Tackle
Tackle setups that cover Islamorada
You do not need thirteen rods. Pick how you fish in the header and the list narrows to the setups that matter: one or two cover a shore or kayak angler, three or four a boat. Charter guests bring nothing; the boat has it all. Bait for each setup is on the bait page.
Bonefish, seatrout and redfish on the flats and in the backcountry; small snapper from a kayak or the shore.
Rod 7 ft medium-light spinning rod, fast action · Reel 2500–3000 spinning reel · Line 10 lb braid
BeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
Snook, mangrove and mutton snapper, barracuda and jacks at the bridges, channels and patch reefs; the all-round boat rod.
Rod 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod · Reel 4000–5000 spinning reel · Line 20 lb braid
BeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
Yellowtail snapper (and mangroves) in a chum slick on the reef, free-lining small baits back with the current.
Rod 7 ft medium-light spinning rod · Reel 3000–4000 spinning reel · Line 12–15 lb mono or 10 lb braid
BeginnerCharter a boatBring your own boat
Tarpon at Channel Two, Channel Five and Long Key, drifting live crabs and mullet in the current.
Rod 7 ft heavy spinning rod · Reel 8000–10000 spinning reel · Line 50–65 lb braid
Intermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
Casting live baits and swimbaits to rolling tarpon on the ocean flats and in the backcountry basins.
Rod 7 ft medium-heavy spinning rod · Reel 5000–6000 spinning reel · Line 30–40 lb braid
Intermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Mutton snapper, grouper and amberjack on the reef edge, wrecks and humps with live and dead baits on the bottom.
Rod 6–6.5 ft heavy conventional rod · Reel 30–50 lb class conventional reel · Line 50–65 lb braid
Intermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Sailfish, kingfish and blackfin on the reef edge with live baits from a kite or slow-trolled.
Rod 7 ft 12–20 lb class conventional or spinning rod · Reel 20 lb class conventional or 4000–6000 spinning reel · Line 20 lb mono (or 30 lb braid with a long top shot)
Intermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Mahi, kingfish and wahoo with rigged ballyhoo, skirts and plugs along the reef edge, weed lines and the humps.
Rod 5.5–6 ft 30 lb class trolling rod · Reel 30 lb class lever-drag conventional reel · Line 30–50 lb mono
Intermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Blackfin tuna and amberjack on the humps and wrecks with butterfly and vertical jigs; also drops a live bait.
Rod 5.5–6.5 ft jigging rod rated 200–400 g · Reel 6000–8000 spinning or 20–30 lb class conventional reel · Line 50 lb braid
Intermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Bonefish and permit on the ocean and bay flats; redfish and seatrout in the backcountry.
Rod 9 ft 8 or 9 weight fly rod · Reel Large-arbor saltwater reel with a sealed drag and 200 yards of backing · Line Weight-forward floating saltwater line
Intermediate +Charter a boatBring your own boatShore, bridge, kayak & wade
Daytime swordfishing in 1,200–1,800 ft beyond the humps, and night drifts along the edge.
Rod 5.5 ft 50–80 lb class stand-up or bent-butt rod · Reel 50–80 lb class two-speed or electric reel · Line 65–80 lb braid with a 100-yard top shot
Pro +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Tarpon on the ocean flats, in the channels and in the backcountry during the spring migration.
Rod 9 ft 11 or 12 weight fly rod · Reel Large-arbor saltwater reel with a strong sealed drag and 300 yards of backing · Line Weight-forward floating or intermediate tarpon line
Pro +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Wahoo along the drop-off and over the humps at 12–16 knots, best around the full moon on cooler days.
Rod 5.5 ft 50–80 lb class trolling rod · Reel 50–80 lb class lever-drag reel · Line 80 lb braid or mono
Pro +Charter a boatBring your own boat
Sizes are starting points; a local tackle shop will tune them to the week's fishing.