People call Kelly with the same question more than any other: “What will we catch?” The honest answer is that it depends on the month, the wind, and how far you want to run. Marathon sits in the middle of the Florida Keys with the Atlantic on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, so there is always something biting. The trick is matching the trip to the season and to your group.
Here is how I think about it after a lifetime on this water.
Why Marathon
Most of the Keys’ famous fishing grounds are within a short run of our dock at mile marker 48. The reef is a few miles out. The Gulf and Florida Bay are behind us. The Seven Mile Bridge, one of the best tarpon spots in the world, is ten minutes away. Offshore, the bluewater and the Marathon Hump are close enough for a 6 to 8 hour trip.
That variety is the reason we can run a productive charter almost every day of the year. When the wind is up on one side of the island, the other side is usually fishable.
Fishing by season
Winter (December to February)
Cooler north winds push bait onto the reef and the predators follow. This is the best time of year for kingfish, cero mackerel, and Spanish mackerel, with sailfish showing up along the reef edge. Yellowtail snapper fish well all winter, and the Gulf produces trout, pompano, and cobia on the wrecks and rock piles.
Good picks: Reef & Wreck for fast action and a dinner box. Gulf & Backcountry when the Atlantic is rough.
Spring (March to May)
Spring is when the Keys come alive. Tarpon stack up at the bridges starting in April. Mahi begin showing up offshore in late April and May, and blackfin tuna are on the Hump. The reef stays strong for mutton and yellowtail snapper.
Good picks: Tarpon if you want to fight the biggest fish of your life close to shore. Offshore if you want mahi for the grill. Book early, because spring is our busiest season.
Summer (June to August)
Mahi season peaks in June and July. Offshore trips run to the weedlines and current edges for mahi, with blackfin tuna and the occasional wahoo mixed in. Tarpon fishing stays good through early July. On the reef, mangrove snapper spawn in July and it can be as fast as fishing gets in the Keys, with the biggest mangroves of the year.
Good picks: Offshore for mahi. Reef & Wreck in July for mangroves. Early departures keep you ahead of the heat and the afternoon storms.
Fall (September to November)
The crowds thin out and the fishing stays good. Wahoo show up offshore on the full moons. Grouper season is open on the reef and wrecks. Mutton snapper, amberjack, and cobia fill in. The backcountry produces snook, redfish, and trout as the water cools.
Good picks: Reef & Wreck for grouper and snapper. Gulf & Backcountry for a calm, family-friendly half day.
What we catch
- Mahi-mahi (dolphin): Offshore, April through September. Fast, colorful, and the best eating fish in the ocean.
- Blackfin tuna: On the Hump year-round, strongest in spring and fall.
- Sailfish: Along the reef edge in winter and early spring.
- Wahoo: Offshore, best in fall around the full moons.
- Yellowtail snapper: On the reef year-round. Light tackle, chum slick, a Keys staple.
- Mangrove and mutton snapper: On the reef and wrecks. Mangroves peak in July, muttons in spring.
- Grouper: Wrecks and reef ledges. Season is open May through December.
- Amberjack and cobia: Over the wrecks, strongest in cooler months.
- Kingfish and mackerel: On the reef in winter.
- Tarpon: Bridges and backcountry, April through July.
- Trout, pompano, snook, and redfish: Florida Bay and the Gulf, best in fall and winter.
Picking the right trip
First time on a boat, or fishing with kids? Reef & Wreck or Gulf & Backcountry. Short runs, steady action, calm water, and fish that are fun on light tackle.
Want to fill the cooler? Reef & Wreck, especially in winter and in July.
Want a trophy? Tarpon in spring, or Offshore for mahi and tuna in summer.
Only have a morning? A 4 hour Tarpon or Bay & Gulf trip. We are usually back before lunch.
Not sure? Call Kelly at (305) 395-1900. Tell her when you are coming and who is on the boat, and she will match you with the right trip. Current prices are on the rates page.
What to bring
We provide licenses, bait, tackle, ice, and a cooler for your catch. You bring sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, a hat, food and drinks, and shoes with grip. Motion sickness medicine the night before is a good idea if you are prone to it. We clean your fish at the dock.
A few local notes
Marathon is a small town and the fishing community is tight. If the weather is not going to cooperate, we will tell you ahead of time and move the trip rather than take you out for a bad day. If you want your catch cooked, several restaurants in town will prepare it for you, and we are happy to point you to one.
Come fish with a local. We will see you at the dock!
