Permanent inhabitants include a variety of snapper, grouper, jacks and sharks; while migratory visitors, such as tuna, dolphin (mahi-mahi), sailfish, wahoo, kingfish, large tarpon and more, pass through the local waters at various times throughout the year.
Below is a brief description of each fishing season, including which species bite best during that time of year. Keep in mind that many of the more sought after Keys game fish are available throughout the year, and that many pelagic species can be caught during multiple seasons.
Winter
As the water begins to cool, the sailfish and kingfish begin their push into the Keys.
With their beautiful sails, bright bold colors, and acrobatic aerial displays, sailfish are one of the Keys’ most popular game fish to catch. Usually ranging in size from 30 to 60 pounds (with the occasional fish weighing up to 100 pounds), sailfish generally stick around through early spring.
Sight fishing and slow trolling are two of the most common methods to target sailfish, and it’s not uncommon to catch a tuna or dolphin while out sailfishing during the winter months.
November through March also provides fantastic fishing for kingfish. Kingfish is an exciting species to target on light tackle because of their powerful runs and battles.
Other popular wintertime species include: wahoo, cobia, grouper, snapper and amberjack.
Spring
Springtime marks one of the Florida Keys most exciting events-the tarpon migration! Tarpon, or “Silver Kings” as they’re often referred, arrive around the third week of March and stay until the first part of July.
Few thrills match the excitement of catching and releasing these prehistoric, hard-fighting fish. Once you’ve experienced the Florida Keys tarpon fishing, you’ll be hooked for life.
In addition to the outstanding tarpon fishing, spring also offers up an excellent chance to catch a sailfish before they move out.
Summer
Summer in the Florida Keys is all about dolphin, or mahi-mahi, fishing. Dolphin are one of the most colorful fish we target, exhibiting beautiful shades of green and yellow. They are also strong fighters and quite tasty on the dinner table.
Dolphin can be found in the Keys throughout most of the year; however summer is the most productive time to catch these fish.
The calm summer conditions also make an excellent time to journey offshore in pursuit of swordfish. Few experiences compare to the excitement of daytime swordfishing in the Keys and reeling up a monster sword from the deep depths of the Atlantic.
Fall
Fall is a great time to search for the first wave of sailfish that have migrated into the Keys waters, as well as to head out to the humps in search of blackfin tuna.
Blackfin tuna can be caught live baiting, trolling, or vertical jigging, and are just one of the many delicious species you will catch in the Florida Keys during the fall.
Fall also offers an excellent chance to catch a wahoo offshore.
No matter which season you choose to visit the Keys, there are always plenty of trophy fish around for you to catch. Please feel free to contact me 305-747-2960, or EagleEyeCharters@bellsouth.net to learn more about what’s biting during the months you plan to vacation in the Florida Keys.
