Florida Fishing Vacations

Florida is two coasts, a long island chain and an interior full of lakes and rivers, so a Florida fishing trip can mean very different things. The state has about 1,350 miles of saltwater coastline, at least 7,700 freshwater lakes and more than 10,000 miles of rivers. Visit Florida markets the state as the Fishing Capital of the World and says more world-record fish have come from its waters than anywhere else.

Start with the Florida Keys

Our coverage starts with the Florida Keys, the most varied saltwater trip in the state. One road links flats fishing for tarpon, bonefish and permit, backcountry fishing toward Florida Bay and the Everglades, reef and wreck fishing, and offshore trips for sailfish and mahi. Islamorada is the base for backcountry and flats fishing, and Key West for offshore fishing and trips to the Dry Tortugas.

How the rest of Florida compares

The Panhandle. Destin calls itself the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village, pointing to quick access to deep Gulf water and a large charter fleet that includes party boats. The fishing centers on snapper, grouper and mahi, and Visit Florida also ties Destin to cobia. If you mainly want reef and bottom fishing in the Gulf, it is the natural comparison to the Keys.

The Atlantic coast. Stuart and Martin County call themselves the Sailfish Capital of the World, a name that goes back to a 1938 run of sailfish catches. Local tourism material names November through February as the best months there. Pier fishing is popular along this coast too, at places such as Lake Worth, Cocoa Beach and Flagler Beach.

The Gulf coast. Visit Florida highlights speckled trout from Tampa Bay and the inshore fishing of the state’s estuaries.

Freshwater. Inland Florida offers bass and bream in creeks and rivers, bass on the Suwannee River and crappie on Lake Talquin near Tallahassee. A freshwater trip needs a different license from saltwater fishing, so check which one you need.

We will add more Florida destinations as we research them. For Gulf trips in another state, compare the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

How the seasons run

Florida fishes all year, but the species change with the season. In the Keys, winter is sailfish, kingfish and wahoo time, spring and summer bring peak tarpon, permit and mahi, and snapper and sharks are around in every month. Stuart’s sailfish season runs through the same winter months. If you are looking for winter sun, see our warm-weather winter fishing guide.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. If you travel in that window, keep plans flexible and consider travel insurance.

Licenses

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sells Florida’s saltwater and freshwater licenses and sets the fishing rules. Anglers 16 and older generally need a license, and anglers on a licensed charter are usually covered by the boat’s license. Some species need extra permits or tags, and national parks and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary add their own rules. See our fishing licenses guide, and check the agency’s pages before each trip, since rules change.