Yankee Capts | Key West Long Range Fishing Charters
Yankee Capts specializes in Key West long range fishing: three-, four- and five-day head boat trips that run year-round to the Dry Tortugas and the deep ridges far beyond them. Captain Greg Mercurio, who has built a 30-year reputation fishing these waters, leads the crew, and the operation has been running multi-day trips since 1977. Trips suit seasoned offshore anglers and first-timers alike, with mates on hand to help everyone dial in the deep-water techniques.
Where the Trips Go
- Dry Tortugas (about 70 miles west of Key West): the classic trip, with shallow flats, deep wrecks and drop-offs past 100 feet holding mutton and yellowtail snapper, red and black grouper and king mackerel.
- Halfway Ledge / 40 Fathom: about 25 miles past the Tortugas in 200 to 400 feet, known for black and scamp grouper, big silk (yellow-eye) snapper and muttons.
- Pulley Ridge Lite: long drifts and vertical jigging in 300 to 400 feet for red, scamp, black and yellowfin grouper and blackfin snapper, no electric reels needed.
- Pulley Ridge, Rankin Ridge and Howell’s Hook deep drops: 110 to 160 miles out, dropping baits as deep as 900 feet for snowy, yellowedge and Warsaw grouper, queen snapper and tilefish, with night fishing for muttons and blackfin tuna.
2027 Rates
Prices are per person plus Florida sales tax:
- 3-day Tortugas Mutton Hunt: $910
- 4-day Tortugas Mutton Hunt (limited load): $1,065
- 4-day Halfway Ledge / 40 Fathom Special: $1,175
- 4-day Pulley Ridge Lite, Halfway Ledge combo and deep-drop trips: $1,199
- 5-day Iron Man: $1,400
Special trips on the calendar, such as red snapper season openers, are priced individually. Most trips leave Key West in the evening and return around noon on the last day.
Booking Rules
Tickets are paid in full online and are non-refundable. You can transfer to another trip with at least 21 days’ notice. If the captain cancels for weather, you can choose a full refund (less a $20 booking fee) or a new date.
What to Bring
Every angler gets an assigned bunk and rail spot; you can review the bunk diagram and request your preference when you book. The boat doesn’t sell food, so bring your own meals and snacks in one cooler and a second 60- to 80-quart cooler for your catch. Pack bedding, a pillow, rain gear, short rubber boots, sunscreen and spare clothes. Hard liquor isn’t allowed, and beer is limited to three cans per person per day.
Book Key West Long Range Fishing
Call (305) 923-3926 or book through the Yankee Capts website. Comparing multi-day boats? Browse our long-range fishing directory or see all Florida fishing charters.