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Key West Fishing Report - Offshore
Capt. Ralph Delph
December 16, 2004
Key West - Saltwater Fishing Report
Although the Gulfstream is more than 20 miles south of the reef, the water has been a bright blue and the water temperature has been around 76 degrees. With the passage of the latest cold front, the water temperature has plummeted to 72 degrees offshore and this should mark the beginning of the great winter fishing that we are used to here in Key West. Prior to the passage of this front, the wahoo fishing has been the high point of this season. The west end of the bar has been producing good numbers of blackfin tuna, bonito, skipjack tuna up to 14 pounds, sailfish and lots of wahoo, some in the 60 pound plus class. Many of the boats have been reporting as many as a dozen or more wahoo per day. The wahoo have been taken by high speed trolling, trolling with balahoo, and live baiting as well as chumming with live pilchards. The tuna and bonito action has been most effective with the live pilchards. Sharks have been a problem with the light tackle boats especially around the sub and the west end of the bar. A good number of wahoo have been taken around Eastern Dry Rocks in 120’ to 180’ of water. The grouper and snapper fishing has been good one day and fair the next. Most of the mutton snappers have been running between 10 and 14 pounds. The red grouper have been in the 15-pound plus class and some of the black grouper have been into the 40’s. Yelloweye snapper up to 5 pounds have been in good supply.
The reef has been producing good numbers of good size ciro mackerel as well as some large barracudas. Some kingfish up to 50 pounds have been taken, however most have been running from 15 to 25 pounds. Yellowtail fishing has slowed but they are still in good supply. The larger fish are in 90’ to 120’ of water. Good numbers of large mutton snappers are responding well along the deep edge of the reef while using ground chum and free drifting cut bait.
Inshore, the bait is in good supply and mackerel and jack crevalle have been on a rampage in Hawks Channel. The birds are the key to locating the fish and bait. With the passage of this front, the water clarity should be off and it will take a few days for the water to get back to the clarity need for this type of fishing.
Reports of cobia in the northern gulf (Flamingo and Shark River area) have filtered in along with some reports of Spanish mackerel and some kingfish. The wrecks have been producing a few mangrove snapper along with the inevitable jewfish action.
With the water temperature below 70 degrees on the flats, expect to see little or nothing until the water temperature again hits 70 degrees or more. This could happen with a couple of days of mild weather and the permit action should continue until another cold front comes into the picture.
That’s it for now. Tight lines and good fishing.
Capt. Ralph Delph
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