Islamorada

Why go

If backcountry and flats fishing is the main point of your Keys trip, Islamorada is the obvious base. The flats here sit a short run from the docks, where Florida Bay, the edge of the Everglades and the Atlantic meet. Guides can work the oceanside flats or head into the bay backcountry, depending on conditions.

The name means “Village of Islands,” and the town bills itself as the Sportfishing Capital of the World. That is a marketing line, but the fleet backs it up: Islamorada has more charter listings in the Keys visitor directory than any other town, and the chamber says it has more fishing boats per square mile than anywhere else.

It suits anglers who want to spend most days with a guide, couples who want a quieter base than Key West, and families who want short trips mixed with time on the water. It is less suited to travelers who want nightlife.

The fishing

Backcountry and Florida Bay

This is what sets Islamorada apart. Backcountry guides run skiffs and bay boats across Florida Bay toward the Everglades, fishing grass flats, mangrove shorelines and channels for snook, redfish, juvenile tarpon and seatrout. Some guides also run to the Gulf side at certain times of year for cobia, mackerel, permit and tripletail.

Snook rate peak from April through December on the Keys fishing calendar, and redfish are best from October through March, so there is a backcountry option in every season.

Flats

Oceanside flats near town hold bonefish and tarpon. Tarpon rate peak from April through July, and bonefish in early summer and again in September and October. Evening tarpon trips are a local specialty. Fly, spin and plug tackle are all used. Ask for fly fishing at booking so the guide brings the right gear.

Offshore

Islamorada’s offshore boats run for sailfish in winter and mahi-mahi in summer, with tuna, wahoo, kingfish and sharks along the way. Deep reefs produce grouper and yellowtail. Daytime swordfishing is another option here: captains off Islamorada helped develop the method of targeting swordfish in daylight, when it had mostly been a night fishery.

A sportfishing town

The fishing heritage is part of the trip. Charter fishing started here in the late 1930s. Bud N’ Mary’s Marina dates to the 1940s and bills its fleet as the oldest and largest in the Keys. Local guides, captains and anglers formed the Islamorada Fishing Club in 1950. Captain Jimmie Albright, who guided early fly-caught bonefish and tarpon, is credited with the Albright knot.

The tournament calendar follows the seasons. Sailfish events run from December through February, including Cheeca Lodge’s Presidential Sailfish Tournament each January, started by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. Dolphin tournaments come in May and June. Tarpon events, including several fly tournaments and the long-running Gold Cup, run from May into July. Fall brings backcountry tournaments such as Cheeca’s All American Backcountry. Specific dates change, so check before you plan around one.

Charters and guides

Most trips are booked through a marina or directly with a guide. As an example, Bud N’ Mary’s offers half-day, full-day and evening tarpon trips in the backcountry, on skiffs that take up to three anglers (most trips are for two) or bay boats for three or four. Offshore sportfishing boats take up to six people and center consoles up to four. Charters there include the license, bait, tackle and ice, and you bring food, drinks and sun protection. Tipping the crew is customary.

The full-day party boat is the budget option, fishing reefs for yellowtail, mutton snapper, grouper and kingfish. See choosing a fishing charter for what to ask.

Where to stay

Lodging runs from beachfront inns and old-style motels to waterfront resorts and vacation rentals, with RV and camping options too. Staying at or near a marina makes early departures easy. Some marinas, like Bud N’ Mary’s, rent rooms, houses and houseboats beside the fleet. For more, see our Florida Keys where-to-stay guide.

Beyond fishing

Non-fishing time centers on the water: snorkeling and diving (including the San Pedro shipwreck), paddling trails through the mangroves, eco-tours and sunset cruises. Cheeca Lodge runs Camp Cheeca, a seasonal kids’ program for ages 5 to 12. Freebee runs free on-demand electric rides around town.

Getting there

Islamorada is on U.S. 1 in the Upper Keys, with the visitor center at Mile Marker 87 bayside. Most visitors fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and drive south. Boaters should know the Tea Table Relief bridge has limited clearance for bay access, while Indian Key Bridge to the south is taller.

Licenses and rules

Florida saltwater rules come from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and charters usually include the license. Backcountry trips can reach Everglades National Park, which has its own fishing rules and in 2019 began requiring a free boater education permit for marine boaters. Confirm current requirements on the park’s boating page. Handle tarpon and bonefish with care: big tarpon should stay in the water. Rules change; check them before every trip.