Florda Keys Fishing Tips from Boats, Docks and Islands!

 

Everyone has questions about fishing from a sailboat in the Florida Keys. If you will be fishing, either on the boat or from a pier or on land, For a sailing trip in the Florida Keys, you'll usually be

• Trolling: which means, fishing while the boat is moving. 
• Bottom fishing: fishing while you are standing still (at anchor), that's dropping baits or jigs to the bottom.

This means, there are different lures, baits, and methods used, and different types of fish caught!

So here are the tips, tricks and  of proven lures for each.
Later, check out this Sea Base Fish Identification Guide PDF.  
And you can see many photos of the fish in crew photos on the Sea Base website.

A note about fishing license:

Sea Base, responding to a question on Facebook said (May 2026): "Participants do not need to purchase their own individual fishing licenses for any program except for Keys Adventure, Fishing Adventure, and Out Island Adventure, all of which take place at the Brinton Environmental Center in Summerland Key, FL. More information and specific details are here. Please find the most recent fishing license update for Brinton Environmental Center programs here

What kind of fish do people typically catch when fishing?

Cero mackerel, Spanish mackerel, yellowtail snapper, various grouper, red snapper, mackeral, yellow jack, amberjack, and mutton snapper. Occassionally, Mahi-Mahi or tuna.

How do I catch each type of fish?

Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin)

The most productive trolling lures are:

• Ilander-style skirted lure - (in blue/white, blue/pink, or green/yellow)
  * A classic Florida Keys mahi lures.
  * Effective from 5–8 knots while sailing.
  
• Small feather lure
  * Comes in white, blue/white, or pink.
  * It is inexpensive and catches mahi, tuna, and kingfish.
  
• Dolphin Junior-style skirted lure
  * Excellent for school-size mahi.
  

Snapper

For snapper in the Florida Keys, lures can work, but natural bait usually outfishes lures by a wide margin. When fishing from a sailboat  around reefs or patch reefs, these are the most effective lure choices are:

Yellowtail Snapper

Yellowtail are often attracted with a chum slick and then caught on light tackle.

Best lures:

• 1/8–1/4 oz bucktail jigs (white, chartreuse, pink)
• Small soft-plastic paddle tails (3–4 inches)
• Small shrimp-imitating soft plastics

Most anglers use:

• Small pieces of shrimp
• Squid strips
• Cut ballyhoo

Mangrove Snapper

Mangroves often hide around docks, mangroves, reefs, and wrecks. They hit artificials more readily than yellowtails.

Best lures:

• 1/4–1/2 oz jigheads with soft plastics
• Small bucktail jigs
• Shrimp imitation lures

Mutton Snapper

Muttons are more aggressive and will often strike jigs worked near the bottom.

Best lures:

• 1–3 oz bucktail jigs
• Vertical jigs
• Large soft plastics bounced along the bottom

A Snapper Kit for Sea Base

The following weighs almost nothing and will catch snapper, grouper, jack crevalle, barracuda, and many other Keys species:

• Several 1/4 oz white bucktail jigs
• Several 1/2 oz chartreuse bucktail jigs
• A pack of 3–4 inch paddle-tail soft plastics (white pearl or chartreuse)
• A few 1/4 oz jigheads

Most Effective:

A 1/4 oz white bucktail jig tipped with a small piece of shrimp is one of the most effective all-around Florida Keys reef rigs.  This setup may produce more fish than all the trolling lures combined. It catches:

• Yellowtail snapper
• Mangrove snapper
• Mutton snapper
• Grouper
• Grunts
• Hogfish

Obviously, having/keeping fresh /frozen shrimp on a sailboat in the hot summer is... unlikely. BUT you can bring a shelf-stable substitute:
Fishbites E-Z Shrimp Shelf-stable synthetic bait strips which smells like shrimp, Doesn't dry out or spoil, Can be cut into tiny pieces and threaded onto a bucktail jig and it is excellent for:

• Yellowtail snapper
• Mangrove snapper
• Grunts
• Porgies

Bottom Fishing

Tuna (especially Blackfin Tuna)

1. Cedar Plug
   * Arguably the most famous tuna lure ever made.
   * Simple wooden lure that tuna love.
   * Very effective behind a sailboat.
   
2. Small jet-head lure
   * Black/purple or blue/white.
   * Runs well at sailing speeds.
   
3. Small feathers
   * Same lures as used for mahi, and often catch blackfin tuna, too.
   

Grouper

Grouper generally aren't caught by trolling. They are usually caught by dropping baits or jigs to the bottom.
Good options for jigs are:

1. Bucktail jigs (1–3 oz)
   * White or chartreuse.
   * Tip with squid or cut bait if allowed.
   
2. Vertical jigs
   * 2–6 oz metal jigs.
   * Work around reefs and wrecks.
   
3. Live bait rigs
   * Usually the most effective grouper method, but not practical on most sailing trips.
   

Sea Base Fishing Cheat Sheet for a Florida Keys  Sea Base Sailing Trip

Your captain's advice is the best, but if he/she is not a fishman, here's what you need to know:

1) Choose Hook Sizes by Your Target Fish

Reef / Bottom Fishing

• Mangrove Snapper: 1/0 – 2/0 circle hook
• Yellowtail Snapper: 1/0 – 2/0 circle hook
• Grunts / Porgies: #1 – 1/0 circle hook
• Red / Black Grouper: 5/0 – 7/0 circle hook
• Mutton Snapper: 3/0 – 5/0 circle hook

Offshore / Trolling

• Mahi Mahi: 4/0 – 7/0 hooks (or crew lures)
• Blackfin Tuna: 4/0 – 7/0 circle hook
• Wahoo: wire leader + 6/0+ hooks

Rule: Smaller bait = smaller hook. Bigger bait = bigger hook.

2) Bottom Rig Setup (10-Second Method)

When captain says “drop bottom”:

1. Slide egg sinker onto main line (1–6 oz depending on current)
2. Attach swivel to main line
3. Attach fluorocarbon leader (18–36 inches)
4. Tie on circle hook
5. Add bait (cut bait or FishBites shrimp)
6. Drop straight down until line goes slack, then reel slightly tight

Important: Do NOT set the hook hard. Just reel steadily.

3) What to Do When Captain Calls Fishing Spots

Reef stop

• Get ready before stopping
• Ask depth if needed
• Use heavier sinker if current is strong
• Drop straight down

Drift fishing

• Keep line vertical
• Re-bait often
• Watch for subtle bites

Trolling

• Let crew deploy lines
• Avoid tangles
• Follow crew instructions if fish hits

4) Keys Fishing Zones

Shallow reefs (10–40 ft)

• Yellowtail snapper
• Mangrove snapper
• Grunts

Patch reefs (40–120 ft)

• Snapper
• Mutton snapper
• Small grouper

Deep reef edges (120–300 ft)

• Grouper
• Amberjack
• Larger snapper

Open water (trolling zones)

• Mahi mahi (weed lines, debris)
• Blackfin tuna (deeper edges)
• Wahoo (rare)

Look for birds, floating grass lines, and water color changes.

5) Quick Pro Tips

• Keep bait fresh
• Smaller bait often catches more fish
• Change depth or bait every 10–15 minutes if no bites
• Copy what successful anglers are doing
• Reef fishing requires patience and steady line control
• Trolling is controlled by crew

Golden Rule

Simple rig + correct depth + fresh bait = success

If You Bring Lures

You should not need to bring lures, but if you do, this "minimalist" pack that will cover mahi, tuna, king mackerel, barracuda, jack crevalle, and bottom fishing opportunities is:

1.  Blue/white Ilander-style skirted lure
2.  Green/yellow skirted lure
3.  Cedar Plug
4.  White feather lure
5.  A 2 oz white bucktail jig

Practical tips:

Most Sea Base captains who allow trolling will put out a single:

•  blue/white feather,
•  cedar plug,
•  or small skirted trolling lure.

They're durable, don't require much skill, and fish effectively at typical sailing speeds of 5–7 knots.

One caution:

Avoid bringing large offshore trolling lures intended for marlin or sailfish. They're expensive, require heavier tackle than most Sea Base boats carry, and are unlikely to be used. A few small feathers and a cedar plug are often all you need.

What types of wildlife should we expect to see on the trip?
Here are some of the species seen in the water, on land in in the sky's:

• Land: iguanas, curled tailed lizards, anoles, No alligators: they cannot live in salt water.
• Sea: sea turtles, stingrays, dolphins, puffer fish, groupers, sea stars, sea cucumbers, conchs, lobsters, crabs, horseshoe crabs, grunts, angel fish, barracudas, snappers, trumpetfish, nurse sharks,  
• Air, land and or sea: pelicans, herons, parrots, chickens (at Key West), ibis, ospreys, egrets!

• Restaurants: chicken and fish, plus a few land mammals (ground beef)!