Key west

[danhitchcock]

howdy,

planning a trip to key west around march 9th- 14th.

i'm just looking for some good places for freediving, lobstering, and maybe some spearing if i build a sling(nver done it before).

not asking for you favorite spot, just a general area. I plan on renting a ~20ft boat at least one day.

thanks
-daniel

[settingsteel]

Lot of places to dive from Miami to KW, alot of variables, but if you head on over send me a PM and I'd be happy to steer you in the best direction...IMO its better to hook-up with some spearos, than rent a boat...careful with the fine print on rentals.

You might be better off reposting in FL section.

[alexrom1207]

I'll be down in Key West at the same time, with my girlfriend though so spearfishing is probably out of the question.
For those lucky enough to be able to go spearing there are a series of reefs off of Key West (3rd largest living reef in the world...that's what I've been told anyway). The reefs are about 7 miles off shore so you will need a boat. All the spearos go to the reefs because that's where all the fish are. Several of the reefs are protected so be careful. It's probably a good idea to go to the dive shop (it's down near the bottom of duval street just off to the right if you're headed towards Mallary Square and it's chock full of spearfishing gear so someone there should know their stuff) and ask them which reefs are good to spear on and which are not.

[settingsteel]

Indeed familiarize yourself with the reg, Marine patrol at KW show NO MERCY

here are some helpful links

Boating Safety

Regulations

http://myfwc.com/marine/Lobster-Brochure.pdf

http://floridakeys.noaa.gov/edu/spea...g_brochure.pdf

[danhitchcock]

I guess i'll post a separate thread in teh spearfishing section for spearing. Thanks for all the help.

I suppose a lot of those protected areas are excellent spots just for diving or snorkeling.

-Daniel

[jtkwest]

Originally Posted by danhitchcock

I guess i'll post a separate thread in teh spearfishing section for spearing. Thanks for all the help.

I suppose a lot of those protected areas are excellent spots just for diving or snorkeling.

-Daniel

there are protected reef spots off KW they are clearly marked on all 4 corners by 4 ft round yellow marker balls. they mark shoals that are so shallow they come out of the water on low tide in some spots. they are surrounded by reef canyons and fingers extending out into 25 ft depth or so on the deep side . they have white mooring balls on them just off the reef and snorkeling boats operate trips daily to them with hundreds of snorkelers. i worked on "the FURY" snorkeling boats part time for 3 years and full time for 6 months last year , so i am very familiar with the reefs here and i have alot of friends who know even more than me i live in KW 4 yrs now but am long time FL resident. what we do sometimes is find the marker balls, figure out an axis and stay outside them between rock key and eastern dry rocks,(is especially nice) and hunt the deeper ledges and drp offs and individual coral heads can be very productive also. lobstering is done in the gulf side mostly in shallower water, but we find them occaisonally under coral heads when we peek in for groupers, in which case we take a minute to mark the spot then come back and get em, to rent a boat for a day is about 700$ here and if you dont know your way you are likely to run aground esprcially in the gulf side, if you want to , i will act as your guide, in exchange for free ride, if you want i could bring someone to chip in on gas atleast, but if i am going yhat route , i would rather charter a sportfisher to take us to wrecks in 30 to 50 and we could try for a big cobia, i could get one from a captain who used to win competitions around here and whose mate is a buddy of mine he told me 1000 for a day! that is cheap the boat fits 6 plus mate and captain wth bathroom and a huge deck. it is like 40ft or something., if nothing else i can give you gps #s for two UN protected reef spots that are marked with poles and white mooring balls that are 7 miles out and easy to find with gps#s , one is called western dry rocks, 10 miles out,(a little sharky though, watch your back) this one is cool because is is easy to find and there is a shipwreck in 45 ft 1/2 mile away and if you go a little west there is beautiful coral garden in 15 ft af water where hogfish and lobsters are plentiful about 45 minutes out of kw harbor or pelican shoal ,(seven miles fromKW but in other direction, kinda) those are no brainers they are both on charts. the problem is exactly that with them, "they are on charts" so everyone knows where they are , even visitors. usually, we check them out , on our way through if the vis is ok but we dont usually get anything great, if at all. you have to work deeper ledges and individual coral heads to find the big blacks

[danhitchcock]

i've been checking out some boat rentals for about a 21ft powerboat, and found some for about $220. of course, i'm not sure what fine print they'll catch me with, but my uncle (lives in st petersburg) is a boat owner, and hopefully it won't be a huge problem. our group has a total of 4 people, and if you want to act as a guide, i think we might be able to fit a 5th on the boat or so. of course, 7 miles is a long way from shore in a 21ft boat, so we'll see.

and yeah, 25ft is about the right depth. i built a hawaiian sling i would like to try out, of course only on fish i can outswim

and my uncle chartered a fishing boat, lethal weapon w/ captain teddy on wednesday, march 12th. i hope they're not your rivals! i think if we end up renting a powerboat, it will be on tuesday, march 11th.

thanks for the help
-daniel

[jtkwest]

Originally Posted by danhitchcock

i've been checking out some boat rentals for about a 21ft powerboat, and found some for about $220. of course, i'm not sure what fine print they'll catch me with, but my uncle (lives in st petersburg) is a boat owner, and hopefully it won't be a huge problem. our group has a total of 4 people, and if you want to act as a guide, i think we might be able to fit a 5th on the boat or so. of course, 7 miles is a long way from shore in a 21ft boat, so we'll see.

and yeah, 25ft is about the right depth. i built a hawaiian sling i would like to try out, of course only on fish i can outswim

and my uncle chartered a fishing boat, lethal weapon w/ captain teddy on wednesday, march 12th. i hope they're not your rivals! i think if we end up renting a powerboat, it will be on tuesday, march 11th.

thanks for the help
-daniel

Lethal Weapon is a good boat , out of the Westin resort. friends of friends I dont operate any charter boats, so i have no rivals.At least not in that sense.i have lived here for 4 years and this is a small town,(25,000 people") so i just know people , normally a charter boat goes for 600 to 700 for 1/2 day, and 1200 to 1400 for full day, (some of the more run down boats at surrounding harbors go cheaper, but that is about right) and few will take you to spear,(or know nothing about it), thats my point. i was only thinking, if you were coming alone or with one other person and you were looking for someone to help you pay, i was only suggesting a charter because most of my friends either have or have access to small boats so wouldnt be all that interested in going on one, but charter boats are a different story. i have to work on tuesday, so i'm cool, but i will hook you up with gps#s, so you can find your way. 220$ is a bargain! i feel like a fool. i thought it would be double or triple that! are you sure its not a jet boat, or a canoe maybe?, jet ski s are 100$ an hour here, so that is hard to believe. i want to believe though, WHERE did you get that deal?............incidently, 7 miles out is not really far for a 21 ft boat in the keys, (the water is shallow) the problem is the wind. if it is windy, which is about 75% of the time, there will be waves, THEN it WILL be too rough to go seven miles, and you will have no option but the gulf of mexico side, the problem with that is you will run aground if you dontknow where you are going, bottom line is, if it is windy, (more than 10 or 12 knots) go to the beach.. if you go on lethal weapon or any other charter boat, i will give you a hint that noone seems to know:....... if you tell them that you want to keep little or none of the fish you catch, the crew will do their absolute best to keep ypu catching good fish all day, conversely, if you tell them you want to "fill the cooler", you will probably run up on some good fishing for a while, so you catch your cursory fish, maybe a cuda or some spanish mackeral, but the fish will disappear the rest of the trip, magically, or BAD LUCK???.....NOT!!!...........the captain and mates sell all the fish you catch but dont take home and split the money... DO not say me or anyone else told you that, they will vehemently deny it!!! just put it in your pocket, since you are a beginner, you could go to' casa marina rocks' with your family, it is only 1/2mile offshore it is 10 ti 16 ft deep, it is not protected and it is marked by poles,,,(we kayak to it but you gotta be fit, boat is better) your family could snorkel or chill while you chase nemo with your spear. just get a fishing license and you will be fine with FMP

[danhitchcock]

i was slightly mistaken

Boat Rentals of Key West

has a 17ft boat, 90HP for $295 for 8 hours. I figured also i was just going to call every place in key west on

Key West - Boating

and see what kind of deals I can find. of course, i have only checked places that have a website.


also, are there any beaches that you can swim off of on the gulf side to go lobstering or snorkeling, without swimming mroe than 1/4 mile?

[jtkwest]

Originally Posted by danhitchcock

i was slightly mistaken

Boat Rentals of Key West

.


also, are there any beaches that you can swim off of on the gulf side to go lobstering or snorkeling, without swimming mroe than 1/4 mile?

no, sorry not at all,