Florida Keys · named fishing ground
Dry Tortugas
Remote reefs and channels west of Key West — snapper and grouper on the bottom, permit and tarpon on the flats.
What's biting here — right now
Tarpon100
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F in the prime band (75–88°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (3–39 ft ideal)
Live crabs or mullet drifted through passes and along beaches on moving tide.
Permit100
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F in the prime band (75–88°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (2–20 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Live crabs sight-cast on flats; over wrecks in summer.
Bonefish100
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F in the prime band (75–88°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (1–7 ft ideal)
Shrimp or small crab flies led ahead of tailing fish on incoming flats.
Common Snook90
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F in the prime band (73–88°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (2–20 ft ideal)
No charted structure within 250 m — scored cautiously (charts don't mark all hard bottom)
Live bait or swimbaits on mangrove edges, dock lights and pass current seams.
Tripletail60
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F workable (73–86°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (7–49 ft ideal)
No charted structure within 250 m — scored cautiously (charts don't mark all hard bottom)
Sight-cast live shrimp to fish laid up under floats and markers.
Spotted Seatrout56
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F workable (64–84°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (2–16 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Popping cork with shrimp over grass flats and potholes at first light.
Red Drum (Redfish)43
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F outside preference (64–82°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (2–26 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Gold spoons or cut mullet on grass flats, oyster bars and marsh drains.
Mangrove Snapper35
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F workable (72–86°F prime)
Charted 6 ft marginal for this species (10–131 ft ideal)
In NOAA-designated Essential Fish Habitat — expected here even where structure isn't charted
Light fluorocarbon and small live baits around any structure; chum heavily.
Southern Flounder25
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F outside preference (63–82°F prime)
Charted 6 ft suits this species (3–33 ft ideal)
Better near structure or edges if you can find it
Mud minnows or jigs bounced along channel edges and creek mouths.
Spanish Mackerel11
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F outside preference (68–82°F prime)
Charted 6 ft marginal for this species (10–66 ft ideal)
Small shiny spoons cast or trolled fast through surface bait showers.
Mahi-Mahi4
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F workable (75–86°F prime)
Charted 6 ft marginal for this species (131–6560 ft ideal)
No strong temperature break nearby
Better near weedlines and floating debris, not bottom structure if you can find it
Run and gun to weedlines, boards and birds; pitch ballyhoo or jigs.
Blue Marlin4
In season (Jul)
SST 87°F workable (77–86°F prime)
Charted 6 ft marginal for this species (656–9840 ft ideal)
No strong temperature break nearby
Large trolled lures over canyons, seamounts and the continental shelf edge.
Live habitat-envelope scoring at this exact cell — SST, charted depth, charted structure and seabed, NOAA-designated habitat. The same engine and cards as tapping the spot in Fish mode.
Water temperature — last 10 weeks
2026-05-13 → 2026-07-22 · 81–87°F
Best months here
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Species in season by month for Florida Keys (from the knowledge base). In season now: Mahi-Mahi, Wahoo, Swordfish, Blue Marlin, Red Drum (Redfish), Common Snook, Tarpon, Greater Amberjack, Red Grouper, Mangrove Snapper.
Other grounds in Florida Keys
The Islamorada Hump
Blackfin Tuna · Greater Amberjack · Atlantic Bonito
Marathon (West) Hump
Blackfin Tuna · Sailfish · Mahi-Mahi
Key West / The Wall
Sailfish · Mahi-Mahi · Blackfin Tuna
Reuse welcome with attribution. Weekly regional report: Florida Keys · Feed: RSS · all US grounds: /fishing.