Wahoo Frenzy Before the Storm: Offshore Fishing in Key West

The day Hurricane Ian was expected to brush past Key West, most boats were tying off and preparing for wind. But not us. Captain AJ and Captain Nels made the call to squeeze in one last offshore fishing trip in Key West, and it turned out to be an unforgettable day on the water.

We started the morning trolling along the reef, staying cautious but optimistic. A few hours passed without a bite, and just as we were considering heading in, one of our clients spotted a pallet drifting in about 250 feet of water—exactly the kind of floating debris that attracts pelagic fish.

We made our way toward it, and as luck would have it, the reels started screaming—we tripled up on wahoo. After resetting and making another pass, we were hooked up again. Over the next few hours, the action didn’t let up. We landed 17 wahoo (keeping only our legal limit) and added 12 mahi-mahi to the mix.

It was a rare, adrenaline-filled day of fishing just before the storm rolled in. Our anglers were thrilled, and the photos speak for themselves—Key West truly delivers some of the best offshore fishing in Florida, even on the edge of a hurricane.

If you’re looking for the best fishing charter in Key West, our experienced Key West fishing guides will help you find the fish—even when the odds seem stacked against us. Whether it’s mahi, wahoo, tuna, or more, you never know what you’ll run into out there.