Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Key Biscayne, FL (A Guide)
Key Biscayne offers exciting fishing in Florida. Knowing the best times of the year to fish the local waters helps anglers get the most out of their fishing trips.
The best times to fish near Key Biscayne are from May to October for barracuda, bonefish, cobia, jack crevalle, groupers, snappers, hogfish, king mackerel, marlin, mahi-mahi, permit, redfish, sailfish, snook, tarpon, and tuna.
Fishing in Key Biscayne is very productive. There are many good fishing spots in the area. Anglers can fish in the shallow waters, on grassy flats, near the reefs, or go further to fish in offshore waters.
Best Time to Fish in Key Biscayne
Anglers need to decide when to go fishing in the area. It’s possible to fish in the area at any time of the year. However, the results of anglers depend a lot on the time when they go fishing.
Anglers should also take into account weather conditions when planning their fishing trips. It’s worth noting that Fishing is getting better when the weather is warming and water temperatures rise. On the other hand, fishing is less productive when the waters cool down.
The best time of the year to fish in Key Biscayne is between May and October. The vast majority of fish species get active in the local waters during these months.
Key Biscayne Species Breakdown: Best Times
Barracuda
Barracuda fishing is excellent in Key Biscayne year-round. The best times of the year to target barracuda in the area are between January and April and between July and December. It’s possible to catch barracuda either in the early morning or late evening. Barracuda can be found in the waters of Palmetto Bay.
Cobia
Cobia can be caught in Key Biscayne throughout the year. Cobia is more active in Key Biscayne during the cold months. Cobia fishing is best in the area between January and May and between October and December.
It would be better to target cobia in the middle of a day. It’s also possible to catch cobia at night. Anglers can catch cobia in the waters of Bal Harbour.
King Mackerel
King mackerel fishing is different in Key Biscayne at different times of the year. Fishing for king mackerel in the region is good during spring, summer and winter months.
The best months to target king mackerel in the area are between January and March, in July and December. It’s possible to catch king mackerel in the waters of Palmetto Bay.
Jack Crevalle
Jack crevalle fishing is very productive in Key Biscayne year-round. The peak season to catch jack crevalle in the region starts in January and ends in May. Jack crevalle bites well during the day. Jack crevalle is one of the top species to target in Coral Gables.
Mahi-Mahi
The mahi-mahi fishing season in Key Biscayne starts in February and ends in November. The best time of the year to catch mahi mahi in the area is between April and September.
Mahi-mahi bite well during the morning and evening hours. It’s also possible to catch mahi mahi at night. Gulf Stream is the perfect place to catch mahi mahi.
Permit
The permit fishing season in Key Biscayne starts in the early spring and ends in the late fall. The best months to catch permit in the region are between May and July and October. Permit can be found in the waters near Coral Gables.
Sailfish
Sailfish is the most active during cold months. Sailfish fishing in Key Biscayne is best between January and March, in May and between September and November. Go fishing in the waters of the Gulf Stream to increase a chance of catching sailfish during your trip.
Snook
Snook fishing in Key Biscayne is good between April and November. The peak season to catch snook in the area starts in the late spring and ends in the early fall. Snook feeds actively at dawn and at dusk. Biscayne Bay is one of the best places to catch snook near Key Biscayne.
Tarpon
Tarpon fishing is possible in Key Biscayne throughout the year. The season to catch tarpon in the region starts in February and ends in August.
Spring is the best time of the year to target tarpon in the local waters. Tarpon feeds actively in the early morning and in the late afternoon. Tarpon can be found in the waters near Coral Gables.
Wahoo
The best months to target wahoo near Key Biscayne are February and between August and November. Oftentimes, wahoo bites at first light. It’s possible to catch wahoo in the waters of Biscayne Bay.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Key Biscayne
These Key Biscayne-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you great value. The captains are knowledgeable and professional and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Captain Martin Carranza | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Wild Fly Expeditions | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Salty Habitz Fishing | Key Biscayne, FL |
| No Limits Fishing Charter 305 | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Captain Martin Carranza | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Biscayne Bay Fishing Charters | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Hutch Touch Fishing | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Top Gun Charters Miami | Key Biscayne, FL |
| Old Hat Fishing Charters | Miami Beach, FL |
| Billin Office Fishing Charters | Miami, FL |
| Off The Hook – Homestead | Homestead, FL |
| Lucky Hook Charters | Miami, FL |
| Avimar Fishing Co | Miami, FL |
Best Seasons to Book a Key Biscayne Charter
Key Biscayne is a year-round fishing destination. However, booking a charter at the right time of the year is crucial for fishing success. Now, let’s try to find out what anglers can expect to catch in spring, summer, fall and winter.
Spring
Spring is the perfect time to book a full day trip to fish Key Biscayne. Anglers choose to go offshore in the waters of the Gulf Stream to target blackfin tuna in the early spring. Inshore fishing is also good in the local waters during the spring months. In spring, anglers prefer to visit the Biscayne Bay.
When fishing in inshore waters, it’s possible to target bonefish and tarpon. The late spring means the start of the peak fishing season in Key Biscayne.
Summer
Fishing in Key Biscayne is getting better and the chance to increase a trophy increases. The weather is hot in the Key Biscayne area during the summer months. In spring, many anglers choose to go fishing in Biscayne Bay.
It would be better for anglers to fish the local waters either in the morning or in the evening. Many fish species are active in the local waters during the summer months. However, the main targets are bonefish, jack crevalle, tarpon, permit as well as tuna.
Fall
Fishing near the reefs is very good in the early fall. Bonefish, king mackerel and snapper are the main targets at this time of the year. In October, it would be better to fish closer to the shore or go fishing in the waters of the Gulf Stream.
Now, it’s a great time to target blackfin tuna and mahi mahi. In the late fall, many anglers choose to fish near reefs in the nearshore waters. However, it’s necessary to go fishing in the deep waters if you would like to catch a trophy fish during your trip. In November, the main targets are blackfin tuna, sailfish, swordfish and wahoo.
Winter
The weather is cold and many species are inactive during the winter months. However, waters are clear and fishing can be good in Key Biscayne in winter. Anglers can target such species as bonefish, cobia, kingfish, sailfish and tuna during their winter fishing trips.
Best Time of Day to Fish in Key Biscayne
Choosing the best time of day is crucial for an angler’s success. Anglers should go fishing when it’s comfortable to fish and when their favorite fish species feed actively.
The best time of day to fish Key Biscayne depends on the time of the year. Anglers should aim to go fishing in the morning, evening and at night during the hot summer months. It’s too hot in the middle of day in summer.
However, anglers can avoid summer heat if they go fishing early in the morning, late in the evening or during nighttime. Water is cooler in the morning and in the evening. That’s the reason why the activity of fish increases. So, anglers can catch a lot of fish during morning and evening hours.
It also depends on how much time you would like to spend on fishing in the Key Biscayne area. If you are interested in short trips, then you can go fishing in the morning or in the afternoon. Those anglers, who want to go further offshore and spend a day on the water, should book a long trip and go fishing in the early morning.
Would you like to target certain fish species? If so, you need to study the feeding times of these species and go fishing when they get active. As a result, the chance for your fishing success will increase.
Key Biscayne Fishing & Tidal Impacts
Tides affect fishing success. That’s why it’s so important for anglers to study the tide times for Key Biscayne before booking a charter. Also, anglers need to know how to fish the tides.
Fishing is the most productive during incoming tides and outgoing tides. Water moves when tides are either rising or falling. Water movement increases the activity of fish.
It’s not a good idea to fish Key Biscayne when waters reach their maximum levels. There is no water movement and that’s why fish are inactive during the highest and lowest tides.
Rising tides bring oxygen as well as the nutrients to the flooded area. So, fish move closer to shore and begin to search for food actively.
Outgoing tides make it easy for anglers to reach the deeper areas. Such areas usually offer incredible fishing opportunities.
Storms & Fishing Quality
Weather has an impact on fishing in Key Biscayne as well. It’s incredibly important to check weather forecast for Key Biscayne before booking a fishing trip. Anglers should aim to fish Key Biscayne when weather is good and avoid fishing in bad weather.
Fishing is good before and after storms. However, fish move to deep waters and don’t bite in stormy weather. It’s also important to note that fishing during storms is difficult and dangerous.
Heavy rains as well as winds create a lot of problems for anglers. Storms cause high waves that pose the risk to anglers. That’s why fishing trips are canceled if there are the storms warning signs in the region.
Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in Key Biscayne?
Key Biscayne is the place where anglers can enjoy fishing throughout the year. Winter fishing is also good in the area. It’s a good idea to visit Biscayne Bay during the winter months.
Among the fish species that anglers can target during the winter months are: barracuda, largemouth bass, cobia, black grouper, gag grouper, king mackerel, hammerhead shark, mangrove snapper and sailfish.
It’s also important to note that the peak travel season in Key Biscayne starts in January and ends in March. A lot of tourists visit the region during these months. The demand for fishing is higher and fishing is more expensive at this time of the year. So, it can be difficult to avoid crowds. Also, it would be better to book a charter in advance if you want to go fishing during these months.
Night Fishing in Key Biscayne
Night fishing is popular in the Key Biscayne area. Summer is the best time of the year to fish the local waters at night. Night fishing allows anglers to avoid summer heat. It’s not hot and that’s why anglers find it comfortable to fish in the dark.
It’s also important to note that Key Biscayne is home to many species that feed actively during night hours. When fishing in the waters near Key Biscayne at night, anglers can catch such species as tarpon, grouper, snapper, king mackerel, snook and speckled trout.
Top Fishing Spots in the Area
Atlantic Ocean
Anglers can go fishing in the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean impresses anglers with its amazing fishing opportunities. The peak fishing season in the region starts in April and comes to an end in November. The main targets in the area are marlin and swordfish.
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is known for its productive waters and world-class fishing. The fishing destination attracts both beginners and experienced anglers. Fishing in Biscayne Bay is best between May and October. It’s the perfect place to use such techniques as fly fishing and trolling.
Biscayne Bay offers excellent fishing. Here, it’s possible to target such species as bonefish, jack crevalle, mangrove snapper, ladyfish, permit, redfish, Spanish mackerel, snook, spotted seatrout and tarpon.
Coral Gables
Coral Gables is another good fishing destination near Key Biscayne. The destination attracts anglers who give a preference to such fishing techniques as deep sea fishing, light tackle and spinning. Here, anglers can enjoy fishing in nearshore waters, in inshore waters and near reefs. Fishing in Coral Gables is best between April and August.
The main targets in the local waters are barracuda, mahi mahi and sailfish. It’s also possible to catch amberjack, bonito, cobia, hogfish, jack crevalle, king mackerel, marlin, permit, snook, tarpon, tuna and wahoo.
Gulf Stream
The waters of the Gulf Stream attract those anglers, who would like to go fishing further offshore. It’s necessary to go only a few miles to get to the Gulf Stream from Key Biscayne. Fishing in the waters of the Gulf Stream is best between the late spring and the early fall.
The Gulf Stream is home to such fish species as blackfin tuna, king mackerel, mahi mahi, sailfish, swordfish, blue marlin, white marlin and wahoo.
Palmetto Bay
A lot of fishing charters are available for anglers in Palmetto Bay. When fishing in the bay, anglers prefer to use such fishing techniques as light tackle, fly fishing and spinning. There are many great fishing spaces in the Palmetto Bay area.
Fishing in the bay is very productive. During fishing trips, anglers can target such spaces as amberjack, barracuda, bonito, cobia, mahi mahi, hogfish, jack crevalle, king mackerel, blue marlin, white marlin, permit, sailfish, snook, tarpon, tuna and wahoo.
Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons
It’s possible to fish on the water and from shore in Key Biscayne. The region offers great opportunities to those anglers, who are interested in shore fishing.
When fishing from shore, anglers can catch such species as barracuda, bluefish, bonefish, jack crevalle, sharks, Spanish mackerel, snook, tarpon and other species.
There are many places where anglers can fish from shore in the area. Beaches, flats as well as jetties are the ideal spots for surf fishing. Anglers can also fish alongside or beneath the Rickenbacker Bridge.
It’s also possible to do shore fishing from piers. There are many fishing piers near Key Biscayne. These include: Oleta River State Park Fishing Pier, South Pointe Park Pier, Bal Harbor Pier, Haulover Inlet and Beach Park, Dania Beach Pier, Bal Harbour Lighthouse and Newport Fishing Pier.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Miami, check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Fort Lauderdale, check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best weather conditions for Miami fishing, check out this helpful guide.
