Best Times & Seasons to Catch Tuna in Florida (Full Guide)

Tuna are one of the most targeted fish species in Florida waters. Knowing the best times and seasons to target Tuna in Florida is key to the success of your fishing trip. 

The best times to catch tuna in Florida are from May to September. Waters are warmer and tuna are more active at this time of the year. 

Florida is a fishing destination like no other. Fishing in the region is very diverse. Here, anglers can either go fishing in the warm waters of the Gulf or try their luck in the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. 

It makes a lot of sense to visit Florida if you would like to target tuna. It’s important to know that Florida is home to different tuna species. While fishing in the local waters, anglers can target blackfin tuna, bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna as well as Atlantic bonito and little tuna. 

Best Times: Tuna Fishing in Florida

Yellowfin Tuna

The yellowfin tuna fishing season in Florida starts in April and ends in October. The best months to catch yellowfin tuna in the region are May – September. The worst months to catch yellowfin tuna in the local waters are January – March and November – December.

Yellowfin tuna bites well between dusk and dawn. It would be great to fish for yellowfin tuna when high tides are becoming a little lower or when low tides are becoming a little higher. The best water temperature for yellowfin tuna is 68 – 76°F.     

Blackfin Tuna

Blackfin tuna is excellent in Florida year-round. There is no bad time to catch blackfin tuna in the region. Blackfin tuna bites well in the early morning and in the late afternoon. Blackfin tuna get active during a slack tide. The best water temperature for blackfin tuna is 71 – 80°F.  

Atlantic Bonito

The bonito fishing season in Florida is good from March to December. The best months to catch bonito in the local waters are April – October. The worst months to target bonito in the region are January – February and December.

It’s recommended to fish for bonito at first light during the morning hours. It would be better to start fishing for bonito from the half-tide during an incoming tide until two hours after a high tide. Bonito get active when water temperatures are 60 – 80°F. The best water temperatures for bonito fishing are 65 – 75°F.     

Bigeye Tuna

Bigeye tuna fishing in Florida is best during the summer months. Anglers, who target bigeye tuna in the local waters, get the best results from May to September. On the other hand, the worst months to target bigeye tuna in the region are January – March and November – December.

Bigeye tuna feeds actively in the darkness. Bigeye tuna bites well at dawn and at dusk. Also, it’s possible to catch bigeye tuna at night. It’s a good idea to fish for bigeye tuna during a slack tide. Bigeye tuna fishing is good in water temperatures of 55 – 84°F. The best water temperatures for bigeye tuna are 62 – 72°F.        

Little Tunny

Little tunny are active in Florida waters from April to November. However, the best months to target little tunny in the region are July – August. The worst months to catch little tunny in the local waters are January – March and December.

Little tunny fishing is good in the morning and in the afternoon. It would be better to target little tunny during a slack tide. It’s possible to catch little tunny when water temperatures are 64 – 86°F.    

Recommended Offshore Fishing Charters in Florida

These Florida-based charters are some of the best at putting you on great fishing action. 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
Jolly Roger II Fishing Charters	Key West, FL
Florida Adventure Outfitters	Fort Lauderdale, FL
Sea Dancer Charters	Jacksonville, FL
Who Cares Fishing Charters	Port Orange, FL
Hillbilly Hookers Charters	Key West, FL
Papa Bear’s Fishing Charters	West Palm Beach, FL
Bulldog Fishing Charters	West Palm Beach, FL
All Points Guide Service	Cape Canaveral, FL
Kekoa Charters	Islamorada, FL
Strippin Lips Offshore Charters	Port Orange, FL
Boa Vida Charters	Key West, FL
True Grit Sportfishing	Pompano Beach, FL
Jersey Key Charters	Marathon, FL

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.

Best Seasons for Florida Tuna (by Region)

Florida Gulf Coast

Fishing for yellowfin tuna on the Florida Gulf coast is best during the fall and winter months. The best months to catch yellowfin tuna on the Gulf coast of Florida are February – March. Yellowfin tuna can be found in shallow waters and offshore waters during these months.

Oil rig trips off the Panhandle are worth considering for anglers, who are interested in catching yellowfin tuna on the Gulf coast. Blackfin tuna fishing is the most productive during the spring and fall months. Destin is the perfect place to catch tuna on the Gulf coast in Florida. Different varieties of tuna can be found in the deep waters near Destin.    

Florida Atlantic Coast

The best time of year to catch yellowfin tuna on the Florida Atlantic coast is April – May. Fishermen should go out of the Atlantic coast of Florida to catch yellowfin tuna in offshore waters successfully. The eastern edge of the Gulf Stream is the perfect place to target yellowfin tuna. It’s possible to catch blackfin tuna on the Atlantic coast of Florida.

The blackfin tuna fishing is best in the region from May to August. It would be better to target blackfin tuna in offshore waters from the Florida Keys to Palm Beach. A lot of blackfin tuna can be found in this area.   

Florida Keys

Blackfin tuna arrive in the waters near Florida Keys in the late fall. Fishing for blackfin tuna in the region is excellent during winter, spring, and fall months. Blackfin tuna fishing in the Florida Keys is best in January – March and in November – December.

It would be great to target blackfin tuna in the offshore waters of Key West. Yellowfin tuna can be found in deep waters of the Florida Keys. December is the best time of the year to target yellowfin tuna in the region. Florida Keys yellowfin fishing is also good in January – February and in November.  

Is Tuna Fishing Good in Winter?

Florida is a fishing destination where anglers can target tuna at any time of the year. It’s worth noting that some anglers go to Florida because the want to enjoy tuna fishing during the winter months.

Traditionally, anglers choose to target tuna on the Gulf coast of Florida and near the Florida Keys in winter. It’s recommended to target blackfin tuna close to shore during the wintertime.  

Night Fishing Tuna in Florida

Night fishing for tuna is good in Florida. Anglers use lights to illuminate the water and fish for tuna under the cover of darkness effectively. Night fishing gives anglers an opportunity to see the sunrise as well as the sunset and, most importantly, land the biggest tuna.

Summer is the best time of the year to fish for tuna at night. It’s comfortable to fish during the night hours. When fishing at night, anglers can avoid the summer heat. But most importantly, night tuna fishing in Florida is excellent during the summer months.     

Yellowfin tuna feeds actively during night hours. Oftentimes, anglers catch bigeye tuna in Florida waters at night. It’s a good idea to start targeting bigeye tuna before dawn. Bigeye tuna can be found in the canyons during the night hours. Trolling is an effective fishing technique that works well for bigeye tuna in the darkness.

When planning a fishing trip, anglers should take into account moon phases. Fishing for tuna is very productive on the full moon. 

For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch sailfish in Florida, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch pompano in Florida, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to catch sheepshead in Florida, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the best charters in Miami, check out this guide. Home 2.