It has been a fairly mild winter down here in the Lower Keys. A few big blows here and there but for the most part the weather has been very nice. What a month of fishing it has been. Offshore has been absolutely loaded with blackfin tuna. Blackfins are by far the best tasting tuna that is commonly caught down here. Really the only one that can really be considered “sushi” grade. If raw fish isn’t really your thing try one of my own personal favorite “sesame seared”. This is where the fish is browned on the outside, however the inside is left quite red. Kind of like a medium rare steak. However you choose to prepare your fish to insure the best quality possible proper measures should be taken immediately after catching your tuna. “Bleeding” the fish out will make your fillet very light pink and mild tasting. Personally I like to gut the fish all together and completely rinse out the inside. Throw a bucket of saltwater in your icebox creating a salt brine will bring the core temperature of the fish down to the lowest possible temperature. Now here is one of the secrets. If you want to make the highest quality sushi possible, do not eat the fish right away. Instead rather take your fish out of the salt brine and place it in a cooler in an upright position and completely pack with ice so no part of the fish can be seen. Let sit over night and prepare to eat the next day. Allowing the fish to “age” overnight packed in ice will provide the best quality texture and flavor you could ask for.
If you’re already fished out from the many great meals of tuna, wahoo, and snapper the Florida Keys waters have to offer all winter long and just want to battle a hard fighting catch and release gamefish that doesn’t require filleting or scrubbing chum and bait off the boat, then this is the time of year for you. March is approaching. The ice will be melting and spring is arriving. This is prime season for targeting permit in the backcountry. Sightfishing a live crab or a fly to a school of tailing permit is an experience of a lifetime. However, fishing the shallow water is not the only way to fish permit. Drifting a live crab 4ft under a cork with 2/0 hook and 30lb leader down backcountry channels should produce great results. Don’t be surprised if an early school of tarpon shows up.
Great time of year to fish. Just have to get out there and put the time in. If you don’t go, you don’t know!
Captain Nate Wheeler
(305)-394-2177