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FISHING GUIDE · FLORIDA KEYS
Islamorada and the Upper Keys Fishing Guide
The Upper Keys give you four kinds of fishing close together: shallow flats, the Florida Bay backcountry, the coral reef and the deep blue water of the Gulf Stream. Guides run flats trips for tarpon, bonefish and permit, and offshore boats run for sailfish and mahi-mahi. Many reef spots are protected zones, so learn the maps before you go.
📍 Monroe County, Florida: Key Largo, Tavernier, Plantation Key and Islamorada. Florida Bay and the Everglades National Park backcountry lie to the north and west; the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary reef line lies to the east.
📅 Florida Fishing Calendar — best months, closed seasons, bait & rigs →
Map: spots, ramps and marinas
★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)
Open the full South Florida & the Keys map →
Quick facts
- Islamorada calls itself the 'Sportfishing Capital of the World.'
- The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary was created in 1990 and now protects about 4,539 square miles, including North America's only coral barrier reef (NOAA).
- Upper Keys reefs such as Carysfort, The Elbow, Molasses, Conch Reef, Davis Reef, Cheeca Rocks and Alligator Reef are Sanctuary Preservation Areas, where fishing is not allowed (with limited catch-and-release trolling exceptions).
- Much of the Islamorada backcountry is Florida Bay, which is inside Everglades National Park, and park rules apply there.
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo is closed to lobster harvest during the two-day lobster sport season (FWC).
What you can catch
- Tarpon
Big spring run, roughly March to June; catch-and-release only. - Bonefish
Classic sight-fishing on the flats; catch-and-release only. - Permit
Flats and wrecks; Keys are in FWC's Special Permit Zone with tighter rules. - Sailfish
Winter favorite on the reef edge, usually best December to April. - Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Offshore along weed lines, best late spring and summer. - Snook
Backcountry and bridges; Keys follow FWC Gulf/Southwest snook rules. - Redfish
Florida Bay and backcountry shorelines. - Yellowtail snapper
Reef fish caught over chum, good most of the year.
Month by month
| January | Sailfish on the reef edge; bonefish and permit on warm days; shallow-water grouper closed. |
|---|---|
| February | Sailfish, kingfish and blackfin tuna offshore; shallow-water grouper closed. |
| March | Snook season opens Mar 1; first tarpon show up; shallow-water grouper still closed. |
| April | Tarpon run builds; mahi start offshore; grouper closure ends Apr 30. |
| May | Peak tarpon; mahi offshore; snook closes May 1; grouper season opens May 1. |
| June | Tarpon still strong; mahi and reef snapper; snook closed. |
| July | Mahi offshore, mangrove and yellowtail snapper; lobster sport season late July. |
| August | Lobster regular season opens Aug 6; mahi and snapper; snook closed. |
| September | Quieter month; juvenile tarpon and snapper; snook closed through Sep 30. |
| October | Snook reopens Oct 1; bonefish and permit on the flats; early sailfish. |
| November | Sailfish start with cold fronts; snook open until Nov 30; redfish in the backcountry. |
| December | Sailfish and kingfish offshore; snook closed starting Dec 1. |
Tips
- Carry a current sanctuary zone map; Sanctuary Preservation Areas such as Molasses, Alligator and Carysfort are no-take zones.
- Never anchor on living coral; use the sanctuary mooring buoys when they are available.
- In Florida Bay, many areas under about two feet deep are pole/troll zones where gas motors are not allowed, and recreational boaters must complete the Everglades National Park Boater Education Program.
- Running aground and scarring seagrass with your prop is illegal in the sanctuary and in Everglades National Park; stay in marked channels.
- Keep big tarpon (over 40 inches) in the water when you release them.
Rules and license
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) / NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary / Everglades National Park · Official rules page ↗
- A Florida recreational saltwater fishing license is needed unless you are exempt; it is also required in Everglades National Park (anglers under 16 do not need one).
- Tarpon are catch-and-release only. A tarpon tag (one per person per year) is only for chasing a state or world record. Tarpon over 40 inches must stay in the water.
- Bonefish are catch-and-release only (since 2013).
- Snook: all Monroe County waters follow FWC Southwest region rules: closed Dec 1 to end of February and May 1 to Sep 30; slot 28 to 33 inches total length; 1 per person per day; snook permit required.
- Shallow-water grouper (red, black and others) are closed Jan 1 to Apr 30 in Atlantic waters, which include all Monroe County state waters on both sides of the Keys. Limit is 3 grouper combined per person, and only 1 can be gag or black. Nassau and goliath grouper cannot be kept. The State Reef Fish Survey is required.
- Sanctuary Preservation Areas are no-take: no fishing by any means and no taking of marine life. Anchoring on living coral is banned sanctuary-wide, and prop scarring of seagrass is prohibited.
- Lobster: regular season Aug 6 to Mar 31; two-day sport season is the last Wednesday and Thursday of July with a 6-per-day limit in Monroe County and no night diving there; no lobster harvest at any time in Everglades National Park or in sanctuary no-take areas; no harvest in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season.
- Everglades National Park: chumming and commercial fishing are not allowed; possession limit is 20 fish per person, no more than 10 of one species; Joe Bay and Snag Bay are catch-and-release only for finfish.
Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.
Boat ramps and marinas
The map above shows 8 boat ramps and 13 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.
- Bayside Marina
- Bud n'Mary's Marina
- Caloosa Cove Resort & Marina
- Caribee Boat Sales & Marina
- Coral Bay Marina
- Islamorada - East Ridge Road Public Boat Ramp (No Parking - Small Boats Only)
- Islamorada Founders Park and Public Boat Ramp
- La Siesta Resort Bayside Marina (Call Ahead to Confirm Availability)
- Mariner's Club Key Largo Marina
- Pilot House Marina
- Public boat ramp
- Robbie's
- Scouts BSA Florida Sea Base
- Sea Bird Marina
- Snake Creek Marina
- Sunset Point Park Public Boat Ramp
- Tavernier - Jo-Jean Way Boat Ramp
- Tavernier Creek Marina
- U.S. Coast Guard Station - Isla Morada
- Whale Harbor Marina
Sources
- https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snook/
- https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/tarpon/
- https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/bonefish/
- https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/groupers/
- https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/lobster/
- https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/permit/
- https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/regs/
- https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/zones/spas/
- https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/about/sanctuary.html
- https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/fishing.htm
- https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/boatingrulesregs.htm
- https://visitfloridakeys.com/experiences/what-were-famous-for/fishing
- https://fishanywhere.com/blog/best-time-to-fish-in-the-florida-keys-month-by-month
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.