Professional Backcountry Bonefish Charter
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Professional backcountry bonefish fishing in Islamorada watersFourhour guided charter includes all rods and equipmentExpert instruction for experienced anglers targeting local species
If you're serious about your fishing and ready to step up your backcountry game, this 4-hour guided charter out of Islamorada is exactly what you're looking for. We launch from World Wide Sportsman Marina and head straight into some of the most productive shallow waters the Florida Keys have to offer. This isn't a beginner's trip – it's designed for anglers who want to refine their sight fishing skills and target some of the most challenging species in these waters. With only 2 spots available, you'll get the personalized attention and expert guidance that makes all the difference when you're stalking bones and cuda in skinny water.
Your day starts early at the Bass Pro Shops Bay Side Marina, where you'll meet your guide and get a quick rundown of the day's plan. The backcountry around Islamorada offers some of the most consistent bonefish habitat in the Keys, and that's where we'll spend most of our time. These shallow flats and channels require a different approach than offshore fishing – it's all about stealth, presentation, and reading the water. Your guide will position the boat using a push pole to keep things quiet, and you'll be making sight casts to fish you can actually see. The water clarity here is phenomenal, which means you'll watch your targets react to your flies or lures in real time. Between the mangrove shorelines and grass flats, there's always structure holding fish, whether it's a school of bones cruising the edge or a big cuda lying in ambush.
All your rods, reels, and terminal tackle are provided, which means you're fishing with equipment that's been specifically chosen for these waters and target species. For bonefish, we're typically using 8-weight fly rods or spinning gear with light jigs and live bait. The key is making accurate casts without spooking fish – bones are notoriously skittish, and one bad presentation can clear an entire flat. Your guide will coach you on reading fish behavior, timing your casts, and fighting fish in shallow water where they can use every oyster bar and mangrove root to their advantage. Barracuda require a different approach entirely, often taking aggressive topwater presentations or fast-retrieved streamers. The backcountry also means dealing with wind, tide changes, and varying depths, so your guide's local knowledge becomes crucial for finding fish throughout the changing conditions.
Bonefish are the holy grail of flats fishing, and Islamorada's backcountry holds some of the best populations in the Keys. These silver ghosts typically run 3-8 pounds in these waters, though fish over 10 pounds show up regularly. They're most active during moving tides, especially the incoming, when they push onto the flats to feed on crabs and shrimp. What makes bones so special is their combination of wariness and power – they'll test every aspect of your technique, from the approach to the hookset to the fight. Once hooked, they make blistering runs across the flats, often jumping and using every bit of structure available. The visual aspect is what hooks most anglers – seeing a school of bones tailing in knee-deep water and making the perfect cast never gets old.
Great Barracuda are the apex predators of these flats, and they provide some of the most explosive action you'll find in shallow water. These fish average 10-30 pounds around Islamorada and are active year-round, though they're most aggressive in cooler months. Cuda are ambush feeders that often hang around structure like channel edges, mangrove points, and grass beds. They'll crush topwater lures, large streamers, or live bait with incredible violence, often launching themselves completely out of the water. Their razor-sharp teeth and aggressive nature make them a favorite target when you want some variety from the technical bonefish game. Plus, they're excellent eating when handled properly, making them a practical target species.
Snook are the ultimate backcountry gamefish, combining the wariness of bonefish with the power of tarpon. In Islamorada's waters, they typically range from 18-35 inches, with bigger fish holding in deeper channels and around structure. They're most active during dawn and dusk periods, though moving tides can trigger feeding throughout the day. Snook love to ambush prey from mangrove overhangs and oyster bars, which makes presentation critical. They'll eat everything from live pilchards to DOA shrimp to topwater plugs, but getting them to commit requires understanding their mood and the conditions. The fight is what sets them apart – they'll jump, run, and try to cut you off on every piece of structure within range.
Tarpon in the backcountry are typically juvenile fish ranging from 20-80 pounds, but don't let the "juvenile" part fool you – these fish will test your tackle and technique like few others. They're most common during warmer months and are often found rolling in deeper channels or laid up in shallow basins. What makes backcountry tarpon special is the intimate setting – you're sight fishing to individual fish or small groups in relatively confined spaces. They'll eat live crabs, large flies, or jigs, but getting a good hookset on their bony mouths is an art form. Once connected, they'll jump repeatedly and use every dimension of the water column, making them one of the most challenging species to land consistently.
Tripletail around Islamorada are often overlooked but provide some of the most unique fishing opportunities in the backcountry. These odd-shaped fish typically weigh 3-15 pounds and are masters of camouflage, often floating near debris, channel markers, or mangrove edges where they look like floating leaves. They're primarily a warm-weather species and are most active during slack tides when they're feeding on small fish and crustaceans. Tripletail are notorious for their fin
Your Maverick motorboat is built for serious backcountry fishing in the shallow flats around Islamorada. This shallow-draft skiff gets you into those skinny waters where bonefish cruise, while the front casting platform gives you a stable, elevated spot to sight-cast with fly gear. Storage compartments keep your tackle and personal items secure during the trip, and the icebox handles your drinks and snacks in the Florida Keys heat. The captain can fire up the quiet trolling motor when we need to move silently through prime fishing spots without spooking fish. GPS keeps us on productive flats, while the VHF radio maintains contact with other boats and marina. Perfect for up to two anglers who want to focus on technique and landing fish in these crystal-clear backcountry waters.
Albula VulpesThe "grey ghost" of the flats is what brings most anglers to the Keys. These silver bullets average 3-6 pounds and 16-24 inches, built for speed with that torpedo shape and forked tail. You'll find them on shallow grass flats and sandy bottoms, sometimes in just inches of water when they're tailing. Year-round fishing here, but spring through fall offers the most consistent action on incoming tides. What hooks people is the challenge - they're spooky as hell and when hooked, they'll peel 100 yards of line at 30 mph. Most are released since they're too bony to eat. Golden rule: when you see tailers, cast beyond the mud cloud and work your fly or jig back through the edges. Never cast directly into the school.
Sphyraena BarracudaThese apex predators are built for speed, averaging 2-4 feet but capable of hitting 6 feet and 100 pounds. You'll find them around coral reefs, grass flats, and mangrove edges in 10-40 feet of water, often cruising alone near the surface. They're active year-round but really fire up in spring and fall when baitfish are moving. What anglers love is their aggressive nature and that initial blazing run - they'll hit 35 mph in short bursts. The fight's intense but short-lived. Most folks release them since the meat can carry ciguatera. Here's the trick: use wire leader and fish shiny lures or live bait. When you hook one, keep steady pressure - they'll jump and thrash, so stay ready.
Centropomus UndecimalisSnook are one of our most popular inshore targets, running 18-30 inches on average with that signature black lateral line and golden color. These ambush predators love structure - docks, mangroves, bridges, and oyster bars in 2-8 feet of water. They're year-round residents but really turn on during warmer months, especially around new and full moons when they spawn. What makes them special is that explosive strike and bulldogging fight once hooked. They're also great table fare when kept in season. Pro tip: cast your live shrimp or snook jig just upcurrent of the structure and let it drift naturally into the strike zone - they rarely chase, so placement is everything.
Megalops AtlanticusThe silver king needs no introduction - these prehistoric giants average 80-120 pounds and can hit 200-plus. They're found from shallow flats to deeper channels, often rolling on the surface in 6-20 feet of water around bridges, wrecks, and channel edges. Peak season runs May through August when they migrate through our waters, with early morning and evening providing the best action. What draws anglers is simple: no fish fights like a tarpon. Those aerial displays and powerful runs are legendary. Most are released since the meat's pretty bony. Key tip: when one jumps, bow to the fish by dropping your rod tip toward the water - keeps tension off the line and prevents those hooks from pulling free during the acrobatics.
Lobotes SurinamensisThese oddball fish are becoming a real favorite for sight fishing. Most run 2-5 pounds and 18 inches, but they can push 15-20 pounds. They're surface dwellers, floating on their sides near weed lines, debris, or channel markers in 10-50 feet of water, looking like floating leaves. Spring through fall is prime time when they're migrating along our coast. What makes them special is they're excellent table fare - tastes like grouper or snapper. Plus they're surprisingly acrobatic for such a chunky fish. The secret is stealth: when you spot one, cast well past it and work your shrimp or crab fly slowly toward the fish. They spook easily but once interested, they'll usually commit to the bite.
Islamorada