2025 Islamorada/Florida Keys Spring Fly Fishing Report!

Greetings from Islamorada and the Florida Keys!  Well, it’s April 1 and spring is in the air!  And if you’re lucky maybe a tarpon or two in the air as well!  Finally, after a cooler than normal winter, we’re getting temps that feel more like South Florida.  As in, you’re sweating first thing in the morning.  And as some are apt to forget, our finned species are of the tropical kind and like it on the warm side.  Stabilizing water temps mean more consistent fishing and we’re finally at that point of the season.  And while the temps have been increasing so has the fly fisherman’s nemesis, The Wind.  The reason I mention this is because some anglers are surprised at this fact alone and even more surprised when we go out in it.  Unfortunately, this is usually not without some form of protest from a frankly, an unknowing angler that’s only experienced the Florida Keys through some video.  If you have never fly fished the Keys, there is a vast expanse of water known as Florida Bay.  This bay is encompassed by Everglades National Park and is dotted with innumerable islands and shorelines.  Fishing guides refer to this simply as “the backcountry” or “out back”, and it offers lots of places to find a lee shoreline and get out of the wind.  For the average angler getting out of the wind can mean the difference between being success and failure, so lots of days that’s what I find myself doing.  Snook and juvenile tarpon are the usual suspects, as well as Mr. Redfish.  There have been some solid snook around and the baby tarpon fishing is just heating up.  I’m thankful to see redfish popping up in some of their old haunts closer to home.  No big numbers but some of the fish have been in the 30″ range.  Let’s hope that trend continues.  March is hands down our best permit month but this year proved otherwise.  Permit fishing has been tough and that’s putting it nicely.  Our colder than normal winter along with non-stop cold fronts really messed things up.  They’re a lot of fish around but much further south.  I’m hoping they start sliding northward so we can get on some of the big pre-spawn schools before they head offshore.  Like their pint-sized version, the big tarpon fishing is just starting to get consistent.  Frankly, I really don’t start fishing those guys seriously until it begins to feel summerlike, so with this welcome warming trend that’s what I find myself doing when conditions allow.  Bonefishing has been good, given the day.  They are the Ghost, for you that don’t know.  Well, that’s it in a nutshell.  Thanks for reading and I hope we get out there!