Key Largo Fishing Charters - Key Largo Deep Sea Fishing Charters including Shark Fishing

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Dolphin fishing picks up, tuna bite is good and tarpon are here. Tuesday, April 22^nd

The dolphin have arrived in the Florida Keys. The last few offshore trips have all produced dolphin along with blackfin tuna. The winter and spring have been very warm which should produce an early and very productive dolphin season. The schoolies have been big all over the 20 inch minimum up to 10 pounds. Large bulls and cows have also been showing up under frigate birds. The Gulf Stream has been only 9 miles South of Key Largo and the edge has produced the best activity thus far.

Blackfin tuna have been consistent at the Islamorada Hump however the big sharks have been in the area and several have been lost to the toothy critters. I will be bringing the big tackle with me from now on at the Hump if anyone is interested in fighting a 500 pound shark. Amberjack have also been biting well at the wrecks and hump.

Reef fishing has been best at night as the water is becoming very clear. The morning bite has been good but by mid day the bite has been slowing down due to the very clear water and bright sun. Tarpon fishing is just getting underway. We had two hits and two misses on big ones, over 100 pounds, at the channel 5 bridge a couple of nights ago. One boat landed a big one next to us. The bite is not red hot yet but will be improving daily as the water temps rise.

We are located in Key Largo, Florida just off US 1 at Snapper’s Restaurant mile marker 94.5 Oceanside. Just over an hour south of the Miami airport, minutes north of Islamorada. Give us a call at 1-877-DAUNTLESS to book a trip today.

Tuna, snapper, and king mackerel the best bite: Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Blackfin tuna fishing has been red hot the last few trips. Both along the edge of the Gulf Stream and the Islamorada Hump have been hot. These footballs run in large schools this time of year and after hooking one or two, we keep trolling until all four rods are hooked up to maximize our catch. Four on at a time has been the norm the last few weeks and we can count on this fishery to provide great table fare and hot action. A half a day is usually all that is needed to cash in. Last Sunday we landed 22 on the morning trip and 36 on the afternoon trip.

Want to get in on some other hot action, try part of the day at the reef for yellowtail snapper. These fish are a bunch of fun to catch. We anchor up and use frozen chum to draw the fish behind the boat. After 30 minutes or so, the school of snapper is just waiting for you to drop a shrimp back and game on. Barracuda, sharks, grouper, mackerel and dozens of other reef fish show up also. Kids have a blast with this type of fishing as the action is non stop.

Just outside the reef line, king mackerel have finally shown up in good numbers. We use live bait, slow trolling to get these rockets to hit. The big ones sore out of the water as they hit surface baits sometimes as high as 3 or 4 foot out of the water behind the boat. The sailfishing has been hot or cold as late and we have had as many as three in a day but have had to move onto other species numerous days as the bite was off.

Dolphin, or Mahi-Mahi fish, will be in soon as the water temperature has been 76-78 degrees the last few weeks. I believe we will start to get a good bite of mahi before the end of the month if the warm weather continues. Should be a great year for mahi fishing!

Dauntless Charters is located in Key Largo, Florida; just a few minutes north of Islamorada, the fishing capital of the world. Give us a call and book a trip today!

Sailfish, tuna, snapper, all biting well ! Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Sailfish bite is on with big numbers being reported throughout the Upper Keys. We released 3 on our last day sailfishing missing a fourth. On 20 pound test spinning tackle, it is hard to find a more thrilling fight than a Florida Keys sailfish. We use live bait just outside the reef in 80 to 250 feet of water. Sailfish will strike at the bait with their bill before swallowing the bait so we leave the bails open on the reels with the line held with a small piece of wire. When the fish hits, the line pops off the wire and feeds the sailfish the bait freely. We count 1-1000, 2-1000, 3-1000, 4-1000, 5-1000, then close the bail, reel in the slack and set the hook. The fight is on, we often have to back down quickly to avoid running out of line. Get in on the action while the bite is hot. Check out some photos from our last couple of trips HERE.

If you want some fish for the table, it is hard to find better tasting filets than black fin tuna and snapper. The blackfin tuna have been plentiful both on the edge of the Gulf Stream, only 8 miles South East of Key Largo, and at the Islamorada Hump. Trolling lures way behind the boat with light fluorocarbon leader has been the best producer for these tasty footballs.

Yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper and mutton snapper have all been plentiful and cooperative on the edge of the reef and patches the last few weeks. This is especially fun for the kids as the action is non-stop. Using frozen chum to ball the fish up behind the boat and feeding them shrimp on light tackle has been the secret to success. Large grouper are beginning to show up on the deeper ledges. Large live baits, such as grunts, work well on these brutes. Just be prepared to do battle in order to keep the fish out of the rocks and coral or you’ll lose him.

Give us a call and book your trip early as the busy season is upon us and dates will book up quickly. We are located just about an hour South of Miami in Key Largo, just minutes North of Islamorada.

Sailfish, Tuna, Grouper, Snapper, Mackerel, and Sharks best bet this winter; Thursday, December 13, 2007

Sailfishing is just getting underway with the first of the winter cold fronts, sometimes dropping even as low as the mid 60’s for those of you freezing up north, roll in. The Islamorada sailfish tournament just finished up and 34 boats released 110 sailfish in three days. Not a bad start to the season. Check out the complete details at www.islamoradasailfishtournament.com. We have been sailfishing at Conch Reef primarily and have been seeing steady action thus far using live ballyhoo. King Mackerel have also been hitting well here providing consistent action. January and February will be our peak season with multiple hook ups per day the norm during these months. Book early as this busy season always fills up quickly.

Blackfin tuna at the Islamorada Hump, just 16 miles offshore from our dock in Key Largo, have been biting very well and the average size has been increasing steadily to 8 pounds with the 20 pounder common. These footballs provide a great fight on light tackle and are my personal favorite on the table. Often, we will fish for sailfish in the morning and as that bite slows head to the Hump in the afternoon for some drag pulling and tuna steaks. This is also a great option for a half day as the action is fast and catching some tuna this time of year is as close as you can get to guaranteed bite.

Big black and gag grouper start to migrate from the Gulf of Mexico and more northern Atlantic waters this time of year to escape the cold. Our reef lies close to the Gulf Stream and water is still 78 degrees there as waters in the Gulf are dropping below 70 degrees. Even in the depth of winter, the water temperature at the reef will remain in the low 70’s attracting many species, especially grouper. The big brutes up to and exceeding 50 pounds are tackle busters and anglers must be ready to do battle when they hit your bait. The fight is won or lost in the first few seconds when the grouper tries to get back to the safety of the coral. If the angler doesn’t stop him, the grouper will be dug in and the line will have to be cut.

Yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snapper fishing at the reef has been very good and will continue through the winter season. Kids especially enjoy anchoring up at the reef and catching fish after fish. We use frozen ground chum to attract the fish to the boat and once they find the chum we catch one after another. Kids from 5 and up can take part in this action and will not forget the experience. Snapper is also prime table fare for dinner. The reef also provides action while snapper fishing for barracuda, mackerel, sharks, jacks, hogfish, and dozens of other species. Get in on the action this winter, book your trip today. We are located just off US1 in Key Largo, minutes north of Islamorada and just over an hour south of the Miami airport.

Blackfin Tuna bite is hot and sailfish are on the way to the Florida Keys. October 24, 2007

Blackfin tuna have been the story offshore this last month. The Islamorada Humps have been providing the best action with multiple hook ups the rule rather than exception. We have been trolling feather on light fluorocarbon leader to trick these footballs into biting. They are great fun to catch and even better to eat. The fish have been running from 4 to 15 pounds the last couple of weeks. The larger fish over 20 pounds should start to make an appearance shortly in the Florida Keys.

The Mahi Mahi or dolphin fish have not made their run south as yet. Each year, the larger fish that have traveled to the Carolinas migrate back south in search of warmer water as the ocean cools north of us. We have caught a few but the migration has yet to kick in. It may coincide with the winter sailfish migration this November which would produce tremendous action live baiting just off the reef. The fall dolphin are the biggest of the year with few fish less than twenty pounds. We landed a 54 pound dolphin last year during Thanksgiving week.

Sailfish should start their migration in November as the cold fronts start to find their way south. The weather this morning has a cold front stalled over North Florida with temps in the 50’s. This one will not make it to us as the high temps are still in the upper 80’s but it won’t take long before these cold fronts visit the Florida Keys. The sailfish seem to show up every year with the first cold fronts in November and stay with us through April. We actually caught sailfish consistently throughout the summer months as this fishery gets better every year. Near 100 percent catch and release for sailfish the last 10-15 years has produced incredible numbers of these majestic fish. Also, the net ban for gill nets 15 years ago has increased the bait available for these prolific feeders to eat. Another success story for conservation and management has produced a tremendous winter time fishery here in the Florida Keys and Key Largo.

The reef continues to produce a consistent bite of yellowtail snapper. Mutton snapper in 100-120 foot of water just outside the reef have also been hitting well. Large grouper are starting to show up at the reef also this fall. Reef fishing provides constant action and great table fare. Kids love to have constant action on the yellowtail snapper with the occasional grouper or large barracuda thrown in.

The busy season is just around the corner here in the Florida Keys as the snow starts to fall up north. Key Largo rarely drops below 70 degrees for a high, even in January and February. Come down, enjoy the sunshine and have some fantastic fishing action here in paradise. Book early to ensure your day fishing in the Keys. Key Largo is just over an hour south of the Miami airport and only minutes north of Islamorada. We are two hours north of Key West but spend a night if you are heading down US 1. Call us at
1-877-DAUNTLESS.

Fall fishing in the Florida Keys September 17, 2007

Fall fishing in the Florida Keys has been very good thus far and will improve as October nears. Tuna have been the most consistent action at the Islamorada Hump. Only a 15 mile ride from the dock in Key Largo, the Hump has provided terrific action on blackfin tuna up to 20 pounds. These footballs rip drag off of 20 pound spinning tackle and provide fantastic table fare. Check out the pictures on the message board for some of our latest catches at the Hump.

We have not spent the time and fuel needed to chase dolphin the last month as the action has been inconsistent. Boats have been finding magical debris full of bait and dolphin and we have picked up a few trolling for tuna. October will be a different story as the big dolphin will be making their way back south into the Gulf Stream. As the waters farther north begin to cool, these warm water fish will seek more favorable waters back here in the Keys. October and November dolphin fishing is the best season for big fish, as they have been feeding all summer long growing to 30, 40, or 50 pounds.

Reef fishing has been consistent with yellowtail and mangrove snapper the last month. The larger grouper will also start to appear as the late summer turns into fall. Live bait fishing the deep ledges produces large grouper in the fall. King mackerel will also start to show up in big numbers on the deeper drops off the reef.

Fall is a great time to come to the Florida Keys. Airfare and lodging are a bargain and the fishing is outstanding. We are also running a special on Dauntless with 10% off and one day trip and 15% off any multiple day bookings. Take advantage of the slower tourist season and get in on the action by calling 1-877-DAUNTLESS or book online HERE.

Summertime fishing in the Florida Keys provides variety and great action. August 3, 2007

Snapper, dolphin, tuna, wahoo and sailfish have been the action thus far this summer. On Friday, July 20^th, Captain Lance had a tremendous day with Rodney Jugler and friends from Casper, Wyoming. The group landed several large dolphin, a wahoo and released a sailfish. All the fish were caught 20 to 25 miles south of the dock in 700 to 900 foot of water. The Gulf Stream has been flowing very brisk with a 2.5 to 3 knot current creating rips on the surface of the water. These rips have been providing the best action for dolphin and wahoo with the occasional sailfish or marlin.

The swift current has also been producing a good bite of blackfin tuna on the Islamorada Hump. The boat traffic has been heavy in July on the Hump but will be slimming down as the kids get ready to go back to school and the peak vacation season comes to an end. With lighter boat traffic, the tuna bite will improve and double, triple and quadruple hits will return shortly. Several trips in July produced good numbers of tuna up to 15 per day.

The yellowtail snapper bite at the reef has been consistent and almost always produces great action and even better eating. The reef is just 5 miles Southeast of Key Largo and only takes a few minutes to get out there and anchored up. Usually a ½ day is plenty of time to get a box full of yellowtail and is a great way to spend a few hours.

Take your pick of fishing, either dolphin in the blue water, tuna at the Islamorada Hump, or snapper at the reef; it is all happening this summer in the Florida Keys. We are only an hour away from Miami or less than two hours from Fort Lauderdale. To check our availability or book a charter just click HERE or give me a call at 305-304-9192.

Dolphin and Blackfin Tuna are hitting well. July 3, 2007

Dauntless was just re-powered with new 2007 200 HP Yamaha HPDI’s and we missed some time the end of June. Got back on the water Saturday the 30^th and did very well on the blackfin tuna at the Islamorada Hump. Joel and Jeff landed about 20 nice tuna from 5 to 10 pounds before moving on to chase some dolphin and swordfish. We landed a couple of schoolies and missed a large cow that threw the bait before setting lines for swordfish. We spent a couple of hours drifting large squid on Floyd’s Wall 30 miles southeast of Key Largo but failed to produce any bites that night.

Sunday proved to also be very good for the blackfin tuna with a group from Jacksonville. We landed 14 nice tuna and a head left over from a shark before heading deeper from the Hump. Schoolies, schoolies, schoolies…….as many as you care to catch was the ticket Sunday. We failed to raise any large dolphin but never went more than 30 minutes without a school surrounding the boat. We caught at least 100 and left several schools still hungry looking for larger fish.

The dolphin action will continue through the summer along with the tuna. Blue marlin are grey hounding and jumping frequently offshore but we have failed to hook one yet this summer. This is the time of year for marlin and numerous have been caught up to 300 pounds already this year by other boats. Yellowfin tuna also make an occasional appearance this time of year followed by hundreds of birds feeding on the scraps left behind.

Reef fishing is best done at night in the summer with yellowtail, mangrove and mutton snapper providing the best action. Grouper are always present and willing to take a bait, the trick is to keep them out of their holes and get them to the boat. Sharks are always willing ready and able to pull some heavy drag at night on the reef. There are still a lot of tarpon left in the area but this fishing will be winding down soon, at least with the large migratory fish.

The weather is superb this time of year with calm seas and warm water. Come down to paradise and enjoy a week or weekend in Key Largo or Islamorada and get in on the fishing action for a day or two. Snorkeling this time of year is fantastic as the water is crystal clear with up to 80 foot of visibility common. If you would like to do some snorkeling on a trip, let us know and we will be happy to accommodate.

Dolphin-Dolphin-Dolphin-and a few sailfish, tuna, tarpon, snapper and grouper mixed in. June 6th, 2007

The dolphin (Mahi-mahi fish not flipper) are here in huge numbers. Dauntless limited out on dolphin today with 10 fish per person and released a sailfish. The winds have finally calmed down and we are back out in the Gulf Stream fishing daily for the chameleon of the sea. If you have not been summer time dolphin fishing then book a trip and give the best fishing in the world a try. These fish are beautiful, strong, jump continuously and taste great on the table. How can it get any better? Well how about the fact that they aren’t too bright either and the entire school swim to the boat with their hooked sibling. We break out the 12 pound test spinning tackle and catch one after another of these 5 to 50 pound bruisers.

We have also been releases a lot of billfish in the last month. Sailfishing has never been better this time of year and the marlin should start showing up shortly. Check out the video of a sailfish Captain Ron released in May on our video page. Blackfin tuna bite continues to be strong at the Islamorada hump just 16 miles south of our dock in Key Largo. Fishing at the reef continues to be very good with mutton snapper being the best bite. Mutton snapper are spawning now on the edge and patches. They are hitting live bait and trolled plugs during the day and just about anything at night.

Tarpon time is now in the Florida Keys. The big ones are here. Ron released a tarpon over 120 pounds last week at the Card Sound Bridge. Tarpon are hitting live crabs, mullet and pinfish during the running tide by bridges and cuts. This is a great way to get out on the water for a few hours, catch a sunset and hook a monster.

June is my favorite month in the Florida Keys. Before moving to the Keys in 2000, I would vacation with the family here every June. The weather is gorgeous and the fishing could not be better. If you normally only visit the Keys in the winter time; try a visit here in June or July and find out what our summer fishing is all about. In addition to fishing, the snorkeling and diving are fantastic with crystal clear water and water temperatures over 80 degrees. There is no better place that I know of for a family vacation then here in the Florida Keys. Come for a weekend, week or stay the summer but get down here and cash in on some great fishing, fun, and family memories.

Read Florida Keys Fishing Report Archive Here

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