Key West Fishing Report (Updated May 2025)

As Memorial Day weekend crowds head back to their home ports, peace and quiet return to Key West streets and waters. It won’t last long though. Among fishermen in the know, excitement starts running high as the June Key West fishing season comes in because some of the wildest Key West reef fishing of the […]

May can be an exciting transition period for Key West fishing as the typically blustery spring weather settles down into a mild, pleasant early summer pattern. Even though the bite is generally really good this time of year, spring winds can make for tough offshore fishing conditions. And life isn’t easy on the Flats either […]

Every May the Key West Tarpon fishing season gets going fast and furious in what is probably the busiest time of the year for Key West charter fishing. We still get some windy days early in the month, but the Tarpon don’t seem to mind, and around Key West and along the Keys bridges to […]

Even though it is the so-called “off-season” for the Keys, June still brings plenty of visitors down for beach and watersports vacations after the kids get out of school. Boating, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, world-class diving and snorkeling on hundreds of square miles of natural coral reef and multitudes of near-shore wrecks – The Keys […]

Summer is here in Key West with high temperatures, low crowding, and a few showers to keep things cool. It’s a recipe for fantastic June fishing. Everywhere is pretty good this time of year, with a few Sailfish still on the reef edges, the Flats alive with Permit, Bonefish, and Tarpon, tons of Mahi-Mahi offshore, […]

June marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and the Keys are likely to feel the effects of a few passing tropical depressions. The main results when they track near Key West are usually a couple of days of heavy rain and gusty winds. Weather like this may be cool and refreshing, but it […]

July in Key West means temperatures typically locked into the upper 80s to low 90s, with occasional afternoon thundershowers rolling through. The weather is perfect for fishing – the high humidity and many nearly windless days make getting out on the water and catching the ocean breeze the obvious option for cooling off. The water […]

This is the season when Key West gets into a stable hot, dry summer weather pattern. Air temps stay between the low 80s and about 90 with no worries about rain other than quick passing thundershowers. Key West charter captains love this weather because glassy water means they can run anywhere they want to find […]

In the heat of July and the dog days of August, the Key West fishing focus tends to shift from the offshore waters to near-shore and Key West Flats fishing action. The Gulf Stream is swinging farther out to sea, taking the green water zone with it, so boats hunting big Mahi-Mahi or searching the […]

July is one of America’s favorite months, perhaps because it is dominated by nice weather and highlighted by the 4th of July, family reunions, vacations, and other special occasions. This midsummer month is also prime time for outdoor recreation, and fishing is right there at the top of the list from coast to coast.

Warm summer weather and calm sea conditions make July a good time for Key West fishing. It is the season when tropical depressions swing up out of the southeast bringing short spells of unsettled weather and rain to the Gulf region but these tend to be short-lived events. Average rain day count for July is […]

High summer in Key West brings days of heat and humidity, but it also marks some of the best fishing of the year for those who would like to get out on uncrowded water and go for a Grand Slam on the Flats. Tarpon, Bonefish, and Permit are The Big Three, a sportfish combo that […]

Late August brings classic Key West summer, with air temps steady in the low 90’s and clear skies punctuated only by the occasional thunderstorm. While the heat is intense, the crowds are not as island life moves into back-to-school mode during the last two weeks of August and the first two weeks of September. Visitor-wise, […]

August is a good time to be in Key West. Once the dust clears from the two-day Spiny Lobster Mini Season, it gets pretty quiet around town and out on the water. The weather is generally calm, and seas are flat although a sharp eye must be kept out for the tropical storm patterns that […]

August is usually dependable for providing simmering hot days with the light wind and gin-clear water that get fly fisherman out on the Key West Flats in pursuit of wily Bonefish and Permit. It is not unheard of to see a few scattered afternoon thunderstorms and showers, but calm waters generally prevail as the Keys […]