Christmas fishing Key West

OFFSHORE: The Gulfstream has moved well offshore leaving the water near shore with a blue-green tent and a temperature of 78 degrees. This has pushed most of the Blackfin Tuna further east with most of the action due south of Key West. Little Tunny are plentiful all along the reef from the Tortugas through American Shoal Light. Only an occasional Sailfish and Wahoo are being taken while Dolphin are not to be found anywhere.

Bottom fishing remains very good with full bag limits of large Red Snapper falling to live bait and jigs. See our "CATCHES LAST WEEK" at www.delphfishingcharters.com . Mutton Snapper are building and will only get better as the season progresses. Scamp and Black Grouper are here and on the increase. It looks like they will be here just in time for the closed season. Amberjacks are in greater numbers along the reef than I have ever seen for this time of year, in more that 40 years. They are a virtual plague. The AJ's have been running from 4 to 60 pounds on the average. Large Jack Crevalles, in the mid 20# class, have been numerous on structures while fishing for the bottom dwellers. Small Sharpnose Sharks have been a plague as well, along the bottom. Large Reef Sharks have been chasing and eating hooked gamefish in the areas around the larger Key West wrecks.

Reef action has been good for medium to large Yellowtail Snapper for those chum fishing, and Ciro Mackerel are responding to jigs and live pilchards. Some of the latter topping the ten pound mark. Ciro mackerel unlike the Spanish Mackerel, are excellent eating. Kingfish ranging from 5 to 25 pounds have been numerous along the reef as well as in the deeper water. We have had to go to Steelon while bottom fishing, due to Kingfish cutoffs.

Hawks Channel has been plentiful with schools of small Spanish Mackerel and medium size Jack Crevalles. Very large Kingfish, some in the mid 40 pound range have been taken on live bait by those willing to spend the time chumming with block chum to draw them into the area.

The Gulf of Mexico has been fishing well for medium size Kingfish and small Spanish Mackerel, however, Cobia have been the target of most fishermen around the wrecks. Goliath grouper are still a plague for those fishing for Mangrove Snapper and Gag Groupers.

The flats have been fairly slow, however some of the knowledgeable guides have been producing some Bonefish along with Barracuda and Sharks. This action is determined by water temperature and will fluctuate as the temperature rises above or sinks below the 70 degree mark.

That's it for now. Tight lines and good fishing.
Captain Ralph Delph

December 1 fishing report

Wow! Talk about changes. Since my last report, the Gulfstream has moved in just 10 miles south of Sand Key Light. Offshore fishing has lit up with a vengeance. Blackfin Tuna have moved into the edge of the reef and are responding to live chum (pilchards). All boats have been reporting great catches and unbelievable action. Wahoo also moved in and the trolling boats have reported up to 7 fish per day. Further to the west, around Western Dry Rocks, large Kingfish, some into the 40's have been taken on drifted live bait. Live Bluerunners have been the most effective on the larger fish.

The water on the flats has warmed back up to the high 70's and reports of Bonefish seem to be back in the shallow water and eating both shrimp and artificials. The last report is still accurate with the exception of the above.
Check out "CATCHES OF THE PAST WEEK" www.delplhfishingcharters.com and check out some of the videos on the site as well.

That's it for now. Tight lines and good fishing.
Captain Ralph Delph

December 1st fishing report

Well, here we are for another winter season of fishing in the southern most point of the good old USA, Key West Florida. The first series of fronts have pushed through the area leaving the water a little cooler and a bit more turbid. This is exactly what we are looking for. Offshore, the water temperature is around 77 degrees, however the Gulfstream is 40 or so miles south of Sandkey light and most of the water has a greenish blue hue with only a few scattered sailfish and a dolphin here and there. The reef is starting to show signs of life as the bait has arrived and Ciro Mackerel have shown up for the banquet. They are usually one of the first indicators that the winter season is on. Ciro Mackerel, not to be confused with Spanish Mackerel, are extremely good eating with a delicate tasting white meat that can be fried, baked or broiled. Yellowtail action along the drop-off is good with most of the fish in the 3 to 4 pound range. Deep water Red Snapper, Mutton Snapper and Grouper action is good with some good catches showing up at docks. Remember that all grouper fishing in the Atlantic will close for January, February, March, and April, so if you need to get some grouper in the freezer to hold you over through the closed season, December is the last month to do it. See “CATCHES OF THE PAST WEEK” on our web sites at www.delphfishingcharters.com and www.delphfishing.com for the outstanding fishing that is going on down in Key West.



Light tackle action has been good around the shallow wrecks and edges of the flats for Jack Crevalle, Ladyfish, Bluerunners, Yellowtail Snappers etc. The action on the flats has slowed as the water temperature dipped below the 70 degree mark but will improve as the temperature rises above 70 degrees again. However, the deeper basins will remain good for Trout until hard winter arrives.



The Gulf of Mexico has been active with a few Kingfish and some small Spanish Mackerel showing behind boats using ground chum as attractors. But the best news is that the Cobia are expecting a cold winter as they have been showing in fairly good numbers around the wrecks in Florida Bay.



That’s it for now. Tight lines and good fishing.

Captain Ralph Delph