[Chico]

Key West is a zoo!! If you are looking for more than just fishing, then Key West. If you are not going to fish the Yankee Capts. then Marathon or Islamirada would be my choice. Farther up is Capt. Chan Warner's Gulfstream III partyboat, an all day boat that targets yellowtail snapper as well as bottom fish such as grouper. I much preferred that partyboat to any of the Marathon partyboats. He does a rotation of the stern, fishing chumballs for yellowtail. Night trips can be good, stirred up water is better than clear water days. None of the charter capts. I fished with are there anymore so I can't help with that. Bud & Mary's does some great swordfish trips, not sure if this is the time of year. Out of Marathon the charter can run out to the Marathon Humps for blackfin if the snapper and grouper on not biting on the bottom, and the sails, kings, and mahi are not active on the top. My charters there used to consist of slow troll of live baits in the AM, and a few hours of bottom fishing in the afternoon. Allways went home with some nice eating fish and often a sail release or two. Always ask what fish is biting right now, and how you will target them, this way no surprises. (In my opinion catching yellowtail is not a charter trip worth taking.)