Dry Tortugas

[redbelly7]

Hey Guys, I'll be heading out of the Keys on a 3 day fishing trip to the Dry Tortugas next week. Besides dolphin, what should we expect to catch? Do any of you have any suggestions on lures to take? I was thinking about taking some of the Al's Whip it eels. Thx in advance.

[Jumptrout51]

Gulp

[redbelly7]

Thx JT, but I was hoping for a weather report for the trip from you.

[silverking]

Some bucktail jigs or smaller butterfly jigs would be good. Also, lipped trolling plugs like Rapala CD-14/18 or Mann's will work. If you plan on fishing around some wrecks, DOA crabs are a good choice for cruising permit.

[redbelly7]

Thx Silverking, what will the Rapalas target?

[silverking]

King macks, blackfin tuna and barracuda. Dolphin will hit them, too, although feathers, small trolling lures and ballyhoo are better for the dolphin.

Fished and camped down there several years ago for a story. They've changed the rules considerably about where you can fish, so be sure to investigate all that beforehand. I believe the new rules require the shrimp boats to anchor outside boundaries, but if you can locate some of them they'll gladly trade by-catch (baitfish) for beer. You can use that for chumming or bait for snapper/grouper, etc. The blackfins, kings, sharks and jacks will school up behind the shrimpers in the mornings as they cull their catch and shovel the by-catch overboard. White bucktails and swim baits like DOA BaitBusters or Storm Shads cast into the melee are almost a sure bet. If the kings and sharks are around, use a trace of wire leader. Permit, cobia and jacks around old shipwrecks. Many are on the charts.

[redbelly7]

I have looked at Key West's weather and the wind will be blowing 21 and 22 mph on 2 of the days. How hard does it have to blow before you just decide to stay in?