides an exciting experience not often surpassed. At the trip's return, you will pass Sunset Marina, getting a good idea of location and ambiance.

Key West Florida fishing is not confined to just deep sea thrills. Other Key West charters include light tackle fishing around the coral reefs or what is known as wreck fishing around other sea floor structures. Some of the best tasting fish are caught around the food-rich corals and barnacle covered bottom structures. Snapper, with their firm, flaky white meat are native to these warm Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic waters and are abundant. For a completely different experience, try Florida flat fishing. Book a tour with Bill Stockton aboard the Dream Sickle to try shallow water sight fly-fishing. In the clear waters of the shallow backcountry flats, you throw in a line and watch the fish swim to it. Bonefish, permit, and the often-giant Tarpon are common catches.

Great Florida Reef Snorkeling

The Great Florida Reef is a quick seven miles from the Key West shore. It is the only barrier coral reef in the continental United States and is the third largest barrier reef system in the world. The coral reef offers refuge to over 1,400 species of plants and animals. It is between 5,000 and 7,000 years old, making a visit to the reef a glimpse into history. If not fishing, try a snorkeling trip for a stunning view of the beauty so close to home. Or nearer to shore, try paragliding behind a fast moving speedboat. Or learn to snuba, a method allowing dives of up to 20 feet deep with the only equipment being an air tube attached to a snorkel mask. Anyone over eight years old who can swim is allowed. Fascinating glass bottom tours are also available for underwater sightseeing while remaining dry.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Key West is the southernmost city in the continental United States. It sits at the gateway to the Caribbean with Dry Tortugas National Park a day trip away. The park, one of the most remote in the National Park System, offers no overland access. The only way to get there is by boat or seaplane; a charter of each is available. The park is about 70 miles west of Key West and is home to Fort Jefferson, the lookout established to stop piracy in the Caribbean. Rich in history, the national park, sitting in crystal clear water, is also home to amazing reefs and protected wild life. Snorkeling and diving the colorful reef show life the diverse, and other animals within its purview.

Dockage at Key West's Sunset Marina provides access to this most exciting part of the world. Fun-filled day trips, exciting nightlife, then restful overnights, lead to vacationing with no parallel. Lease or buy your slip now; vacancy rate is low and you do not want to miss out.

Where to Begin?

This is the question that often stumps even the most seasoned of flats fisherman.

Andrew Bostick of Marco, Florida has more than 20 years experience guiding tours in the Everglades National Park and the Ten Thousand Islands areas of Florida. He recently offered advice to FLW Outdoors Magazine: “…if you really want to expedite the process…hiring a guide will help you learn at light speed. Shop around and find someone in your area, or the area you want to learn about, who is gears toward one-one-one instruction, and make the most of it by asking a lot of questions,” he said.

Where is the best place to find highly experienced flats fishing guides? Florida. A Key West fishing charter is the very best channel for a) getting the most out of your time and money and b) learning from some fisherman who have perfected the craft to the point that they are considered experts. There are a number of tours to choose from – the trick is to find the charter that will best suit you in terms of your budget, time and most of all, level of experience.

Some Charters to Choose from

One of the most exciting flats fishing excursions is the “Coolcast Charters” tour led by Captain Mike Ledrew. In the backcountry of the Lower Florida Keys, you, Mike and up to one more angler will scour the waters for tarpon, permit, bonefish, redfish, yellowtail, snapper, jacks and more. For the more adventurous, Mike will steer the skiff to where you can look for sharks and barracuda.

Included on this excursion are:

• 18' Gene Montgomery Flats Skiff

• Light Spin Rods and Fly Rods

• Sage, Finnor, Tibor Gear

• Ultra light spin rods from 8lb to 20lb

• Fly tackle - 8wt rod thru 13wt rod available in left hand retrieve or right hand retrieve

Another awesome adventure is the “Outcast” charter where Captain Ben Morehousewill implement his expertise in the backcountry flats fly fishing for tarpon, bonefish, and permit. Depending on the time of day, you, Ben and one other angler can fish as the sum comes up on the Marquesas, the Content Keys, or encounter the wondrous experience of fishing in the sunset.

Included in this expedition are:

• 16' Hewes Bayfisher Skiff

• Light Spin Rods and Fly Rods

• Shimano, G. Loomis, Tibor, & Billy Plate Reels

• Ultra light spin rods and increasing in size up to 30lb Tarpon and Shark spin rods.

• Fly tackle - 8wt rod thru 12wt rod available in left hand retrieve or right hand retrieve or both.

For most tours, poles, bait and tackle are provided for you, and costs vary depending on the length of time you want to spend on the skiff (4, 6 or 8 hours).

Highly suggested to pack for yourself are:

• Sunscreen

• Sunglasses

• Camera

• Comfortable Shoes

• Food and Drinks

No matter which Key West fishing charter adventure you choose, you are certain to have the time of your life. For both the novice and the seasoned, flats fishing Key West is unlike any experience you will encounter in all of the United States.