Channel Two

How to fish it

Anchor up-current and drift baits back to the bridge on the outgoing tide, April through June.

Best tide: Outgoing tide, April through June.

Tide station: Channel Two, west side, Hawk Channel. See today's tides and currents on the conditions page, or open this spot on the map.

What you can catch here

• Tarpon

  Catch & release
  1. JJanuary: slow
  2. FFebruary: slow
  3. MMarch: good
  4. AApril: peak
  5. MMay: peak
  6. JJune: peak
  7. JJuly: good
  8. AAugust: good
  9. SSeptember: good
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: slow
  12. DDecember: slow

  Bait

  Live blue crabs (silver-dollar size), mullet or pinfish drifted along the shadow line; a dead mullet on the bottom

  Tackle

  7 ft heavy spinning rod with an 8000–10000 reel and 50–65 lb braid, or a 30–50 lb conventional

  Rig

  4–6 ft of 60–80 lb fluorocarbon; 6/0–8/0 in-line circle hook; a small float keeps a crab near the surface

• Permit

  22" fork length minimum; 1 per person per day and no more than 2 per boat; closed Apr 1 – Jul 31; hook and line only in state waters (spearing allowed in federal waters). No multiple hooks with natural bait; no snatching. Islamorada is inside the Special Permit Zone.
  1. JJanuary: good
  2. FFebruary: good
  3. MMarch: peak
  4. AApril: peak
  5. MMay: peak
  6. JJune: peak
  7. JJuly: good
  8. AAugust: good
  9. SSeptember: good
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: good
  12. DDecember: good

  Bait

  Live crabs drifted with the current or under a float

  Tackle

  7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod, 5000–6000 reel, 30 lb braid

  Rig

  4–6 ft of 30–40 lb fluorocarbon; 2/0–4/0 circle hook

• Mangrove (gray) snapper

  10" total length minimum and 5 per person within the 10-snapper aggregate in state waters (12" and 10 per person in federal waters); open year-round. Reef fish gear rules apply.
  1. JJanuary: good
  2. FFebruary: good
  3. MMarch: good
  4. AApril: good
  5. MMay: peak
  6. JJune: peak
  7. JJuly: peak
  8. AAugust: peak
  9. SSeptember: good
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: good
  12. DDecember: good

  Bait

  Live shrimp, pilchards or small pinfish; cut ballyhoo or squid, with chum to bring them up

  Tackle

  7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 3000–4000 reel, 15–20 lb braid

  Rig

  3–4 ft of 20–30 lb fluorocarbon (they are leader-shy); 1/0–2/0 non-stainless circle hook on a knocker or split-shot rig

• Snook

  28–33" total length slot; 1 per person per day; hook and line only; snook permit required. Closed Dec 1 – end of February and May 1 – Sept 30 (Monroe County follows FWC's Southwest snook region). Charter captain and crew may not keep snook.
  1. JJanuary: slow
  2. FFebruary: good
  3. MMarch: good
  4. AApril: good
  5. MMay: peak
  6. JJune: peak
  7. JJuly: peak
  8. AAugust: peak
  9. SSeptember: peak
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: good
  12. DDecember: slow

  Bait

  Live pilchards, pinfish, mullet or shrimp drifted with the current along the shadow line

  Tackle

  7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod, 4000–5000 reel, 30–40 lb braid

  Rig

  2–3 ft of 40–60 lb fluorocarbon (bridges are rough on line); 2/0–5/0 circle hook

Access

Fished by

Charter a boat; Bring your own boat; Shore, bridge, kayak & wade

Skill

Beginner

Position

About 24.8417, -80.7533 (NOAA tide station 8723869).

Not for navigation. Positions are approximate. Use official charts, watch your depth and respect private property and posted signs.