Can I catch redfish from a kayak in Islamorada?

Yes. Launch at Indian Key Fill, Library Beach Park or Green Turtle Hammock on the bayside and paddle to the nearest banks and mangrove shorelines; watch the wind and the tide for the paddle back.

Redfish fishing in Islamorada: season, spots, bait & rules

Redfish fishing in Islamorada

Also called red drum, red.

Redfish are the copper-coloured drum of the Florida Bay backcountry: tailing on the shallow banks, crawling along the mangrove edges and eating almost anything put in front of them. They are the ideal fish for a first backcountry trip, by skiff or by kayak from the bayside launches.

Harvest allowedSkill: BeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

Where to find redfish

The mud banks, grass flats and mangrove shorelines of Florida Bay and Everglades National Park north of Islamorada; the potholes and channel edges on a low tide; around the oyster bars and creek mouths. Kayak anglers reach the near banks from Indian Key Fill and the bayside launches.

Florida Bay backcountry · Backcountry
Indian Key Fill shoreline & kayak flats · Shore & parks

When to go

Autumn and winter are peak, when the cooler water brings big schools onto the shallow banks; fish year-round. The incoming tide in daylight is best for sight-fishing tailing fish; a winter low tide concentrates them in the channels.

Best window on the day: The incoming tide on the bayside in daylight. Today's window and score are on the conditions page.

January: Winter peak on the shallow mud banks.
November: Peak in the backcountry: tailing fish on the cool-season low tides.

How to catch them

Pole or paddle the banks and look for tails, wakes and the copper flash; cast a live shrimp, a crab or a soft-plastic on a weedless hook ahead of the fish on light spinning tackle. Gold spoons and topwaters work on the shorelines. On a fly, a crab or shrimp pattern on an 8 wt. Hook and line or cast net only.

Bait & tackle

Bait: Live or fresh shrimp, pinfish or small crabs; cut mullet or ladyfish on the bottom
Lures: Gold spoons, and soft-plastic paddle tails and jerkbaits on a light jig or weedless hook; crab and shrimp flies on an 8 wt
Tackle: 7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 3000 reel, 10–15 lb braid
Rig: 2–3 ft of 20–25 lb fluorocarbon; 1/0–3/0 circle hook, or a weedless hook over the grass

shrimp pinfish blue crab mullet soft swimbait topwater plug bonefish fly Tackle setup →

Tips for your level

Redfish eat a live shrimp under a popping cork on the edges of the banks all day; it is the simplest backcountry rig.
Look for the tail: a redfish feeding head-down in a foot of water waves its blue-edged tail in the air.
The backcountry is Everglades National Park water: boats need the park boater certificate and a pass (see the rules).

Keeping one

Very good: mild, firm fillets within the slot. Many anglers release them.

Keep only what you will eat, within the limit, and release the rest in the water where you can.

Questions anglers ask

Can I catch redfish from a kayak in Islamorada?: Yes. Launch at Indian Key Fill, Library Beach Park or Green Turtle Hammock on the bayside and paddle to the nearest banks and mangrove shorelines; watch the wind and the tide for the paddle back.