By: Capt. Bruce Andersen
December is one of my favorite months to fish here in the Florida Keys. The weather’s beautiful, the crowds are down, and the fishing can be absolutely fantastic. In many ways, December marks the start of our busy season here in the Keys. Early in the month things are still pretty quiet, making it a great time to enjoy the islands without the crowds. As we move toward the holidays, the pace picks up quickly and by the end of the month, the tourist season is in full swing. It’s a fun time to be here, with great energy around town and even better fishing offshore.
Offshore, December means sailfish season. These fish are one of the most exciting catches around. In my opinion, nothing beats watching a sailfish light up behind the bait and then take off, tail-walking across the surface. Most days we’re live baiting and kite fishing for sails, and while they’re the main target, we see plenty of other pelagics too. Blackfin tuna, mahi-mahi, wahoo, and king mackerel all make appearances. This keeps things interesting and you never know what’s going to bite next.
Closer to the reef, the snapper bite has been excellent. The patch reefs are full of mutton snapper, yellowtail, and a mix of other reef fish that keep rods bending all day. It’s a great way to put some tasty fillets in the box. For those who like dropping deep, yelloweye and vermilion snapper have been steady as well. Both are unbelievably beautiful fish, excellent eating, and a ton of fun to catch.
December also marks the start of the sailfish tournament season here in the Keys. I don’t fish many tournaments myself since I’m usually busy running charters, but the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament will kick things off December 5th through 7th. It’s a great event and an important fundraiser for the Islamorada Charter Boat Association, which supports local scholarships and other good causes around the Upper Keys.
All in all, December is a fantastic month to get out on the water. Whether you’re after a trophy sailfish or just looking for steady action and good-eating fish, you can’t beat fishing in the Florida Keys this time of year. If you’d like to get in on the fun, give me a call and book a trip aboard The Captain Easy. Let’s go catch ’em up!
— 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