Port guide / Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida / Florida

Flamingo (Everglades National Park) fishing guide

Flamingo is the end of the road inside Everglades National Park, with the park's only marina and two ramps: one straight into Florida Bay and one up the Buttonwood Canal to Whitewater Bay, the Wilderness Waterway and the backcountry. Chokoloskee, the nearest guide, fishes the Gulf side of the Ten Thousand Islands, but Flamingo faces Florida Bay, where the water seldom tops five feet, flats run for miles under 18 inches, and snook, redfish and trout live along the mangrove keys and the shallow bights east of the marina. Everything here is park water, so you work around pole and troll zones, closed keys, the park's own possession limits and a mandatory boater education certificate, and the state waters are Monroe County, which follows the Atlantic grouper rules.

Conditions now
Chart and depths
Fishing reports
What is biting
Seasons and rules
Where to fish
Ramps and piers
Bait and charters
Questions

10 ft, conditions now

Conditions now

Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.

Today’s bite

A forecast built from live data and the calendar below. Not a catch report.

Working out today from the tides, water and calendar.

Tides

Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.

On the water now

Water: Checking
Wind: Checking

Marine forecast

Loading the National Weather Service forecast.

7 day forecast

National Weather Service, for Flamingo (Everglades National Park). Updates through the day.

Loading the 7 day forecast.

NOAA tides, Flamingo Visitors Center (Flamingo, Florida Bay), FL (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Vaca Key, Florida Bay, FL (opens in a new tab) NWS 7 day forecast (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Florida Bay including Barnes Sound, Blackwater Sound, and Buttonwood Sound (opens in a new tab)

12 ft, the chart

Chart and depths

The official NOAA chart, centered on Flamingo (Everglades National Park). Depths, channels, reefs and markers, live from NOAA.

The NOAA chart loads when you scroll here.

NOAA electronic navigational chart: soundings, depth contours, channels, markers and hazards. Zoom in to see more soundings. Not for navigation. Open NOAA ENC Online

15 ft, fishing reports

Fishing reports

What people are catching, on what, and where. Every report links to whoever wrote it. We do not write these ourselves.

Latest reports

From local captains, shops and outdoor writers. Newest first, last 14 days.

Checking the latest reports.

Report sources: Coastal Angler Florida Keys Fishing Reports (opens in a new tab)

Straight from the dock

Reports sent to us by shops and captains on this guide. We check each one before it posts.

Checking for reports.

Run a shop or charter here? Send a report

20 ft, what is biting

What is biting, month by month

When each fish is at its best around Flamingo (Everglades National Park). This month is marked.

What is biting by month around Flamingo (Everglades National Park). Peak, good and slow months for each species.
Species	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Snook	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good
Redfish	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak
Spotted seatrout	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Good
Tarpon	Slow	Slow	Good	Good	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Good	Good	Slow	Slow
Cobia	Slow	Slow	Peak	Peak	Peak	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow
Largemouth bass (fresh water)	Peak	Peak	Peak	Peak	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Slow	Peak

Snook
Peak: May, June, July, August, September
Snook hold year-round on hundreds of mangrove shorelines and islands in Florida Bay, and guides throw topwaters along the mangrove edges early, with the best run late spring through early fall.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Redfish
Peak: January, February, October, November, December
Reds are year-round here and most consistent in fall and winter; look for muds and potholes on the grass flats and pick off fish cruising lee shorelines in places like Madeira Bay.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Spotted seatrout
Peak: March, April, October, November
Trout are a year-round flats fish here, best in spring and fall over grass and sandy potholes, often on a skimmer jig tipped with live shrimp or a shrimp under a popping cork.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Peak: May, June, July, August
Tarpon start showing in spring and roll in the deeper backcountry cuts and river mouths through summer and early fall, and some fish stay all year when the water stays warm.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)
Cobia
Peak: March, April, May
Flamingo skiff guides list cobia on spring trips, sight fished around markers and floating debris during the March to May run.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab)
Largemouth bass (fresh water)
Peak: January, February, March, April, December
Winter and spring bass are part of the Flamingo mix in the park's freshwater ponds, which need a freshwater license, and the park warns not to eat bass caught north of the Main Park Road.
Source 1 (opens in a new tab) Source 2 (opens in a new tab)

30 ft, seasons and rules

Seasons and rules

Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.

Snook, Southwest region (includes all Everglades National Park waters)
Closed Dec. 1 through the end of February and May 1 through Sept. 30, open the rest of the year. A snook permit is required to keep one.
FWC, current FWC rule (annual) Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, Monroe County state waters (Atlantic rules)
Open May 1 to Aug. 1 in Atlantic state and federal waters, which include all state waters of Monroe County on both the Gulf and Atlantic sides.
FWC, current FWC rule Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red, black, scamp, yellowfin, yellowmouth grouper, hinds, coney and graysby, Monroe County state waters
Closed Jan. 1 to April 30 in all state waters off Monroe County, Gulf and Atlantic sides; open May 1 to Dec. 31.
FWC, current FWC rule Official page (opens in a new tab)
Goliath grouper
Harvest prohibited without a permit from the FWC Goliath Harvest Program.
FWC, current FWC rule Official page (opens in a new tab)
Tarpon
Catch and release only, year-round. Tarpon over 40 inches must stay in the water unless you hold a tarpon tag for a record attempt.
FWC, current FWC rule Official page (opens in a new tab)
Joe Bay and Snag Bay, Everglades National Park
Catch and release only for finfish, with no marine life kept except limited quantities of listed bait species such as shrimp, pilchards, pinfish and small mullet.
National Park Service, current NPS rule Official page (opens in a new tab)

Rules change. Check before you go.

Everglades National Park (National Park Service) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

A Florida saltwater license is needed to fish salt water in the park and a Florida freshwater license for fresh water; anglers under 16 do not need one.
Park limits sit on top of state law: no more than 20 fish per person in possession and no more than 10 of any one species, with no limit on non-native species.
No fishing at the Flamingo Marina and boat ramps from sunrise to sunset, none on the cement seawall from the Flamingo Visitor Center breezeway to its western tip, and none along the campground shoreline from the amphitheater to C Loop from sunset to sunrise.
Eco, Mrazek and Coot Bay ponds are closed to fishing at all times.
Taking lobster and queen conch is prohibited, digging for bait is not allowed, shrimp are limited to 5 gallons heads on per person or vessel, and cast nets may not exceed 20 feet in diameter.
Fish may not be filleted in the park except at designated fish cleaning stations, or up to four fillets per person for cooking right away at a campsite or on a boat with a galley.
A free park boater education course and certificate is mandatory for nearly everyone operating a powerboat in the park's marine waters.
Boaters need a park pass; a private vehicle or vessel pass is $35 for 7 days, and the park is cashless.
Pole and troll zones cover areas of Florida Bay under two feet deep, where combustion motors may not run.
All keys in Florida Bay are closed to landing except North Nest Key, Little Rabbit Key and Cape Sable, plus Carl Ross Key in summer and Bradley Key for day use, and wading within 100 feet of a closed area is prohibited.
Mercury advisory: adults should eat spotted seatrout, gafftopsail catfish, bluefish, crevalle jack or ladyfish from northern Florida Bay no more than once a week, and women of child-bearing age and children no more than once a month.

Size and bag limits Fishing licenses

Last checked 2026-10-27

40 ft, where to fish

Where to fish

Flats
Flats north of Frank and Murray keys
A flat running several miles east and west less than two miles from the Flamingo ramp, best on the bottom of the falling tide and the first two hours of the rise.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Channel
Snake Bight and Snake Bight channel
Just east of Flamingo; the channel on the west edge is a popular falling-tide spot that gets crowded on weekends, and the bight itself is mostly pole and troll water that can go dry on a low tide.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Bay
Garfield, Rankin and Santini bights
Very shallow mainland bights east of Flamingo that sometimes fish only on high-water moons or weather, but can be spectacular when you can get in.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Bay
Madeira Bay
A few miles east of Flamingo, where reds cruise the lee shorelines; Little Madeira Bay next door is a closed protected zone.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Channel
Buttonwood Canal to Whitewater Bay
Flamingo's second ramp runs up the idle-speed Buttonwood Canal to Whitewater Bay, the Wilderness Waterway and the Ten Thousand Islands.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Beach
Flamingo campground shoreline
The park's saltwater shore fishing spot on Florida Bay, but the stretch from the amphitheater to C Loop is closed from sunset to sunrise.
Source (opens in a new tab)
Marsh
West Lake
Brackish lake about 31 miles from the park entrance with shore access off the main road and a ramp limited to motors of 6 horsepower or less.
Source (opens in a new tab)

50 ft, launch and piers

Ramps and piers

Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.

Public boat ramps and fishing piers around Flamingo (Everglades National Park)
Name	Type	Fee	Where
Flamingo Marina boat ramp (Florida Bay) (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	Flamingo Marina, Everglades National Park, FL
Whitewater Bay boat ramp (Buttonwood Canal) (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	Flamingo, Everglades National Park, FL
West Lake boat ramp (motors 6 hp or less) (opens in a new tab)	Ramp	Paid	Main Park Road, Everglades National Park, FL

60 ft, bait, tackle and charters

Bait, tackle and charters

Where to get live and fresh bait, tackle and a guide. We are not paid to list anyone here.

Bait and tackle (1)

Marina
Flamingo Marina Store (Everglades Guest Services)
The park's only marina; the store sells food, drinks and fishing and camping supplies, with marine fuel, regular gas and diesel next door during store hours.
Website (opens in a new tab) Source (opens in a new tab)

Live bait comes and goes with the weather and the season. Call before you drive.

Charters and guides

Fishing charters and guides around Flamingo (Everglades National Park)
Charter	Fishing
Rising Tide Charters (Capt. Jason Sullivan) (opens in a new tab)	Fly
Lifeline Charters (Capt. David Munoz) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore
Flamingo Flats Fishing (Capt. Ken D.) (opens in a new tab)	Inshore

80 ft, asked and answered

Fishing Flamingo (Everglades National Park), asked and answered

What do I need to fish from a boat out of Flamingo?

A Florida saltwater license, a park pass (the vehicle or vessel pass is $35 for 7 days, and the park takes no cash), and if you run a powerboat, the park's free boater education certificate, which is now mandatory for nearly everyone operating a powerboat in park waters.

Can I fish at the Flamingo Marina?

Not from sunrise to sunset; the marina and boat ramps are closed to fishing in daylight. The seawall from the visitor center breezeway west is closed to fishing, and the campground shoreline from the amphitheater to C Loop is closed from sunset to sunrise.

When is the best time to fish Flamingo?

Redfish, snook and trout can be caught year-round. Snook peak May to September, redfish October to February, trout in March, April, October and November, and tarpon run March to October with a May to August peak.

How many fish can I keep in Everglades National Park?

On top of Florida's bag and size limits, the park caps you at 20 fish in possession and no more than 10 of any one species, with no limit on non-native fish. Fish can only be filleted at the cleaning stations or for cooking right away at camp or aboard.

Can I keep a grouper caught near Flamingo?

Monroe County state waters follow FWC's Atlantic grouper rules, not the Gulf rules used in Collier County. Gag is open May 1 to Aug. 1, and red, black and the other shallow-water groupers are closed Jan. 1 to April 30.

Is it safe to eat fish from Florida Bay?

The park has a mercury advisory: adults should eat spotted seatrout, gafftopsail catfish, bluefish, crevalle jack and ladyfish from northern Florida Bay no more than once a week, and women of child-bearing age and children no more than once a month. Do not eat bass caught north of the Main Park Road.

90 ft, the kit