Seasons+Species
Tarpon
Tarpon are among the hardest fighting inshore fish in the world and will usually take to the sky within the first few seconds of being hooked. The very best time to go after adult tarpon is from April to June, this is peak tarpon migration in the lower keys. Small and mid-sized tarpon can be caught year round provided the water is warm enough. We primarily target these fish by sight fishing with fly rods or light tackle. One of the most alluring aspects of tarpon fishing is spotting them from a distance as they break the surface taking gulps of air and quietly pursuing them in an attempt to set up the perfect shot. Tarpon are experts at spitting hooks and testing your patience but also provide an immense feeling of accomplishment when conquered.
​
Barracuda
Barracuda, a very plentiful species here in the Lower Florida Keys. Cuda are a great way to add some action to your day on the flats. These more well known fish are famous for there nasty set of teeth and explosive strikes. They are best targeted with lures on light tackle and typically require a fast retrieve. Barracuda can be caught year round and can vary in size greatly with the biggest ones coming in around 5 feet long. These fish will usually surprise you with the ferocity of their strike and immediate run to the another zip code.
Goliath Grouper
Goliath Grouper are very well known fish for their massive size when fully grown. Although in backcountry shallows they are mostly in the juvenile stages of life they still provide an excellent battle. Often caught in similar areas as mangrove snapper these fish will inhale your bait and go running back into the structure they came from before you can blink. Goliath grouper are always a fun addition to any day on the flats.
Bonefish
Bonefish or the "silver ghost" is an absolute beauty of a sport fish. They are ranked in the top ten fastest fish in the world, are very spooky, and difficult to see for the untrained eye. Although the task of catching one sounds daunting it is a very attainable quarry when in the lower keys with an experienced guide at the helm. Best targeted using a shrimp fly, jig or a real shrimp, once hooked bones will take a burning run that will make you look back at your guide in disbelief. The best time of the year for catching bonefish is from April to October but they can be caught year round as long as the water temp doesn't get too low. Summer and fall provides unique opportunities to see droves of tailing bonefish in the low light hours of the day.
Mangrove Snapper
Mangrove snapper, a tasty addition to the flats. These critters are typically found hanging around structure, in holes, or deeper areas nearby mangroves. Typically targeted with live or cut bait on light tackle. These fish can be a great addition to your day on the flats especially if you're interested in taking home a little dinner. Mangrove snapper can be caught year round in the Keys, the daily limit per person is 5 fish over 10 inches long.
Lemon Shark
Lemon Sharks! If pulling on a big mean fish is appealing to you, these guys will not disappoint. Lemon sharks are very numerous in the inshore waters of the lower Florida Keys and almost always provide action when sought after. Like most sharks these guys will inhale a cut bait and fight like their life depends on it. Although mostly targeted using spinning gear these fish will take flies as well and because they are so poorly camouflaged sighting them is usually a breeze. You can catch lemon sharks year round with a high level of success.
Permit
Permit referred to by some as the holy grail of flats fishing. Of the big three (tarpon, permit, bonefish) permit are the most challenging to get on the end of the line, because of their high level of awareness getting in range of a cast can be difficult. Like tarpon and bonefish not all permit act the same, some will swim right by your offering not caring in the slightest, while other will burst towards it and inhale without discretion. With spinning gear they are best targeted with a live blue crab and with a fly rod a crab fly is the best option. Permit can be seen cruising a flat, edge of a channel, or in skinny water with their tail exposed at the surface. Once hooked, a permit will take a blistering run and won't give up until the bitter end. The best time for targeting permit is usually in early spring before they go offshore and spawn and in the summer and fall months once they've returned. Feb, Mar, June, July, Aug, Sep, Oct
Jack Crevalle
Jack crevalle or jacks are another great hard fighting flats fish. Jacks can be found all over but will usually concentrate around channels and bridges. It is always an intense time when you come across a school of fired up jacks, similar to a school of Piranha they will attack and destroy anything that moves. These fish are best targeted with lures or live bait but can be caught on almost anything.
Bonnet-Head Shark
Bonnet head sharks are an interesting looking flats dweller. Often confused for juvenile hammer head sharks because of the unusual shovel shape of their head. These critters often hang out in the same areas as bonefish and are quite a bit easier to see. Like bonefish they are incredibly strong for their size and will have drag screaming and line tearing off the real in no time. Best targeted using shrimp and a light spinning rod for accurate casting. Bonnet heads are often a fun bonus to a day of flats fishing.
Spring
As the weather heats up in the Florida Keys so does the fishing. Beginning in late March water temps warm up kicking off the most exciting time to flats fish in the Florida Keys "Tarpon Season". This is when we start to see adult migrating tarpon move through the Keys by the thousands. If your goal is to catch a 100+ pound fish this is the time of year to do it, April-June are the prime months for catching BIG tarpon. This time of year we also expect to start seeing consistent number of Bonefish getting up on the flats which can go relatively unbothered with most flats anglers targeting big Tarpon. The spring is an overall great time to come and flats fish in the lower keys with high odds of seeing a giant silver fish go airborne.
​
Summer
In the summer months, Late June through early September I like to fish especially in the early and late parts of the day to beat the heat and take advantage of the best fishing hours. This time of year it is fairly regular to have shots on all three of the grand slam fish(Tarpon-Permit-Bonefish) in the same day. Although the numbers of big tarpon begin to fall off around this time there is still a surplus of medium to small (15lb-40lb) Tarpon that are typically VERY willing to eat. Some of the best Tarpon fishing days for catching a quantity of fish come this time of year in the first few hours of daylight. The summer months also bring excellent Bone fishing, it is not uncommon to have multiple grade-A shots on schools of Bonefish at this time of year, although they are tough to see Bonefish are very willing eaters and typically will reward a good cast with an aggressive eat.
Fall
In my opinion the fall is one of the best time for all around flats fishing in the Florida Keys. As water temps start to creep down from summer highs the possibly for all day flats madness presents itself. On a typical day of fall flats fishing you can target either Permit, Tarpon, Bonefish, Redfish, or Barracudas. Cooler air temps make a day of fishing more comfortable for the anglers and more consistently happy sportfish. Another bright side of fall flats fishing is the overall decline of tourism/recreational boaters allowing for a quieter less busy experience down here in the Lower Keys while still having the opportunity to cross some fish off your bucket list.
Winter
Winter flats fishing in the Florida Keys can be filled with very exciting fishing moments especially when it comes to the explosive eats from large Barracuda's. It is not uncommon to come across schools of giant Cuda's in shallow water that are happy and hungry in the cooler water. When a 4+ foot Barracuda blows up on a topwater lure or fly it is a sight like no other, these fish are without a doubt the "bad boys" of the flats. The winter is also a great time to target Mangrove Snapper if taking some fresh fish home for dinner is your goal. This time of year also presents a higher chance of sight casting to Redfish and Snook near the mangroves.
​