Marathon and the Middle Keys Fishing Guide

Marathon sits in the middle of the Keys, with easy access to the reef, the bridges, the Gulf-side backcountry and deep water. Tarpon fishing around the Seven Mile Bridge is a spring highlight, and offshore boats run to the Marathon Hump for blackfin tuna. Reef fishing for yellowtail and mutton snapper is good much of the year.

📍 Monroe County, Florida: Long Key, Duck Key, Grassy Key, Marathon (Key Vaca) and the Seven Mile Bridge to Bahia Honda. The Marathon Hump lies offshore in the Atlantic.

📅 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

Western writer Zane Grey fished out of the Long Key Fishing Camp from 1911 to 1926, co-founded the Long Key Fishing Club, and helped make sailfish a famous light-tackle game fish.
The Seven Mile Bridge is a well-known tarpon spot; the spring run is roughly March to June, with more action from September to November.
The Marathon Hump is an underwater mountain about a 27-mile run from Marathon, known for blackfin tuna and amberjack.
Sombrero Key reef off Marathon is a Sanctuary Preservation Area (no-take zone) in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

What you can catch

Tarpon
Seven Mile Bridge and other channels, best in spring; catch-and-release only.
Blackfin tuna
Marathon Hump, best at sunrise and sunset.
Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Offshore weed lines and floating debris, best late spring and summer.
Sailfish
Reef edge in winter.
Yellowtail snapper
Reef schools over chum, often 20 to 100 feet.
Mutton snapper
Reef and wrecks, often near slack tide.
Black grouper
Reef and wrecks; closed Jan 1 to Apr 30.
Permit
Flats and wrecks; Special Permit Zone rules apply.

Month by month

January	Sailfish and blackfin tuna; Spanish mackerel on the banks; shallow-water grouper closed.
February	Sailfish, wahoo and tuna; grouper still closed.
March	Tarpon start at the bridges; snook reopens Mar 1.
April	Tarpon run at Seven Mile Bridge; tuna and amberjack on the Hump; permit harvest closed in the Special Permit Zone.
May	Peak tarpon; mahi offshore; grouper opens May 1; snook closes May 1.
June	Tarpon wind down; mahi and reef snapper; marlin trolling offshore.
July	Mahi and yellowtail; lobster sport season late July.
August	Lobster season opens Aug 6; permit harvest reopens Aug 1 in the Special Permit Zone; snapper on the reef.
September	Tarpon pick up again at the bridges; snook closed through Sep 30.
October	Snook opens Oct 1; fall tarpon; mahi slowing.
November	Yellowtail and mutton on the reef; blackfin on the Hump; sailfish arriving.
December	Sailfish, blackfin tuna and yellowtail; snook closed from Dec 1.

Tips

When bridge fishing for tarpon, anchor up-current and drift baits back; big fish often cut lines on the pilings, so be ready to follow the fish.
FWC advises against fishing for big tarpon from bridges or piers, because large fish must stay in the water and can be left trailing line.
Sombrero Key is a no-take zone; tie up to a mooring buoy and never anchor on coral.
Fish the Hump at first and last light for the best tuna bite, and check the marine forecast before the long run offshore.

Rules and license

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) / NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary · Official rules page ↗

A Florida recreational saltwater fishing license is needed unless you are exempt.
Tarpon and bonefish are catch-and-release only. Tarpon over 40 inches must stay in the water; a tarpon tag is only for record attempts.
Snook: Monroe County follows FWC Southwest region rules: closed Dec 1 to end of February and May 1 to Sep 30; slot 28 to 33 inches; 1 per person; snook permit required.
Shallow-water grouper closed Jan 1 to Apr 30 in all Monroe County state waters; 3 grouper combined per person, only 1 gag or black; Nassau and goliath grouper cannot be kept; State Reef Fish Survey required.
Permit in the Special Permit Zone (south of Cape Florida through the Keys): 22-inch fork length minimum, 1 per person, 2 per vessel, closed to harvest Apr 1 to Jul 31.
Sanctuary Preservation Areas such as Sombrero Key are no-take; anchoring on living coral and prop scarring are prohibited sanctuary-wide.
Lobster: regular season Aug 6 to Mar 31; sport season last Wednesday and Thursday of July, 6 per person per day in Monroe County, no night diving in Monroe County.

Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.

Boat ramps and marinas

The map above shows 18 boat ramps and 13 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.

15th Street Marina Marathon (at Boot Key Harbor)
Banana Bay Resort & Marina
Bay View Inn Resort, Marina and General Store
Blackfin Resort and Marina
Boot Key Harbor Marathon City Marina
Captain Hook's Marina & Dive Center
City of Marathon 33rd Street Boat Ramp
Coco Plum Yacht Club Pay Ramp
Crawl Key (Mile Marker 54) Public Boat Ramp
Driftwood Marina & Storage
Duck Key Marina
Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club
Grassy Key Marina
Harbour Point Marine
Little Duck Key Wayside Park Public Boat Ramp
Marathon Marina & Boat Yard
Marlin Bay Resort & Marina
North Marathon Shores Public Boat Ramp
Public boat ramp
Royal Hawaiian Motel-Botel
Sea Dog Charters Marina
Spirit Snorkeling
U.S. Coast Guard - Station Marathon

Sources

Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.