Reports / Species

Sailfish Reports

53 Captain's Log entries targeting sailfish

Tue, May 19, 2026

Captain's Log, May 19, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions: East winds 15-20 knots, Hawk Channel 2-4 ft, offshore 3-5 ft. Small Craft Caution in effect. Stiff east breeze but the fish are chewing on the edges. Pre-frontal pattern setting up. Midday addendum: NOAA 10:43 AM confirms holding pattern, easing Wednesday.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Blackfin Tuna Cero Mackerel Tarpon

Mon, May 18, 2026

Captain's Log, May 18, 2026

New moon +3 day. Monday's east wind peak delivered exactly what was forecast, 15-20 kts with Small Craft Caution across all zones. Morning bite came through for those who got out. Pattern easing Tuesday onward. Full evening recap and Tuesday outlook.

yellowtail snapper mutton snapper mangrove snapper mahi-mahi king mackerel cero mackerel blackfin tuna grouper sailfish

Sun, May 17, 2026

Captain's Log, May 17, 2026

New moon +2 day. Sunday wind peaked as forecast, fresh east 15-20 kts by afternoon. Morning bite window delivered. Tomorrow improves through the day. Full evening recap and Monday outlook.

yellowtail snapper mutton snapper mangrove snapper mahi-mahi king mackerel cero mackerel blackfin tuna grouper sailfish

Sat, May 16, 2026

Captain's Log, May 16, 2026

New moon day. East breeze building through the morning but the tide is king, amplified tidal swings from tonight's new moon turn on the fish. Gulf Stream pinned 4-6 NM off the Upper Keys reef line.

yellowtail snapper mutton snapper mangrove snapper mahi-mahi king mackerel cero mackerel blackfin tuna grouper sailfish

Fri, May 15, 2026

Captain's Log, May 15, 2026

The pressure gradient collapses. Variable light winds, seas 1 foot or less, and building toward new moon Saturday. This is the rebound day we've been waiting for.

yellowtail snapper mutton snapper mangrove snapper mahi-mahi king mackerel cero mackerel blackfin tuna grouper sailfish

Wed, May 13, 2026

Captain's Log, May 13, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions report: southwest to west winds freshening today, small craft advisory east of Craig Key. Seas 1-2 feet reefside, calm Hawk Channel mornings. Showers pulsing on and off across all coastal waters.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Grouper Sailfish Tarpon

Tue, May 12, 2026

Captain's Log, May 12, 2026

Variable light winds, flat 1-foot seas, and building tides ahead of the new moon. Reef-by-reef breakdown from Molasses through Tennessee, offshore conditions, and species outlook for Islamorada.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon Grouper

Mon, May 11, 2026

Captain's Log, May 11, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions report: southeast breezes slackened, weak front moving into northern Gulf. Flat seas across the board. Evening update confirms calm conditions held through the day, with light variable breezes and low rain chances expected all week.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon Grouper

Sun, May 10, 2026

Captain's Log, May 10, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions: Mother's Day brings the gentlest breeze of the weekend, SE 10 knots, 1-2 ft reef, ~2 ft offshore. Clean water, settled pattern, fish chewing. Sunday funday on the reef.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon

Sat, May 9, 2026

Captain's Log, May 9, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions: Saturday brings more breeze, SE 10-15 knots, 2-3 ft offshore, but the settled ridge still delivers clean water and chewing fish. Reef play is the call.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon

Fri, May 8, 2026

Captain's Log, May 8, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions: Friday repeat with flat morning seas, light variable winds, Gulf Stream 10 NM off Alligator. The reef bite carries the confidence.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon

Thu, May 7, 2026

Captain's Log, May 7, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions: spring ridge locked in, flat seas, Gulf Stream 10 miles off Alligator. Light east-southeast winds through the weekend. Yellowtail and mutton snapper on the reef are the high-percentage play.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon

Wed, May 6, 2026

Captain's Log, May 6, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions report: east-southeast pattern locks in, flat seas, Gulf Stream 10 NM off Alligator. Wednesday through Friday is the stretch.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon

Tue, May 5, 2026

Captain's Log, May 5, 2026

Islamorada fishing conditions report: trough cleared, flat seas, east-southeast lock-in building Wednesday through Friday. Evening update confirms improving trend with afternoon recap and tomorrow outlook.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi Kingfish Sailfish Cero Mackerel Blackfin Tuna Tarpon

Sat, Apr 18, 2026

2/2 on Sails for the Florida Keys Children's Shelter

Miss Penny donated a full-day charter to the Best of the Upper Keys 2025 silent auction benefiting the Florida Keys Children's Shelter. Chad ran the boat, I ran the pit. We went 2-for-2 on sailfish, plus cero mackerel and mutton snapper, and the cero went straight from the cooler to Chef Eric Andreu's sushi bar at The Islander.

Sailfish Cero Mackerel Mutton Snapper

Tue, Apr 7, 2026

Captain's Log, April 7, 2026

Islamorada starts fishable with variable-to-west winds 5 to 10 knots, reef seas around 1 foot, offshore 1 to 2 feet early, Vaca Key water temp near 80°F, and a solid early window on Molasses, Conch, Davis, Crocker, Alligator, and Tennessee before showers and thunderstorms try to get cute.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Kingfish Sailfish Mahi-Mahi

Mon, Apr 6, 2026

Captain's Log, April 6, 2026

Islamorada lays down today with east wind 5 to 10 knots, reef seas 1 to 2 feet, offshore easing toward 2 feet, Vaca Key water temp at 79°F, and a solid reef-to-edge setup for yellowtails, muttons, kings, plus a growing mahi and sailfish shot if the showers stay honest.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Kingfish Sailfish Mahi-Mahi

Sun, Apr 5, 2026

Captain's Log, April 5, 2026

East breeze easing through Islamorada today. Hawk Channel still 2-4 feet with some leftover chop, but Monday lays down to 1-2. Water temp is holding near 78°F, tides turn high at 3:50 PM, and the reef bite stays solid for yellowtail, muttons, kings, and a building offshore shot tomorrow.

Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Kingfish Sailfish Mahi-Mahi

Sat, Apr 4, 2026

Captain's Log, April 4, 2026

Small Craft Advisory still flying Saturday. East 20, Hawk Channel 3-5 feet. Sunday is your window. Seas drop to 2-4 feet and keep falling. Gulf Stream pinned 15 NM off Islamorada. Negative low tide tonight drains the flats.

Sailfish Mahi-Mahi Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Kingfish

Fri, Apr 3, 2026

Captain's Log, April 3, 2026

Small Craft Advisory across the board. East 20-25 in the Straits, 5-8 foot seas. Hawk Channel 3-5 feet. The breezy pattern holds through Saturday, with relief starting Sunday. Gulf Stream 15 NM off Islamorada.

Sailfish Mahi-Mahi Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Kingfish

Wed, Apr 1, 2026

Captain's Log, April 1, 2026

April Fools, but the wind isn't joking. East 15-20 holding all week. Full moon Friday, so mutton snappers should get nervous.

Sailfish Mutton Snapper Yellowtail Snapper Mahi-Mahi Cero Mackerel

Tue, Mar 31, 2026

Captain's Log, March 31, 2026

Small Craft Advisory encore. East wind won't quit, but neither do we. Reef-by-reef breakdown for Islamorada.

Sailfish Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Cero Mackerel Barracuda

Mon, Mar 30, 2026

Captain's Log, March 30, 2026

Small Craft Advisory, big fish energy. The wind's trying to keep you home. Don't let it.

Sailfish Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Mahi-Mahi

Sun, Mar 29, 2026

Captain's Log, March 29, 2026

Cold front crashes the party, reef current takes a nap, and the Stream sits tight off Molasses

Sailfish Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Wahoo Cero Mackerel

Sat, Mar 28, 2026

Captain's Log, March 28, 2026

The Gulf Stream's sitting on Molasses' doorstep and every reef is asleep. Guess where we're going.

Sailfish Mahi Kingfish Blackfin Tuna

Fri, Mar 27, 2026

Captain's Log, March 27, 2026

Two-day window before Sunday's front ruins everything. Fish hard or regret it.

Sailfish Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Cero Mackerel

Thu, Mar 26, 2026

Captain's Log, March 26, 2026

Two-day window before Sunday's tantrum. Alligator Reef is stacking bait and the Stream is parked 11 miles out.

Sailfish Mahi Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Kingfish Blackfin Tuna

Wed, Mar 25, 2026

Captain's Log, March 25, 2026

Clean Gulf Stream water, a northeast push on the reef line, and a narrow weather window before Sunday's blow. Get it while it's good.

Sailfish Yellowtail Snapper Mutton Snapper Kingfish Cobia

Wed, Mar 25, 2026

Record Sargassum Headed for the Florida Keys, What It Means for Fishing

Over 10 million metric tons of sargassum are pushing toward South Florida. Here's what charter captains and anglers need to know about the 2026 bloom.

Mahi-Mahi Tripletail Wahoo Sailfish

Tue, Mar 24, 2026

Captain's Log, March 24, 2026

Gulf Stream holding tight at 11 miles off Molasses. Flat calm seas, light NE current, and the kite fishing window is wide open.

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Mon, Mar 23, 2026

Captain's Log, March 23, 2026

Gulf Stream backed off to 11 miles, but flat calm seas and clean water on the reef. Kite fishing and king mackerel are the play today.

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Sun, Mar 22, 2026

Captain's Log, March 22, 2026

Gulf Stream parked 4 miles off Molasses Reef with glass-calm seas. Sailfish, kings, and wahoo stacked on the edge.

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Sat, Mar 21, 2026

Captain's Log, March 21, 2026

Gulf Stream riding just 7 miles off Alligator Reef, winds dropping through the day. Sails, kings, and wahoo all within reach.

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Fri, Mar 20, 2026

Captain's Log, March 20, 2026

Gulf Stream riding tight to the Upper Keys reef line with stacked bait. Prime sailfish and kingfish setup

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Thu, Mar 19, 2026

Captain's Log, March 19, 2026

Gulf Stream riding tight to the reef, bait stacked, and sailfish should be chewing if you can handle the north wind.

Sailfish Kingfish Blackfin Tuna

Wed, Mar 18, 2026

Captain's Log, March 18, 2026

Gulf Stream riding tight on the reef, bait stacked, new moon. Sails and kings are about to eat when this blow lays down

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Tue, Mar 17, 2026

Captain's Log, March 17, 2026

Cold front pushing through Islamorada with the Gulf Stream riding tight to the reef. Sailfish, kings, and wahoo on deck for St. Patrick's Day

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Mon, Mar 16, 2026

Captain's Log, March 16, 2026

Gulf Stream riding tight to the reef, bait stacked on the edge. Sailfish, kings, and wahoo on deck before tonight's front.

Sailfish Wahoo Kingfish

Sun, Mar 15, 2026

Captain's Log, March 15, 2026

Gulf Stream pinned tight to the reef, bait stacking from Molasses to Conch. Prime sailfish conditions off Islamorada

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Sat, Mar 14, 2026

Captain's Log, March 14, 2026

Gulf Stream tight to the reef, flat seas, and a textbook color change from Molasses to Alligator. Sailfish day.

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna Mutton Snapper

Fri, Mar 13, 2026

Captain's Log, March 13, 2026

Flat calm Friday the 13th with the Gulf Stream tight to the reef. Sailfish, wahoo, and kingfish on deck

Sailfish Wahoo Kingfish Blackfin Tuna

Thu, Mar 12, 2026

Captain's Log, March 12, 2026

Gulf Stream 8 miles off Alligator Reef with stacked bait and a sharp color change. Reef-by-reef breakdown from Molasses to Tennessee

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo Blackfin Tuna

Wed, Mar 11, 2026

Captain's Log, March 11, 2026

Gulf Stream pinned against the reef with stacked bait. Sailfish, kingfish, and wahoo on deck for Islamorada

Sailfish Kingfish Wahoo

Tue, Mar 10, 2026

Captain's Log, March 10, 2026

East wind laying the seas down flat with warm water tight to the reef, a prime kite fishing setup for sailfish

Sailfish Kingfish Blackfin Tuna

Sat, Jan 18, 2025

Building on Success: The Dirty Boat 2.0 Tournament Legacy

With 100 points at the 2025 Cheeca Presidential, Team Dirty Boat 2.0 keeps building its tournament record. Consistency, depth, and execution define our approach.

Sailfish Tournament Legacy Team Development

Fri, Jan 17, 2025

2025 Cheeca Lodge Presidential: Robin Hall Earns Top Female Angler Honors

Team Dirty Boat 2.0 scores 100 points at the 2025 Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament, with Robin Hall earning Top Female Angler honors for her perfect Sailfish release.

Sailfish Tournament Fishing

Tue, Dec 10, 2024

2023 Florida Keys Gold Cup Series: Dirty Boat 2.0 Scores 500 Points

Team Dirty Boat 2.0 finishes the 2023 Florida Keys Gold Cup Series with 500 points. A season of consistency and championship performance.

Sailfish Gold Cup Series Tournament Championship

Fri, Nov 15, 2024

Gold Cup Preparation: Building a Championship Season

Behind the scenes of our Gold Cup tournament prep. How we turn the DirtyBoat from a charter boat into a tournament operation.

Sailfish Tournament Preparation Equipment

Sat, Feb 25, 2023

Perfect 10: DirtyBoat Goes 10/10 on Sailfish

A personal best day for DirtyBoat with a perfect 10-for-10 on Sailfish. When the bite is hot in Islamorada, we know how to capitalize.

Sailfish Perfect Day Live Bait Mastery

Sat, Jan 21, 2023

2023 Islamorada Fishing Club: Chad Pruitt's 100-Point Sailfish

Mate becomes angler as Chad Pruitt puts 100 points on the board for Dirty Boat 2.0 at the 2023 Islamorada Fishing Club Sailfish Tournament.

Sailfish Mate Skills Tournament Versatility

Wed, Jan 18, 2023

2023 Cheeca Lodge Presidential: Another 100 Points for Dirty Boat 2.0

Team Dirty Boat 2.0 puts up another 100 points at the 2023 Cheeca Lodge Presidential Sailfish Tournament. Jose Boza delivers the winning catch.

Sailfish Tournament Consistency

Sat, Dec 3, 2022

December 3, 2022: The Triple Sailfish Day for Dirty Boat 2.0

December 3rd, 2022 was a big day for Team Dirty Boat 2.0: three sailfish releases by two different anglers, showing the team's depth and tournament chops.

Sailfish Tournament Execution Team Fishing

Fri, Dec 2, 2022

2022 Islamorada Sailfish Tournament: Dirty Boat 2.0 Scores 300 Points

Team Dirty Boat 2.0 puts up 300 points at the 2022 Islamorada Sailfish Tournament. Multiple sailfish releases and a 7.5lb dolphin headline a strong tournament showing.

Sailfish Dolphin (Mahi)Tournament Fishing

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