Florida Keys Spring Time Fishing Options: Marathon, Florida

Bill’s Tarpon

Spring Time Fishing Tarpon

Tarpon Jump Next To The Boat

Yellowtail Snapper Spring Time Fishing

Yellowtail Snapper on the Reef

Spring Fishing in Marathon, Florida Keys (March–June)

From March through June, the Florida Keys come alive with one of the most exciting times of the year—Tarpon Season. Known as the Silver King, the tarpon is one of the most sought-after gamefish in the world, famous for its size, strength, and acrobatic leaps.

During these months, we practically eat, sleep, and breathe tarpon fishing. While other species are always available in South Florida, if conditions are right, targeting tarpon is without a doubt your best option.


Primary Species in Spring

-Tarpon (Primary Target)

-Mangrove Snapper

-Yellowtail Snapper

-Grouper (Gag, Red, Black)

-Cobia

-Sharks


Tarpon Fishing Trips

Our Live Bait Tarpon Charters run during prime feeding times:

-Morning Trip: 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM

-Afternoon Trip: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM

-Peak Months: April, May, June

We typically fish bridges, channels, and flats using live mullet, crabs, or pilchards, depending on the tide and conditions.


Springtime Weather & Conditions

March and April are transitional months in the Keys—not quite summer, with occasional late-season cold fronts. While this can bring windy days that temporarily slow tarpon action, we always have backup plans to keep you on the fish.


When Tarpon Fishing Isn’t Possible

If conditions aren’t right for tarpon, we shift gears to other highly productive options:

  1. Inshore Fishing: Target snook, redfish, cobia, mackerel, barracuda, and sharks in protected waters.

  2. Reef & Wreck Fishing: Fish reefs in 20–60 ft of water and wrecks in 100–250 ft for snapper, grouper, amberjack, cobia, and more.


Spring Reef & Wreck Action

Spring is one of the best times of year for reef fishing in Marathon. Yellowtail snapper and grouper fishing is consistent, and just beyond the reef, wrecks hold large snapper, grouper, amberjack, cobia, and other pelagic species like tuna and mahi.

-Boats Used: 23’ or 36’ boat (Note: The 23’ is used when seas are calm enough for safe access to offshore grounds).

-Tackle: Light tackle spinning rods (10–20 lb line) for most species, conventional reels for big grouper and Goliath grouper.

-Bait: Live pinfish, pilchards, mullet, ballyhoo, cut bait, squid, and shrimp.


Booking Your Spring Fishing Charter in Marathon

We offer 4, 6, and 8-hour private fishing charters during the spring months. Whether you’re after the thrill of a leaping tarpon or want to fill the cooler with snapper and grouper, we’ll customize your trip for the best action available.

📅 To check availability and pricing, visit our Booking & Reservation Page