key west fishing

This week in the keys… The weather finally has started to cooperate and all the big players are here! Everyone has shown up to play, inshore, offshore and on the reef.

Offshore, the dolphin are moving threw anywhere from 400 on out. Big fish little fish and everyone in between. Keep an eye out for sails and the occasional man in the blue suit. We are not known for our marlin down here but quite a few have been hooked up the last two weeks. Any piece of debris floating, weed lines or big patches of weed are worth a look. If you don’t hook anything around it stop, throw some bait in and drop a jig down 100 ft or so and rip it back up. Some times theyll sit a little deep as the day goes on. Put a trace of wire on for a Wahoo. You never know 🙂

Last Saturday we had our first big schools of tarpon move imtp the harbor. Top to bottom on the screen and walls of fish rolling in everywhere. You can chum them wth cut bait or cast live pinfish, big shrimp or crabs to get them to eat. Look for fish that are comfortable where they are. If the schools are moving around a lot there may be a big shark shadowing them and they went going to be likely to eat a bait. There’s still some permit on tje reef but the gulf wrecks amd shallow channel edges are stil the way to go for them. Finish the day wth a bonefish for the Grandslam!

The reef is on! Grouper opened on May 1 and they have been hitting the dock real good. 1 black or gag per person so hold off till you get a big one to lay on the grill. Lots of slob red groupers are coming out of the shallower patch reef just inside the main reef line. The muttons are setting up to spawn this month around the full moon. It definitely makes it easier to catch them just remember the limit has dropped to 5 per person at 18 inches. It only takes a couple of these big guys to fill a freezer. As always lots of chum for the yellowtails to get them up tight to the boat.

May is one of the best months to fish in the keys for all of our top gamefish inshore and offshore. Most of your top reputable guides may have a few days left open, if your looking give me a call and we’ll see if we can get you out. With all the great opportunities fishing has to offer this month take your kids fishing! Make the memories of a life time with them!!! Their the ones that are going to push us down the dock im pur wheel chairs when we get old 🙂 tight lines and full fish boxes everyone and stay safe. From Key West Capt Charles Donney on the Tails2Sails.