CHARTERS

    Lower Florida Keys flats and backwater fishing seasons. Owned and operated by Florida Keys native flats fishing guide Captain Luke Kelly. Key Flat Charters offers year round seasonal sight fishing on fly or light tackle for Tarpon, Permit, Bonefish and much more while on the crystal clear waters of the Lower Florida Keys.

 

Lower Keys Fish & Best Time of Year

Tarpon - Mar thru Jul (large tarpon) Jul thru Dec (baby tarpon)

Permit - February thru November (pending April spawn)

Bonefish - March thru December (largest Sept through Dec)

Red Fish, Sea Trout, and Pompano - December thru March

Cobia and Snapper - September through May

Barracuda and Jacks - Year round (largest Nov through Feb)

Sharks - Year round

Key Flat Charters Related Topics / Webpages

Flats Fishing Reports    Tarpon Fishing    Bonefishing    Permit Fishing

Lower Keys Flats Fishing Seasons    Lower Keys Satellite Views

Flats Fishing Photos    Flats Fly Fishing    Flats Light-Tackle Fishing   Capt. Luke Kelly    Boat & Gear    Charter Rates & Info    Home Page

Lower Florida Keys Flats & Backcountry Fishing Seasons

    When considering the Key West and lower Florida Keys nearshore flats and backcountry fishery, time of year must also be taken into consideration. No other factor is more important to this fishery other than water temperature. Lower Florida Keys inshore water temperature fluctuates with the seasons and ranges between extremes of 50 and 90 degrees fahrenheit. This is a large range in temp when considering a tropical marine environment, as it has definite impacts on Lower Florida Keys nearshore fishing.


Warm Water Fishing Season, March through November

   The start of Spring brings the first signs of warmth to the inshore water of Key West and the lower Florida Keys. This warmth brings with it our prized sport and gamefish; tarpon, permit, and bonefish. Significant numbers of these three prized fish can be found in Key West as early as mid February, but seem to be most comfortable between March and November. Spring brings the most numbers of large tarpon and permit, while Summer and Fall brings unique flats fishing opportunities for consistent bonefish, permit, and baby tarpon fishing. Barracuda, jacks, snapper, grouper, and sharks can also be caught within the nearshore waters as well during this period. The seasons between March and November are seen as a true flats fishing time of year in Key West and the lower Florida Keys.


Cool Water Fishing Season, December through February

    Late Fall and early Winter brings cooler water temps driven by northern cold-fronts, which ultimately push the majority of tarpon, bonefish, and permit out of shallow water. Although, with this cooler water comes an entirely different and very productive fishery to the Key West and lower Florida Keys backwater areas. Huge barracuda, sea-trout, pompano, redfish, snapper, jack species, and sharks follow the large amount of bait driven inshore during the winter months. This time of year offers great action on a wide variety of aggressive fish. Bonefish, permit, and baby tarpon can still be caught in-between northern cold-fronts during this time. Yet the cooler water period between December and February is seen for the most part as a consistent rod-bending time of year in the backwater areas of  the lower Florida Keys.