By: Capt. Bruce Andersen
Don’t overlook the off-season action here in the Florida Keys. When most people think about visiting the Florida Keys, they picture the busy months of winter or spring. But one thing my 30 years of experience as a charter captain here in the Keys has taught me is that October is one of the very best times to fish here. While tourism slows down a bit during the fall, the fishing action is anything but quiet. In fact, October offers some of the widest variety of fishing opportunities we see all year.
One of the unique advantages of October is the overlap of our fishing seasons. Offshore, summertime favorites like mahi-mahi and blackfin tuna are often still around. These pelagic species continue to provide plenty of action for anglers willing to put in the time offshore. At the same time, our winter fishery begins to come alive. As the water cools and baitfish start moving, the sailfish begin to show up, and we also start seeing more wahoo and king mackerel in the mix. This combination makes October an exciting month where you never quite know what you’ll find out there.
For those who enjoy reef and bottom fishing, October is also hard to beat. The reef edges and deeper wrecks hold excellent numbers of yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, and grouper. Slightly cooler fall weather and lighter boat traffic make conditions ideal for a productive day of anchoring down on the reef or drifting over wrecks. These fisheries are not only action-packed, but they also provide some of the best-tasting fish you’ll ever put on a dinner plate.
Another highlight of October are the first cold fronts of the season. When those first few fronts push through, it cools the air and water noticeably, signaling the start of the transition into late fall and winter fishing. Those shifts bring new opportunities and a different style of fishing, and being on the water during that change is always something special.
While many consider October to be the off-season in the Florida Keys, I’ve always considered it as a prime month for fishing. Whether you’re looking for offshore excitement, reef action, or a chance at a trophy gamefish, October delivers it all. If you’d like to experience it firsthand, I’d be glad to welcome you aboard my charter boat the Captain Easy, or you can choose from any of the other amazing charter operations here in the Keys. Either way, October is a month you don’t want to miss on the water here in the Florida Keys!
— www.captaineasycharters.com | You can reach Captain Bruce Andersen at Capt. Easy Charters, MM 85, call 305.360.2120 or email at: captbrucekey@comcast.net