Hi, this is Capt. Chuck Butler with Charter SeaClusion, operating out of Key West Oceanside Marina, where we offer full-service charters aboard my forty-six foot Bertram sportfish “SeaClusion”. October is a great month for fishing. We still have Dolphin scattered around wherever the currents edge up and Marlin are in the our waters also . Fishing near the Wall and even further offshore near the Zeros is where these big boys like to play. If you are going after Marlin use lighter rigs than you would think. The old “big baits for big fish does not work too well here. I have caught Blue Marlin on 4” purple feathers and 5” Billy Baits. Although a horse Ballyhoo on a medium Blue-White Islander is my first choice. Fifty pound gear is plenty that way you get the bite, they just don’t seem to bite the heavy gear as well. Years ago the Key West Marlin Tournament was in October and the fishing was excellent. The tournament eventually changed the dates because of weather uncertainties, not a lack of fish. The super calm October days with the sun starting to lose some of its power makes for some of the most pleasant offshore fishing of the year. A lack of fishing customers gives those out on the water the luxury of having the ocean to themselves. Nothing worse than pesky little boats coming to cash in on the floating stump that you just found. Especially when that stump , or other suitable debris is going to yield Wahoo , Dolphin, Triple Tail and if it is a big piece maybe some Tuna lurking about. As it gets later in the month the fishing in closer gives our charters more shots on Blackfin Tuna. Bonita and Skippies are tough fighters and plentiful too, but they just don’t rack up the taste points of a Blackfin. The wreck and reef fishing in October is some of the best with the gentle breeze and the less intense sun , sitting on the reef catching Yellowtails and Grouper is great way to spend a day. The nicer size Yellowtails are getting a little deeper and small Pilchards are just the candy to put the big flags in the bag. Both the Snapper and Grouper will eat cut bait, I like Bonita strips best. Yellowtails can be challenging if you don’t respect the way they feed you can be very frustrated. A few simple guidelines can help put those flags in your box. Never fight wind against current, just do something else. Try to go when the water is neither crystal clear nor Mississippi muddy. Don’t be in a rush, let the chum work a while and don’t put 8 lines in the water at once. A couple of lines working in the right conditions can catch over one hundred pounds an hour so no need to rush. If the bite slows down take a break. Give it twenty minutes and you will see the bite has improved. Remember they hang out in schools all day, they are bound to be learning something.

    Hi, this is Capt. Chuck Butler with Charter SeaClusion, operating out of Key West Oceanside Marina where we offer full-service charters aboard my forty six foot Bertram sportfish “SeaClusion”. August is HOT and this is when you really need to start looking for ways to beat the heat. Reef fishing is pretty good , the Yellowtails are biting good , but you are going to be measuring a lot of them . Twelve inches is the width of a five gallon bucket. If it touches both sides it’s a keeper. Grouper are good just a little deeper this time of year and you are on your own figuring out the bag limit. If you have a few lobster heads left over from mini season bust em up in a bucket and mix with oats, chum and sand. Freeze this up in a milk bottle or something like that with a handle and put it on the bottom off the bow of your boat when you start Yellowtailing. This mixture will have every grouper on that reef sniffing around. When the tides cooperate snapper fishing in the evening is a good way to beat the heat . Add a light and fish into the night, very pleasant. The best program is to go Offshore at sunset and drop some squid down for Swordfish. Along the drop near your favorite crack is a good place to start. Depth of rigs is always a big discussion, but I like mine relatively shallow 75 – 100 feet deep. If you can mark the thermocline one on top and one just below might be a good plan too. Get some big balloons for floats (party supply, they sell them cheap by the pound) and drift some lines off  with the deepest the furthest out. Rigging squid looks complicated but is really easy. I use a wine cork with a hole drilled length wise and crimp the hook just behind the cork so that a # 16 circle hook holds the tentacles in place.  Weight the line depending on current and put the weight and light at least 20 feet from the squid to reduce shark bites. The light too close and you will fight more sharks. Talking to longliners, they like to put out near the edge of the Gulfstream but not in it and the reported depth of the hooks to Fisheries Management is 75 feet in the Florida Straits.  The swordfish bite near Key West is good and the chances of hook ups are very good. A pitch bait is handy and Swordies will get all over a Goggle-Eye.  We have had several come up in the lights and eat behind the boat; it just seems to take forever before they have killed it enough to eat. Bites are sometimes hard to know. Some will pop the clip and scream off while other times the first indication is the Swordfish  jumping behind the boat with the bait in his mouth and 400 feet of  belly in the line. Reel Fast!!! Swordfish are without equal when it comes to the fight. They are strong,  smart and angry. The bigger ones will figure out that you aren’t moving them and just sit, time for some boat handling. Like some say , try to drag them towards the dock and don’t be in a hurry. When they do get to the boat a Swordfish is not freaked like a Sailfish or Marlin, he is angry . The look in the eye of looking for someplace to use that bill is unmistakable. The action , nice evening temperatures and the view of the Milky Way all are great reasons to get offshore and  hook into one of the top fish in the Florida Keys.  

Dolphin, Mutton, Grouper !!!!!   Mahi – Mahi, Dorado, Maverikos or Dolphin, call them what you will this is the month when Florida comes to Key West and the reason is simple: BIG DOLPHIN. Offshore action in May is all about Dolphin fishing, and the big ones start coming through our waters at the end of April and build in numbers during May.   These guys are eating their way West as fast as they can, catch ‘em and try to get out in front of the school again for another shot.  Mostly they are feeding on flying fish . Big showers of flying fish away from the boat are a clear sign of fish. Larger Dolphin travel in small groups, usually one big bull and a few cows, smaller Dolphin don’t dare come close or be breakfast. Weed lines are not necessary and floating debris is not as crucial as it is later in the run , but bait is and when you find the big schools of flying fish you are in a good depth to start working your way East looking for the birds and bait showers to signal the fish. Live baiting on a fast center console is the most effective way to hunt these fish , a big pilchard will turn a bulls head. The ability to cover a lot of ground and catch up to moving fish makes running these fish down very exciting. Trolling and trying to get lined up takes some patience, but look for birds to the East that are working towards the West and getting out ahead of the approaching  fish and letting them catch up to you is a great way to hook up. Be sure to have a pitch bait, even a rigged dead Ballyhoo to swim past other curious fish at the end game of a fight, you never know who might show up. In the strong Gulfstream current moving a boat to the West and getting to the fish even a quarter mile away may take too long before someone else spots the birds. Usually it is  much more productive to fish towards the East. The only drawback to fishing towards the East all morning is you may not get back home before dark, be sure to keep an eye on the GPS- three knots of current can really move you along. Trophy size fish should be expected and fish over 20 pounds will be common.     May fishing is not complete without mentioning the Full Moon on the 17^th. If you don’t already have a reservation at Eye Glass Bar or Western Dry Rocks for the Mutton Snapper spawn you better find a friend who does. The clusters of boats sitting there for three days are because the Muttons go crazy during the spawn. The ten per person limit is easily caught. Many think this is too many fish being taken at the spawn but the regulators who close and limit seasons have not touched the Mutton limits or seasons , so my guess is Mutton Snapper are a very healthy fishery.   Speaking of regulators – Grouper are back in season ( or should I say back on the  menu ) in the Atlantic May 1^st.  I can taste a grouper sandwich already.

Performing an ancient rite of gathering and bonding with  your mates is the essence of a bachelor party. Some of these rites last days and when done properly fishing in Key West is the perfect way to celebrate . Starting at sunrise with bloodshot eyes, and Duval Street music still ringing in your ears is required .  In May the fishing quickly takes off and the after effect of the bars gives way to adrenaline and the helpful words of encouragement being offered while you bring in that first finny monster.     Not all the Dolphin you see are fish and these Spotted Dolphin liked our fishing area and did not want to share. I hate fishing against the real pros.   Moving along the fishing returned with a lot of gaffing.     Sometimes it is questionable as to who or what might be winning.     This was a really calm day and I had the chance to get some pictures like this big turtle that in rougher seas just don’t come out. We see these a lot fishing around Key West.     And no charter is  complete without the group trophy picture.