Average Cost of Islamorada Fishing Charters (Complete Guide)
Islamorada is a destination that has gained huge popularity among anglers. It would be better for anglers to study charter costs before going fishing in the region to see what type of trip is in their budge-range.
The average cost of Islamorada fishing charter trips that last 4 hours is $587, 6 hours is $831, 8 hours is $1068, 10 hours is $1487, and 12 hours is $1905.
Islamorada has a lot to offer to fishermen of any skill level. Fishing tournaments like Islamorada Sailfish Tournament and Cheeca Lodge Tarpon Tournament take place in the region annually. Get familiar with charter costs to prepare for an Islamorada fishing trip in the best possible way.
Islamorada Fishing Charter Costs by Trip Length
4-hour trips
A 4-hour trip makes it possible for anglers to fish in inshore waters. Based on 15 charters surveyed, you can find 4-hour trips in Islamorada for an average of $587, with the highest cost being $890 and the lowest being $400.
It makes sense to book a 4-hour fishing trip if your time is limited and you can’t spend a whole day on the water. It’s a good choice if you are interested in a family trip or a relaxing trip. If you book such a trip, you’ll spend about 30 minutes traveling and have about 3.5 hours on fishing.
It’s a great idea to book such a trip on a hot summer day. With a 4-hour fishing trip, anglers can go fishing in the morning or in the afternoon. By doing so, you’ll manage to avoid fishing in hot weather.
However, a 4-hour fishing trip has its own drawbacks. Anglers can fish close to shore only and can’t go fishing in deep waters. It’s not recommended to book a 4-hour fishing trip if you would like to catch a trophy fish. In this case, longer fishing trips in Islamorada are worth booking.
6-hour trips
A 6-hour trip is a good choice for anglers who want to dedicate more than 4 hours for fishing but can’t spend a whole day on the water. Based on 11 charters surveyed, you can find 6-hour trips in Islamorada for an average of $831, with the highest cost being $1300 and the lowest being $520.
Anglers can fish in nearshore waters or go further with a 6-hour trip. Such a trip allows angling enthusiasts to visit more spots, spend more time fishing, and catch more fish.
It takes anglers approximately 1 – 2 hours to get to the necessary fishing spots in the Islamorada area. As a result, they can dedicate about 4 – 5 hours to fishing.
Anglers, who want to fish with a family, can also book a fishing trip that lasts 6 hours. However, it would be better to consider booking a 4-hour trip for family fishing adventures in Islamorada.
8-hour trips
Based on 17 charters surveyed, you can find 8-hour trips in Islamorada for an average of $1068, with the highest cost being $1500 and the lowest being $850.
Such trips allow anglers to fish both in inshore and offshore waters. Trips that last 8 hours give anglers better fishing opportunities. If you book an 8-hour fishing trip, you’ll manage to visit remote spots in the area and have enough time to dedicate to fishing.
With an 8-hour fishing trip, anglers spend about 1 – 2 hours traveling and about 6 – 7 hours on fishing in the region. Obviously, these fishing trips are longer than half-day ones.
That’s why anglers need to prepare food as well as drinks for their fishing adventures in Islamorada. It’s also important to note that such trips are more productive and provide anglers with a better chance to catch a trophy-sized fish.
10-hour trips
Based on 10 charters surveyed, you can find 10-hour trips in Islamorada for an average of $1487, with the highest cost being $2200 and the lowest being $900.
Professional anglers can consider booking 10-hour fishing trips in Islamorada. On the other hand, such trips are not recommended to anglers who fish just for pleasure. Trips are long, so fishermen have to prepare enough food and water for their fishing adventures. Anglers spend 2 hours traveling and 8 hours on fishing.
Keep in mind that captains often cancel 10-hour trips for safety reasons. The reality is that bad weather poses a risk to anglers. However, predicting bad weather for long fishing trips in Islamorada is not easy. And of course, captains will have to cancel a fishing trip if they see that stormy weather is on the way. In this case, anglers either get a refund or a fishing trip is rescheduled.
12-hour trips
Fishing trips that last 12 hours are a good option for those anglers, who want to get the most out of their Islamorada fishing adventures. Based on 8 charters surveyed, you can find 12-hour trips in Islamorada for an average of $1905, with the highest cost being $3100 and the lowest being $1400.
The vast majority of captains don’t offer 12-hour fishing trips in Islamorada. Only avid anglers book such long fishing trips. With a 12-hour fishing trip, anglers spend 2 hours traveling and 10 hours on fishing. Trips are long, so it’s incredibly important to prepare enough food and water.
In most cases, anglers choose to book 12-hour trips to fish in offshore waters. It’s worth noting that anglers, who book 12-hour fishing trips, depend a lot on the weather. Fishing in bad weather can be dangerous. If the weather doesn’t allow anglers to experience fishing in the region, a trip will be canceled.
Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Islamorada
These Islamorada-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a great service. 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 |
| Katz Fishing Charters | Islamorada, FL |
| 95FiveFishing Charters | Islamorada, FL |
| Florida Backcountry Fishing | Islamorada, FL |
| Kekoa Charters | Islamorada, FL |
| Miller Time Sportfishing | Islamorada, FL |
| All Hanns On Deck | Key Largo, FL |
| Leatherneck Backcountry Fishing | Tavernier, FL |
| Zoned In Charters | Islamorada, FL |
| Fish Dauntless Fishing Charters | Islamorada, FL |
| Pirate For Hire Charters | Islamorada, FL |
| Fishin’Pole Sportfishing | Islamorada, FL |
| Reef Runner Charters | Islamorada, FL |
| Size Matters Charters | Islamorada, FL |
Islamorada Seasonal Trip Cost Breakdowns (Private Trips)
Spring
Spring is a great time of the year to fish in the region. Traditionally, anglers prefer to fish in the northwest part of Islamorada during the springtime. Many anglers decide to book fishing trips during the spring months. An Islamorada spring fishing season is busier and that’s why charter costs are higher.
The weather in spring is comfortable for fishing. It’s the time of the year when anglers can book longer fishing trips in Islamorada. It’s not too cold and it’s not too hot in the town in spring. That means that anglers can fish for a longer period of time and catch more fish during their trips.
Spring fishing trips are very productive in the region. Fishermen can target a big migratory tarpon in the region during the spring months. The other targeted species in Islamorada include barracuda, blackfin tuna, blue marlin, cobia, jack crevalle, groupers, king Mackerel, mahi-mahi, redfish, sailfish, snapper, snook, spotted seatrout, permit, wahoo, etc.
Summer
The weather is getting hotter in Islamorada in summer. The hottest month in the region is July. Hot weather makes it difficult for anglers to experience fishing for a long time. So, it would be great to book a short fishing trip rather than a long one.
However, some anglers decide to book long trips in summer. It’s necessary to prepare sunscreen for such fishing trips. Plus, anglers need to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration during long trips.
A lot of anglers choose to visit Islamorada in June and July. That’s why the demand for charters increases and fishing is more expensive during these months. However, the demand for fishing decreases due to the hurricane season in August. That’s the reason why fishing is cheaper in the late summer.
It’s worth noting that anglers can target a great variety of species during Islamorada summer fishing trips. These include amberjack, barracuda, blue marlin, bonefish, mahi-mahi, grouper, permit, snapper, swordfish, and tarpon.
Fall
The early fall is a peak of a hurricane season in Islamorada. This affects fishing and charter costs. The demand for fishing is lower and prices go down. Some anglers choose to book an Islamorada fishing trip in the fall. Fishing in the fall allows anglers to avoid crowds and save some money.
Fishing in Islamorada is good during the fall months. Among the species that anglers can target during an Islamorada fall fishing season are barracuda, blackfin tuna, bonefish, jack crevalle, grouper, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, redfish, tripletail, snapper, swordfish, and others.
Winter
The demand for fishing is lower and more charters are available in the region during the winter months. That’s why it’s much cheaper to fish in Islamorada during the winter months.
Fishing is less productive in December and January. More fish species get active in February.
Many fish species are inactive in Islamorada due to the cold weather. However, anglers still can target such species as bluefish, cobia, grouper, jack crevalle, snapper, redfish, sailfish, king mackerel, sailfish, redfish, Spanish mackerel, and spotted seatrout.
Better Value Fishing in a Group
Fishing with a group has many great benefits. It’s cheaper to fish this way. The cost of a charter is split among several anglers. Anglers pay for a charter on per person basis. So, fishing is cheaper.
Group fishing is more effective. More anglers will be able to catch more fish during a trip. So, fishing with a group provides better value. It’s great to fish with friends & these fishing trips create memories that last forever.
Fishing with a group is suitable for beginners and anglers, who are interested in fishing for leisure. On the other hand, group fishing trips are not recommended for anglers, who want to catch trophy fish.
Islamorada Charters: Factors that Impact Costs
There are many factors that influence charter costs. The costs depend on the time of the year, gas prices, bait prices, the day of the week when you go fishing, etc. The popular events, which are held in Islamorada annually and attract a lot of tourists to the town, also affect charter costs.
Fishing in Islamorada is best in spring and summer. So, the busy fishing season in the area is between March and July. That means that anglers must be prepared to pay more for charters during these months.
It’s also important to note that the demand for charters in Islamorada is higher during the species-specific fishing trips. So, anglers must be prepared to pay higher charter costs during such fishing trips.
The prices of fishing increase when anglers target seasonal species. For example, snook, as well as redfish, are getting active during the spring and summer months. Marlin and swordfish bite well in summer. Such species as sailfish and wahoo are the most active in winter. The best season to catch such species as cobia, mahi-mahi, sailfish, spotted seatrout, and tarpon is between April and October.
The costs also depend on gas prices. Fishing boats use gas as fuel. The bigger boat is – the more gas it burns during a fishing trip – the more anglers have to pay for charters.
Baits also affect pricing on fishing. If bait prices go up, fishing in Islamorada becomes more expensive.
Also, anglers can save some money if they go fishing on weekdays. Charter costs are higher on weekends.
Cost of Shared Fishing Charter
Shared fishing is a good option for those anglers, who would like to fish with friends. Shared fishing is a more affordable option compared to solo and duo fishing trips.
When anglers book a fishing trip in Islamorada, they have to pay a flat rate. It’s a cost for a certain number of anglers. Plus, it’s necessary to pay the additional cost per person if more anglers are on a fishing trip.
Charter costs are split among a group of people and this makes fishing in Islamorada cheaper. So, shared fishing allows anglers to save money on a fishing trip.
Additional Costs with Charter Fishing
Captains aim to provide anglers with everything they need to get the best possible experience. However, anglers may also need to bring the additional things on the boat.
Sometimes, anglers have to purchase food, drinks as well as baits, and sunscreen.
Some fishing charters offer fish cleaning in Islamorada. Anglers have to pay for this service if they want to have their fish cleaned.
Anglers have to plan their Islamorada fishing adventures and prepare everything they need for a trip in advance. When setting a budget for a fishing trip, anglers have to take into account the additional costs of charter fishing. So, increase your budget by 15 – 25% to cover these additional costs.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Islamorada, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of how much Key West fishing charters cost, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Key West, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of how much it costs to fish in Marathon, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the average costs of Destin fishing charters, check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the charter costs in Key Largo, please check out this guide. To learn how good the fishing in Islamorada is, check out this guide. To learn the best fishing charters in Islamorada, check out this article. To learn the best fishing spots in Islamorada, check out this article.
