Full Day Key West Fishing Charters with Down Low
Private Trip
Offshore Fishing
Full day charter targets multiple species offshoreEighthour trips provide extended fishing opportunitiesPrivate charter accommodates single guest experience
Looking to get serious about fishing the waters around Key West? This full-day charter with Down Low Sportfishing gives you the time and range to really make it count. We're talking eight solid hours on the water, heading out around 7:30 a.m. and rolling back to the dock by 3:30 p.m. That's enough time to chase multiple species, try different techniques, and put some real fish in the boat. This is built for the angler who wants to maximize their time on the water and isn't satisfied with just a quick trip around the harbor.
With a full day at your disposal, we can really cover some ground. The beauty of an eight-hour charter is flexibility – if the bite's hot in one spot, we can work it. If it's slow, we've got time to move and find where they're feeding. You'll be fishing solo on this trip, which means all the action is yours. No sharing the cockpit, no waiting your turn when fish are coming over the rail. The captain will adjust departure times based on conditions and what's biting, but generally we're wheels up early to beat the afternoon weather and make the most of the morning bite. Bring sun protection, plenty of water, and your appetite for some serious fishing.
We'll be running offshore where the real action happens. Trolling is the bread and butter out here – spreading a pattern of lures and baits to cover water and find active fish. When we mark fish or find structure, we'll switch to live bait fishing or jigging to get down where they're holding. The captain carries everything from spinning tackle for the smaller speedsters to heavy conventional gear when we need to muscle up something big. Circle hooks, fluorocarbon leaders, and quality tackle make all the difference when you're tangling with fish that can strip line in a hurry. We'll adjust our approach based on what's showing on the fish finder and what the conditions are telling us.
Blackfin Tuna are the workhorses of Key West offshore fishing. These guys typically run 10-20 pounds and fight way above their weight class. They school up around structure and current breaks, usually in 100-400 feet of water. Spring through fall is prime time, and they're suckers for small feathers and cedar plugs trolled at decent speed. What makes blackfins special is their speed and stamina – they'll make multiple screaming runs before you get them to the boat.
Atlantic Sailfish are the showstoppers that every angler dreams about. These acrobatic fish average 6-7 feet and put on an aerial display that'll get your heart pumping. Winter and spring bring the best sailfish action to Key West, when they migrate through in good numbers. They love live bait and will absolutely demolish a properly presented goggle-eye or pilchard. The fight is all about their jumps and long runs – pure adrenaline fishing.
Tarpon are the silver kings of Florida fishing, and Key West is ground zero for these prehistoric giants. They can push 150+ pounds and jump like fish half their size. Late spring through summer is tarpon season, when they stage up in massive schools. These fish require heavy tackle and even heavier patience – the fight can last an hour or more. What hooks anglers on tarpon is their size and power combined with incredible acrobatics.
Mahi Mahi bring the color and the chaos that offshore fishing is famous for. These brilliant gold and green fish travel in schools and create feeding frenzies that'll keep you busy for hours. They love floating debris, weed lines, and anything that creates structure in open water. Spring through fall offers the best mahi fishing, and they'll eat everything from ballyhoo to jigs. Bulls can hit 40+ pounds, and when you find a school, the action can be non-stop.
Permit are the holy grail for many serious anglers – incredibly spooky, extremely selective, and pound-for-pound one of the strongest fish in the ocean. These silver discs are ambush predators that cruise flats and wrecks looking for crabs and small fish. They're year-round residents but spring and fall see the most consistent action. What makes permit legendary is their difficulty – they'll test every aspect of your angling skills and then some.
A full-day offshore charter gives you the best shot at multiple species and memorable fish. With eight hours and all that water to explore, you're setting yourself up for the kind of fishing day that makes great stories. The single-angler setup means every fish is your fight, every decision is yours to make. Key West's offshore waters are world-class fishing grounds, and this charter puts you right in the middle of the action with the time to make it count. Don't just fish – fish like you mean it. Book your full-day adventure and see what's waiting out there beyond the horizon.
Ready to chase trophy fish in the deep waters off Key West? Our 28-foot Latitude center console boat is built for serious fishing action. Powered by a single 350HP Mercury engine, this fishing machine cuts through offshore swells with confidence while keeping you comfortable during the hunt. The boat comes loaded with everything you need for a productive day on the water - GPS to find the hotspots, fish finder to locate schools below, and VHF radio for safety. The wireless trolling motor lets us move quietly when targeting spooky species, while the onboard icebox keeps your catch fresh and drinks cold under the Florida sun. We'll head out around 7:30 AM and fish until 3:30 PM, giving us plenty of time to work different depths and try various techniques. Whether we're trolling for mahi, bottom fishing for grouper, or chasing sailfish, this boat handles it all. The single-angler setup means personalized attention and more shots at landing that fish of a lifetime in Key West's legendary waters.
Istiophorus AlbicansAtlantic Sailfish are what every angler dreams about - these guys average 6-8 feet and 40-60 pounds, with that signature sail and lightning speed. Around Key West, we find them in 80-300 feet of water, usually near current edges and drop-offs where baitfish gather. Winter months from December through April are prime time when they migrate through our waters following the warm Gulf Stream. What makes them so popular is the show - they'll jump, tail-walk, and put on an aerial display that's hard to match. Most of our sailfish fishing is catch-and-release since they're not great table fare, but the fight is what you're after anyway. Here's a tip from years out here: when you're fighting one, keep steady pressure but don't horse them. Let them run and jump, then gain line when they settle. The more you try to muscle them, the more likely they'll throw the hook during one of those spectacular jumps.
Thunnus AtlanticusBlackfin Tuna are the smallest of the tuna family, typically running 15-30 pounds around Key West. These fast-swimming fish love warm water over 68°F and hang around the continental shelf edges in 30-200 feet. You'll find them schooling with other tunas, making for some hot action when you locate them. Peak season here is fall through spring when water temps are perfect. What makes them special is their speed and the way they fight - they're scrappy for their size and put up a solid battle. The meat is excellent too, with that rich tuna flavor that's great for sashimi or searing. One local trick: when you hook into a school, keep a second rod ready with a small jig. Once you land the first fish, drop that jig right back down to the same spot. The school often sticks around, and you can double up quickly before they move on.
Coryphaena HippurusMahi Mahi are some of the most colorful fish we target - brilliant gold and green that changes as they fight. These surface dwellers average 15-30 pounds but can reach 50+ pounds. We find them around floating debris, weed lines, and current edges in 100-1000 feet of water. Spring through early fall is best when water temps are warm. They're aggressive feeders and fantastic on the table - firm white meat with a mild, sweet flavor that's hard to beat. What guests love is how they hit lures hard and fight with lots of jumps and runs. They also tend to travel in schools, so when you find one, there's usually more around. The key is trolling at about 8-10 knots with bright lures or rigged ballyhoo. Once you hook up, keep the other lines in - the commotion often brings more fish to the boat. Just watch out for those sharp gill plates when you're handling them. Always grab them behind the head, never by the gills.
Trachinotus FalcatusPermit are the Holy Grail of flats fishing - these disc-shaped silver ghosts can reach 40+ pounds but average 10-25 around Key West. They cruise the shallow flats in 2-6 feet of water, hunting crabs in the turtle grass. Spring through fall gives you the best shot, with April to October being prime. What makes them legendary is how difficult they are to catch. They've got incredible eyesight and spook easily, making them a real challenge even for experienced anglers. Most guys go years without landing one. We target them with live crabs or crab imitations, both on fly and conventional tackle. The fight is strong and stubborn - they use that flat body like a sail against the current. While they're edible, most get released because of their reputation. The real prize is just getting one to eat your bait. Here's the secret: presentation is everything. Your crab needs to land softly about 10 feet ahead of a cruising permit, then just let it sit on the bottom. Don't move it until the fish is right on top.
Megalops AtlanticusTarpon are the "Silver King" of Key West waters - these giants average 80-150 pounds but can top 200. Spring through fall is prime time, especially May to July when big schools move through our flats and channels. You'll find them in shallow water around the bridges and flats, or deeper near wrecks and channels. What makes tarpon special isn't the eating (they're mostly bones anyway) - it's watching a 6-foot fish launch itself completely out of the water. The fight can last an hour, with multiple jumps and long runs that'll test your tackle and patience. We fish them with everything from live crabs on the flats to trolling around structures. Most importantly, these fish are slow-growing and crucial to our ecosystem, so we practice catch-and-release. My best advice: when one jumps, bow to the fish - drop your rod tip toward the water. This gives slack during the jump so they can't throw the hook as easily.
Stock Island, FL, United States