A Fishing Guru

Season calendar

Fishing in Islamorada in January

← DecemberFebruary →

Peak month for sailfish, wahoo, kingfish, cobia, amberjack, barracuda, redfish, seatrout. Harvest is closed for grouper, hogfish, snook: catch and release them. Today's conditions and bite scores are on the conditions page.

Regulations change.Always verify at MyFWC.com / NOAA Fisheries before you fish.

Peak this month

  • Sailfish

    Offshore
    1. January: peak
    2. February: peak
    3. March: peak
    4. April: good
    5. May: slow
    6. June: slow
    7. July: slow
    8. August: slow
    9. September: slow
    10. October: good
    11. November: peak
    12. December: peak

    Peak of the winter run; kite-fishing weather.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Wahoo

    Offshore
    1. January: peak
    2. February: good
    3. March: slow
    4. April: slow
    5. May: slow
    6. June: slow
    7. July: slow
    8. August: slow
    9. September: good
    10. October: peak
    11. November: peak
    12. December: peak

    Peak: cooler water along the edge.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Kingfish (king mackerel)

    Offshore
    1. January: peak
    2. February: peak
    3. March: good
    4. April: slow
    5. May: slow
    6. June: slow
    7. July: slow
    8. August: slow
    9. September: slow
    10. October: slow
    11. November: good
    12. December: peak

    Peak of the winter run along the reef edge and over the wrecks.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Cobia

    Offshore
    1. January: peak
    2. February: peak
    3. March: peak
    4. April: good
    5. May: slow
    6. June: slow
    7. July: slow
    8. August: slow
    9. September: slow
    10. October: slow
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    Sight-cast to fish riding rays and sharks on the patch reefs and in Hawk Channel, or chum them up on the reef.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Greater amberjack

    Reef & wrecks
    1. January: peak
    2. February: peak
    3. March: peak
    4. April: good
    5. May: peak
    6. June: good
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: peak

    Peak on the wrecks and humps.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Barracuda

    Reef & wrecks
    1. January: peak
    2. February: peak
    3. March: peak
    4. April: good
    5. May: good
    6. June: good
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: peak

    Peak: big winter cudas on the flats and patch reefs.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

  • Redfish

    Flats & backcountry
    1. January: peak
    2. February: peak
    3. March: peak
    4. April: good
    5. May: good
    6. June: good
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: peak
    11. November: peak
    12. December: peak

    Winter peak on the shallow mud banks.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

  • Spotted seatrout

    Flats & backcountry
    1. January: peak
    2. February: peak
    3. March: peak
    4. April: good
    5. May: good
    6. June: good
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: peak
    12. December: peak

    Florida Bay grass flats and potholes; a popping cork with live shrimp.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

Good this month

  • Blackfin tuna

    Offshore
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: peak
    4. April: peak
    5. May: peak
    6. June: good
    7. July: slow
    8. August: slow
    9. September: slow
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    The Islamorada Hump and other offshore humps. Live-chum and drift live baits or jigs at first and last light.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Swordfish

    Offshore
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: good
    4. April: good
    5. May: good
    6. June: good
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    Daytime deep-dropping in 1,200–1,800 ft on calm days.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Yellowtail snapper

    Reef & wrecks
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: good
    4. April: peak
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: peak
    8. August: peak
    9. September: peak
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    Reef edge in 40–100 ft. Anchor up-current, chum and float a lightly weighted bait back in the slick.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Mangrove (gray) snapper

    Reef & wrecks
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: good
    4. April: good
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: peak
    8. August: peak
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    Patch reefs, wrecks and bridges; the summer spawn around the full moon is the best night bite.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

  • Mutton snapper

    Reef & wrecks
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: peak
    4. April: peak
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    Reef edge, wrecks and sand patches. Live pilchards or ballyhoo plugs fished on the bottom.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Grouper (black & red)

    Reef & wrecks
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: good
    4. April: good
    5. May: good
    6. June: good
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: peak
    11. November: peak
    12. December: peak

    Wrecks and ledges in 80–250 ft. Live bait on the bottom with heavy tackle; turn them fast.

    Harvest closedCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Hogfish

    Reef & wrecks
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: good
    4. April: good
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: peak
    8. August: peak
    9. September: peak
    10. October: peak
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    Patch reefs and hard bottom. Fish live shrimp or small crabs right on the bottom; spearfishing is only legal in federal waters off Islamorada.

    Harvest closedCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Permit

    Flats & backcountry
    1. January: good
    2. February: good
    3. March: peak
    4. April: peak
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: good

    Ocean-side flats on the incoming tide, and schooled on wrecks in spring. Live crabs or crab flies.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

Slow this month

  • Mahi-mahi (dolphin)

    Offshore
    1. January: slow
    2. February: slow
    3. March: good
    4. April: peak
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: slow
    10. October: slow
    11. November: slow
    12. December: slow

    Weed lines, birds and floating debris 6–25 miles out. Troll rigged ballyhoo, then pitch baits to the school.

    OpenCharter a boatBring your own boat

  • Tarpon

    Flats & backcountry
    1. January: slow
    2. February: slow
    3. March: good
    4. April: peak
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: good
    8. August: good
    9. September: good
    10. October: good
    11. November: slow
    12. December: slow

    Bridges and channels (Channel Two, Channel Five, Long Key) on the outgoing tide at night; backcountry basins and ocean flats by day during the spring run.

    Catch & releaseCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

  • Bonefish

    Flats & backcountry
    1. January: slow
    2. February: good
    3. March: peak
    4. April: peak
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: peak
    8. August: peak
    9. September: peak
    10. October: peak
    11. November: good
    12. December: slow

    Ocean- and bay-side flats on a rising tide. Shrimp or small crab flies; they like water in the 70s and 80s.

    Catch & releaseCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

  • Snook

    Flats & backcountry
    1. January: slow
    2. February: good
    3. March: good
    4. April: good
    5. May: peak
    6. June: peak
    7. July: peak
    8. August: peak
    9. September: peak
    10. October: good
    11. November: good
    12. December: slow

    Mangrove points, creek mouths and bridges in Florida Bay; ambushing bait on a falling tide at first and last light.

    Harvest closedCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade

Closed to harvest in January

  • Grouper (black & red) — closed through April 30; the rule card has the exact dates and source.
  • Hogfish — closed through April 30; the rule card has the exact dates and source.
  • Snook — closed through February 29; the rule card has the exact dates and source.

Fish Islamorada in January

A local captain knows which of these fish are on this week. Tell us your dates and how you like to fish.

Book a January trip Call 305-916-9130
Book a fishing charter