Best Time to Fish Key West

Months come from each species' own season curve around Key West. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.

When to fish Key West

Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.

Relative abundance by month for each species around Key West
Species	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Tarpon
Permit
Mutton Snapper
Yellowtail Snapper
Dorado
Great Barracuda
Sailfish
Black Grouper
King Mackerel
Wahoo

Tarpon. Key West's resident tarpon persist year-round in harbor and channel areas, even in winter, so abundance never drops to zero. Migratory fish build through March and April as water warms past about 75°F, peaking April through June during the spring migration and pre-spawn staging around the bridges, channels, and the Marquesas. Numbers taper in July after the offshore spawn on the summer moons, rise slightly with the fall mullet run in September and October, then decline into a winter low as cold fronts push fish toward the backcountry and south.
Permit. Permit are resident in Key West waters year-round, but abundance builds through spring as fish stage and aggregate on offshore wrecks (Western Dry Rocks and nearby wrecks) for the April–July spawn, peaking mid-April through May. Numbers stay solid on flats and wrecks through summer and early fall as water stays warm, then dip modestly in winter when cold fronts push fish to deeper water and some move off the shallows.
Mutton Snapper. Mutton snapper are year-round residents on Key West reefs and wrecks, but abundance climbs through late winter as fish aggregate for the spawn. Numbers peak from April through June around Western Dry Rocks and Riley's Hump, with a second bump in mid-June spawning pulses. Abundance eases after July as fish disperse to deeper ledges and patch reefs, holding a stable baseline through fall and winter.
Yellowtail Snapper. Yellowtail snapper are resident year-round on Key West reefs, so the curve never drops near zero. Abundance builds through spring as waters warm and peaks from late May through June, when spawning aggregations form on the outer reef edges. Numbers then ease through summer and fall, with a slightly softer winter when cold fronts push fish deeper, plus a minor late-fall bump as fish return to the reef line.
Dorado. Dorado move into Key West's offshore Gulf Stream waters as the water warms in spring. Abundance builds steadily from March and peaks from late April through June, when weedlines and the northbound migration concentrate fish, often including big bulls. Numbers stay solid through summer on schoolie-sized fish, then taper in fall, with a low but nonzero winter presence of scattered fish in the Stream.
Great Barracuda. Great barracuda are year-round residents around Key West, so the curve stays broad with no gaps. Numbers on the flats, patch reefs and wrecks build from November and peak in January–February, when cold fronts push fish, including migrants from farther north, onto the shallow flats and nearshore reefs. Abundance eases through spring. It then holds slightly below baseline in the hot late-summer months, when many larger fish move to deeper offshore reefs and wrecks, before rising again with fall cooling and bait movements.
Sailfish. Sailfish peak off Key West from late fall through winter (roughly November–February). Cold fronts push fish and ballyhoo and pilchard bait south along the reef edge and into the Gulf Stream, with strong concentrations in the 100–200 ft depth zone. Numbers taper through spring as fish disperse north and offshore, then hold at a reduced resident level in summer before building again with the first fronts in October.
Black Grouper. Black grouper are resident year-round on Key West reefs and wrecks, so the curve never drops to zero. Abundance on the reef tract peaks from January to early March, when fish aggregate to spawn (around Riley's Hump and the outer reef) and cooler water pushes them shallower. Presence eases to a stable, deeper-dispersed summer level and rebuilds through fall as water temperatures drop from October onward.
King Mackerel. Key West's king mackerel peak runs from December through March, when the Atlantic and Gulf migratory groups winter in the Lower Keys and gather on reef edges and wrecks with ballyhoo and cigar minnows. Numbers taper through spring as the fish move north with warming water. Summer abundance is low but never zero because resident and deep-wreck kings remain, and fish build back from October through November as cold fronts push the migration south.
Wahoo. Key West wahoo peak in the fall, from October through December. The peak follows full-moon cycles as fish migrate along the Gulf Stream edge and the reef dropoffs, and it holds strong into January as cold fronts concentrate bait. A secondary spring push comes in March–April. Summer is the lowest period, when warm water disperses fish offshore and to the north, but a resident population remains year-round.

Time of day on October 31, 2026

These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.

Permit12 PM to 4 PM · 9 fishable hours
Mutton Snapper12 PM to 4 PM · 9 fishable hours
Yellowtail Snapper12 PM to 4 PM · 7 fishable hours
Dorado12 PM to 4 PM · 8 fishable hours
Great Barracuda12 PM to 4 PM · 8 fishable hours
Black Grouper12 PM to 4 PM · 9 fishable hours
King Mackerel2 PM to 4 PM · 4 fishable hours
Wahoo12 PM to 4 PM · 8 fishable hours

By species

Tarpon

Peaks in April, May and June.

Key West's resident tarpon persist year-round in harbor and channel areas, even in winter, so abundance never drops to zero. Migratory fish build through March and April as water warms past about 75°F, peaking April through June during the spring migration and pre-spawn staging around the bridges, channels, and the Marquesas. Numbers taper in July after the offshore spawn on the summer moons, rise slightly with the fall mullet run in September and October, then decline into a winter low as cold fronts push fish toward the backcountry and south.

Permit

Peaks in April and May.

Permit are resident in Key West waters year-round, but abundance builds through spring as fish stage and aggregate on offshore wrecks (Western Dry Rocks and nearby wrecks) for the April–July spawn, peaking mid-April through May. Numbers stay solid on flats and wrecks through summer and early fall as water stays warm, then dip modestly in winter when cold fronts push fish to deeper water and some move off the shallows.

Mutton Snapper

Peaks in April.

Mutton snapper are year-round residents on Key West reefs and wrecks, but abundance climbs through late winter as fish aggregate for the spawn. Numbers peak from April through June around Western Dry Rocks and Riley's Hump, with a second bump in mid-June spawning pulses. Abundance eases after July as fish disperse to deeper ledges and patch reefs, holding a stable baseline through fall and winter.

Yellowtail Snapper

Peaks in June.

Yellowtail snapper are resident year-round on Key West reefs, so the curve never drops near zero. Abundance builds through spring as waters warm and peaks from late May through June, when spawning aggregations form on the outer reef edges. Numbers then ease through summer and fall, with a slightly softer winter when cold fronts push fish deeper, plus a minor late-fall bump as fish return to the reef line.

Dorado

Peaks in April, May, June and July.

Dorado move into Key West's offshore Gulf Stream waters as the water warms in spring. Abundance builds steadily from March and peaks from late April through June, when weedlines and the northbound migration concentrate fish, often including big bulls. Numbers stay solid through summer on schoolie-sized fish, then taper in fall, with a low but nonzero winter presence of scattered fish in the Stream.

Great Barracuda

Peaks in January and February.

Great barracuda are year-round residents around Key West, so the curve stays broad with no gaps. Numbers on the flats, patch reefs and wrecks build from November and peak in January–February, when cold fronts push fish, including migrants from farther north, onto the shallow flats and nearshore reefs. Abundance eases through spring. It then holds slightly below baseline in the hot late-summer months, when many larger fish move to deeper offshore reefs and wrecks, before rising again with fall cooling and bait movements.

Sailfish

Peaks in January, February, November and December.

Sailfish peak off Key West from late fall through winter (roughly November–February). Cold fronts push fish and ballyhoo and pilchard bait south along the reef edge and into the Gulf Stream, with strong concentrations in the 100–200 ft depth zone. Numbers taper through spring as fish disperse north and offshore, then hold at a reduced resident level in summer before building again with the first fronts in October.

Black Grouper

Peaks in February.

Black grouper are resident year-round on Key West reefs and wrecks, so the curve never drops to zero. Abundance on the reef tract peaks from January to early March, when fish aggregate to spawn (around Riley's Hump and the outer reef) and cooler water pushes them shallower. Presence eases to a stable, deeper-dispersed summer level and rebuilds through fall as water temperatures drop from October onward.

King Mackerel

Peaks in January, February, March and December.

Key West's king mackerel peak runs from December through March, when the Atlantic and Gulf migratory groups winter in the Lower Keys and gather on reef edges and wrecks with ballyhoo and cigar minnows. Numbers taper through spring as the fish move north with warming water. Summer abundance is low but never zero because resident and deep-wreck kings remain, and fish build back from October through November as cold fronts push the migration south.

Wahoo

Peaks in October and November.

Key West wahoo peak in the fall, from October through December. The peak follows full-moon cycles as fish migrate along the Gulf Stream edge and the reef dropoffs, and it holds strong into January as cold fronts concentrate bait. A secondary spring push comes in March–April. Summer is the lowest period, when warm water disperses fish offshore and to the north, but a resident population remains year-round.

Common questions about Key West

›What is the best time of year to fish Key West?

It depends on the species. Tarpon peaks in April, May and June. Permit peaks in April and May. Mutton Snapper peaks in April. Yellowtail Snapper peaks in June. Dorado peaks in April, May, June and July. Great Barracuda peaks in January and February.

›What time of day is best to fish Key West?

On October 31, 2026, the forecast windows are Permit 12 PM to 4 PM, Mutton Snapper 12 PM to 4 PM, Yellowtail Snapper 12 PM to 4 PM, Dorado 12 PM to 4 PM, Great Barracuda 12 PM to 4 PM, Black Grouper 12 PM to 4 PM, King Mackerel 2 PM to 4 PM and Wahoo 12 PM to 4 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.