WD Charters

This week brought fairly calm seas and very little current, creating comfortable conditions for most of our trips. Fishing was somewhat slower early in the week, mainly due to the lack of current, but once we were able to get quality live bait and establish a good spread while trolling the reef, the bite improved noticeably.

Slow trolling live bait and kite fishing proved to be the most effective techniques. When we had the right bait and positioning, we were able to connect with several Sailfish, showing that even on slower weeks, dialing in presentation and timing can make all the difference.

We also had a few Blackfin Tuna around, along with some medium-sized Bonitas, providing steady action. One of the standout fish was a 20 lb Blackfin Tuna that put up quite the fight, making several strong runs before finally coming to the boat. In addition, we caught a few Mahi, mostly on the smaller side, but still great fights and a welcome surprise this time of year.

Snapper fishing in deeper water has been effective as well, giving us another option when the trolling bite slows down.

As water temperatures continue to warm, the fishing should heat up right along with them.

Caught a Warsaw today....

Colder water temperatures this week signaled the start of our winter pattern, and with winter comes cold fronts that push in bait and bring some of the most exciting fishing of the year. Conditions varied throughout the week, with sea states ranging from very calm to around 4-foot seas. Currents also changed daily, from little to no current to a strong north current. On our most productive day, we had a south current moving about 1.5 knots, which helped set up an excellent troll.

The highlights of the week were landing a Sailfish trolling in 120 feet of water, catching a 20.5 lb King Mackerel on a blue diamond spoon in 170 feet, and an unforgettable encounter with a Dusky Shark that was tagged and released. These are the kinds of catches that make winter one of our favorite times of year to be on the water.

Blackfin Tuna have been showing up more consistently, especially in the afternoons and during cloudy mornings. Most of the Blackfins were caught while trolling dinks and spoons, and this trolling pattern has been steadily improving as water temperatures continue to drop.

Looking ahead, with the full moon approaching, there’s a good chance we’ll start seeing Wahoo show up, either trolling or on live bait, as they typically bite well around this phase. While offshore trolling has been trending upward, bottom fishing on the reef has been slightly challenging, requiring adjustments day to day.

Overall, the combination of colder temperatures and winter cold fronts is setting the stage for an exciting stretch