Fishing Islamorada Florida:
The Sport Fishing Capital
of the World!

Try fishing in Islamorada Florida, in the Keys - it's a spectacular destination!

Islamorada has a well-earned reputation as THE sportfishing capital of the world! It hosts a variety of world-class fishing tournaments, including the famous Islamorada Sailfish Tournament in late November-early December. Islamorada deep sea fishing lands sailfish, dolphin fish (also called mahi-mahi - it's not the marine mammal!), tuna, marlin, and shark, to name just a few. Bring your own boat, or hire an Islamorada deep sea fishing charter; the Atlantic awaits you!

Of course, fishing Islamorada Florida isn't limited to just sport fishing in Florida ; but, in our humble opinion, if you're planning a fishing vacation in Florida, make getting to the Keys, and the sport fishing found at Islamorada, a top priority!

For those who go fishing Islamorada Florida, one of the most visIted Keys, there are calmer waters inshore for the vacationer seeking to relax a little, too....

Islamorada is part of the upper keys, located below Key Largo and above Marathon. Here's a few interesting things to know when fishing Islamorada Florida:

On the Atlantic side, running parallel to the chain of barrier islands that are known as the Florida Keys, are North America's only coral barrier reefs.

The corals are home to many species of fish and marine animals. Snorkeling and scuba diving are very popular activities as well as the unbelievable fishing at Islamorada.

When fishing Islamorada Florida, you'll find on the northwest side the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Everglades National Park system, and a little northeast, towards the mainland, is Florida Bay, where the average depth is only about 3 feet! It may be true that you won't find the expansive, wide open beaches that abound in other parts of Florida. That's okay, though; there are plenty of smaller beaches, shaded by lovely palm trees, and some the best fishing spots in the Keys are found when fishing Islamorada Florida!

The waters may be calmer inshore, but the Islamorada fishing action is just as wild!

Surrounded on both sides by flats fishing, Islamorada fishing includes tarpon, permit, snook, sharks, and the mighty, quick but elusive Gray Ghost, the bonefish. From late April through July, when the tarpon and bonefish are migrating, the catch is so plentiful that night fishing is an option (and that's when the really big ones can be landed).

We've put together a handy seasonal fishing chart to help you plan your Islamorada fishing vacation.

Red=Excellent Blue=Good Green=Fair Yellow=Poor

What exactly is flats fishing? A flat, also referred to as grass flats, is an area covered with sea grass and is less than 2 feet deep. Backcountry fishing refers to the waters of Florida Bay; the estuary of the Bay is a mix of freshwater coming down through the Everglades, and then mingling with the saltwaters of the ocean off the Florida mainland.

Most flats and backcountry areas are the home to literally thousands of varieties of fish, and other marine life.

When visiting Islamorada on your Florida Key fishing vacation, an experienced fishing guide is just about essential- and there are about 300 deep sea fishing charters, backcountry and flats fishing captains to choose from! A competent Islamorada fishing guide provides you with the equipment and the know-how to experience an unforgettable day's angling. Your guide knows all the places where the fish are running hot, he'll act as your spotter when sight fishing, and your fishing guide is there to take care of the details so you can relax and enjoy yourself.

Some things your guide may not provide. Check when scheduling your charter; you most likely will need to bring your own food, drinks, insect repellent and sunscreen, and a waterproof camera, too.

Since there are literally hundreds of varieties of fish, some of which are NOT legal to catch, your guide will know which ones to leave alone, and which ones are legitimate game fish. If you're going to try sight fishing, plan to go on a calm, sunny day; otherwise it'll be hard for the spotter to see the fish.

If you like fly fishing Islamorada Florida welcomes you, too! Guided sight fishing in the calm waters of the many flats and the backcountry waters of Florida Bay is very popular for both spinning reel and flyfishing, too. Islamorada deep sea fishing charters, aka fishing guides, in the Keys welcome flyfishers but do advise you to bring your own gear that you're familiar with - a number 9 fly rod is particularly well suited since most fish caught by sightfishing are within the 8-10 pound range. Some do reach upwards of 12 pounds, so come prepared!

Both fishing the Islamorada flats and backcountry fishing in the Florida Bay will reward you with bonefish, redfish, permit, tarpon, snook and seatrout.

For the novice and casual angler, as well as those on a budget, there are party boats available that are less costly than a private Islamorada fishing charter.

If you do bring your own boat, or will take advantage of an Islamorada boat rental, though, please respect the efforts of groups like the Islamorada Fishing Club to preserve the environment for everyone's enjoyment. Get maps of the Keys and familiarize yourself in advance of your fishing trip with the fishing waters surrounding Islamorada so you don't damage the seagrass beds or the coral reefs.

We also would like to take a moment to encourage all anglers to practice catch and release fishing. Catch and release is not only the polite thing to do when you're fishing Islamorada Florida; it's politically, socially, and environmentally correct, too. If you can't eat it, don't keep it...but DO take a picture first!

Because so many fishers are returning their prizes to the oceans, the numbers available are growing every year....

The Plantation Yacht Harbor has a nice public beach, and 88 slips at its marina. The family can enjoy an Olympic sized pool or the nature trails. There's also a skateboard park and a playground for the kids, and even a dog park, too.

Traveling by road north from Islamorada, the Yacht Harbor is located at Founder's Park at Mile Marker 87 Bayside, Plantation Key. If arriving by water, travel the Intracoastal Waterway and the Plantation Yacht Harbor is between Markers 78 and 78A.

While you're up that way, stop by Robby's Marina on Lower Matecumbe Key, where you can buy a bucket of bait for feeding all the tarpon that hang out off the dock.

Also on the Lower Matecumba Key is the Indian Key Historical State Park. It's off the north shore of Lower Matecumbe Key, and is just a little over 10 acres, but is loaded with local history. It was the first home of the Dade County government and the foundations of buildings can be found here. Canoeing and scuba diving are popular offshore activities. Some local marinas offer tours of the area with stops for snorkeling.

We hope you have found our review of the fishing in Islamorada Florida waters informative and helpful. For such a tiny bit of real estate, there sure is plenty of red-hot fishing action at Islamorada!

Tight lines!

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