Information on Types of Key West Fishing Charters
and information on fishing in the Florida Keys.

Light tackle fishing in Key West doesn’t mean small fish.

There are many types of charter boats and several styles of fishing charters here in Key West, Florida.  From trolling boats that are 50 foot in length to flats skiffs that may only be 16 foot in length.

The trolling boats fish the deep water in the Atlantic for marlin, sailfish, tuna, wahoo, king mackerel and dolphin.  The trolling boats do exactly that, pull natural or artificial baits around until you get a strike.  They normally fish 30 to 80 pound test line.  This is overkill for many of these fish, but not all of them.

Then we have the flats skiffs.  These are the small boats with a platform over the motor.  This platform is what the guide stands on while polling with a push pole.  Flats guides fish very shallow water and kind of hunt for fish.  these guides use light line or fly fish for tarpon, permit, bone fish, barracuda, jacks and sharks.  This is lots of fun, but the number of fish you may catch is normally low.  Great for the experienced angler looking for a challenge.

Now we have one in between.  The light tackle boats.  These are by far the most versatile.  The light tackle boats fish with 8 to 30 pound line, depending on the targeted species of fish.  These fishing guides fish for tarpon, permit, sailfish, tuna, dolphin, cobia, snapper, grouper… everything the other boats fish for except bone fish.  Highly versatile fishing boats using lots of live bait.