By Coastal Angler Magazine Staff
Photo courtesy of Show Me The Fish Charters
September has been called a transitional month for the waters off Key Largo, but it’s really more of a continuation of very good summer fishing. The main thing transitioning is all the crowds back to the mainland.
This exodus means it’s downtime for the charter boats and resorts of the keys. What that means for you is the ability to find a charter boat with a few open days on the book and maybe a cut rate on a hotel room. The fish are still biting.
They always are. One of the best bites going on right now should be on the reefs, which will be holding plentiful bottomfish like the snappers, particularly vermilions in the 5- to 7-pound range, groupers, porgies and amberjack. These are fish that make for fine table fare and fast action for folks who enjoy sinking baits and hauling up the bounty.
Also alluring is the opportunity to catch the early stages of the fall fishing boom. Dolphin fishing is good year-round, but some of the bigger mahi start to show up on deck this time of year and it only gets better as the season progresses. When it’s on, a good captain can sometimes find non-stop action with these gorgeous and tasty Florida Keys staples. When you know where they are, pitching baits to them can exceptional fun, but trolling can be the better option for the bigger fish. Sometimes a wahoo will crash the party to surprise a lucky angler. There aren’t many feelings better than heading home to the grill with a cooler full of fresh mahi.
Blackfin tuna will also be making their annual migration to the humps and seamounts off the Keys this month, and Key Largo Hump is a prime spot that concentrates these bruisers. They generally run in the 5 to 15 pound range with a good shot at a fish heavier than 20 pounds. It is an excellent time of year to fish light tackle spinning gear to really feel the pull of these powerful fish. After a 20-fish day battling blackfin standup, you’ll be begging for mercy through a toothy grin.
And all this action is just a precursor to the main event. Sometime over the next couple months, the sailfish will show up en masse to kick off some of the best fishing of the year. Sometimes the term transition is used in angling to indicate difficult fishing. In the Keys, it indicates a transition from good to better.
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