Florida Keys Sailfish
The weather is getting cooler with the first cold front blowing in this week. Temperatures are in the 60s which is cold for Key West. The colder water temperatures with bring a variety of fish in from the deeper water. As the water temperature drops larger grouper and snapper will be found on shallow patch reefs along with tons of other smaller fish. The colder water also brings the annual migration of Sail fish one of the most sought after game fish in the world. These fish can grow large and often put on a long aerial show when hooked,jumping repeatedly until they are boat side.
Most guides in Key West drift live baits for sailfish ,the bait of choice being ballyhoo. In the winter,massive schools of ballyhoo will stack up on the reef edge . Literally thousands in the school. You will often see showers of bait,on the drop off, as hundreds of ballyhoo jump at the same time to escape predators. These schools of ballyhoo will be shadowed by barracuda,cero mackerel,king fish ,bonito,black fin tuna,and of course sailfish. Occasionally there will be mahi-mahi but they are not as common in the winter months.