what to fish for
 

hey people i'm going to key west in may do you and i will be going on a fishing charter for 1 day do you guys have any idea what i should go for i was thinking blue marlin or sword fish and if i get a big one should i keep it or get it photo mounted thanks for the help people :)

RE: what to fish for
 

It depends if you'll be bottom or reef fishing, back country fishing or trolling offshore. If it were me, I'd be trolling offshore. You'll probably catch a lot of dolphin (mahi mahi) with a tuna, wahoo, sailfish or marlin a possibility. Marlins are around but not in big enough numbers to target them solely. As for swordfish, they usually fish for them in very deep water at night. If you fish the reef, you'll catch grouper, snapper, grunts, porgies and a bunch of assorted other fish. This fishing will get you the most action. If you fish back country, you'll be targeting tarpon, permit and bonefish. These fish are all releases. Barracudas can show up anywhere as can sharks. If you want a lot of fish and ones that you can eat, I'd either troll for dolphin or fish the reef. If you give me any more info on your charter, I can tell you what you'll be in for. We'll be down in late April and October this year but we usually go in May.

RE: what to fish for
 

yes that info is great but i don't want to keep any fish i want one that will fight and can be put on the wall with a photo mount like sword fish or marlin or shark or baracuda oh ya any more info is great
;)

RE: what to fish for
 

by photo mount are you meaning a replica or just a pic in a frame? a guy my dad works with say that replicas are easier cheaper and last longer hes a great taxidermist hell he doesnt ever have any adds its all word of mouth. sorry i cant help yea with your question but sounds like fun be sure to give areport when you get back.

RE: what to fish for
 

Big sharks are easy to get. Baracuda are hard to hook. If you want to get a wall hanger you better have the money to get a good guide because if you aint good you dont get fish. The best part about the keys is you dont have to go far to deep water. Once diving under the 7 mile bridge I ran in to a 12 foot hammerhead thats alot of fun! He just wanted to checkout the fish on my stringer.

RE: what to fish for
 

If you want a fish that will fight and make a nice mount, I would get a guide and go after tarpon. There will be 100+ pounders around in May. The same areas that hold tarpon will also hold sharks and barracuda. The barracuda will be smaller than the tarpon but fight well and would look cool on the wall. Any decent guide could find you a nice 'cuda. Many fishermen will be trying to avoid them as they cut their leaders and bite their fish in half. If you troll offshore, you will have your chance at the biggest fish and the toughest fighters. However, the big marlin aren't exactly common and you might get skunked. You'll catch plenty of mahi and a 50 inch mahi would make a pretty mount. They also fight well and jump often. Sailfish are good fighters and make great mounts but they will be getting pretty scarce by May. They're more common in the Keys from November through March. Wahoo and tuna are always a possibility but not something you would target specifically (with the exception of blackfin tuna but they are small as far as tunas go and mostly for eating). One other possibilty is to tell the guide you'd like to catch photograph and release a goliath grouper. These babies can be several hundred pounds and a lot of guides know where to find one. They're protected so they're always released. Sounds to me like you're a candidate for either tarpon fishing or offshore trolling. Call a couple of guides and tell them what you want. They can put you on something that will fit the bill. The swordfish is a real long shot, though. That's a deep water, night fishing gig and I don't know if any day time charters would target them.

RE: what to fish for
 

Blue Marlin are pelagics, meaning they migrate with the baitfish. You had better schedule your trip right if you wish to pursue marlin. Tarpon will should be in the keys around now, fish around bridges. You would want to release a tarpon anyway as they are real mushy fish.

RE: what to fish for
 

A list of fish a guide will "strongly suggest" releasing would be:

Tarpon
Bonefish
Marlin
Sailfish
Goliath Grouper

A release mount could be made for any of them with measurements. However, the price at $10-$15 per inch could get pretty steep. Especially on an 8 foot marlin:D;).

RE: what to fish for
 

bigbass, I have a house in SW. FL. and the main reason I have it is for Tarpon, Tarpon, Tarpon, I will be back down in May aswell and the Keys are a great place to fish for them, also a Tarpon trip is probably alot cheaper than a billfish trip. Also if you get some more free time while your down there to try my other favorite fish and that is the Snook, you can catch them with bass tackle, 12-lb line and 20-30lb leader right from any beach,inlet,backwater,pier, boat dock etc. on live shrimp or bait fish.
Just stop by any local tackle shop and im sure they will put you on them, they are easy to get to bite but put up a real good fight. Pike

RE: what to fish for
 

Hay moose75
Did you see that shark on the south side:} I played a real nice hammer for allmost 1hour befor he poped the swival.I allways go around that bridge and shark fish with good chatch rate. Look up thunderbolt for a sunken boat for a goliath grouper. I knoe there is one there aruond 500 pounds.the mouth the size of a 5 gl bucket eye the size of soft ball.You can chatch many tarpon from the bridges at night.Look for any kind of lights on a bridge or put your own up.

Good luck every time I go down I get some new kind of fish and every time I chatch bigger :}