Key West Fishing Report for February 2015

Deep sea fishing can be a fun and thrilling adventure as you try to hook the big game lurking far below the water’s surface. Key West is home to some of the best fishing year round, but deep sea fishing is increasingly popular during the winter months. During February 2015, you can expect the fishing to be plentiful, and we’ll give you a rundown of what you can catch this time of year and how the weather can affect the fish.

Key West Deep Sea Fishing Report for February 2015

Key West deep sea fishing, or offshore fishing, is very different from flats fishing or light tackle. This type of fishing uses large boats, big tackle and plenty of skill to reel in the big game fish. The deep waters surrounding Key West are teeming with marlin, tuna, dolphinfish, snapper, sailfish, swordfish, wahoo, barracuda, grouper and plenty of sharks, and they can all range in size, usually between 10 pounds and 80 pounds. So whether you’re looking to bring in dinner or are going for a Grand Slam, Key West deep sea fishing conditions are optimal in February.

In February, Key West deep sea fishing usually offers up a great chance of netting cobia, king mackerel, mangrove snapper, sharks and yellowfin tuna, but there is also a good chance of hooking blackfin tuna, blue marlin, dolphinfish, grouper and yellowtail snapper. Although typically less abundant in February, deep sea fishing in Key West can also land you wahoo, sailfish and amberjack.

Key West Weather Conditions: What to Expect

While Key West doesn’t have the dramatic seasonal changes that other parts of the United States experience, there are certain parts of the year when deep sea fishing excursions are more successful. The winds and tides can change quickly in the winter months -- December through February -- so both inshore and offshore fishing can be plentiful.

Because the water temperatures remain steady in the deeper areas of the Gulf Stream, even during February when the above-water temps can dip below freezing, deep sea fishing remains abundant. Our Key West Fishing Report for February 2015 shows that sailfish will be still be hanging around with snapper, grouper, blackfin tuna and mackerel, which are the favorites for anglers during winter deep sea fishing. You can expect to encounter sailfish of up to 70 pounds, and kingfish that weigh more than 50 pounds when you’re in the right locations for offshore deep sea fishing. And of course, the southerly breezes will bring in the mahi mahi and barracudas to keep your lines busy.

February’s weather is expected to be a mix of sunny days and partly cloudy days, which means fishing trips can run all day without being rained out or becoming too cold. That’s important to note because deep sea fishing requires a lot of patience, so you’ll want to prepare to be on the water as long as it takes to locate the fish. Anglers can expect temperatures to range from a high of 80 degrees to some lows of 60 degrees, which will make for some perfect fishing weather even on the rare occasions when the fish are being elusive.

With March and the rest of spring quickly approaching, February may be the last time you can enjoy minimal deep sea fishing competition. Springtime is the most popular time for fishing, even deep sea fishing, in Key West, and it is also when the warm fronts bring back many species of fish for inshore and flats fishing. So if you want to hit the waters before the springtime rush, February 2015 is your last chance until next winter.