Outdoor Column | Anglers land large sailfish during Gulf of Mexico fishing trip

When a few days of calm weather finally set across the Gulf, anxious anglers went west in search of fish.

“Fishing has been fire,” said Captain Will Osborne. “It was calm for about a week. I went out and found the absolute biomass of kingfish, it was all you wanted.”

For Osborne the kingfish discovery came at the perfect time. Waters inshore became busy with spring break setting in so the flats he normally fishes filled up with boats.

“Everyone has been fishing in the bay, so it was a good time to get out in the Gulf to try something different. 90% of the people I’ve fished with have wanted meat as well so it worked out. On slow days we were getting 25 or 30 kingfish and on good days up to 100. It was non-stop four fish at a time for four hours!”

To find kingfish Osborne has been fishing in water around 39 feet deep. He begins by slow trolling two baits 75- to 100-yards behind the boat. If he gets one fish, he doesn’t stop. When a double header hits both rods he sets down the trolling motor and begins chumming live bait.

“If they double down I know there’s a good amount of fish. Every time I head out I’m looking. I don’t go to one waypoint because the fish could be anywhere. It’s like a highway for the kingfish, there isn’t always bait or structure they’re on,” Osborne explained.

To rig, he uses 60-pound leader with 30-pound Power Pro on 4000-sized Florida Fishing Products spinning reels. A pair of long shank hooks helps keeps the teeth of the kingfish at a distance from the leader.

In addition to kingfish, other pelagics are also making migrations with warming temperatures.

“One of my clients who fished Mexico for billfish turned to me and said ‘Sailfish Captain!’ I looked to the front and I saw it. It was huge, like eight feet long. He told the kids to keep feeding it chum, one at a time, so it wouldn’t get too full. It wouldn’t eat any of the 60-pound leader so I rerigged a rod with 25-pound leader.”

The sailfish hung around for about 10-minutes, eventually coming up right behind the boat. The lighter leader did the trick, as the hooked bait was eaten immediately. Osborne handed the rod to the 15-year old angler on board who kept tension tight.

“It took off and jumped probably 15-20 times during a 25-minute fight. It was so cool. I drove hard to keep up with it because we had such light leader,” recalled Osborne.

“Eventually it got close enough I went for the grab and got it. We got pictures and released it. That was a big as I’ve ever seen in the Gulf. It was huge!”

Capt, WIll Osborne can be reached at 941-580-7293.