Season calendar

Fishing in Islamorada in October

Peak month for wahoo, grouper, hogfish, bonefish, redfish. No harvest closures fall in this month. Today's conditions and bite scores are on the conditions page.

Regulations change.Always verify at MyFWC.com / NOAA Fisheries before you fish.

Peak this month

Wahoo
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: good
3. March: slow
4. April: slow
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: good
10. October: peak
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
High-speed trolling along the drop-off and humps, best around the full moon on cooler days.
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Grouper (black & red)
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: peak
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Peak as the water cools and fish move shallower.
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Hogfish
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: peak
11. November: good
12. December: good
Patch reefs and hard bottom. Fish live shrimp or small crabs right on the bottom; spearfishing is only legal in federal waters off Islamorada.
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Bonefish
Flats & backcountry
1. January: slow
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: peak
11. November: good
12. December: slow
Autumn peak: big schools on the oceanside flats.
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Redfish
Flats & backcountry
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: peak
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Florida Bay and the backcountry: tailing on shallow mud and grass flats and along mangrove shorelines.
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Good this month

Sailfish
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: good
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Reef edge out to about 200 ft. Kite-fish or slow-troll live ballyhoo and pilchards, especially on a fresh north to northeast breeze after a cold front.
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Blackfin tuna
Offshore
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: good
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
The autumn push starts.
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Swordfish
Offshore
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Daytime deep-dropping in 1,200–1,800 ft on calm days.
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Yellowtail snapper
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Reef edge in 40–100 ft. Anchor up-current, chum and float a lightly weighted bait back in the slick.
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Mangrove (gray) snapper
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Patch reefs, wrecks and bridges; the summer spawn around the full moon is the best night bite.
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Mutton snapper
Reef & wrecks
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Reef edge, wrecks and sand patches. Live pilchards or ballyhoo plugs fished on the bottom.
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Greater amberjack
Reef & wrecks
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: peak
Deep wrecks and humps. Live bait or vertical jigs.
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Barracuda
Reef & wrecks
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: peak
Winter flats and wrecks; tube lures and fast-moving plugs.
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Tarpon
Flats & backcountry
1. January: slow
2. February: slow
3. March: good
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: slow
12. December: slow
Bridges and channels (Channel Two, Channel Five, Long Key) on the outgoing tide at night; backcountry basins and ocean flats by day during the spring run.
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Permit
Flats & backcountry
1. January: good
2. February: good
3. March: peak
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: good
Ocean-side flats on the incoming tide, and schooled on wrecks in spring. Live crabs or crab flies.
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Snook
Flats & backcountry
1. January: slow
2. February: good
3. March: good
4. April: good
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: peak
8. August: peak
9. September: peak
10. October: good
11. November: good
12. December: slow
Mangrove points, creek mouths and bridges in Florida Bay; ambushing bait on a falling tide at first and last light.
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Spotted seatrout
Flats & backcountry
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: good
6. June: good
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: good
10. October: good
11. November: peak
12. December: peak
Florida Bay grass flats and potholes; a popping cork with live shrimp.
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Slow this month

Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Offshore
1. January: slow
2. February: slow
3. March: good
4. April: peak
5. May: peak
6. June: peak
7. July: good
8. August: good
9. September: slow
10. October: slow
11. November: slow
12. December: slow
Weed lines, birds and floating debris 6–25 miles out. Troll rigged ballyhoo, then pitch baits to the school.
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Kingfish (king mackerel)
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: good
4. April: slow
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: slow
11. November: good
12. December: peak
Slow-troll live baits along the reef edge and over wrecks in winter, especially after fronts.
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Cobia
Offshore
1. January: peak
2. February: peak
3. March: peak
4. April: good
5. May: slow
6. June: slow
7. July: slow
8. August: slow
9. September: slow
10. October: slow
11. November: good
12. December: good
Sight-cast to fish riding rays and sharks on the patch reefs and in Hawk Channel, or chum them up on the reef.
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Fish Islamorada in October

A local captain knows which of these fish are on this week. Tell us your dates and how you like to fish.

Book a October trip Call 305-916-9130