Fish species

What to fish for in Islamorada

Twenty species, from sailfish on the reef edge to bonefish on the flats, with the months they run, where to find them, what to feed them and the rules for keeping them. Pick how you fish in the header and the list narrows to what you can reach.

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

Only fish I can target when I charter a boat

Peak Good Slow

Barracuda
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedBeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch barracuda →
Redfish
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedBeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch redfish →
Spotted seatrout
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedBeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch seatrout →
Cobia
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch cobia →
Greater amberjack
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch amberjack →
Kingfish (king mackerel)
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch kingfish →
Sailfish
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch sailfish →
Wahoo
Peak now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch wahoo →
Hogfish
Good now
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.
Harvest allowedBeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch hogfish →
Mangrove (gray) snapper
Good now
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.
Harvest allowedBeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch mangrove snapper →
Mutton snapper
Good now
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.
Harvest allowedBeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch mutton snapper →
Yellowtail snapper
Good now
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.
Harvest allowedBeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch yellowtail snapper →
Blackfin tuna
Good now
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 Islamorada Hump and other offshore humps. Live-chum and drift live baits or jigs at first and last light.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch blackfin tuna →
Grouper (black & red)
Good now
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
Wrecks and ledges in 80–250 ft. Live bait on the bottom with heavy tackle; turn them fast.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch grouper →
Permit
Good now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch permit →
Swordfish
Good now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch swordfish →
Bonefish
Slow now
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
Ocean- and bay-side flats on a rising tide. Shrimp or small crab flies; they like water in the 70s and 80s.
Catch & releaseIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch bonefish →
Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Slow now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
How to catch mahi →
Snook
Slow now
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.
Harvest allowedIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch snook →
Tarpon
Slow now
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.
Catch & releaseIntermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
How to catch tarpon →