Sailfish Fishing Charters in Key Largo
Kite-fish the winter reef line for the fastest, most acrobatic catch-and-release fish in the Florida Keys.
Book a Sailfish CharterSailfish Fishing in the Florida Keys
Sailfish travel the reef line, moving up and down the coast as they feed. You can catch them year-round in South Florida, but they show up in real numbers from early winter through early spring, which is prime sailfish season. Some days you raise one or two, and on a good day you can catch ten or fifteen.
The classic way to target them is kite fishing, where we hang live baits from a kite so they dance right at the surface. We also drift and bump-troll the reef with live bait. Pilchards, ballyhoo, herring, goggle-eye, whatever is around that season is on the menu.
Sailfish are not an eating fish, so these trips are catch-and-release, and that is the whole appeal. They are one of the fastest, most acrobatic fish in the ocean. You see the entire show, the bite, the jumps, the greyhounding across the surface, right up to the release. It is the most visual fishing we do.
Good to know. Sailfish are released, not kept, so it is pure sport. Winter is the season, and all the kite gear and live bait come with the trip. Sailfish are also South Florida's marquee tournament fish, so you are chasing the same fish the pros do.
How We Target Them
Working the Reef Line
Sailfish are a winter fish that travels the reef, and Captain Mike has a few ways to get on them.
Kite Fishing
Our signature sailfish method. We suspend live baits from a kite so they splash right at the surface, which a hungry sailfish cannot resist.
Live Bait & Drifting
We drift and bump-troll the reef line with live pilchards, ballyhoo, herring, and goggle-eye, whatever bait is around that season.
A Winter Bite
Sailfish travel the reef line feeding, and they show up in numbers from early winter through early spring. That stretch is prime sailfish season.
The Most Visual Fish
One of the fastest fish in the ocean and the most acrobatic. You see the whole show, from the bite to the jumps to the release.
What to Expect
Sailfish season runs through the winter and into early spring, so that is when to plan a trip if a sail is the goal. Captain Mike rigs for kite fishing and live bait, and all the gear comes with the charter. It is hands-on, fast fishing, and you do not need experience to get in on it.
Because sailfish are pure catch-and-release, they pair well with the rest of our offshore fishing. We can keep a line out for mahi, tuna, or whatever else is around while we work the sails. Ask Captain Mike what is biting and what makes sense for the season.
On the Water
Sailfish at the Boat
Book a Sailfish Charter in the Florida Keys
Winter sailfishing out of Key Largo. Fast, acrobatic, all catch-and-release.