Two people holding a large fish beside a boat in clear turquoise water.

Fishing

From skinny-water flats to deep-blue runs offshore, The Florida Keys give anglers plenty of ways to bend a rod. Sight-cast for Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit in the backcountry, or head for open water in search of Sailfish, Mahi-Mahi, Tuna and more. Local captains know the tides, the bite and the spots worth chasing, whether you’re hoping for a personal best or fresh catch for dinner. Around here, the hardest part is deciding where to fish first.

Diver swims above a bright green mahi-mahi underwater.

Fishing Information

Everything you need to plan a Florida Keys fishing trip, from finding and booking a local charter to checking the best times to target different...

Fishing boats docked at a harbor, black-and-white photograph.

Sportfishing History in The Florida Keys

Renowned worldwide as a legendary angling destination, The Florida Keys helped pioneer backcountry sportfishing, saltwater fly fishing and light-tackle angling. Celebrated captains such as Jimmie Albright, Cecil Keith, Billy Knowles and Richard Stanczyk Sr. shaped the sport, while famous anglers including Ted Williams, Ernest Hemingway, Zane Grey and Presidents Herbert Hoover, Harry S. Truman and George H.W. Bush added to the island chain’s enduring fishing legacy.

Silhouetted fishers on a boat during a vibrant orange sunset.

Florida Keys Fishing Tournaments

The Florida Keys is a famous for fishing tournaments. Check our list highlighting some of the many tournaments taking place throughout the year.

Diver holding a lobster underwater, wearing snorkel and flippers.

Florida Keys Lobster Season

Every year, thousands of locals and visitors dive into spiny lobster season, a favorite Florida Keys tradition. The Florida Fish and Wildlife...

Key West

Eva Marie Fishing Charters

Eva Marie Fishing Charters — premier private sportfishing trips aboard a 43-ft boat based in downtown Key West.

The Lower Keys

Overtime Flats Fishing Charters

Overtime Flats Fishing Charters offers guided light tackle flats fishing for tarpon, bonefish, permit, and barracuda throughout the Lower Florida Keys and Key West with Captain Pat Bracher, a tournament-decorated guide since 1987.

Islamorada

Fisher Guide Service

Tarpon Slayer — elite fly- and light-tackle tarpon charters in the Florida Keys offering unforgettable “Silver King” angling experiences.

Islamorada

Florida Keys Outfitters Fly Shop & Guide Service

A fly shop and guide service in Islamorada since 1989, and home to a saltwater fly fishing school now in its 37th year. Among the instructors is Chico Fernandez, who has been fishing salt on a fly since the 1950s and designed three of the patterns already in your box.

Islamorada

Whale Harbor Marina

Whale Harbor Marina — premier full-service marina and charter hub in Islamorada, Florida Keys.

Islamorada

Relentless Fishing

Relentless Fishing – Captain Paul Ross — offshore charter fishing trips in Islamorada, where elite tournament experience meets family-friendly adventure.

The Lower Keys

Key West On Fly

Key West On Fly is a collective of four independent fly fishing guides offering expert flats, backcountry, and Everglades National Park charters out of Big Pine Key in the Lower Florida Keys.

The Lower Keys

Ye Olde English Fly Shop

Ye Olde English Fly Shop stocks bamboo and graphite rod blanks, nickel silver ferrules, agate guides and hand forged tying hooks at mile marker 24.5 on Summerland Key. Open every day 9 to 5, with occasional workshops and rod building demos if you want to watch it done properly.

Key Largo

Costa Morada Fishing Charters

Costa Morada Fishing Charters — high-performance offshore sportfishing adventures from Islamorada, Florida Keys.

Islamorada

Bud N Mary's Fishing Marina

Bud n' Mary's has been sending boats out of Islamorada since 1944, and on any given morning there are more than 40 captains and guides working these docks at mile marker 79.8. Book a charter, eat breakfast at the grill before you shove off, and sleep on a houseboat tied up right there when you get back.