By Capt. Mike Weinhofer
Welcome to the Key West winter fishery. It has been a cold start to the winter. Windy cold and the water temps are dropping fast.
As February starts the winter fishing has kicked into high gear. The reef is packed with snapper. The yellowtail will bite on the shallow edge of the reef on the west bound current and the east current will push them out to the 80 to 120 foot depth. The mangrove snapper have will continue to be active in the 35 to 60 foot depth. Muttons are under the ballyhoo on the reef edge out to about 160. The kingfish are also lining up on the reef edge with the cero and Spanish mackerel eating the ballyhoo. Watch out for spraying ballyhoo, often the sailfish will chase the ballyhoo up onto the reef. Otherwise look for the sailfish in the 120 to 240 depth, bump trolling live ballyhoo can be really successful. The wrecks will fill with blackfin tuna during the day and live pilchards are the answer to chum them up from the depths. You can catch the blackfin tunas early morning and late afternoon trolling look from about 160 to 350 in depth. The birds are your friend to keep track of the tunas in the afternoon.
The gulf side is also alive with action, the wrecks fill with sharks cobia and snappers. The gulf towers can be loaded with cobia and permit and kingfish. The amberjacks are always on the towers and just another fun addition to the action.
Enjoy the cool winter breeze and all the fun fishing action that comes with it.
Take a break get out on the water and remember why we all live in this special place.
Capt Mike Weinhofer
Compass Rose Charters, 305-395-3474
www.KeyWestFloridaFishing.com