Key West Visverslagen

Swirling winds has made the fishing unpredictable but the shark fishing yesterday was very good a lot of different species, today was sailfish and tuna offshore

2 Sailfish and a pretty good tuna bite in comfortable weather

Key West Fishing Report: Yesterday we headed out for a productive bottom fishing trip near the reef with live Ballyhoo and plenty of action on rod and reel! ?️ Weather & Sea Conditions • Air Temperature: Typical Key West winter warmth in the low-70s °F range. • Water Temperature: Around 70–75°F — perfect for snapper, grouper and reef species. • Wind: Light to moderate winds from the Northeast around ~7–13 mph — great for reef and nearshore fishing. • Fishing Forecast: Current activity is average, so matching tides and baits continues to be important for consistent bites. ⸻ ? Trip Summary We started the day by stopping to pick up fresh live Ballyhoo to target bottom species — always a productive bait choice for Key West reef and bottom fishing. Once baited up, we headed out to the reef and anchored for bottom fishing. ? Catches & Action • Snapper: We immediately landed three legal snapper right off the anchor — great start! • Groupers: A few groupers came up, but they were undersized so we released them for future conservation. • Barracuda: Opportunistic barracuda were in the mix — these hard-fighting predators love Ballyhoo! • Lane Snapper: We also added some tasty lane snapper to the tally. This kind of mixed-species bottom and reef fishing is classic Key West in January — cooler water temps but active reef bites when tides and calm conditions align. ⸻ ? Tide & Bite Insights • Tides in the area were transitioning throughout the day — fishing around moving water and tide changes helped keep the bites consistent. • Solunar activity was average — combining this with live Ballyhoo and anchored reef drift techniques helped produce steady bites. ⸻ ? What This Means for Anglers If you’re planning a Key West fishing charter for bottom fishing, reef fishing, snapper & grouper trips, now is a great time to head out. Live Ballyhoo continues to be a top bait choice, especially when paired with calm seas and manageable tides. Conditions like yesterday allow for comfortable fishing and steady action, whether you’re chasing snapper, barracuda, or other reef species.

Winter time fishing is NOW!! The Cobia have been thick nearshore. After pulling on some Cobia we moved in and caught our share of mangrove snapper and finished the day with a nice Tarpon.

Ever Changing wind direction Southeast wind brought mahi yesterday

Late Afternoon Tuna Bite – January 7th | Key West Fishing Report We headed out late afternoon on January 7th with one goal in mind — tuna fishing in Key West. Winter is prime time for tuna, and they’re known to feed hard about 30 minutes before sunset, so we timed it perfectly. As soon as we got lines in the water, it was instant action. We immediately hooked up on blackfin tuna, and the bite stayed hot. The tuna were jumping everywhere around the boat, exploding on baits and putting on an incredible show. By the end of the trip, we landed five solid tuna, making for an unforgettable evening on the water. Key West Weather Conditions The weather was classic winter fishing conditions in Key West — mild temperatures, light winds, and calm seas offshore. These stable conditions made for a comfortable ride and helped keep the tuna actively feeding right before sunset. ✅ Why This Matters Late afternoon and sunset trips are some of the best fishing charters in Key West during winter, especially if you’re targeting fast-paced action and hard-fighting pelagics like tuna. When the timing is right, the bite can be nonstop. If you’re looking for a Key West fishing charter that knows how to time the bite and put you on fish, sunset tuna trips are hard to beat.