Florida Bay backcountry

How to fish it

Tailing redfish on the shallow banks; seatrout in grassy potholes under a popping cork. Very shallow water: know your draft and the park rules.

Tide station: Islamorada, Upper Matecumbe Key, Florida Bay. See today's tides and currents on the conditions page, or open this spot on the map.

What you can catch here

• Redfish

  18–27" total length slot; 1 per person per day, 2 per boat; open year-round; hook and line or cast net only; no multiple hooks with natural bait; must stay whole until landed. Harvest is prohibited in federal waters.
  1. JJanuary: peak
  2. FFebruary: peak
  3. MMarch: peak
  4. AApril: good
  5. MMay: good
  6. JJune: good
  7. JJuly: good
  8. AAugust: good
  9. SSeptember: good
  10. OOctober: peak
  11. NNovember: peak
  12. DDecember: peak

  Bait

  Live or fresh shrimp, pinfish or small crabs; cut mullet or ladyfish on the bottom

  Tackle

  7 ft medium-light spinning rod, 3000 reel, 10–15 lb braid

  Rig

  2–3 ft of 20–25 lb fluorocarbon; 1/0–3/0 circle hook, or a weedless hook over the grass

• Spotted seatrout

  15–19" total length slot, with one fish over 19" per boat (or per shore angler); 3 per person per day; open year-round; hook and line or cast net only.
  1. JJanuary: peak
  2. FFebruary: peak
  3. MMarch: peak
  4. AApril: good
  5. MMay: good
  6. JJune: good
  7. JJuly: good
  8. AAugust: good
  9. SSeptember: good
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: peak
  12. DDecember: peak

  Bait

  Live shrimp under a popping cork; live pilchards

  Tackle

  7 ft light spinning rod, 2500–3000 reel, 10 lb braid

  Rig

  2–3 ft of 15–20 lb fluorocarbon below a popping cork; #1–1/0 circle hook

• Snook

  28–33" total length slot; 1 per person per day; hook and line only; snook permit required. Closed Dec 1 – end of February and May 1 – Sept 30 (Monroe County follows FWC's Southwest snook region). Charter captain and crew may not keep snook.
  1. JJanuary: slow
  2. FFebruary: good
  3. MMarch: good
  4. AApril: good
  5. MMay: peak
  6. JJune: peak
  7. JJuly: peak
  8. AAugust: peak
  9. SSeptember: peak
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: good
  12. DDecember: slow

  Bait

  Live pilchards, pinfish or shrimp cast tight to the mangroves

  Tackle

  7 ft medium spinning rod, 3000–4000 reel, 15–20 lb braid

  Rig

  2–3 ft of 30–40 lb fluorocarbon; 1/0–3/0 circle hook

• Tarpon

  Catch & release
  1. JJanuary: slow
  2. FFebruary: slow
  3. MMarch: good
  4. AApril: peak
  5. MMay: peak
  6. JJune: peak
  7. JJuly: good
  8. AAugust: good
  9. SSeptember: good
  10. OOctober: good
  11. NNovember: slow
  12. DDecember: slow

  Bait

  Live pinfish, mullet or crabs cast ahead of rolling fish; cut mullet on the bottom in the basins

  Tackle

  11–12 wt fly rod with a floating or intermediate line; or a 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod with 30–40 lb braid

  Rig

  Fly: 16–20 lb class tippet with a 60–80 lb bite tippet, 1/0–3/0 hook. Spin: 4 ft of 50–60 lb fluorocarbon, 5/0–7/0 circle hook

Access

Fished by

Charter a boat; Bring your own boat

Skill

Intermediate

Position

A general area about 8 km across, drawn as a circle on the map rather than a pin.

Not for navigation. Positions are approximate. Use official charts, watch your depth and respect private property and posted signs.