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Key West Grab Bag

Salt Water Sportsman joined Zebco in the Keys for great wintertime fishing
  • Updated: February 2, 2012
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Salt Water Sportsman was invited down to sunny Key West by the crew at Zebco. Here, we had a chance to test the latest Quantum and Fin-Nor gear against an array of Keys species — both inshore and offshore — with some of the area’s top captains… Alan McGuckin
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Heading offshore with Capt. R.T. Trosset in his 34 Yellowfin Ben Holtzclaw
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Live pilchards are a bait of choice in the Keys. Ben Holtzclaw
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Alan McGuckin of Zebco and R.T. with a small tuna caught on light tackle Ben Holtzclaw
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John Kushnerick of Zebco fishes Boca Grande Channel with David Brown and Capt. Tom Rowland Glenn Law
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Alan and Tom with a nice Keys ‘cuda caught on topwater
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Capt. Rich Tudor with a sizeable Marquesas permit Doug Olander
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One of many small jacks we caught and released Glenn Law
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Gerry Bethge of Outdoor Life turns the screws to a fish Glenn Law
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A little tunny about to be released Glenn Law
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Gerry proves the mettle of the venerable Zebco “33” with a topwater tuna Glenn Law
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…but Capt. Chris Trosset proved to be the real master of the “33” after he hooked up to a dolphin offshore. Ben Holtzclaw
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Chris took the prize in a little side contest of who could land the best fish on the Zebco 33 with this 15-pound dolphin. Alan McGuckin
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Capt. Chris Trosset prepares to release a healthy sailfish that took Ben Holtzclaw’s freelined pilchard. Alan McGuckin
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A lemon shark provides an inshore surprise for Rich Tudor in the Marquesas Glenn Law
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One of numerous cero mackerel that kept us busy offshore on the first day of fishing. Ben Holtzclaw
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Anchoring up after marking fish Ben Holtzclaw
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Ben Holtzclaw and Chris Trosset with a double hook-up Alan McGuckin
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A nice blackfin tuna caught on spinning gear Ben Holtzclaw
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Handfuls of live pilchards and bonito chunks can often kick off a feeding frenzy Ben Holtzclaw
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Chris deploys a kite over a wreck offshore Ben Holtzclaw
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The kite will keep this mullet struggling enticingly near the surface Ben Holtzclaw
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A cow dolphin that fell for a pilchard comes boatside Ben Holtzclaw
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Alan and Chris double up on nice jacks Ben Holtzclaw
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Ben Holtzclaw with a mutton snapper caught using dead bait on a jighead in about 30 feet of water Capt. Ted Lund
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Bob Bagby of Zebco with one of the many mangrove snapper we found on the bottom Ben Holtzclaw
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The red grouper were also thick here – we lost count of how many we released Ben Holtzclaw
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Bob with a colorful wrasse Ben Holtzclaw
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A 25-pound kingfish provides some real excitement on Bob’s Quantum EXO baitcaster Ben Holtzclaw
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The anglers win in the end. Here, Bob and Capt. Ted Lund show off this light-tackle prize. Ben Holtzclaw
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R.T. puts the bend in a Fin-Nor rod Alan McGuckin
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R.T. with a nice yellow jack Alan McGuckin
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It never hurts to bring home a few for dinner! Ben Holtzclaw
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