Key West Fishing Report (Updated September 2021)

Between the start of the Key West Tarpon migration, the first weeks of Key West Flats fishing, and the first waves of spring breakers, town gets real busy this time of year. And the action in town is matched out on the water with the deep sea, Flats, Backcountry, and shallow Gulf wrecks all producing […]

Spring fishing in Key West is always some of the best of the year, especially for those two legends of the Key West fly fishing world, Tarpon and Permit. When weather conditions come together, you can get into the fish of a lifetime out on the Flats or even right in the Key West Harbor. […]

You know what they say about April showers? The offshore bluewater fishing grounds may be short on flowers, but the early part of April often seems to be payback time for all the good weather we enjoy over the winter down here in Key West. Almost every year the March and April weather charts show […]

Greetings from Key West! As we finish up April down here in America’s Caribbean paradise, winter may be clinging on in other parts of the country. But for Key Westers, April most often means enjoying unbroken weeks of temps in the mid to high 80s. In other words, perfect fishing weather! The temperatures are balmy […]

Celebrate spring with some April Key West fishing! It’s an excellent time to get into some exciting light-tackle fishing action as the final cold fronts blow through, the water warms, and the bait fish start moving for their seasonal migration. The transition between winter and summer conditions gets the gamefish moving and feeding, the excitement […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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.

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 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 […]