How to fish it
Pole the edges on a rising tide. Keep the prop off the seagrass: scarring it is illegal.
Best tide: Rising tide.
Tide station: Islamorada, Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida Bay. See today's tides and currents on the conditions page, or open this spot on the map.
What you can catch here
Bonefish
Catch & release- Bait
- Live or fresh peeled shrimp, or small crabs, cast well ahead of tailing or mudding fish
- Tackle
- 7–7.5 ft light spinning rod, 2500 reel, 8–10 lb braid; or an 8 wt fly rod with a floating line
- Rig
- Spin: 3–4 ft of 12–15 lb fluorocarbon, 1/0 hook, a split shot only if needed. Fly: 9–10 ft leader to a 10–12 lb tippet
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.- Bait
- Live blue or pass crabs about the size of a silver dollar, hooked through the corner of the shell
- Tackle
- 7–7.5 ft medium spinning rod, 3000–4000 reel, 15–20 lb braid; or a 9–10 wt fly rod
- Rig
- Spin: 4 ft of 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 1/0–3/0 circle hook. Fly: 10–12 ft leader to a 16–20 lb tippet
Tarpon
Catch & release- Bait
- Live pinfish, mullet or crabs cast ahead of rolling fish; cut mullet on the bottom in the basins
- Tackle
- 11–12 wt fly rod with a floating or intermediate line; or a 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod with 30–40 lb braid
- Rig
- Fly: 16–20 lb class tippet with a 60–80 lb bite tippet, 1/0–3/0 hook. Spin: 4 ft of 50–60 lb fluorocarbon, 5/0–7/0 circle hook
Barracuda
15–36" fork length slot, with 1 fish over 36" per person or boat per day (whichever is less); 2 per person, 6 per boat; open year-round; applies in state and adjacent federal waters off Monroe County.- Bait
- Live pilchards, pinfish or ballyhoo, or a whole needlefish
- Tackle
- 7 ft medium spinning rod, 4000–5000 reel, 20–30 lb braid
- Rig
- 12–18 in of #4–#6 single-strand wire (their teeth cut mono); 2/0–4/0 hook
Access
- Fished by
- Charter a boat; Bring your own boat; Shore, bridge, kayak & wade
- Skill
- Intermediate
- Position
- A general area about 1.8 km across, drawn as a circle on the map rather than a pin.
Reachable by kayak from the Indian Key Fill launches.
Not for navigation. Positions are approximate. Use official charts, watch your depth and respect private property and posted signs.