Known as the “big three” shallow water species, bonefish, permit and tarpon offer anglers amazing battles and tremendous rewards. Below is a description of each fish, and a little advice on how to catch them.

Bonefish are one of the Florida Keys most sought after shallow water game fish, and also one of the most challenging to catch. There are many reasons why thousands of anglers travel to the Florida Keys each year to target these elusive and exciting fish, and you would be surprised that size is not one of them.

Bonefish can reach upwards of 15 pounds (though not common), yet what sets them apart from other species is their electric 100 to 200-yard runs when they finally realize they’ve been hooked. The bonefish’s run is something you have to experience to believe - they can strip over a football field of line from your reel in just half a second.

It’s of the utmost importance to ALWAYS have enough backing on your fly reel, or line on you spinning reel, when targeting bonefish. I’ve witnessed people who did not….talk about a short fight!

Fishing for bonefish in the Florida Keys is all about the hunt. It’s about searching the shallow water flats and just hoping to find a school of fish that gives you the opportunity to present the perfect cast.

Patience, precision and confidence are all important when targeting these fish. You have to be able to overcome “buck fever” in order to maintain your composure during the most critical times. These fish can be downright spooky at times, and those who can take a deep breath, relax, and make an accurate cast, are the ones who usually capitalize.

In order to have a successful day of bonefishing in the Florida Keys you have to enjoy the thrill of the hunt as much as you do fishing. Searching for bonefish is part of the experience, and when you do finally catch one, the challenge of the pursuit will only help to enhance the reward.

Tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys is another experience you will never forget! It’s hard to imagine just how strong and powerful these shallow water game fish are until you’ve hooked one.

Tarpon, which grow in excess of 200 pounds, often put on a spectacular aerial show leaping high out of the water only inches from your boat. It’s truly amazing to watch their scaled bodies soar into the air time after time as they try to shake your hook free.

Tarpon have spirits that can’t be broken, and big tarpon can bring a grown man to tears as he waits for the seemingly endless battle to finally conclude. But with proper instruction from your guide, and a little luck, these beautiful prehistoric giants can be subdued.

Once you’ve landed your fish, and we’ve snapped a few photos, we will release him back into the water so that he may do battle another day, and create lasting excitement for another angler.

There are a number of ways to catch these remarkable fish including fly casting, live baiting with spinning gear, and casting plus, all of which I practice aboard the Tarpon Time.

When you have finally learned to bow to the Silver King and respect this magnificent creature, you will understand why so many of us love to fish for tarpon in the Florida Keys. And whether you have experience fighting monster tarpon, or have never landed one before, Florida Keys tarpon fishing is an experience that will keep you coming back.

Catching Permit in the pristine waters of Everglades National Park and the Florida Keys is a brand of fishing that is at the top of every shallow water angler’s list.

Permit, which often school together and can be located in large numbers, are a member of the jack family and can be quite a formidable tackle tester. When hooked, Florida Keys permit make strong and fast runs, using their wide girth to make it difficult to get them to the boat.

These fish can be distinguished from other jack species because of their long sickle-shaped dorsal fin, anal fin, and tail.

Permit are generally found over hard bottoms, where they dine on shrimp and crabs. They also like to hang around structures such as wrecks, coral heads, lobster traps and other submerged objects.

Once permit have been located, it is your decision what to throw at them. The most productive and probably most surefire way to get a permit’s attention is by casting a live, silver dollar-sized blue crab, or large live shrimp.

In addition, Florida Keys permit is considered the holy grail of flats fish to be caught on fly. It’s extremely difficult to approach these wary fish and get within fly-casting range, but once you’ve caught a permit on fly you’ll be satisfied knowing that you’ve tackled one of fishing’s greatest accomplishments.

The opportunity to see one of these specimens up close it is a real treat. They look as if they just left the Franklin Mint and glimmer like a newly-minted silver dollar. Once you realize that permit are almost as big around as they are long, you’ll see why they pull like they do!

Just beware, if you fish for any of these big three Florida Keys flats fishing species, you may become hooked for life!