Southbound
Catch of the Day
Mahi are coming!
Spring is here and that means Mahi fishing. This is the time of year when we start to see more Mahi , (also called Dolphin locally), offshore. The wind starts to come out of the East and Southeast most of the time. It brings the humidity we see in the summer months,...
Late March and April Sailfish Run
In the spring It is normal to get a run of Sailfish. We catch Sailfish all year long, but they tend to come through the Lower Keys in bigger numbers this time of year. Mostly it depends on the conditions. if the conditions are “right”, the fish are usually...
Late afternoon Tuna fishing
This time of year, The Black Fin Tuna are usually around. You will mark the schools while driving around outside the reef. Most of the time they are deep during the day so most don’t bite. But just before sunset, they will all come up and feed. For this reason,...
He Wanted a big Fish!
I had a young man on the boat Southbound today, and he Wanted a big Fish! The trip was his “Christmas” present from his mom. He wanted to catch a big fish and my 1st mate and I wanted to make sure he caught one. We had 2 trips scheduled and on the first...
Some days are better than others
Some days are better than others Sometimes the fishing is good, Some days – Not so good. Some days the weather is fantastic,(more often than not here in Key West), and some days the Weather is not so...
Every day is Different
When you fish for a living, One thing you learn is every day is different. You can fish in the same place, with the same baits and lures going the same speed and one day will always be different from the next! Always! I have said for years that the only thing...
Two Trips Today!
The Southbound had two trips today A 4 hr. in the morning and a 6 hr. in the afternoon. My morning customers asked to catch Dolphin, (Mahi) and normally in January, I would have recommended against it. It’s not a good time of year. But there have been a few...
Going for Action on Day #2
As I mentioned in my last post, We were going for action today as it was the second day with this group. We got a few dolphins,(Mahi) yesterday with these folks, (that made Mom very happy) and so on Day #2, I planned to get live ballyhoo and fish the Reef. I expected...
Fishing for Dolphin in Winter
Generally speaking, fishing for Dolphin in winter is the wrong time of year to expect success. The key phrase there is “generally speaking”. That’s because after over 30 years of fishing in Key West, Florida, I have learned to never say...
Sailfish on the Reef!
This time of year, The water cools off and the baitfish, (Ballyhoo), move out of the shallow water to the reef where the water is deeper and warmer. When that happens, lots of predators come in to feed. Barracuda, Mackerel, Kingfish, Jacks, and even Sailfish will come...
The Wind has Finally Dropped!
It is the Day after Christmas, December 26, 2023 And the Wind has finally dropped!! It has been blowing over 20mph and some days up to 40mph for the last 3 weeks. Brutal weather when you are trying to take people out for a fun day of fishing! The few trips we have...
Kingfish are here!
December has brought Cooler weather and that means the King Mackerel are here! King Mackerel as we call them, Also known as Kingfish, are pushed South as the water gets colder. They are fished commercially by both net and Hook and line fishermen. Their numbers have...