Fly Fishing For Bonefish
Bonefish might be the most popular saltwater fish caught on the fly. Fishermen from all over the world head to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas to fish for bonefish on the flats. Guides will use a pole to move the boat slowly along the flats as they look for bonefish. Once they see a bonefish, the guide will position the boat so the fishermen can make a perfect cast. When you set the hook on a bonefish, expect a long run and a screaming drag. Bonefish are so fast and explosive and they will continue to make runs until they are exhausted. Shrimp and crab imitations are the most popular presentations for bonefish.
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Key West Bonefish: Fishing for Bonefish in Key West
Bonefish are one of the most popular species of fish that is targeted in Key West. The large white sand flats and turtle grass offer some ideal fishing conditions for sightfishing bonefish. Fly fishing is probably more popular among the guides that live bait or even light tackle fishing, but anglers can catch bonefish a variety of ways here.
Light tackle rigged with a live shrimp or some of the popular lures that imitate shrimp or crabs will do the trick most of the time. Fly fishing opportunities are excellent. Patterns that imitate shrimp and crabs work well and there are enough fish down here that beginners can make a few mistakes and still have chances to catch fish. Experienced fly fishermen can have a blast fishing the keys for bonefish.
- Visit Key West for more information.
Key West Inshore Fishing
Key West is home to some excellent inshore fishing. While most anglers like to come here to sight fish the flats, there are plenty of fishing opportunties for those that want to stay close to shore.
Some of the main species of fish that are targeted inshore around Key West are barracuda, bonefish, grouper, jacks, sharks, snapper, tarpon and permit.
- Visit Key West for more information.
Key West Fishing Seasons | Key West Fishing Calendar
With the warm tropical waters of Key West, there are plenty of fish to catch here year round. Take a look to see what you can catch throughout the different fishing seasons.
Inshore / Flats Fishing: The inshore and flats waters around Key West are loaded with fish.
- Winter: The winter months have some excellent fishing for barracuda, permit and shark.
- Spring: Spring brings in warmer waters and lots of bonefish, tarpon and permit. Also barracuda, jacks, grouper, sharks and snapper.
- Summer: Barracuda, bonefish, grouper, jacks, sharks, snapper, tarpon and permit.
- Fall: Barracuda, bonefish, grouper, jacks, permit, sharks, snapper
Offshore / Deep Sea Fishing: The offshore can be excellent, although, it is usually overshadowed by the excellent inshore fishing.
- Winter: Barracuda, Bonito, Cobia, Kingfish, Mackeral, Sailfish, Tuna, Wahoo
- Spring: Amberjack, Barracuda, Cobia, Mackerel, Sailfish, Snapper, Tuna
- Summer: Barracuda, Dolphin, Mackerel, Snapper, Tuna
- Fall: Barracuda, Mackerel, Sailfish, Tuna
For information on the area, visit Key West.
Florida Keys Flats Fishing: The Lower Keys
The lower keys are known to be some of the best flats to fish in the entire world. There are numerous types of fish to catch such as redfish, permit, snook, tarpon, trout, barracuda, sharks and bonefish.
Big Pine Key is known for its big numbers of bonefish, permit and tarpon. Key West and the Marquesas Keys are home to some of the best permit fishing in the world. If that weren’t enough, tarpon are here year round as well as trout, bonefish, redfish and barracuda.
- For information on the lower keys, check out Key West and Big Pine Key.
Florida Keys Flats Fishing: The Middle Keys
Flats fishing in Marathon offers some of the same type of fishing that you will find in the Upper Keys. Many of the guides will sight fish shallow water for a variety of species. Expect to catch bonefish, redfish, permit, snook, tarpon, trout, sharks and barracuda. Fly fishing is very popular, although, many anglers also use spinning gear to fish the flats. The baby tarpon are also very popular here during the fall.
- For information on the middle keys, check out the Marathon area.
Florida Keys Flats Fishing: Upper Florida Keys
The upper Florida Keys of Islamorada and Key Largo hold some of the biggest bonefish in all of Florida. The fishing guides here target the flats for a variety of species such as redfish, trout, snook, tarpon and permit. There are plenty of flats to fish and the Everglades National Park is just a short ride away.
- For information on the area, check out Islamorada and Key Largo of the Florida Keys.
Fall Marquesas Keys Fishing
The fall is a great time to fish the Marquesas Keys because many of the tourists are gone and the fishing pressure is down quite a bit. The reefs and wrecks provide some good fishing at this time of year, but the flats can be real productive. If you’re looking for smaller tarpon, bonefish and permit, check out the flats on the Marquesas Keys.
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Summer Marquesas Keys Fishing
Summer calls for hot weather in the Marquesas Keys, but it’s worth dealing with the heat to catch some of the fish that are around. Tarpon fishing is very good with shark fishing hitting its peak during the summer time. The shallow reefs, wrecks and flats will hold fish in the summer. Expect to catch permit, bonefish, snapper and more during this time of year.
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Looking To Catch Bonefish in the Keys…Get a Good Guide
A good fishing guide can make all the difference in the Keys. The water here is skinny (very shallow) and you will need a flats boat with someone that knows how to operate a flats boat in shallow water.
Not only do you need someone in that can get you into the shallows, you need to actually find fish. The Keys have some excellent bonefish opportunities in the backcountry flats and you can catch them on live bait or with artificials. Many anglers prefer catching bonefish on the fly, which can be very exciting.
Good boat positioning combined with precise casts will result in some nice bonefish.
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