Key West offers different types of fisheries with different fish species. Shark fishing for instance is done on flats and channels where the waters are between 4 and 5 feet deep. Shark fishing is an exclusive type of sports and is done using flat boats and/or light tackle boats. Fly rods are used to catch these fish which can be as heavy as 400 lb. Shark fishing is most fruitful between February and July. Another top species is the bonefish. Although bonefish live in tropical waters - which makes it hard to find them - they usually move to shallow flats so as to feed. At Key West Fishing, they are a main highlight as they can be found here in plenty especially during early fall.

 Other types of fish that make it worth trying out Key West fishing are Permit, mostly found between March and July; Sailfish which can be found between January and March; Mangrove Grouper between April and August; Blue Marlin best caught during fall just like the Barracuda and the yellow tail snapper. Other types of fish found at Key West include the tuna (both black fin and yellow fin), tarpon, mutton snapper and the Wahoo among others.

The Atlantic Ocean offshore provides the best Key West fishing outdoors experience. Here, the widest range of fish can be caught. It is easy to make sure that you do not miss the fun in the sports by observing the waters consistently for signs that fish may be on their way up. You can do this by being on the look out for weed lines, color changes in the water, diving birds among other indicators.   

Fishing at Key West can also be done in groups whereby you can join any of the groups going on fishing trips in the various locations. One of these is the Sunset Shark and Tarpon Trip which is normally a nighttime outdoor activity. It is one of the most engaging sports given the number of fishing enthusiasts who attend and the hard task it is trying to catch such big animals. Other trips are the Gulf Shrimp Boat Trips which are an early morning outdoors activity and the Gulf of Mexico Towers Charters which takes fishing to the restricted Gulf Coast Towers waters. The famous Gulf of Mexico Wrecks are a sanctuary to many fish and therefore offer the widest range of fish found in any single place.

Product Description
Charles Lindsay's grandfather taught him to fly-fish when he was nine years old. Ever since, in pursuit of trout and solitude, he has immersed himself in the clear, rushing waters of the American West. Fly rod in hand, he participates in the ancient rituals between predator and prey. At times photographing beneath the surface of the water, Lindsay literally enters the world of the trout. In this close observance of the cosmos within the river, he explores the fundam... More >>

Upstream: Fly-Fishing in the American West

Best Western Weston Inn

The Best Western Weston Inn is located at Gibbon Avenue, West Yellowstone in Montana. It is a few blocks away from the famous Yellowstone National Park. It is also near the IMAX Theater. The location is ideal for activities like fishing, snowmobiling, cross country trails and boating.

Enjoy fine dining in the many restaurants around.

Guestrooms provide maximum comfort with a big legroom. Room amenities include a cable satellite TV, microwave oven, refrigerator and coffee and tea maker.

You can have a refreshing splash along the outdoor heated pool and hot tub for a relaxing pleasure.

Hotel Amenities:

Complimentary continental breakfast such as hot and cold cereals, French toast, pancakes, muffins, donuts, breads, fruits, juices, milk, coffee and tea.

Multilingual staff

Cold weather hook-ups

Express check in

Vending machine

Free parking

Photocopy service

Fax services

High-speed wireless Internet access

Cable TV

Free 30 minutes local calls

Data ports

AM/FM alarm clock

Coffee maker

Hair dryer

Iron and ironing board

Microwave oven

Refrigerator

Working table with lamp

66 guestrooms for Persons With Disabilities

Major Area Attractions:

Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Gallatin National Forest

Hebgen Lake ideal for hiking and fishing activities

Island Park

Grand Teton National Park

Big Sky Skiing

City Center Motel

Experience an affordable accommodation at the City Center Motel, located at the center of West Yellowstone downtown district. The hotel offers services like bus tours, snowmobile rentals, car rentals and snow coach tours.

Visit the famous Yellowstone National Park very near the hotel.

The spacious guestrooms are value for money. It features the most modern facilities.

The staff is friendly and attuned to your needs.

Hotel Amenities:

Rated Triple A

Triple A discounts

Complimentary wireless Internet access

Coffee maker

Cable TV

Hot tub

The hotel caters to any social gatherings with its large conference room, equipped with a kitchen and wide screen TV.

Area Attractions:

Yellowstone Historic Center

Playmill Theatre

Grizzly Discovery Center

Yellowstone IMAX Theatre

Quake Lake

Virginia City, Montana

Nevada City, Montana

Big Springs

Mesa Falls Scenic Byway

Bird watching

Guests can also have fun with activities like:

Hiking

Fly fishing

Float trips

Camping

Mountain biking

Horseback riding

Photography

Lazy G Motel

Lazy G Motel offers the lowest hotel rates in West Yellowstone. Rates range from $55 to $99 per night. The hotel is conveniently located near major attractions and activity areas of Yellowstone.

All rooms are cozy and warm.

The hotel staff is 24-hours on call for your needs.

Hotel Amenities:

High-speed wireless Internet access

Satellite TV with premium channels

Refrigerator

Free local calls

Hair dryer

Picnic area with barbeque grills

Kitchenette

How do you do it? By  taking a private charter and the fleet consists of  1 to 100 people and you will  have a choice of many to choose from i.e  single engine piston,twin engine piston,turbo prop,gusturbine  and jet.But citation jet will go to specific airstrips only due to the bad state of the aistrips in the national parks.But for charter flights nairobi to mombasa,nairobi to lamu,nairobi-malindi,nairobi to eldoret you can use the citation jet .

Charter flights gives the privancy,comfort and flexibility coupled with personalized service and attention.You will be given what you want i.e if you want enough leg room the aircraft will be configured to suit your needs not like the scheduled flights  where you are mixed and  it is sold at per seat basis  and thus leaving you with no room to negotiate or suggest.

As a family  you can take advantage of  the charter flights to have memorable safaris which has a variety of scenic safaris,sight seeing,filming safaris of any geographical feature that you might want to see or take a photo?Scheduled flights are timed  and need to drop you pick other passengers and that is it.For private charter the plane is at your disposal as it flies and the pilot has no abligation to show you all the geographical features enroute  as you head to your destinations.If you find your safari interesting that you want to extend the stay for a couple of days all you have to do is to call aday earlier and advice the charter company of the changes andd there will be no hassle of cancellation or charge of date fees.At david livingstone lodge in the mara you the river is just next  to the dinning place and you will view the hippos and crocodiles as you dinn the same at kilanguni serena lodge at tsavo east,so why miss this opportunity when  you can be flown there in 50 minutes.

On your way from lamu you will have a scenic,sight seeing and filming safari along the coastal strip through malindi,mombasa,diani through,wasini island,funzi island shimba hills ,viewing mt kilimanjaro as you head to masai mara,samburu,tsavo east &or west,masai mara,nanyuki name them what a deal and asafari ? Once you reach your destination you will be meet by either a tour van or 4by w landdcruiser with agame drive to the lodge or camp welcomed with juice or soft drink and even before you land the aircraft will overfly the lodge or camp for you to take photos fromm the air andd have its view.

And with charter flights as long as you  say in advance for fuel purposes you can divert the flight to stop over at any of the national parks to have lunch and even agame drive enroute  to your destination but not out of kenya which will need a clearance for landing and it requires at least 1 working day notice to secure.

You are afamily,agroup with common culture or dreams to  have amemorable holidays in kenya then a private charter is the way to  achieve your dream.

Travel south for the winter? You can't get much further south than Key West. You can escape the snow and get a tan all at the same time. No worries about the winter-time fishing opportunities either. Go back-country to tap those beautiful baby tarpon or snag some snook. Head off to the flats and chase those ever elusive bonefish. Do it on the fly for double points and kudo's. Or take on those pulling titan permits. Such an odd looking fish to me but man can they pull. You won't be dissappointed.

Stick around for those spring and summertime fun when the water really starts jumping as schools of huge tarpon come rolling thru. Definitely the kings of the waterway during these times. Their annual migration leads them right thru Key West both going and coming as they circle Florida for the best breeding grounds. Have you ever hooked a tarpon? If you haven't, once you do, you'll chase them for life!

Probably the best way to go and fish Key West if you're visiting is to charter a guide. These people live there. They fish basically everyday. Following the different pods of fish around and know what's available and how to put you on the fish with what they have been feasting on. Even if you come down with boat in tow, do yourself a favor, find out how to go about it by getting a guide. Let them take you out for that first trip. Let them show you where the honey-holes are located. Ask them why the fish are holding there. Ask lot's of questions and be friendly. Let them show you what you need and how to be rigged for the different types of fishing you'll do when on a charter. Information is king (well, luck plays a little part as well) when it comes to fishing in Key West and the more you know the better you will do. Besides, doesn't everyone want a successful fishing trip?

You are there to learn more than anything while undertaking a guides services so ask pertinent questions. Ask questions like, do the fish bite better here on a falling or rising tide? Are we fishing a falling tide? Do you have any success catching them on another type of bait? Why do you think the fish are holding here? You get the drift.

If the budget affords it, plan some specialty guided fishing trips. Key West offers so much because of it's location you can do virtually any type of saltwater fishing there is. From pristine flats to a lush backcountry, from channels to offshore, it has it all. Personally, I would plan for at least a flats fishing expedition for tarpon, permit, barracudas and bonefish as well as a backcountry tour for more tarpon, snook, redfish and trout. And if I had any money left over and the wife agreed, you could bet I would head offshore for some reef, wreck and trolling sport fishing for snapper, grouper and whatever else would hit the line. Bottom line is, if you like to fish, no matter what type of fishing you like, Key West has it and has it in abundance.

From Lhasa to the south, crossed the Yarlung Zangbo River wine-cup floating bridge, continues to travel southward along the winding around a mountain road, crossed the hillock Para mountain pass, south looks as far as the eye can see, as worthy of looking at as clear blue thorough lake waters, with the blue sky altogether color, the lake shore winds windingly, straight to distant place. This is located on the elevation more than 4,400 meter Qinghai-Tibet Plain, is called by the general Tibetan nationality populace of Yang Zhuoyong Tibet sacred lakes is wrong.

Yang Zhuoyong wrong, also called Yang Zhuoyong the lake (native usually is called as“sheep lake”), because Tibetan“is wrong”is“the lake”meaning. Yang Zhuoyong wrong distance Lhasa to 100 kilometers, does not divide from the geography belongs to the Shannan area Nagarze County, when very many tourists all choose the Xigaze area traveling via here. Yang Zhuoyong the wrong lake trough long is winding, takes the form of the swan which spreads the wings to want to fly. Hands down, has a female celestial to think every world of mortals, offends the day gauge, ascends the sky turns her the swan to censure in here, Zhu Feng goddess are reluctant to part from with her, often comes this to accompany with her. Winds windingly, the continuous not certainly lake waterfront, wrong causes Yang Zhuoyong to compare Tibet other two big sacred lakes, appears is more charming,. Because water quality clear, the lake water depth change is bigger, Yang Zhuoyong wrong color each level clearly demarcated, may obviously distinguish by light green to the dark blue each kind of color, the eternal truth mounts in a mountain valley deep place jadeite. The local common people are spreading this kind of folk song:“Space fairyland, world Yang Zhuo; Space stars, lakeside flock of sheep.”

The family is occupied by Yang Zhuoyong the inlaying the Tibetan nationality woman fetches water in the bund

Yang Zhuoyong the mistake is the plateau imprisoned lake, the about 400 million years reason glacier mud-rock flow stops up the river course to form. The waters area more than 630 square kilometers, probably are Hangzhou Xihu’s 70 times. Yang Zhuoyong the dislocation to the Yarlung Zangbo River Nanan, rather Jin Kangsha under the peak foot, the elevation 4,441 meters, the thing long 130 kilometers, the north and south extends 70 kilometers, the lake waterfront total length 250 kilometers, the total area 638 square kilometers, the lake water deep 20 ~ 40 meters, is north the Himalaya Mountains the foothill biggest interior lake. The sheep mouth are more, likes a coral dissimilarity above, therefore it is called in Tibetan“the coral lake”. In the lake distributes has 10 islands, big may accommodate 56 households housings, is small then only has hundred square meters. Yang Hushu the low density salty water lake, every year mid-November starts to freeze in, the ice is thick may amount to 0.5 meter. In the lake is rich in the brachymystax lenok, the Tibet crack * fish, the plateau bare carp and so on, the reserve estimation amounts to 2 ~ 300 million kilograms, now here breeds already forms comparatively large-scale, produces the fish not only supplies the Lhasa market also far toward the inland sale. Here or the South of Tibet biggest waterfowl habitat, every time meets south the winter group bird the change residence error 1778 to this, area the lake shore and the island, the swan, Shui Ge, Huang Ya, the osprey as well as the spot lead goose extremely are all many. Needs the about 30 minutes from the mountain pass to the sheep outstanding lakeside, then may continuously appreciate the yak and the beautiful deep blue lake along the bund road——which Yang Zhuoyong the lake the scenery is rich in the Qinghai-Tibet Plain characteristic, the plateau bright sky and once in a while like the white cotton fiber has fluttered the clouds, constitutes the moving picture, has the oil painting effect.

Read more beautiful place at China travel Step

If you can take the time before or after your cruise travel, spend some extra time in San Diego. The city of San Diego is blessed with year round warm weather and seventy miles of Pacific Coastline. There are many activities to enjoy while in the city. They have a first class, world famous zoo in Balboa Park. At Old Town State Historic Park learn about the History of California. Near the downtown area there are 15 excellent museums and gorgeous gardens.

A little further up north is Long Beach just 20 miles south of Los Angeles. Here is where the Queen Mary retired to in 1967 and is permanently docked serving as a Hotel. With more 12,000 sea creatures the aquarium is a delightful spot to spend a couple of hours.

If you plan to take your cruise vacation out of Los Angeles there are plenty of sights to see. A pre or post cruise package from the cruise lines will allow you to see the many cultural centers or drive by the star studded neighborhoods of Malibu, Bel Air and Hollywood. Be sure to see Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Chinatown and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Visit funky Venice Beach and dine in the many excellent restaurants. And don't forget to at least window shop on Rodeo Drive.

The dazzling Golden Gate Bridge will be what you sail under on you cruise vacation from San Francisco. Many cruise reviews have mentioned this city as one of the favorites from which to start a cruise. You may opt to take a side trip to the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma Valleys for a day. While in San Francisco check out Fisherman's Wharf, or take a cable car ride through the city. In this city there are numerous excellent restaurants. There is a ferry that will take you over to Alcatraz Island for a glimpse into the life of the prisoners.

Perhaps you have chosen Seattle, Washington as your embarkation port. The lovely Puget Sound area is rich with history of the maritime industries. The Olympic Mountains will leave you feeling awed when viewed from the Space Needle that is 607 feet high. For fun don't miss the Pike Street Market for fresh seafood and produce. There are many fleets of sport fishing boats for fishing or for whale watching.

Even further up the coast you are now in Alaskan territory. Fairbanks, which was once a booming mining town, is the entrance to Alaska's interior. If you stay here for a day or two try a really Alaskan adventure and go dog sledding. Maybe you would like to pan for gold, another part of Alaska's history. If you want to see the Northern Lights plan your cruise vacation for late August or early September.

Choosing a cruise vacation out of Whitter, Alaska will allow you to go whale watching, and look for sea lions and bald eagles. This is a small quaint town that really lets you feel what Alaska is all about.

You will fly into Anchorage for departure from Seward, Alaska. Try to stay a few days to explore the riches Anchorage has to offer. There is the beautiful Denali National Park, where Mt. McKinney offers spectacular scenery. In Seward you can take a cruise to the Kenai Fjords as a day trip.

Any of these cruise ports will make a great start for your cruise vacation. So when planning any cruise travel pick a port that's close to home and leave some time for exploring the town of embarkation.

Happy Cruising

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com

The Welcome Center can make all of your reservations for you so you do not have to stress over what to do, who to call or what to plan.

1. HOTELS, MOTELS, BED & BREAKFAST, VACATION RENTALS
Key West is a small island that is 1.5 by 4 miles in size with only 4,000 total hotel, motel, bed & breakfast and condominium rooms on the entire island. During special events and holiday weekends, there is usually a 3-nite minimum stay at the bed & breakfasts as well as some of the 4-star hotel resorts on the island and condominium resorts.

If you are coming in for just one night during the week, then you probably will not need advanced reservations for a hotel or motel room. Sometimes, we can get you into a nice bed & breakfast for just one night due to last minute cancellations. But, if you plan on staying for a few nights or longer, advanced reservations are definitely in order.

Working as a Concierge for a number of years, you see just when and where rooms are available for nightly rental. If you are looking for private homes for your vacation rental, then expect places that are only available for a minimum of one week. Some places are only available on a monthly basis.

On another note, if you are like me and have animal companions, they are a part of your family and do not like the idea of leaving them home when you are out having fun. Most accommodations, including the vacation rentals, are not pet friendly. The ones that have more pet friendly rooms are the bed & breakfasts. Contact the Key West Welcome Center to find out what is available that is pet friendly and they will make the reservations for you.

In the off-season (June 1 to December 15), accommodation rates start at about $89 for a basic room up to a 4-star resort starting at $200 a night. During high season (December 16 to May 31), rates can start at $169 per night.

2. FISHING THE KEYS
If you are an avid fisherman, coming to Key West is something you will never forget. There is no better fishing in the State of Florida than there is in Key West. Try your hand at game fish such as Sailfish, Blue Marlin, Tarpon, Permit, Cobia, Wahoo or even Shark. More records have been broken here than anywhere else in the State of Florida.

There are three basic types of fishing:
1. Off-Shore
2. Back Country Light Tackle
3. Flats

OFF SHORE - Off-shore fishing is where you go for the big stuff such as Grouper, Sail Fish, Marlin, mahi-mahi, King Mackerel, etc. The boats are usually a six-pack (maximum six passenger) and you take turns in the hot seat. The method of hooking the fish is by trolling. You can reserve by the seat (1/2 day $135; full day $185), or private charters (1/2 day starting at $600; full day starting at $800).

BACK COUNTRY LIGHT TACKLE - This type of fishing is using a spinning rod on boats that are never bigger than 28-feet with a maximum capacity of 4 passengers. This is usually sight casting and can use either lures or live bait. You will catch things such as mahi-mahi, Sailfish, Tarpon, Cobia, Permit, Bone Fish, etc. These are strictly private charter with 1/2 days starting at $450; full days starting at $650

FLATS FISHING - This is the ultimate challenge to a fisherman because you are in waters that are rarely deeper than 2 to 3 feet and you are using either 15 lb. test line on a spinning rod, or fly fishing. These boats are specifically designed for high speeds in very shallow waters. Here you can hook into Tarpon, Permit, Bone Fish, African Pompano, and sometimes even sharks. Imaging the thrill of catching a 90 lb. Tarpon on 15-lb. test line. It will be an exercise to see who tires first; you or the Tarpon (in many cases it will be you). These boats can only take a maximum of 2 passengers. Charters for 1/2-day start at $350; full day start at $550.
3. SNORKEL, SNUBA AND SCUBA DIVING
Over 80% of the visitors to Key West and the Florida Keys want to go either snorkeling or scuba diving. This is due to the abundant and colorful sea life one would see while on either a snorkeling or scuba diving experience. To Scuba Dive, one must be a certified diver (PADI, NAUI, etc) as they have anywhere from Open Water Certification to Master Diver.

If you have never done scuba diving before, there is something called SNUBA which gives you an experience similar to Scuba, but instead of having a tank strapped to your back, the regulator in your mouth is attached to a 20-foot long air hose attached to a compressor on the surface. This way you get the experience of being underwater without having to get certified.

If you want to see what it is like to Scuba Dive, you can take a Resort Course which gives you enough training to go out with an instructor on what is called a 2-tank dive in up to 45 feet of water.

Snorkel trips start at $35 per person, Snuba starts at $95 per person, Scuba starts at $90 per person and resort courses start at $155 per person.

4. FT. JEFFERSON AT THE DRY TORTUGAS
Day trips to the Dry Tortugas has to be the most popular excursion in Key West as you get to the Dry Tortugas by either a high speed catamaran or by seaplane.

The Catamarans take a little over two hours to go about 70 miles west of Key West and they give you about 4.5 hours at the Dry Tortugas. The Seaplane takes about 35 minutes to get there and they give you about 2.5 hours on the island.

Ft. Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas is 16 acres in size and it is the largest coastal fort in the United States. It just draws you into its history when the historian tells you about the place. This is a trip you do not want to miss.

Boat prices to the Dry Tortugas start at $110 to $129 depending on the boat, and the seaplane costs start at $189 per adult.

5. GLASS BOTTOM BOAT EXCURSIONS
The Glass bottom boats give you the experience of seeing the sea life at the Living Coral Reef. We call it a "Dry Snorkel" trip as it is like snorkeling without getting wet.

Large tropical fish, colorful coral await you at the reef. Prices start at $35 per person.
6. FINE DINING IN KEY WEST
Key West is privileged to have so many fine restaurants that it would be difficult to chose which ones to eat at.

We have everything from the fast food chains, all the way to 4 diamond quality restaurants. Other than a few minor exceptions, you do not have to make a reservation and you never ever have to dress up for dinner.

Key West has what we call, "Key West Casual" which means shirt, shorts and sandals and this is the code of dress for every place in Key West.

You can have something as simple as a good hamburger or Conch Fritters, to something as extravagant as Lobster Mango Tango (lobster sautéed in Brandy and covered with a Mango Salsa). The choice is yours in Key West.

7. DINNER CRUISES
Many people come to the Keys for its fabulous sunsets. Why not have your sunset and a 3-course gourmet dinner along with it. A sunset dinner cruise is the way to go.

On one of the dinner cruise boats, the chef will prepare your food while the captain of the dinner cruise takes you on a wonderful journey around the Key West Harbor and once you sample this wonderful cuisine on this dinner cruise, you will wonder how he does it for such a low price.

Formerly a chef at a 4 diamond restaurant, he will present you with mouth-watering options for your meals and it includes domestic and imported beers, wines and champagne.

Dinner cruise prices are from $65 to $75 per person not including tax and gratuity. Private Charters for the dinner cruise are available for special functions and weddings. The one we prefer for your dinner cruise has a maximum seating of 20 so this is ideal for a nice sunset wedding and dinner cruise.

8. AERIAL TOURS
Want to see Key West from the air?

Take a aerial tour in either a biplane or a helicopter to see Key West from the air. Aerial tour trip times vary depending on what you want to see. Biplane rides start at $120 for two people and helicopter rides start at $99 for 3 people to see the coral reef from the air.

9. KAYAK TOURS AND RENTALS
If you want to really see the coastline of the lower Keys and Key West, there is no better way to see it than on one of our wonderful Kayak Tours.

Take a trip with an environmental scientist or someone that was born and raised here and knows the mangroves like the back of their hand.

Visit some of the Marine and Bird Sanctuaries and see some of the life forms that you would never see otherwise.

Prices start at $40 per person for a tour.

10. SUNSET SAIL
One of the more popular things to do in Key West is to see the sunset from the water.

Take a sunset sail on either a sailing catamaran or a schooner.

Many of the younger crowd like the sunset sail on the sailing Catamarans because they can have a great party while on the sunset sail. This is very popular with the Spring Breakers during that time of year as it includes as much beer and wine one can consume in a 2-hour time frame.

A sunset sail on a schooner, however, is a lot more romantic as you can see the sails glistening when the colors of the sky change and you know that you helped to raise the sails on this sunset sail excursion.

During the months of November thru April, you can have your sunset sail and a buffet dinner all in one on one of the clipper ships that come in from Boston for these months.

Sunset sail pricing starts at $30 and goes up to $75 if you want the dinner cruise on the clipper ship.

In conclusion, by using the expert services of the Key West Welcome Center, you will save money, save time and be absolutely sure that you getting exactly what you want and not what someone else wants.

The Key West Welcome Center has been in business under the current ownership for over 10 years. The current manager of the Welcome Center has lived in the Keys for almost 16 years and knows the place like he has lived here all his life. If there is something you need to know about Key West, he is the person to ask.

Robert R. Cohen
General Manager
Listed in Strathmore's Who's Who in America

I firmly believe that we have the best Reservations Service in the Key West area and we can make all your dreams come true. Use the Key West Welcome Center for all your reservations: