Upper Keys Fishing

by Capt. Dallas Hopper

Summer is here and the Mahi bite is in full swing! We’re seeing large numbers of schoolies and gaffer sized fish migrating through offshore, with a few large slammers in the mix. Most of the action has been taking place in the 300-600 foot range, but there has been a few days where we have had to travel a little further offshore to find the fish. Be ready to spend lots of time in the binoculars looking for birds working on a school of fish, also there has been plenty of sargassum grass floating around forming grass lines and patches.

We start out trolling four lines when searching for the Mahi, but once we find a body of fish it’s not uncommon for us to minimize to a two rod spread. Whenever we encounter schools of Mahi we target them with 20 lb spinning gear and a 5/0 long shank j hook with about five feet of 60 lb monofilament for a leader. Around the full moon the Mahi can be very finicky from feeding all night, a bait well full of “palm sized” blue runners or pilchards is key to get the fish fired up into a feeding frenzy. Be sure to keep a larger 30lb spin outfit close by, you never know when a slammer sized Mahi may come crash the party.

The deep drop bite for grey tilefish and snowy grouper had been excellent, targeting these fish with electric reels in the 400-800 foot range. The grouper love hanging around structure like deep water ledges and rock piles, while the tilefish prefer sandy or muddy bottom. We use a five hook “chicken rig” baited with squid or bonita strips and attach a small light to the top of the rig to help draw them in.

Fishing around the shallower wrecks has still been producing a great bite of grouper, amberjack and mutton snapper. Dropping live bluerunner and grunts is the way to go for the aj’s and grouper, while the mutton snapper are a little more wary of the heavy tackle used, we’ll target them with a different approach. We’ll start with a three way swivel and use 40 feet of 50lb monofilament leader and a 6/0 mustad circle hook; they cant resist a live pilchard or and deboned ballyhoo.

If you’re looking for the tuna you’ll find them around the humps early in the morning or late in the evening. While trolling small lures around the humps is the most popular way to catch them you can also try dropping butterfly jigs or live baiting pilchards on the up current side of the hump. Small circle hooks and flourocarbon leader is a must to get bites, a 5/0 mustad circle hook and 30lb leader is the go to when fishing live bait.

While were already far offshore looking for the Mahi on these calm summer days its not uncommon for us to mix it up and try a little daytime swordfishing by dropping rigged baits into the depths hoping a true sea monster takes notice. School will be out, so enjoy the weather and get out fishing.

Capt. Dallas Hopper

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