🎣 4 curated fishing spots
🗺️ Interactive map
📍 Community places
Key West sits at the edge of thousands of square miles of skinny, gin-clear flats, and is arguably the single most famous flats-fishing destination on the planet. Permit, tarpon, and bonefish share the same backcountry water around the Marquesas and the keys west of town, and anglers travel here specifically to chase all three species — a "grand slam" — in a single day.
Anyone fishing Florida saltwater needs a licence; Florida residents fishing from shore get a free shoreline licence, while anyone fishing from a boat, including non-residents, needs a paid saltwater licence. Permit, tarpon, and bonefish are effectively catch-and-release fisheries in the Keys, with tarpon requiring an additional tag to keep one fish (almost nobody does) — check current Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules before targeting them.
Fishing Spots
The 4 best fishing spots in Key West
All spots are curated and mapped — click any card for the full story, or open the map to explore.
Practical Info
Planning your visit
Best timeMarch through July for the peak tarpon migration and the best shot at a grand slam; bonefish fish well year-round.
Getting thereKey West International Airport (EYW) has direct flights from several US cities; most visitors fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and drive down the Overseas Highway. Every spot listed here needs a boat or a guided flats skiff, except White Street Pier in town.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Key West
Do you need a licence to fish in Key West?
Yes. Florida residents fishing from shore get a free shoreline saltwater licence; anyone fishing from a boat, including non-residents, needs a paid saltwater licence. Permit, tarpon, and bonefish are almost always released, not kept.
What fish can you catch in Key West?
Permit, tarpon, and bonefish are the three flats species anglers travel here for, and great barracuda and various reef species round out the catch closer to town.
Where are the best fishing spots in Key West?
The Marquesas Keys for permit and tarpon, Woman Key Basin for reliable bonefish, and Western Dry Rocks for the spring tarpon migration. See the full list of spots below or open the map to explore.
Can you fish in Key West without a boat?
Almost every spot here needs a flats skiff. White Street Pier is the one real exception — a free public pier fishable straight from town.
When is the best time to fish in Key West?
March through July is peak season for the tarpon migration and the best shot at a flats grand slam. Bonefish and permit fish well year-round.
Explore Key West on the map
See all 4 fishing spots pinned on an interactive map — and add your own discoveries.
Roadmap
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