With the spring sun warming the flats and warm fronts pushing across the southernmost point in the continental United States, Key West starts getting busy. There are the spring breakers and other tourists who come to enjoy the tropical scene, but there are also the fish. Whether the flats are calling to you or the deep blue of the Gulf Stream, springtime is one of the best times to fish Key West.
With the water warming on the flats, permit fishing can be very good in early spring before they migrate to deeper water. The bonefish should start to show up sometime in April, which is likely the best month of the year to catch a flats slam of bonefish, permit and tarpon. The silver king will begin to make his annual appearance known toward the latter half of the month.
Skinny water anglers will find some of the best backcountry fishing of the year beginning in March. Big tarpon will be feeding among the mangroves, and short of the rare cold front that can slow things down, the live bait bite should be excellent. Chumming and pitching live bait this time of year can lead to tremendous action. And if you’re interested in huge sharks, big lemons and bulls can sometimes be spotted cruising the shallows.
For those who prefer fishing a little deeper, the reefs offer good fishing year-round, and spring is no exception. Swarms of fish will be working the reefs for food. Catching a pile of fillets for the supper table usually isn’t an issue. Various grouper and snapper species are on the menu, and in April the big permit show up on the reefs and wrecks to spawn.
But perhaps the main event in spring is offshore, where the Gulf Stream rips past the Keys. The biggest dolphin of the year start showing up in early spring, and they are followed by large migrations of sailfish. No one can predict exactly when and where the sails will show up, but when it’s on hook-ups numbering in the dozens are not uncommon off Key West. And even if you don’t find yourself in the middle of the big push, there should be enough sails, dolphin, wahoo, kingfish and blackfin tuna to keep you entertained. Just be sure to go ahead and book your charter. It can be tough to find a boat in April or May.