Key West Catch of the Week - 11 Bluefin Tuna!

This year has been more than exemplary for fishing within the waters of Key West and this week serves to highlight this once again. There were plenty of amazing hauls brought in on our fishing charters, but the one that stuck out the most and took its place as our Key West Catch of the Week was a catch that reeled in 11 beautiful Bluefin Tunas, each weighing from around 25 to 50 pounds. While Bluefin Tunas are hardly scarce around Key West, it's the sheer amount of Bluefin Tuna caught at one time that is staggering, showing exactly why it was named as the Key West Catch of the Week.

About the Bluefin Tuna of the Florida Keys

Bluefin tuna are one of the most common species of fish found in Key West, as this species is prevalent in the western portion of the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most unique aspects of the Bluefin Tuna is that it can grow in size from 10 pounds to well over 900. This species of fish is highly sought after by anglers to use as food. In fact, dishes that utilize Bluefin Tuna are exceedingly popular in many restaurants within Key West. Bluefin Tuna are also often imported raw to Japan, as they are commonly used within Sashimi and Sushi dishes in many of the countries restaurants.

The 11 Bluefin Tuna Caught with Us inKey West

It's clear that the anglers that caught the 11 different Bluefin Tunas put up a fight when reeling them in, as Bluefin Tuna are known to be some of the speediest and most powerful species of fish in Key West waters. The body of the Bluefin Tuna is notable due to the dark blue colors at the top of the body, as well as its large mouth. When Key West fishing, it's common to find Bluefin among reefs and other similar habitats, as they feed primarily on small fish and invertebrates, including squid, crustaceans and sardines. With the weather being in the low 80's recently, the waters have been at the perfect temperatures, which could explain one of the reasons as to why these anglers were able to haul in 11 of its kind. The mix of sunny and rainy weather also likely aided in creating fantastic fishing conditions, as the best time to catch Bluefin Tuna is when they are feeding, which tends to take place after the rain has hit.

The primary reason that the Bluefin Tuna can be so difficult to reel in once hooked is due to its extreme amount of strength, as mentioned previously. This strength is derived from a pair of tendons that are attached to the caudal fin. This allows a Bluefin Tuna to use heavy amounts of propulsion when attempting to swim away. If you would like to see if your fishing skills are up to the task, drop by Key West and head out on one of our many different charters. You may even prove to be up to the challenge and see your catch as our Key West Catch of the Week.