Florida Keys Fly Fishing
Fly Fishing in the Florida Keys is a bucket list item for anglers around the globe. And there’s a good reason for that.
The Florida Keys is one of the most accessible and diverse saltwater sports fisheries in the world. A few days of fly fishing in the Florida Keys gives you the opportunity to target some of the most sought-after saltwater game species.
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Adult and Juvenile Tarpon
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Bonefish
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Snook
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Permit
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Redfish
Hook, Line, and Sunshine
The Ultimate Fly Fishing Experience in Florida!
Our days on the water begin early. We meet at the launch in the pre-dawn hours and are soon motoring out in search of migrating tarpon or sliding through the mangroves to stalk tight-holding snook lying in wait to intercept a well-placed fly. Here’s a quick rundown of the main species that we target, depending on the season, angler’s preference and the local weather.
Fly Fishing for Tarpon
Hooking an adult tarpon on the fly is for many the pinnacle of the sport and the crown jewel of the so-called fly fishing grand slam.
There aren’t many places in the northern or southern hemisphere that boast the quality and quantity of tarpon fly fishing found in the Florida Keys. Our season begins in early spring as migrating tarpon make their way from the Southern Hemisphere north along the Atlantic coastline. March is typically the unofficial beginning of what is known as “Tarpon Season” here in the Keys. Fishing picks up in April, which many consider being the best month for targeting migrating fish. Great tarpon fly fishing continues through May into June and even July based on water temperatures and other seasonal factors that are mixed in with a dose of tarpon mystery.
Permit on the Fly Rod
For many anglers, permit are the last, hardest and most rewarding species of the so-called saltwater slam.
These extremely selective and easily spooked flats fish are one of the most unique species that we target. From their iridescent skin to their large alien-like eyes, permit are unlike just about anything else that we chase down here in the keys. And while fly fishing for permit is notoriously difficult, our healthy south Florida permit populations have allowed us to refine our techniques for fooling these weary and worthy flats adversaries.
Snook Fly Fishing
One of the more overlooked game fish species in South Florida, the snook provides consistent angling opportunities pretty much year-round in our waters.
You can think of snook as the saltwater version of the largemouth bass. They are voracious and opportunistic predators that respond extremely well to a host of different presentations and techniques. Even when other fishing is downright frustrating, Snook can be relied upon to eat a fly.
Bonefish on the Fly
What can we say? You can travel around the world looking for bonefish, but you’re not likely to find more or larger bonefish than right here in the Florida keys.
It’s not a coincidence that the fly fishing for bonefish has its origins in south Florida where pioneers like Lefty Kreh were among the first to realize the great potential of these notoriously finicky and hard fighting flats residents. Our home base in Islamorada offers our clients ready access to some of the best bonefishing flats in the world. We use the time-tested technique of spotting and slow stalking feeding bonefish. Long line presentations dropped in the vicinity of feeding fish yield drag busting runs from these silver bullets of the flats.
Fly Fishing Redfish
Red drum, or redfish as they are more commonly known, is another secondary species that provide abundant angling opportunities in the Keys.
Our resident redfish are found primarily in the estuaries and mangroves but can also be spotted out on the flats. These aggressive and hard fighting game fish are often overshadowed by tarpon and the other “slam” species. But anglers and guides who overlook redfish are missing an opportunity to target one of the most reliable and rewarding game fish in the region.
