Sailfish are highly prized for their beauty and spectacular fighting qualities which include searing runs and long series of acrobatic jumps. Sailfish are the most commonly encountered Billfish in the Florida Keys and during peak season, 10 or more can be hooked and released in a single day. Key West Sailfishing is one of the most exciting fishing experiences available during a fishing charter. Sailfish are caught in Key West every month of the year but prime season includes the months of November through January and again in April and early May. This seasonal abundance coincides with their winter and spring migrations.
Aboard the SOUTHPAW, we use a variety of fishing techniques while Sailfishing to produce results, and we always use light tackle. All Sailfish caught aboard the SOUTHPAW are released to fight again another day. Beginning in November, we generally target Sailfish by trolling fresh dead Ballyhoo baits. These baits are expertly rigged to “swim” just subsurface. Combined with fish attracting natural bait teasers this setup allows us to troll at about 6 knots, cover some ground, and discover which area and in what depth the Sailfish are located.