Saltwater flats
9′ rod, 8 weight, sealed-drag reel, tropical floating line · Bonefish, redfish, permit and other flats species
Open checklist
Florida Keys
The Keys run 110 miles from Key Largo to Key West along US 1, with Florida Bay and the Everglades backcountry on the Gulf side and the oceanside flats and reef on the Atlantic side.
- Florida · South
- 5 waters
- 364 guides nearby
- 24 shops nearby
- MIA airport · 64 mi
Photo credit
Shallow water and palms at Islamorada in the Florida Keys. Photo: Pietro Valocchi, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More about Florida Keys
The Keys run 110 miles from Key Largo to Key West along US 1, with Florida Bay and the Everglades backcountry on the Gulf side and the oceanside flats and reef on the Atlantic side; Islamorada and Marathon sit in the middle.
Waters around Islamorada
About this
Tap a water for its live flow, access map, regulations and hatches.
Agency-named saltwater fishing waterPhoto credit
Sand flats in Florida Bay off the Flamingo visitor center, Everglades National Park. Photo: NPS / Everglades National Park, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Saltwater flatsPhoto credit
A beach in the Ten Thousand Islands, Everglades National Park. Photo: olekinderhook, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Agency-named saltwater fishing waterPhoto credit
Biscayne Bay in Biscayne National Park, Florida. Photo: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Agency-named saltwater fishing waterRepresentative photo · not Florida Keys flatsPhoto credit
The May River looking east from the Calhoun Street dock, Bluffton, South Carolina. Photo: Townofbluffton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Florida Keys flats.
- Agency-named saltwater fishing waterRepresentative photo · not Florida Keys flats
Photo credit
The May River looking east from the Calhoun Street dock, Bluffton, South Carolina. Photo: Townofbluffton, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Florida Keys flats.
Distances and official pages
The rivers, lakes or flats this hub is organised around, each with its straight-line distance from Islamorada. Within 40 miles a water's own page names this hub as near; a farther one shows its distance instead. Where a nearby guide names a water on its own website, we say how many do. Access, seasons and special regulations differ by reach: check the agency pages under license and rules.
- Florida Bay14 mi from Islamorada in a straight line · named on 28 guide websites nearby
- Everglades National Park backcountry33 mi from Islamorada in a straight line
- Biscayne Bay51 mi from Islamorada in a straight line · named on 18 guide websites nearby
- Keys oceanside flats62 mi from Islamorada in a straight line
- Gulf-side flats and banks62 mi from Islamorada in a straight line
All gauge readings
The first USGS gauge on each water: the latest reading, how it compares with that gauge's record for today's date, the 24-hour trend and the NWS flood stage; NOAA tides for the flats and beaches. Open a water for what the level means.
Reading the gauges around Islamorada…
Meet local guides
About this
364 guide listings within 90 miles (42 fly-focused), fly-focused first. Unclaimed listings say so on their page: confirm licensing, rates and dates with the outfitter.
Billy B Fishing Charters LLC
Islamorada, FL · 2 mi
Saltwater & ocean charters · Lodge packages · Florida Keys & Everglades
- Unclaimed
Moon Cast Anglers
Islamorada, FL · 2 mi
Saltwater & ocean charters · Beginners & lessons · Florida Keys & Florida Bay
- Unclaimed
Silver Water Charters
Islamorada, FL · 2 mi
Saltwater & ocean charters · Florida Keys & Everglades
- Unclaimed
Bone Collector Kayak Fishing Charters - Keys And South Florida
Homestead, FL · 45 mi
Saltwater & ocean charters · Beginners & lessons · Florida Keys & Everglades
- Unclaimed
Flywater Expeditions LLC
Miami, FL · 53 mi
Saltwater & ocean charters · Florida Keys & Everglades
- Unclaimed
Fly shops nearby
About this
24 shop listings in the towns around Islamorada, fly shops first. Confirm hours with the shop before you go.
Fish around Islamorada
About this
Species the state agency lists on the waters here. A species listed for one water is not a promise for every water.
Redfish
Listed on 3 waters here
Photo credit
Red drum or redfish (Sciaenops ocellatus), illustration by Duane Raver for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Bonefish
Listed on 3 waters here
Photo credit
Bonefish (Albula vulpes), painting by Robert W. Hines for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Robert W. Hines, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Tarpon
Listed on 3 waters here
Photo credit
Tarpon, plate from Hugh M. Smith's The Fishes of North Carolina (1907). Photo: Hugh McCormick Smith, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Snook
Listed on 3 waters here
Photo credit
Common snook (Centropomus undecimalis), Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (NOAA). Photo: Bob Care - Florida Keys NMS, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Permit
Listed on 2 waters here
Photo credit
Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) from the Gulf of Mexico (NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Pascagoula Laboratory). Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC., public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Spotted seatrout
Listed on 1 water here
Photo credit
Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), illustration by Duane Raver for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Panfish
Listed on 1 water here
Photo credit
A bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), photographed by Ryan Hagerty for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Agency species and seasons (5 waters)
Taken from the state agency pages of 5 waters around Islamorada, each on its own water page with the agency link. Seasons are quoted word for word and apply to the water named.
- Bonefish2 waters
- Redfish2 waters
- Snook2 waters
- Tarpon2 waters
- Bass1 water
- Bluefish1 water
- Bluegill1 water
- Crevalle jack1 water
- Ladyfish1 water
- Permit1 water
- Red drum1 water
- Sea trout1 water
- Sheepshead1 water
- Snapper1 water
- Spotted seatrout1 water
“Bonefish can be caught year-round in the Keys, but peak bonefish season is generally March through October.”
Florida Keys flats · Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, read 2026-10-14
“Bonefish is a Catch-And-Release fishery”
Florida Keys flats · Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, read 2026-10-14
“No fishing is allowed in Eco, Mrazek or Coot Bay Ponds at any time.”
Everglades National Park backcountry · National Park Service (Everglades National Park), read 2026-10-14
Species guides mention (278)
Counted from the species each guide lists on its own site. This is what guides advertise, not an agency species list or a promise of what you will catch.
- Tarpon190
- Tuna177
- Bonefish92
- Yellowtail84
- Rockfish & lingcod21
- Striped bass9
- Largemouth bass8
- Catfish5
Things to know
Fishing license: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater licence)
Fees on the agency page.
Getting there
MIA Miami International Airport · 64 mi
Regulations and access
Seasons, limits and access: agency pages.
Official license and rules pages
Buy the license from the agency and read its current regulations before you go. These links are the authoritative pages; nothing on this page grants or implies access to any water, and fees are only shown when read from the agency page on a stated date.
Nothing here grants or implies access to any water.
Women-led and women’s trips
About this
Near Florida Keys. From each business's own website, not checked by us. Plan around them in the trip planner.
Veteran-owned and veteran programs
About this
Near Florida Keys. Each fact comes from the business's own website, an official register or an approved claim; the listing page links the source.
- Miss Penny Fishing Charters LLCGuide · Islamorada · 5 miVeteran-owned · from their website
- Renegade Offshore FishingGuide · Islamorada · 1 miAccessible or adaptive · from their website
- The Poppa Wahoo CollectiveGuide · Islamorada · 2 miVeteran-owned · from their website
- Saltwater cowboy charterzGuide · Key Largo · 22 miVeterans on the team · from their website
- Main AttractionGuide · Marathon · 27 miAccessible or adaptive · from their website
- Southern Sons ChartersGuide · Marathon · 32 miVeterans on the team · from their website
The Florida Keys area
About this
The circle is the 90-mile area this page covers, around Islamorada. Tap a water for its page. Shops and guides appear where they publish a street address on their own website; all of them are listed above.
Map of the Florida Keys area: its waters, shops and guides
Map of Florida Keys: the 90-mile area this page covers, its waters, and shops and guides with an exact address.
Guide season: March to June
About this
Read from the websites of 23 guides within 90 miles that state a season. It is when they run trips, not a hatch chart or a conditions report; closures and seasons are set by the agency pages.
- Jan7
- Feb7
- Mar14
- Apr16
- May18
- Jun17
- Jul9
- Aug8
- Sep6
- Oct6
- Nov7
- Dec9
Restrooms near Florida Keys
Restrooms near Florida Keys
Restrooms within 5 miles of the centre of Florida Keys in a straight line, nearest first, with what anglers found when they went. The map says a restroom is there, not whether it is clean or open today.
Map of 3 restrooms near Florida Keys
Skip the map; every place is in the list belowMap of 3 restrooms near Florida Keys, numbered as in the list, with the town centre marked.
Restroom
1.0 mi away in a straight lineNot rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Free?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
2.7 mi away in a straight lineNot rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Free?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom
4.5 mi away in a straight lineNot rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.
We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
- Is it clean?
- Flush or vault?
- Free?
- Open to everyone?
- Step-free?
Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map
Restroom locations and map details: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License, read Oct 24, 2026. Ratings, answers and photos are members' own; who shared them is never shown, and every photo is reviewed before it appears. Visits older than 18 months no longer count. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving. Nothing here grants access to private land. Community guidelines.
Base yourself nearby
About this
Islamorada and Marathon are the mid-Keys bases nearest the most guides in our directory; Key Largo is closest to Miami and Key West is at the end of the road. We do not list or price properties. The search opens an outside site.
Nearest airports
About this
Distances are straight-line from the town centre, computed from OurAirports open data; distances by road are longer. Fares are never estimated here.
- MIA Miami International AirportMiami, FL · 64 mi · major hubSearch flights
- OPF Miami-Opa Locka Executive AirportMiami, FL · 71 mi · regionalSearch flights
- EYW Key West International AirportKey West, FL · 75 mi · regionalSearch flights
Rough out the trip
About this
Set nights, anglers and guided days. Each line says where its figure comes from, and anything we cannot source honestly (guide rates, fares, license fees not read from the agency page) stays a link rather than a number.
Estimates, not quotes
- Fishing licenseSee sourceAgency page
Source
One per angler (2 anglers). Fees are set by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater licence); see the agency page.
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater licence) - Guided days130 rates pagesBilly B Fishing Charters LLCFlorida Keys Fun FishingIslamoradaOnTheFlyBone Collector Kayak Fishing Charters - Keys And South Florida
Source
1 guided day for 2 anglers. We do not copy guide rates: 130 guides near here publish a rates page on their own website.
Source: Guide websites (rates pages linked, never copied) - Find lodgingSee sourceSearch lodging
Source
Search places to stay near the destination. We do not list or price properties.
Source: Lodging search link - FlightsSee sourceSearch flights
Source
Fares are not estimated here. Search flights to MIA (Miami International Airport).
Source: Flight search link (no fares quoted)
No priced itemsUse the links for real figures.
How we estimate
Estimates, not quotes. Nothing here is a price from a guide, a property or an airline; confirm every cost with the provider before you book. No placeholder lodging range is configured for this region, and licenses, guided days and flights are never priced here.
Parks, forests and visitor offices
About this
For the non-fishing days, or the people traveling with you. Official sources only; what to do there is for their pages to say.
Gear checklist
About this
A saltwater flats fly-fishing checklist: a 9 ft 8 weight rod, sealed-drag reel, tropical line, fluorocarbon leaders and shrimp/crab flies, plus sun protection and flats booties, with estimated prices and where to buy.
Watch: flats fishing basics
About this
Sight casting, the strip set and sun on the water.
Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.
FLY FISHING FOR REDFISH BASICS 101 INTRODUCTION FOR BEGINNERSEmbedded from YouTube · Huge Fly Fisherman · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube How To Set Up For A Bonefish TripEmbedded from YouTube · The New Fly Fisher · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube
Not sponsored All videos on saltwater flats
Stories from Florida
About this
Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly, tagged with a water in Florida.
No Florida stories yet.
Sources for this page
All 9 sources
Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories (open map records checked against each business’s own website). Everything else links to the publisher below; this page copies none of their text. A destination hub organises discovery; it does not assert public access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater licence): fishing licensesFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (saltwater licence)
- Florida recreational saltwater regulationsFlorida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
- Florida Keys National Marine SanctuaryNOAA
- Everglades National ParkNational Park Service
- Biscayne National ParkNational Park Service
- Dry Tortugas National ParkNational Park Service
- The Florida Keys & Key WestMonroe County Tourist Development Council
- OurAirports open data (airport locations)OurAirports, public domain
- Overture Maps places (guide and shop map records)Overture Maps Foundation, CDLA-Permissive 2.0
Links checked 13 Oct 2026. Not a claim of access or conditions.