How to Choose the Best Charter Boat?

It is very common to get a call, and the first thing asked is what do you catch today, Captain? Vetting a captain is extremely important in choosing who you will pick to provide the services and goals you want to accomplish while charter fishing.

Asking what someone caught today is irrelevant, some days are tough, some are extremely easy. (We love the easy days!) Choosing a fishing charter should come down to long-term success and the boats’ commitment to doing everything possible to get their clients on the bite.

Some questions will give you a better idea of who you will be spending the day with and the attitude of the guide. Some good questions to ask are:

I am coming these dates and would like to catch “a fish”, is this a good time to catch this species? “A knowledgeable captain will be able to assist you with past experiences from what was running in prior years those dates”

If the day is not going to plan, do you have a backup? “Most fishing guides always have a back up plan. Even if clients swear, they only want to do one type of fishing, most of the time patience run thin if the bite is off and we like to have an alternative plan to bend the rod”

If the weather is bad what is your cancelation policy? “Every client is different when it comes to what he or she can handle for wave heights. The last thing you want to do is get forced onto a boat when the seas are terrible and there is bad weather approaching. Knowing how deposits will be returned in case of weather and conditions should be known before booking”

What has been being caught recently in Key West? “Captains should know what the other boats have been catching and what they have been doing. Some days we can be the top producer, others we can struggle. No one is the Best Charter in Key West when it comes to catching the most fish”

Some Questions not to ask or be weary if they are offered:

Do you guarantee fish? “I would never go out with a fishing charter that said they would guarantee me fish, especially a target species. Somehow there is a loophole in this, and the last thing anyone wants to hear is, “Should have been here yesterday!”

By asking some of these questions, you may find that the guide will not suit you well with personality, drive, or experience. Having a short conversation with the guide when picking a fishing charter can help you decide the best charter to pick in Key West or anywhere else you may want to fish.

Fishing Report April and May 2025

This year April was a great month for sailfish and mahi fishing offshore of Key West. Winds were high, typical of April weather, however on the days we managed to get out we saw big numbers of tailing sailfish and mahi. Catching a few along the way! Deep sea fishing in May was fantastic, the wind laid down and the mahi bite was on! It was the best mahi bite I have seen in the past 4 years. Plenty of schoolie dolphin to keep the action going and some bigger fish were brought back to the dock to have a great lunch or dinner.

Winds were higher in April, for the guests that still wanted to fish we changed our game plan up and went to the reef or stayed in the back country. Snappers, mackerel, barracuda, sharks, and tarpon were around.

The tarpon bite continued into May, seeing 2-4 bigger fish stringing up through the channels and bigger schools of small to medium size tarpon in the harbor. This kind of fishing is perfect for the groups that like to stay calm and want a big fight and spectacular show!

For the next couple of months, we are expecting to see the mahi fishing offshore stay consistently good. Grouper season opened and we have been finding some stud red groupers on the reef and the bars and expecting that bite to stay good throughout the summer.