Fishing For Tuna In Key West

This Tuna was caught whilst fishing for Sailfish "out front" in the Atlantic just a couple of miles away from Key West.

Tuna fishing can be very good in and around Key West although most of the major concentrations of tuna are found on just about the outer limits of the light tackle boats. The bigger boats that fish further offshore are more likely to return with a haul of tuna and if you've set your heart on catching tuna then you should probably consider one of the big boats. We're happy to pass your request on to our friends on the big boats that are moored in our marina, the skippers are the very best that Key West has to offer, so fill in our booking request and we'll pass it on to whoever is available on your requested dates.

Having said all of that, tuna fishing from a Key West light tackle boat is tremendous fun. Any time that you're fishing offshore there's a chance of picking up a Tuna but to have a realistic chance of catching lots then you've got to go to the Gulf and fish near one of the shrimp boats. 

Up until the last year or two this used to be an easy enough exercise, it might be a long run but you'd eventually find a shrimp boat and the fish would be nearby. All that seems to have changed now, fuel costs are so astronomical that the shrimp boats are not venturing so close to Key West, in fact most of them seem to be around the Dry Tortugas which are some 70 miles west of here. However if you've got the inclination (and are willing to pay whatever fuel surcharge the skipper might request) then the shrimp boats are the place to be.

The shrimp fishermen tend to fish during the night then they anchor up to clean the decks of all the other fish, crabs etc that they've inadvertently caught in their nets, before settling down for a sleep. This by-catch that is dumped back into the ocean attracts fish from all around and the two main species that are found around the shrimp boats are bonito and tuna. Both of these species put up a tremendous fight on light tackle. The skillful angler will be able to pull the bait away from the bonito and wait for a tuna but be warned, the bonito are lightning fast and you'll hook plenty that manage to appear from nowhere to grab your bait just a split second before that 30 lb tuna that you'd been watching so closely.