Key West is loved by many. And for so many reasons! But if you’re into sports fishing, you love it for Key West flats fishing. This island is 128 miles out to sea from the southern tip of Florida. It’s got the Gulf of Mexico to the north, and the coral reef, Straights of Florida, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. Key West flats fishing will most likely take you to remote keys north of Key West, towards the Gulf, but tarpon fishing is also done off the southern edge of Key West.
Key West's Historic Seaport, Where You'll Find Flats Fising Boats and Guides
Experienced flats fishing guides will take you to their favorite spots for permit, tarpon, bonefish, or sharks and barracuda, which also frequent the flats. You can find guides all up and down the docks at Key West’s Historic Seaport. That’s also a great place to have dinner, or spend an afternoon if stuck on land because of bad weather, or if it just doesn’t happen to be a fishing day (yes, sometimes it happens, even on a “fishing vacation”- sometimes you just can’t fish 100% of the time). There are restaurants, old schooners, and lots of watersports companies taking boats out of Historic Seaport. Can’t fish? Try parasailing. Done fishing for the day? Try and make it to Half Shell Raw Bar for their happy hour (fifty cent oysters!).
Key West flats fishing is reason enough to come to the Southernmost City, we agree. But if you bring family who don’t fish, what better place to leave them while you hunt for ghosts in the backcountry?