What happens to the fish you catch on a Key West charter?
The crew cleans, fillets and bags your legal fish at the dock, free at most operators. Florida requires many species to be landed whole, which is why filleting happens back at the dock. Bring a cooler with ice for the drive, or take the fillets to a restaurant that cooks your catch.
Cleaning and bagging
Key West Fishing Deals says the mate fillets your catch at the dock and bags it on ice, at no charge for legal fish; Salty Goat fillets and bags at the dock; Cora Beth fillets if you want; Florida Straits, Recon and Boa Vida all clean and bag. Gulfstream describes cleaning as included on its party-boat page and as $0.50 a fish on another page, so ask. On party boats, Gulfstream’s terms say the catch is divided at the captain’s discretion based on who caught what.
Why fish come back whole
FWC’s Keys boating guide says fish must remain in whole condition until landed ashore, with heads, fins and tails intact; for sharks, FWC’s rule is the same. That lets officers check size limits, and it is why the cleaning table is on the dock. What fish you can keep has the limits.
Getting fish home
- Bring a cooler with ice in the car; Key West Fishing Deals notes mahi, snapper, grouper and tuna fillets travel well.
- Shipping or vacuum-sealing: none of the twenty operators read mentions it, so plan to carry fillets yourself or eat them in Key West.
- Flying home: check your airline’s rules on fish and ice before you pack a cooler.
Restaurants that cook your catch
Gulfstream names six it recommends, saying they are recommendations, not partnerships, and to call ahead: Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island, Hurricane Hole Restaurant & Marina, Kaya Island Eats on Duval Street, Pescado, Mac’s Place, and Smoked on the Water BBQ at Charter Boat Row. Cora Beth says several cook-your-catch restaurants are a short walk from its dock and the crew will recommend one.
Your fish: questions
Do Key West charters clean your fish?
Yes, almost all of them, at the dock, and most do it free for legal fish. Gulfstream’s party boat may charge $0.50 a fish (its pages differ). The crew bags the fillets for you to take home or to a restaurant.
Can you get your fish cooked in Key West?
Yes. Gulfstream recommends Hogfish Bar & Grill, Hurricane Hole, Kaya Island Eats, Pescado, Mac’s Place and Smoked on the Water BBQ, and suggests calling ahead. Cora Beth’s crew recommends places within a short walk of its dock.
Can I ship fish home from Key West?
None of the Key West operators read for this site offers shipping, vacuum-sealing or freezing. Bring a cooler and ice for a drive, or check your airline’s rules on carrying fish.
Next step
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