Best Time to Fish the Florida Keys (Month-by-Month)

The best time to fish the Florida Keys depends entirely on what you want to catch, because this 120-mile chain of islands fishes productively in every month of the year. From the tarpon flats of Islamorada to the sailfish grounds off Key West, the Keys offer a rolling calendar of species that peak at different times. This month-by-month guide helps you line up your trip with the fishery you most want to experience, whether that is a leaping silver king or a slob mahi over the weed line. For the full picture on the destination itself, see our Florida Keys destination page.

Each season has a clear headline species:

• Winter (Dec–Mar): Sailfish, plus reliable snapper and grouper bottom fishing.
• Spring (Apr–Jun): Tarpon peak, mahi arrive, and permit fishing turns on.
• Summer (Jul–Sep): Offshore mahi and blackfin tuna, plus tarpon tapering off.
• Fall (Oct–Nov): Bonefish, permit and the return of cooler-weather sailfish.

Month	Headline bite
January	Sailfish, kingfish, grouper (season dependent)
February	Sailfish, cobia, snapper
March	Sailfish tapering, tarpon starting, cobia
April	Tarpon ramping up, first mahi, permit
May	Tarpon peak, mahi, permit
June	Tarpon peak, mahi peak, blackfin tuna
July	Mahi, blackfin tuna, resident tarpon
August	Mahi, bonefish, tarpon tapering
September	Bonefish, permit, early sailfish
October	Bonefish, permit, sailfish returning
November	Sailfish, bonefish, kingfish
December	Sailfish building, snapper, grouper

Tarpon are the marquee flats and bridge target, and the Florida Keys tarpon run peaks April through June. Big migratory fish stage around the bridges and channels near Islamorada, Long Key and Bahia Honda, feeding on the outgoing tide. Book a sunrise or sunset trip in May for the classic Keys tarpon experience. Resident fish can be caught year-round, but nothing matches the numbers and average size of the spring migration.

Sailfish are a cool-season fish here, best December through March when cold fronts push bait south along the reef edge off Islamorada and Key West. The days immediately after a front, with a north wind against the Gulf Stream current, produce the tailing-sailfish sight-fishing the Keys are famous for. This is prime-time offshore fishing for anglers who do not mind a little chop.

Mahi (dolphinfish) are the summer prize, running offshore from late April through August with a May–June peak. Captains run to the Gulf Stream and work weed lines, frigate birds and floating debris to find schools. On a good day you can fill the box within sight of the reef, making it an excellent family offshore trip.

The flats species prefer the warmer, calmer months. Bonefish are best March through October, with fall a quiet-water favorite. Permit, the notoriously difficult flats prize, fish well April through June and again in fall. Both demand a skilled flats guide and a stealthy approach, so book a dedicated backcountry captain rather than an offshore boat.

Summer brings hot, calm mornings ideal for offshore runs, but afternoon thunderstorms build fast, so fish early. Winter cold fronts can blow out the reef for a day or two, which is why booking a multi-day window gives a flexible captain room to pick the best day. Whenever you come, an experienced local captain is the single biggest factor in a great day on the water.