Key West is a world-class destination for fishing vacations. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico with unique and diverse ecosystems teeming with fish, people travel from near and far to sink a line into Key West’s crystal clear waters. There’s a wide variety of fishing charters available from area marinas depending on your interest. Read our guide for everything you need to know about fishing on vacation in Key West.

Key West Marinas

Familiarize yourself with Key West’s marinas where you’ll find a wide range of fishing charters and guides to choose from. Two popular places to start are the Key West Bight Marina at the Historic Seaport in Old Town and Garrison Bight, home to Charter Boat Row. You can walk the docks, take a look at the boats and meet the captains before booking your trip. Just north of Key West, Stock Island is also an excellent embarkation point for fishing charters from the Stock Island Marina Village or Oceans Edge Marina. Of course, as islands go, there’s no shortage of marinas wherever the land meets the water. You can speak with your hotel concierge and arrange for a guide to pick you up from the nearest marina, which is sometimes right onsite.

Choosing a Guide and a Vessel

Many of Key West’s best fishing guides are natives or longtime locals, so they know the best secret spots to reel in a bounty of fish every season. From speedy center consoles to cruisers, multi-hull boats and sport fishing boats with towers, there are plenty of boats to choose from depending on your needs. If you’re serious about your day on the water, a center console with a cooler of beer, fishing equipment and an expert guide will do the trick. If you’re planning an excursion where some members of your party would prefer to sunbathe and enjoy the views, you may want to charter a larger vessel, like a cruiser, a multi-hull or a sport fishing boat with more deck space, cushions and amenities, like an air-conditioned cabin and a kitchen. All of your equipment and bait is taken care of for you on a fishing charter. You can also opt for a “party boat” group charter, which accommodates roughly 25 to 50 passengers for a budget-friendly introduction to angling.

Flats or Deep Sea

The big question any fisherman really needs to ask himself in Key West is: flats or deep sea? Key West is located at the intersection of two distinct bodies of water and ecosystems. The Gulf of Mexico and its shallow backcountry are home to abundant flats fishing in water that’s sometimes less than a foot deep. With sandbars, mangroves and turtle grass as far as the eye can see, fishermen are in pursuit of permit, tarpon and bonefish in the flats. Due south, the Atlantic Ocean is the gateway to the famous Gulf Stream Current, which nourishes large pelagic fish like tuna, mahi-mahi, grouper and swordfish. Both of these destinations make for an incredible fishing adventure at sea.

Spearfishing and Lobstering

Key West’s marine ecosystem is also fertile grounds for the pursuit of spearfishing and lobstering. These fishing methods require diving overboard and hunting for fish in their element with a fishing spear, a net bag and other equipment. It also requires the ability to free-dive and hold your breath underwater for an extended period of time. You can take free-diving lessons while visiting Key West and also book specific spearfishing charters. While it’s a bit of an extreme sport, once you’re hooked on spearfishing, it’s hard to turn back.

Fishing Tournaments

Key West is also home to ample fishing tournaments throughout the year with large purse prizes. If you’re an experienced angler, you might even plan your entire Key West vacation around a tournament. The Key West Fishing Tournament was established in 1965 and is still going strong today with a wide variety of angling categories for men, women and juniors. The tournament starts in January and goes through August, so there are plenty of opportunities to compete.