Targeting Greater Amberjack On Key West Fishing Charters To Reefs

When you're on Key West fishing charters, out on a reef or a wreck and you hook into an amberjack, especially a greater amberjack, be prepared for a real fight. They are known by some as the strongest fighting fish pound for pound. Amberjacks can weigh up to 45 lbs. and the largest ones are closer to 140 lbs. Amberjacks are a prized game fish, a favorite among anglers because they provide such great sport in addition to the fact that they are excellent to eat.

Amberjacks are generally found around reefs, ship wrecks, oil rigs and any solid structures in deeper water. Of course the larger fish are generally found in deeper water. They can be found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and are plentiful around the reefs and wrecks of Key West. Some claim that the biggest amberjacks are found in Panama but one of the largest on record was caught off the coast of Hawaii.

To catch amberjack you generally want to set your tackle up for big game fish in deep water. You want to use around a 30 to 50 lb. test line on a sturdy rod with a solid reel that can handle a pretty stiff drag. Amberjack are notorious for tearing up cheap fishing rigs. You want a leader around 5' to 8' at 60 to 100 lb. test. Put a heavy egg weight about 5 to 8 oz. on the bottom of your rig.

For bait you can use any decent sized live bait fish such as mullet or croaker, menhaden, perch or better yet, blue runner. You can use shrimp too but make sure they're as big as you can get. Usually you'll use a 9/0 or 10/0 circle hook. Hook your bait fish from the mouth up through the upper jaw.

In place of baits you can use lures. You want to use shiny metal spoons, butterfly jigs and standard West Coast Iron lures. Live bait will almost always deliver better results than lures.

When an amberjack hits the bait he'll hit it real hard and run like heck. He's not as good at snagging you up in the rocks as a grouper or a snapper but even still, you want to try to keep him out of the rocks. Set your hook real good, real fast and try not to let him run, at least until you've got him out in the open.

Fishing on the reefs and wrecks of Key West can be a blast. If you're on one of the Key West fishing charters that go out to the reefs and wrecks be sure to tell them you're after amberjack. They'll set you up with the right tackle and tell you how and where to cast your line.