Florida Keys Fishing Apparel
fishing apparel

Fishing Florida Keys

The Keys sit closer to the equator than anywhere else you can drive to in the Lower 48, and the sun behaves accordingly. Flats on the bay side, reef and blue water on the ocean side, and a long white skiff deck throwing light back up at you all day.

What that means for what you wear

Full coverage is standard here, not cautious. Guides wear hoods, sleeves and gaiters because the alternative is a burn through the back of a shirt by the second day of a trip.

When to go

Tarpon migrate through in spring, bonefish and permit fish the flats most of the year, and winter is high season because the weather is the best in the country. There is no low-UV month.

Ports and launches

• Key Largo
• Islamorada
• Marathon
• Big Pine Key
• Sugarloaf
• Key West

What you are chasing

• Bonefish
• Permit
• Tarpon
• Mahi
• Yellowtail snapper

Common questions

What should I wear fishing the Keys?

A hooded UPF 50+ long sleeve, a hat and sun gloves. Full coverage is standard here, not cautious. Guides wear hoods, sleeves and gaiters because the alternative is a burn through the back of a shirt by the second day of a trip.

When is the best time to fish the Keys?

Tarpon migrate through in spring, bonefish and permit fish the flats most of the year, and winter is high season because the weather is the best in the country. There is no low-UV month.

What do people catch around Key Largo?

Mostly bonefish, permit, tarpon, mahi and yellowtail snapper, depending on the season and how far out you run.