Gulfstream Fishing | Key West Party Boat Fishing Since 1947

For more than 75 years, the Gulfstream has been a fixture of Key West party boat fishing. The family-friendly head boat has sailed from Historic Charter Boat Row on North Roosevelt Boulevard since 1947, taking visitors and locals out to the reefs and wrecks of the lower Florida Keys every day of the year. Today the trips run aboard the Gulfstream IV, a large, stable, U.S. Coast Guard-inspected party boat that carries up to 40 anglers, with a professional, CPR- and first-aid-trained crew working the rail.

Daily Key West Party Boat Fishing Trip

The signature trip is a 6-hour reef fishing outing that leaves the dock at 10 AM and returns at 4 PM, year-round and rain or shine. Depending on conditions, the captain runs roughly 3 to 10 miles offshore and fishes anywhere from about 20 to more than 100 feet of water. Once over reef or wreck structure, the boat anchors, the crew starts a chum slick and anglers fish the bottom with squid, with ballyhoo as a backup bait. If a spot slows down, the captain pulls anchor and moves rather than waiting it out.

Because the cost of the boat, captain and fuel is shared by everyone aboard, a seat is far cheaper than booking a private boat for the same reef. That makes this one of the most budget-friendly ways to go deep sea fishing in Key West.

Key West Party Boat Fishing Prices

• Adults (13+): $69.95
• Children (12 and under): $42.95
• Infants (under 5): $39.95
• Riders (not fishing): $45.95
• Rod rental: $5, if needed

Frequent anglers can save with a 10-trip or 20-trip pass, and gift certificates that never expire are also available. Prices are as listed by the operator; confirm current rates when booking.

Other Trips: Private Charters and Summer Night Fishing

• Private charter: book the whole boat for your group — anywhere from 1 to 45 people — on a 5-hour trip departing at 8, 9 or 10 AM. Rod, tackle, bait and licenses are included, and it’s a popular choice for family reunions, corporate outings and bachelor parties. Private charters start around $2,000.
• Summer night fishing: from June through August, 5.5-hour night trips leave at 7 PM on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and return at 12:30 AM. It’s a cooler way to fish in summer and a prime time for mangrove snapper.
• Memorial ash scattering and ocean weddings can also be arranged.

What You Can Catch Fishing the Key West Reef

The everyday catch is reef and wreck fish: yellowtail, mangrove, lane, schoolmaster and mutton snapper, along with grunts, porgy, margate and red and black grouper. Cero mackerel often move into the chum slick behind the boat, and hogfish, triggerfish and the occasional cobia turn up as bonus fish. Barracuda are hooked from time to time and are generally released. What you can keep depends on size limits, seasons and current Florida regulations, and the crew will tell you on board what’s legal that day.

What’s Included

• Rod, reel and tackle
• Bait (squid and ballyhoo)
• Florida saltwater fishing license
• A captain and mates who bait hooks, clear tangles and help you land fish
• Men’s and women’s restrooms and a snack bar on board
• Fish cleaning and filleting at the dock after the trip

Great for Families and First-Time Anglers

No experience, gear or license is needed, and all ages are welcome. Bottom fishing on the reef tends to produce steady action from grunts, snapper and jacks, which keeps kids busy. The mates spend the whole trip helping newcomers bait up, feel a bite and reel fish over the rail, so it’s a natural first saltwater trip for families, couples and solo travelers.

Know Before You Go

• Dock: 1801 N Roosevelt Blvd, Historic Charter Boat Row, Key West, FL 33040
• Parking: free parking directly behind the boat
• Arrive early: check in with the crew before the 10 AM departure
• Bring: reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, lunch and drinks, and a small cooler if you want to take fillets home
• Leave at home: large coolers, aerosol sunscreen and bananas (an old fishing superstition)
• Cancellations: full refund with at least 24 hours’ notice; inside 24 hours, the office will work with you to reschedule
• Weather: trips run rain or shine, and severe-weather cancellations are rescheduled at no extra charge
• Cook your catch: several Key West restaurants will cook your cleaned fillets for you

Book Your Key West Fishing Trip

Book online through the Gulfstream Fishing website or call (305) 296-8494 — the office says texting that same number is the fastest way to reach them. The boat also draws anglers staying on Stock Island, in Marathon and across the Lower Keys. Comparing options? See more walk-on boats in our Florida party & head boat directory or browse all Florida fishing charters.