Capt.ChrisLembo
11-16-2006, 07:03 AM
Key West Offshore Report 11/12/06
It was an excellent week for fishing. Great weather landed upon us this week and the fishing was in full swing as the full moon passed. Water temperature is heading towards optimum levels for reef fishing and as soon as a few more fronts push through to our north we will see a rapid increase in the influx of winter species.
Offshore this time of year is not as far offshore as it is any other time of the year. Generally during the winter it is not necessary to fish much deeper than 200 feet. Most of the species moving in for the winter will be found from the reef out to 200 feet. Sailfish will be cruising the edge of the reef out to 200 or so. Kingfish, Cero Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel will prowl the edges of drop-offs. Wahoo will cruise the ledges just off the reef as well as some wrecks. Dolphin are an occasional visitor to the edges of the reef during the winter as well. It is common to have a school of Dolphin cruise into your chum slick while Yellowtailing and bottom fishing on the reef. Tunas should be starting to move in heavily as soon as some blue water pushes in. The amount of bait out there should start to attract good numbers of fish. There have been Tunas coming in here and there but nothing steady yet.
On the reef the bottom fishing has been steadily improving. There have been good sized Grouper starting to move into the 80-110 foot depths on the reef edge. I had a charter with a 15 pound Black and two Charters that lost similar to bigger sized fish. I get a lot of calls from people looking to charter that say they don’t like bottom fishing. I guess they think it is boring!! Usually all it takes is one nice Grouper to put their fishing skills back in check and change their opinion on bottom fishing. When a big Grouper rocks up it can be frustrating. Usually all it takes is 20 seconds of free-spool on the line and they swim out of the hole. Then wind as fast as you can and get him 10 feet off the bottom so he can’t reach it on the short bursts that Grouper fight with. Keep cranking and once he is away from any rocks then settle in and keep the lifting and winding down fast and smooth. Yellowtail are still biting. I had a few good days with very large fish this week. Not great numbers but big Yellowtail. Porgies, Triggerfish and plenty of Cero and Spanish Mackerel filled in the days.
With the North wind there has been little chance to fish the Gulf. Wrecks and Rockpiles should be starting to hold Cobia, Gag and Red Grouper in keeper lengths as well as Kingfish, Cero and Spanish Mackerel.
My days off fishing buddy Ronda with a nice 15 pound Black Grouper she yanked form 88 feet.
It was an excellent week for fishing. Great weather landed upon us this week and the fishing was in full swing as the full moon passed. Water temperature is heading towards optimum levels for reef fishing and as soon as a few more fronts push through to our north we will see a rapid increase in the influx of winter species.
Offshore this time of year is not as far offshore as it is any other time of the year. Generally during the winter it is not necessary to fish much deeper than 200 feet. Most of the species moving in for the winter will be found from the reef out to 200 feet. Sailfish will be cruising the edge of the reef out to 200 or so. Kingfish, Cero Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel will prowl the edges of drop-offs. Wahoo will cruise the ledges just off the reef as well as some wrecks. Dolphin are an occasional visitor to the edges of the reef during the winter as well. It is common to have a school of Dolphin cruise into your chum slick while Yellowtailing and bottom fishing on the reef. Tunas should be starting to move in heavily as soon as some blue water pushes in. The amount of bait out there should start to attract good numbers of fish. There have been Tunas coming in here and there but nothing steady yet.
On the reef the bottom fishing has been steadily improving. There have been good sized Grouper starting to move into the 80-110 foot depths on the reef edge. I had a charter with a 15 pound Black and two Charters that lost similar to bigger sized fish. I get a lot of calls from people looking to charter that say they don’t like bottom fishing. I guess they think it is boring!! Usually all it takes is one nice Grouper to put their fishing skills back in check and change their opinion on bottom fishing. When a big Grouper rocks up it can be frustrating. Usually all it takes is 20 seconds of free-spool on the line and they swim out of the hole. Then wind as fast as you can and get him 10 feet off the bottom so he can’t reach it on the short bursts that Grouper fight with. Keep cranking and once he is away from any rocks then settle in and keep the lifting and winding down fast and smooth. Yellowtail are still biting. I had a few good days with very large fish this week. Not great numbers but big Yellowtail. Porgies, Triggerfish and plenty of Cero and Spanish Mackerel filled in the days.
With the North wind there has been little chance to fish the Gulf. Wrecks and Rockpiles should be starting to hold Cobia, Gag and Red Grouper in keeper lengths as well as Kingfish, Cero and Spanish Mackerel.
My days off fishing buddy Ronda with a nice 15 pound Black Grouper she yanked form 88 feet.