April in the Florida Keys is the beginning of the most anticipated fishing season in the entire region. The spring tarpon migration — one of the great wildlife spectacles in American fishing — is building daily through the Keys channels, passes, and flats. Meanwhile, permit fishing reaches its spring peak with fish concentrated on the shallow flats and at key inlets. Offshore, the mahi-mahi season opens as the Gulf Stream pushes sargassum weedlines within reach of Islamorada and Marathon boats.
Tarpon — The Migration Arrives
The April tarpon migration through the Florida Keys is measured in thousands of fish. Schools begin staging in the Bahia Honda Channel, rolling in Hawk Channel between Marathon and Islamorada, and pushing into the Seven Mile Bridge area on night tides. By mid-April, schools of 80–150 pound fish are visible from Highway 1 bridge overpasses on calm mornings. The Islamorada guide fleet — the most concentrated population of tarpon guides in the world — targets these fish with live crabs under kites, large streamer flies, and live mullet free-lined in the current.
Key April tarpon spots: Bahia Honda Channel (strongest incoming tide bite), Long Key Channel, Channel 5 (under the bridge, night fishing), and the outside flats south of Long Key where fish roll in clear water and can be approached by poled skiff. Permit and bonefish share some of these same flats — sight-fishing here in April means keeping multiple species rigged simultaneously.
For fly fishing, the standard April tarpon patterns include the Black Death, Tarpon Toad in brown/orange, and large Puglisi EP flies in tan/white. 12-weight rods with 50 lb bite tippet and 300+ yards of 50 lb backing. Strip set when the fish takes — the circle hook jaw bite reflex doesn’t work with fly hooks.
Permit — Spring Peak
Permit fishing in the Florida Keys is at its spring best in April. Fish are actively feeding on crab-heavy flats, and the combination of warming water and pre-spawn feeding activity makes them less wary than at other times of year. Key April permit locations: Buchanan Bank (southeast of Islamorada), Crocodile Dragover flats, the Content Keys backcountry, and the tailing grounds on the flats south of Marathon near the harbor entrance.
Live blue crabs (3–4 inch swimming crabs with the points trimmed) on a 3/0–4/0 hook are the gold standard permit bait. Approach fish from upwind, lead the permit by 8–10 feet, and let the crab sink naturally. Do not move the crab — let it sink into the fish’s feeding zone without any movement from the rod. The take is subtle: the permit tips down and the line comes tight without drama. Fly fishing permit on crab patterns (Merkin, Flexo Crab) is the ultimate Keys challenge — a 20-inch leader with 16 lb tippet and a delicate presentation are required.
Bonefish
Bonefish are active throughout April on the Islamorada, Long Key, and Marathon flats. Fish average 4–7 pounds with the occasional 10-pound-class fish that makes a sight fisherman’s knees buckle. Crazy Charlie flies and Gotcha patterns on size 4–6 hooks produce consistent bonefish strikes on the clear sand flats. Spin fishing with a 1/8 oz Gulp! Shrimp on a light jig head is equally effective for non-fly anglers.
Offshore Fishing — April 2026
April offshore fishing from Islamorada and Marathon means mahi-mahi on the weedlines and sailfish still active in the blue water. The Gulf Stream runs 10–12 miles offshore from the Keys in April, carrying sargassum weedlines stacked with mahi, pilot fish, and the occasional wahoo. Troll small feather/ballyhoo combinations at 8 knots along the weed edges. Reef fishing for mutton snapper, yellowtail snapper, and gag grouper remains excellent throughout April on the Key Largo and Islamorada offshore reef systems.
Top Techniques — April
1. Live crab permit presentation: Use a 7-foot medium-fast spinning rod with 10 lb braid to a 16 lb fluorocarbon leader. Hook a live blue crab through the tip of the swimming paddle with a 3/0 hook — this position allows the crab to swim naturally. Cast 10 feet ahead of a tailing permit and immediately put the rod down at your side. The crab will descend naturally; pick the rod up only when the line comes tight.
2. Kite fishing for tarpon: The guide fleet uses kites to present live crabs and mullet at the surface in the tarpon channels. For private boats, a simple two-hook kite rig with live mullet suspended 18–24 inches below the surface presents bait at the precise depth where hungry tarpon are feeding. Work the current seams where tidal flow concentrates baitfish.
3. Night tarpon at the Seven Mile Bridge: The bridge lights attract massive concentrations of baitfish on April nights, and tarpon that have moved through the channel during the day stage under the lights after dark. Large white bucktail jigs with curly tails worked in the current behind the bridge pilings on the down-current side produce consistent night tarpon strikes.
Insider Tips — April
The best flats fishing window is 7am–10am. The morning calm before the wind builds gives the clearest sight-fishing conditions of the day. Permit tailing on the flats, bonefish pushing on the flat edges, and tarpon rolling in the channels are all most visible in the first three hours after sunrise when the water is flat and the sun is at a low angle behind you.
Pay attention to moon phase for permit. Permit feed most aggressively on the first and last quarter moons when tidal flow is moderate. The spring tides of the full and new moon can create too much current on some of the shallower flats, pushing fish off their feeding areas. Plan your best permit attempts for the neap tide period.
Looking Ahead to May
Check back every Thursday for the updated Florida Keys fishing report. See our complete Florida Keys Fishing Guide for year-round species guides, top spots, and local resources.