Reef Fishing Heating Up For Spring

Permit Key West caught with Capt. Steven Lamp Key West permit fishing with Capt. Steven Lamp

March 10 2019 – Nothing i like more than a flat calm day in March for me to get out and run. Last week provided a few of those days for us here in Key West and made many Key West anglers very happy with nice catches of yellowtail snapper, red grouper, permit, kingfish, tunas and mutton snappers.

Key West Reef Fishing Report

Yellowtail Snappers Key West
Yellowtail snappers were getting to be a good average size last week here in Key West.

Reef fishing the yellowtail snappers have been very strong with a consistent bite and larger fish. We have landed fish in the 3-4 lb range in the last week with good number of just under 20″ yellowtail snappers. Along with fishing for yellowtails we also get our fair share of by catch such as huge Yellow jacks and Jack crevalles.

Due to a very modest current last week I decided to mix up the game a bit and fish a little shallower with some artificial lures and came up with some nice catches of Lane Snappers and Mutton Snappers.

I can always tell when spring starts to come to Key West fishing as the permit are starting to stack up on the structures where I see them regularly. This is a welcome sight for us as our anglers really love the surprise of a nice man hole cover to round out a day of light tackle fishing. My anglers caught a few of these guys such as the one at the headline of this fishing report.. Nice fish.. He went almost 30 lbs.

Key West Reef Fishing Forecast

Yellowtail, mutton snapper
A nice box of fresh fish on board my 36ft Yellowfin center console the “Too Intense”.

It’s no great guess that our best Key West fishing for the year is still in front of us. Yes, its only going to get better from here. As the temps go moderate and the Ides of March prevail the reef will come alive with action as the water gets twisted up and the bait becomes plentiful.

I expect in the next week with the lighter winds the reef fishing will remain the same, Great! Lots of opportunities to catch food fish will be a thing here and we will be able to act on it with the nicer weather without beating folks up. Past next week my crystal ball for the weather is not saying much but, if I had to guess I would say we are looking at a very mild March which means April might just suck for winds. We have to have the winds for spring to roll over into summer. Happens every year, just when, is the question.

Coming Up

Grouper season opens back up on the first of May here in the South Atlantic. It looks like we will also be getting some Red Snapper season this year in the South Atlantic in the summer. Details in our Key West fishing News.

Reef Fishing Charters

If you just read my fishing report here you will realize that spring is a very busy time for us here in Key West for fishing charters. BOOK EARLY.. Dont delay. If you know when you will be here and have your rooms booked, call us.. 305-292-7212. Get your fishing guide booked for your trip if you plan to fish for some tasty reef fish. We may not be able to take you ourselves here at Dream Catcher Charters but we might be able to get you out there with one of our many colleagues that run similar trips. Check out our Key West Fishing Rates to learn more about Key West fishing.

To Learn More About Key West Fishing Or To Book A Trip.. 
Call Us.. 1-305-292-7212

Text Us..
1-786-847-3808

Email Us
info@dreamcatchercharters.com 

About Capt. Steven Lamp
Dr Catcher Is - Capt. Steven Lamp - Owner of Dream Catcher Charters is a veteran Key West fishing guide for flats fishing, deep sea fishing, wrecks and reef fishing, and fly fishing. An expert waterman and licensed captain since 1986. A Veteran of the United States Coast Guard Heavy Weather Search and Rescue, I.G.F.A. Certified Captain and Standing regional board member of The Florida Fishing Guides Association