February 13, 2018

“Perhaps I should not have been a fisherman, he thought. But that was the thing that I was born for.” ~ Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

If your vacation plans include Fishing in Key West, Florida then this blog is for you. Whether you want to take a fishing charter out for a day or participate in one of the Fishing Tournaments held in Key West we are here to hook you up with all the info.

2018 Key West Fishing Tournaments

Jan. 1 – Aug. 31: Key West Fishing Tournament

If you are planning on fishing during your visit to the island read all about this ongoing tournament. This is an 8 month competition open to the public and it’s family friendly. More than 40 species of fish are targeted during the multimonth tournament, with divisions for men, women, junior anglers (ages 10 to 15) and Pee Wees (under 10 years old). The Key West Fishing Tournament strongly encourages the release of game fish. All participating anglers receive certificates noting their catches and qualify for a variety of prizes.

Learn more keywestfishingtournament.com.

Feb. 1-3: Cuda Bowl

Key West and the Lower Keys. This is an annual all-release shallow water fishing tournament held the consecutive Friday and Saturday before Super Bowl Sunday. Shallow-water flats anglers and guides are invited to hook up and fight their barracuda rivals. The event is headquartered at Hurricane Hole Marina on Stock Island. Prizes are to be awarded to the top angler and guide in light-tackle, spin and fly divisions. Visit cudabowl.com or email info@cudabowl.com.

March 12-15: March Merkin Invitational Permit Tournament

This charity flats-and-fly-only tournament challenges anglers to catch, tag and release silvery permit to vie for elite titles. The event is held at the Key West Harbour Yacht Club on Stock Island. Visit marchmerkin.com.

April 17-21: The Final Sail. Key West

This four-day challenge is the “grand finale” of the four-leg Quest for the Crest Sailfish Series. Team prizes include trophies and $50,000 for first place and $18,000 and $10,000 to second- and third-place teams, respectively. Visit bluewatermovements.com/final_sail/.

May 18-20: Key West Co-Ed Mahi Masters

Key West. In this challenge, cash prizes are awarded to the male and female angler scoring the highest total combined weight of three dolphin catches. There is no limit on the number of participating boats. Call 305-296-0364 or email lee@murraymarine.com.

Fishing Pic

Key West Marlin Tournament Winners 2016

July 13-15: Marathon Marlin Tournament

Marathon. Teams in the pre-tournament for the Key West Marlin Tournament are to compete for marlin division trophies as well as fun fish awards for the three heaviest dolphin fish, wahoo and tuna (yellowfin, blackfin and skipjack). The top-scoring team in the pre-tournament is to be entitled to free entry into the following week’s Key West Marlin Tournament. Visit keywestmarlin.com or email tim.greene@keywestmarlin.com.

July 15-18: Del Brown Permit Tournament

Anglers fly-fish on the flats in a challenge that honors the late angling pioneer Del Brown, who caught and released more than 500 permit off the Keys. Professionals and guides are allowed to compete as well. Visit delbrownpermittournament.com or email lorenrea@icloud.com.

July 18-21: Havana Club Key West Marlin Tournament

Anglers ply the waters once fished by novelist Ernest Hemingway, vying for $50,000 in guaranteed cash prizes. Held in conjunction with Key West’s annual Hemingway Days festival, the event awards $25,000 to the first-place team. Teams can enter one fun fish (dolphin, tuna, wahoo or released sailfish) per day to add to their point total. Visit keywestmarlin.com or email tim.greene@keywestmarlin.com.

Sept. 7-9: S.L.A.M. (Southernmost Light Tackle Anglers Masters)

Permit, Tarpon, Bonefish

Key West, Florida. In the first of three tournaments in the annual Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series, also called The Trilogy, anglers target tarpon, permit and bonefish to achieve the coveted “flats grand slam.” The event raises funds for the fight against cystic fibrosis. Visit redbone.org, call 305-664-2002 or email susan@redbone.org.

Key West Fishing Charter Spotlight

Capt Mel’s Sport Fishing Key West

Capt. Mel’s Sport Fishing Charters offers a personally guided fishing trips in the beautiful waters surrounding Key West. Capt. Mel will take you on a fishing adventure of a lifetime where you will enjoy the spectacular offshore and reef fishing in the calm waters and sandbars of the backcountry.

About the Vessel - the 28’ custom-built Spencer, was designed and built by the Captain himself. It’s a versatile fishing vessel that will provide plenty of shade and comfort so you can concentrate on catching the big one.

Types of Fishing: Offshore - fishing the Gulf Stream for Mahi & Tuna Reef - lots of action, great for kids and experts alike. Wreck Fishing - Snappers ‘n’ Groupers on the bottom, Tuna on top. Backcountry Fishing - #1 Rated Shark fishing, calm and beautiful.

Marker Fishing Pic

Photo: Captain Mel’s Sportfishing Charters Facebook Page

Once In A Lifetime Experience with Captain Mel

Our concierge at the Marker resort recommended Captain Mel to us and the experience did not disappoint! We went out for a half a day to the "back country" to find some sharks. And boy, did we find some sharks. We caught 3 huge ones - a bull and two lemon, and catching the bull shark took some serious strategy and strength. My arms are still sore! We, of course, released the sharks once we got our photos, and will have a story we can tell for years. We also saw a very large hammerhead shark and lots of different types of smaller fish. We had very little experience with fishing but Captain Mel didn't cut us much slack, which was awesome; he coached us as he maneuvered the boat and we were able to reel everything in on our own. I highly recommend Captain Mel! ~ SJDS15 on TripAdvisor

Captain Mel’s Sport Fishing Charters

Key West Harbor

6000 Peninsular Ave, Key West, Florida

350-923-0365

Need help booking a Fishing Charter in Key West? Check with the Concierge about which Charter is best for your adventure and while you’re here share your favorite fishing photos with us. #lovethemarker

Discover Key West’s Top 3 Spring Festivals & Events

Outdoor

March 21, 2024

Discover Key West’s Top 3 Spring Festivals & Events

As spring unfolds, Key West comes alive with festivals spotlighting an array of events that showcase the best of food across the island, a quirky 10-day celebration, and a music fest celebrating the stories behind the songs.