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Key West Grab Bag

Salt Water Sportsman joined Zebco in the Keys for great wintertime fishing

By Ben Holtzclaw and Glenn Law

Updated: February 2, 2012

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

Heading offshore with Capt. R.T. Trosset in his 34 Yellowfin Ben Holtzclaw

Live pilchards are a bait of choice in the Keys. Ben Holtzclaw

Alan McGuckin of Zebco and R.T. with a small tuna caught on light tackle Ben Holtzclaw

John Kushnerick of Zebco fishes Boca Grande Channel with David Brown and Capt. Tom Rowland Glenn Law

Alan and Tom with a nice Keys ‘cuda caught on topwater

Capt. Rich Tudor with a sizeable Marquesas permit Doug Olander

One of many small jacks we caught and released Glenn Law

Gerry Bethge of Outdoor Life turns the screws to a fish Glenn Law

A little tunny about to be released Glenn Law

Gerry proves the mettle of the venerable Zebco “33” with a topwater tuna Glenn Law

…but Capt. Chris Trosset proved to be the real master of the “33” after he hooked up to a dolphin offshore. Ben Holtzclaw

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

Capt. Chris Trosset prepares to release a healthy sailfish that took Ben Holtzclaw’s freelined pilchard. Alan McGuckin

A lemon shark provides an inshore surprise for Rich Tudor in the Marquesas Glenn Law

One of numerous cero mackerel that kept us busy offshore on the first day of fishing. Ben Holtzclaw

Anchoring up after marking fish Ben Holtzclaw

Ben Holtzclaw and Chris Trosset with a double hook-up Alan McGuckin

A nice blackfin tuna caught on spinning gear Ben Holtzclaw

Handfuls of live pilchards and bonito chunks can often kick off a feeding frenzy Ben Holtzclaw

Chris deploys a kite over a wreck offshore Ben Holtzclaw

The kite will keep this mullet struggling enticingly near the surface Ben Holtzclaw

A cow dolphin that fell for a pilchard comes boatside Ben Holtzclaw

Alan and Chris double up on nice jacks Ben Holtzclaw

Ben Holtzclaw with a mutton snapper caught using dead bait on a jighead in about 30 feet of water Capt. Ted Lund

Bob Bagby of Zebco with one of the many mangrove snapper we found on the bottom Ben Holtzclaw

The red grouper were also thick here – we lost count of how many we released Ben Holtzclaw

Bob with a colorful wrasse Ben Holtzclaw

A 25-pound kingfish provides some real excitement on Bob’s Quantum EXO baitcaster Ben Holtzclaw

The anglers win in the end. Here, Bob and Capt. Ted Lund show off this light-tackle prize. Ben Holtzclaw

R.T. puts the bend in a Fin-Nor rod Alan McGuckin

R.T. with a nice yellow jack Alan McGuckin

It never hurts to bring home a few for dinner! Ben Holtzclaw

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