Florida Keys Flats Fishing has been well known among avid enthusiasts for a while now, but in the last few years has it really sparked interest in a much wider range of anglers. In fact according to the Census Bureau, due to all the tourists who visit Florida and go fishing, the average value of a single fish is around 3000 dollars.
Many fly rodders flock to the Florida Keys each year for the annual Tarpon migration. Depending on the temperatures, tarpon can start showing up in the lower Keys as early as February and tarpon fishing will last well into the summer months. For a fly fisherman the first few seconds of a tarpon hookup is the most exhilarating. The hook set on one of these prehistoric silver monsters has to be strong and often you will strike two to three times to get the hook in the tarpon's cinder block mouth. Once he's hooked you will know it and most likely he'll take you on the ride of your life. Don't be disappointed if after a few jumps he gets off, that's tarpon fishing and it should be enjoyed for what it is... a great display of game-fishing.
Some of the largest bonefish in the world live here in the Florida Keys. Large bonefish cruise the flats from Biscayne Bay down to the Marquesas Keys west of Key West. The most concentration of large bonefish is in Islamorada. Many think this is because Islamorada hosts so many catch and release bonefish tournaments and these fish are relocated after they are released at the tournament weigh station to grow up in “downtown Islamorada" as many of the guides call it. Bonefish in the Keys range from 4lbs. to over 10lbs. and are not easy to catch on fly but it can be done.
