Reef fishing in Islamorada is a great way to spend a day on the water. We fish the reef year round in the Florida Keys, but the offshore charter boats primarily focus on it from October – April. The reef line runs parallel with the Keys and is an average distance of 4 miles off shore. The reef drops from an average depth of 60’ on top to 90’ on the bottom. We use all sorts of fishing techniques while on the reef, so don’t think it’s strictly bottom fishing! Charter boats use all sorts of fishing methods including bottom fishing, trolling, kite fishing, drift fishing, and sight fishing. Common reef fish are sailfish, snapper, grouper, barracuda, cobia, mackerel, shark, African pompano, wahoo, etc. We also catch the occasional mahi and tuna while fishing with live baits, so you have to be ready for everything! Usually they are further offshore but they can be a nice surprise. Many of the fish we catch while reef fishing make good table fare too! So whether you bring some home or just take a bag of fresh fish to a local restaurant, you’ll enjoy your catch! There’s also quite a few “wrecks” just out side the reef which we fish around too. They’re anywhere from 100′ – 200′ of water and our captains know some well known ones as well as some secret ones! Wreck fishing is grouped under our “reef fishing” category and many days fishing the wrecks are the way to go!
Most days we start out by catching live bait and then go from there. A full day is always recommended for the best fishing experience, but if a ½ day charter is all you think you can handle or have time for, give the reef a shot! The average travel time in and out is only 20 minutes each way, so you’ll have plenty of fishing time! Florida Keys Reef Fishing is a great option for the whole family! If a private charter is not in the budget our Miss Islamorada Party boat (head boat) fishes the reef too and is an affordable way to get out and catch a few fish for dinner.
Great, fun experience. Highly recommend Took my two sons (17 and 21 years) and my brother there. We stayed in the Ocean Front House and went deep sea fishing for one day and backcountry fishing for one day. We had a great time. It was a great experience. It was kind of slow days for fishing but we caught fish and had a fun time. The boat captains did everything they could to put us on the fish 
Best party boat in the keys. I've tried several others and this by far more professional. They rotate guests on the back to handball for yellowtail. Crew is experienced. It's a very old boat but kept up.
Bud N Mary's Marina Vacation Booked a stay along with fishing excursion for my birthday. Staff great from pre-planning to actual arrival date. Suggested places to eat and other things to do. Lazy Days restaurant next door, highly recommend for dinner. Do an amazing job on catch and cook, everything is fresh and prepped to order. Also, Saylor Ashton's Sunrise Cafe is conveniently located on the premises, great breakfast and lunches prepared for your day out on the boat. The rooms are clean, and have everything needed for a comfortable stay. Close to multiple dining options, and shopping for all of your needs while visiting Islamorada. Highly recommend, will be visiting again in the future. Very relaxing time spent here.
