A Florida Keys fishing guide by season; whether you plan to visit during winter, spring, summer, or fall we have you covered. You will also find all of our favorite fish recipes to help you prepare your fresh catch!
Best Fishing In The Florida Keys In September
Hot and humid with still waters on many days, this is one of the best months for Florida Keys bonefishing. This is full on tropical storm and hurricane season with frequent rains, winds, and stormy weather. The ocean water is hot.
Best Fishing Spots In The Florida Keys
Reef Fishing
Reef fishing is great with yellowtail and mutton snapper, mackerel, and jacks. Grouper season is underway.
Flats Fishing
Flats fishing is outstanding. Barracudas, shark, bonefish, baby tarpon, and snook are out and about. This is one of the best months for flats fishing.
Backcountry Fishing
Backcountry fishing is amazing but now mainly fishing the shallows for all kinds of fish. It is still easy to reel in snapper, mackerel, jacks, sharks, cobia, barracudas, and grouper.
Deep Sea Fishing
Deep sea fishing is not really productive, but it is a great month for Marlin.
This is a list of the best fish species to catch which you can use to plan your fishing excursions.
- Amberjack – Fair
- Barracuda – Excellent
- Blackfin Tuna – Good
- Blue Marlin – Slow
- Bonefish – Excellent
- Bonito – Possible
- Cero Mackerel – Good
- Cobia – Good
- Grouper – Good
- Hogfish – Good
- Jack Crevalle – Good
- King Mackerel -Slow
- Lionfish – Excellent
- Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin Fish) – Excellent
- Mangrove Snapper – Fair
- Mutton Snapper – Slow
- Sailfish – Slow
- Shark – Excellent
- Swordfish – Good
- Wahoo – Excellent
- Yellowfin Tuna – Fair
- Yellowtail Snapper – Excellent
Best Fishing In The Florida Keys In October
Fall is here and the temperatures are going down with some cooler days and nights. Many fishing guides and local businesses go on vacation during October so plan ahead if you want a guide or a charter. The average high temperature is 86, the average low is 77.
Best Fishing Spots In The Florida Keys
Reef Fishing
Reef fishing is great with yellowtail and mutton snapper, mackerel, jacks, and grouper.
Flats Fishing
Flats fishing still terrific and October is again one of the best months for flats fishing in the Florida Keys and Marathon. Bonefishing is especially exceptional this month.
Backcountry Fishing
Backcountry fishing is the same as September and is still extremely good for all kinds of fish.
Deep Sea Fishing
Deep-sea fishing is getting better with occasional blackfin tuna, mahi mahi, and wahoo are possible, but not likely.
This is a list of the best fish species to catch which you can use to plan your fishing excursions.
- Amberjack – Fair
- Barracuda – Excellent
- Blue Marlin – Possible
- Bonefish – Excellent
- Bonito – Good
- Cero Mackerel – Good
- Cobia – Excellent
- Grouper – Good
- Hogfish – Good
- Jack Crevalle – Good
- King Mackerel – Slow
- Lionfish – Excellent
- Mackerel – Slow
- Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin Fish) – Fair
- Mangrove Snapper – Fair
- Mutton Snapper – Slow
- Sailfish – Possible
- Shark – Excellent
- Swordfish – Good
- Wahoo – Excellent
- Yellowfin Tuna – Fair
- Yellowtail Snapper – Excellent
Best Fishing In The Florida Keys In November
The first cold fronts start coming into the islands during this late fall month. The colder temperatures can be shocking to the fish in the shallower waters. They move a little slower and sometime go deeper. The average high temperature is 82, the average low is 72.
Best Fishing Spots In The Florida Keys
Reef Fishing
Reef fishing is great with yellowtail and mutton snapper, mackerel, and jacks. Grouper season is full on open and also easy to reel in. Expect the seas to be calm.
Flats Fishing
Flats fishing is good. Barracudas, shark, bonefish, tarpon, and snook are likely.
Backcountry Fishing
Backcountry fishing is very good. You can expect snapper, tarpon, mackerel, jacks, sharks, cobia, barracudas, and grouper.
Deep Sea Fishing
Deep-sea fishing is good for marlin, but not so good for the other deep water fish species.
This is a list of the best fish species to catch which you can use to plan your fishing excursions.
- Amberjack – Fair
- Barracuda – Excellent
- Blackfin Tuna – Excellent
- Blue Marlin – Possible
- Bonefish – Fair
- Bonito – Good
- Cero Mackerel – Good
- Cobia – Excellent
- Grouper – Excellent
- Jack Crevalle – Excellent
- King Mackerel – Fair
- Lion Fish – Excellent
- Mackerel – Slow
- Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin Fish) – Possible
- Mangrove Snapper – Slow
- Mutton Snapper – Possible
- Sailfish – Possible
- Shark – Excellent
- Swordfish – Good
- Wahoo – Excellent
- Yellowfin Tuna – Fair
- Yellowtail Snapper – Excellent
Try some of these delicious recipes for dinner, snacks, and cocktails inspired by fresh from the island seafood.
Peace, Love and Vacations,
Martie, Kim and Layla the hunting poodle
