How to fish it
Launch a kayak at the Fill and paddle to the edges of the Lignumvitae flats for bonefish on the incoming, or work the channel edges at dawn for snapper and snook. Watch the current under the bridges and the wind for the paddle back.
Best tide: Incoming tide over the flats; outgoing in the channels.
Tide station: Islamorada, Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida Bay. See today's tides and currents on the conditions page, or open this spot on the map.
What you can catch here
Bonefish
Catch & release- Bait
- Live or fresh peeled shrimp, or small crabs, cast well ahead of tailing or mudding fish
- Tackle
- 7–7.5 ft light spinning rod, 2500 reel, 8–10 lb braid; or an 8 wt fly rod with a floating line
- Rig
- Spin: 3–4 ft of 12–15 lb fluorocarbon, 1/0 hook, a split shot only if needed. Fly: 9–10 ft leader to a 10–12 lb tippet
Tarpon
Catch & release- Bait
- Live blue crabs (silver-dollar size), mullet or pinfish drifted along the shadow line; a dead mullet on the bottom
- Tackle
- 7 ft heavy spinning rod with an 8000–10000 reel and 50–65 lb braid, or a 30–50 lb conventional
- Rig
- 4–6 ft of 60–80 lb fluorocarbon; 6/0–8/0 in-line circle hook; a small float keeps a crab near the surface
Mangrove (gray) snapper
10" total length minimum and 5 per person within the 10-snapper aggregate in state waters (12" and 10 per person in federal waters); open year-round. Reef fish gear rules apply.- Bait
- Live shrimp, pilchards or small pinfish; cut ballyhoo or squid, with chum to bring them up
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 3000–4000 reel, 15–20 lb braid
- Rig
- 3–4 ft of 20–30 lb fluorocarbon (they are leader-shy); 1/0–2/0 non-stainless circle hook on a knocker or split-shot rig
Snook
28–33" total length slot; 1 per person per day; hook and line only; snook permit required. Closed Dec 1 – end of February and May 1 – Sept 30 (Monroe County follows FWC's Southwest snook region). Charter captain and crew may not keep snook.- Bait
- Live pilchards, pinfish, mullet or shrimp drifted with the current along the shadow line
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod, 4000–5000 reel, 30–40 lb braid
- Rig
- 2–3 ft of 40–60 lb fluorocarbon (bridges are rough on line); 2/0–5/0 circle hook
Barracuda
15–36" fork length slot, with 1 fish over 36" per person or boat per day (whichever is less); 2 per person, 6 per boat; open year-round; applies in state and adjacent federal waters off Monroe County.- Bait
- Live pilchards, pinfish or ballyhoo, or a whole needlefish
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium spinning rod, 4000–5000 reel, 20–30 lb braid
- Rig
- 12–18 in of #4–#6 single-strand wire (their teeth cut mono); 2/0–4/0 hook
Permit
22" fork length minimum; 1 per person per day and no more than 2 per boat; closed Apr 1 – Jul 31; hook and line only in state waters (spearing allowed in federal waters). No multiple hooks with natural bait; no snatching. Islamorada is inside the Special Permit Zone.- Bait
- Live crabs drifted with the current or under a float
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod, 5000–6000 reel, 30 lb braid
- Rig
- 4–6 ft of 30–40 lb fluorocarbon; 2/0–4/0 circle hook
Redfish
18–27" total length slot; 1 per person per day, 2 per boat; open year-round; hook and line or cast net only; no multiple hooks with natural bait; must stay whole until landed. Harvest is prohibited in federal waters.- Bait
- Live or fresh shrimp, pinfish or small crabs; cut mullet or ladyfish on the bottom
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 3000 reel, 10–15 lb braid
- Rig
- 2–3 ft of 20–25 lb fluorocarbon; 1/0–3/0 circle hook, or a weedless hook over the grass
Spotted seatrout
15–19" total length slot, with one fish over 19" per boat (or per shore angler); 3 per person per day; open year-round; hook and line or cast net only.- Bait
- Live shrimp under a popping cork; live pilchards
- Tackle
- 7 ft light spinning rod, 2500–3000 reel, 10 lb braid
- Rig
- 2–3 ft of 15–20 lb fluorocarbon below a popping cork; #1–1/0 circle hook
Access
- Fished by
- Shore, bridge, kayak & wade; Bring your own boat
- Skill
- Beginner
- Parking
- Roadside parking on the Fills has been restricted by the Village; park legally and never block the highway
- Launch
- Public paddlecraft launch and unimproved ramp, bayside
- Position
- About 24.8889, -80.6781 (FWC Florida Keys boating guide ramp map link (2010)).
- No fishing within 100 ft of the Indian Key state park dock.
- The adjoining US-1 bridges have no designated fishing span.
- Florida saltwater licence (the free resident shoreline licence does not cover an island reached by boat).
Indian Key Historic State Park is open 8 a.m. to sundown with a landing fee.
Indian Key Historic State Park
Not for navigation. Positions are approximate. Use official charts, watch your depth and respect private property and posted signs.