Best Fishing In The Florida Keys Calendar: Fall

There are always fish to catch in the Florida Keys. This guide to the best fishing In September, October, and November should help you choose what type of fishing you want to do.
There are always fish to catch in the Florida Keys. This guide to the best fishing In September, October, and November should help you choose what type of fishing you want to do.

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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
Girl reeling in a fish from a boat in the Florida Keys
Reeling In A Big Catch In Florida Keys

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
Young man holding his hogfish catch and rod while on a boat in the Florida Keys
Fish Camp Guest With His Hogfish Catch In The Keys

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
Man holding a large fish caught in the Florida Keys
Getting The Big Catch In The Florida Keys!

Try some of these delicious recipes for dinner, snacks, and cocktails inspired by fresh from the island seafood.

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Martie, Kim and Layla the hunting poodle

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