There is no off-season in the Florida Keys — only different fisheries, and they do not overlap. This calendar is built from the months Keys and Florida captains name on their own websites: 1920 of them put a fish and a month in writing. It is what the fleet expects of a month, not a report from the water.
Florida Keys Fishing Calendar, Month by Month
Each cell is how many different Florida charters name that fish for that month on their own site, shaded against the fish’s own best month. Read across a row for a species’ season; read down a column for what a month is good for.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarpon | 42 | 41 | 182 | 213 | 263 | 226 | 241 | 191 | 76 | 69 | 57 | 38 | May |
| Redfish | 64 | 65 | 53 | 50 | 71 | 48 | 52 | 54 | 106 | 111 | 104 | 67 | Oct |
| Snook | 51 | 58 | 79 | 79 | 108 | 91 | 89 | 91 | 71 | 67 | 65 | 59 | May |
| Speckled Trout | 57 | 54 | 46 | 44 | 71 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 55 | May |
| Mahi | 17 | 15 | 53 | 63 | 85 | 86 | 83 | 85 | 30 | 23 | 21 | 18 | Jun |
| Shark | 14 | 16 | 26 | 32 | 65 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 19 | 24 | 18 | 16 | May |
| Sailfish | 74 | 73 | 39 | 43 | 44 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 29 | 33 | 44 | 79 | Dec |
| Grouper | 29 | 21 | 14 | 18 | 46 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 29 | May |
| Cobia | 15 | 15 | 67 | 66 | 70 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | May |
| King Mackerel | 19 | 19 | 39 | 39 | 47 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 37 | 43 | 40 | 21 | May |
| Snapper | 15 | 16 | 11 | 13 | 38 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 16 | May |
| Wahoo | 31 | 34 | 24 | 19 | 24 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 31 | Feb |
| Mangrove Snapper | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 7 | Jun |
| Spanish Mackerel | 7 | 11 | 24 | 20 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 7 | Mar |
| Tuna | 8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | May |
| Pompano | 7 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 8 | Mar |
| Amberjack | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 7 | 3 | May |
| Bonefish | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 10 | May |
Counts are different charter websites, not trips. A blank means no captain put that fish in that month, which is weaker evidence than a low number rather than proof of absence.
What Each Season Means in the Keys
Winter — December to February
The Keys’ best-kept secret. Sailfish peaks in December and wahoo in February, so the two months most visitors skip are the two the offshore fleet looks forward to. Cold fronts push fish and shut down some days entirely; the fishing between fronts is the reason captains stay.
Spring — March to May
The migration, and the busiest water of the year. Tarpon builds from March and peaks in May, which is also the best single month for bonefish and grouper. If you want the Grand Slam attempt — tarpon, bonefish and permit in a day — this is when it is realistic.
Summer — June to August
Offshore season. Mahi peaks in June and holds through August, which is when the Gulf Stream run pays off. Hot, with the most settled seas of the year and afternoon storms. Early starts matter more now than in any other season.
Fall — September to November
The quietest water and the most under-sold season. King mackerel is at 91% of its peak in October with 43 captains naming the month, and blackfin tuna is at 70%. Fewer boats, and the sailfish bite begins rebuilding into December.
What the Months Mean in Each Keys Town
Town-level month claims are thinner than the statewide curve — we only publish a town’s month where three or more of its own charters agree, so most cells are empty by design. Where a town appears here, its captains put it in writing.
| Town | Months with 3+ charters agreeing | Fish they name | Boats verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key West | Jan, Feb, Dec | Blackfin Tuna, Bonefish, Cobia, Grouper, King Mackerel, Mahi | 63 |
| Islamorada | Dec, Jan, Feb | Blackfin Tuna, Blue Marlin, Bonefish, Cobia, Grouper, King Mackerel | 66 |
| Marathon | Sep, Jun, Oct | Blackfin Tuna, Grouper, King Mackerel, Mahi, Mangrove Snapper, Mutton Snapper | 43 |
| Key Largo | Jan, Feb, Dec | Mahi, Sailfish, Wahoo | 27 |
| Tavernier | Apr, May, Jun | Tarpon | 15 |
What Should Be Biting in the Keys Right Now
This is an expectation, not a report. We do not fish, and we will not reprint someone who does. What follows is what the fleet’s own published calendars say about this month. For what is actually happening this week, go to the boats — below.
October, by how close the month runs to each fish’s own peak:
- Redfish · peak100%
- Bonefish · peak94%
- King Mackerel · peak91%
- Snook · peak62%
- Amberjack · peak62%
- Tuna · peak60%
- Speckled Trout 59%
- Wahoo 56%
- Pompano 53%
- Grouper 52%
- Spanish Mackerel 50%
- Sailfish 42%
Where to Find This Week’s Keys Fishing Report
We don’t publish a daily report and we won’t reprint one. What’s biting this week comes from the boats — 178 Keys captains post their catch to Instagram, 172 to Facebook, and 45 publish dated written reports on their own websites. Islamorada has the most accounts (47), then Key West (44) and Marathon (36). Every link goes to the captain; nothing of theirs is reproduced here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best month to fish the Florida Keys?
It depends on the fish, and the peaks deliberately do not overlap: May for tarpon, bonefish and grouper, June for mahi, December for sailfish, February for wahoo, October for king mackerel. There is no month the Keys are not worth fishing — only months that suit different targets.
What fish are in season in the Florida Keys right now?
In October, king mackerel runs at 91%% of its annual peak with 43 Florida captains naming the month, and blackfin tuna at 70%%. Sailfish is rebuilding toward its December peak, and late tarpon is still being named in Islamorada and Marathon.
When is tarpon season in the Florida Keys?
March through August, peaking in May. 26 separate Islamorada charters name April and May for tarpon — the strongest fish-and-month agreement anywhere in Florida. Tarpon is release-only, and a tarpon tag is needed to land one, with no exemptions.
What is the worst month to fish the Keys?
None of them, honestly — but September and October see the fewest boats, which is a crowding answer rather than a fishing one. It is also peak hurricane season, so the real risk is a cancelled trip rather than a slow one.
Is winter a good time to fish the Florida Keys?
It is the best time for sailfish, which peaks in December, and wahoo, which peaks in February. Cold fronts shut down individual days; the fishing between fronts is why the offshore fleet rates winter at all.
Where These Months Came From
- The curve — months named by Florida charters on their own websites, counted per species. A month is only published where three or more independent charters agree.
- Town months — the same method restricted to that town’s own charters, which is why most town cells are empty.
- What is not here — water temperature, moon, tide and weather. We hold none of it, and a calendar that pretended otherwise would be guessing.
This is a seasonal expectation from published calendars, not an observed fishing report. Last rebuilt 2 October 2026.
Back to the Florida Keys fishing guide — costs by town, species, and the boats.