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.
July 15, 2026
Early Summer Fishing in the Florida Keys June & Early July: Prime Time for Anglers If there is one time of year that truly showcases everything the Florida Keys fishery has to offer, it’s early summer. June and early July bring warm water, calm seas, abundant bait, and an incredible… Read More
I looked at most of the websites prior to booking wirh Capt Rick. TOPSHELF; I got there plenty early and had breakfast at their store. Great call, biscuits and gravy large portion and very good!
Captain Trent’s fishing excursion in the Florida Keys Our fishing excursion with Captain Trent was all that I hoped for and more! He was so knowledgeable and helpful. My husband and I are both elementary school teachers, and we were both very impressed with how good he was with our kids! He was patient, and extremely encouraging! He made small talk with us and even acted as a tour guide by going to places that he knew we would be able to see crocodiles and other Florida wildlife while we fished. Both my husband and son were able to catch lots of fish, and my son was over the moon about catching his dream fish, a tarpon, even though it isn’t tarpon season! We had such a great time, and I would definitely recommend him to anyone!
The Bud N Mary's Party boat fishing charter was everything we hoped it would be. After looking through many of the fishing charters available in the keys, and many times gasping at the prices, we decided on Bud N Mary's Party Boat. The location was easy to find and crew and captain was super helpful and friendly. All of the bait, license and poles were provided. Hooks were baited by crew if needed and fish taken off of the hook if needed. We boarded at 9:30 and away we went to several locations throughout the Atlantic Ocean. The one thing I noticed is several of the high dollar fishing charters were in close proximity to our fishing locations at each spot we visited. Sometimes we were first and sometimes not. We caught a slew of fish from The common Grunt to several very nice Yellowtail Snapper. Others caught Amberjack, Grouper,Snappers, Mahi Mahi and King Mackerel. Fish were biting all day and we visited multiple spots offering an array of fishing styles from Bottom fishing off the back trolling for the big ones. By 4:30 we were worn out.
