Florida Keys flats cheat sheet
Every fish, the licence and the release rules, the rigs and the box of tackle. One page to take to the water.
Florida Keys flats
Tarpon Apr to Jul (best May and early June). Bonefish Mar to Oct. Permit strong Aug to Oct, closed in the Keys 1 Apr to 31 Jul.
Licence
Book a licensed guide and the captain's vessel licence covers you for the day, so most visitors need nothing more. Fishing without a guide: a non-resident Florida saltwater licence – annual $47, 7-day $30, 3-day $17 (2026), sold online at gooutdoorsflorida.com or the Fish|Hunt Florida app. Confirm with the FWC.
The rules
Tarpon and bonefish are catch-and-release only statewide (a record tarpon needs a $51.50 tag). Permit is released as the norm and closed in the Keys Special Permit Zone 1 Apr to 31 Jul. Snook needs its own permit and has closed seasons.
Release / handle with care
Keep flats fish in the water. Tarpon released near where it was hooked. Wet hands, support under the belly, revive head-into-the-current before you let go. The eat, the jump and the run are the prize.
Bank vs boat · season · time → rig
| Fish | On fly | On light spin | Best time | Rig |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarpon (release only) | Yes, an 11 to 12 weight, a fly led to a moving fish | Yes, a live mullet or pinfish drifted to them | Apr to Jul, best May and early June | Streamer rig or inshore bait rig |
| Bonefish (release only) | Yes, an 8 to 9 weight, a weighted shrimp/crab fly led to the fish | Yes, a live shrimp cast to a cruising fish | Mar to Oct, on the right tide and light | Nymph rig or inshore bait rig |
| Permit (release the norm) | Yes, a 9 to 10 weight, a weighted crab fly to a tailing fish | Yes, a live crab | Aug to Oct; closed 1 Apr to 31 Jul in the Keys | Nymph rig or inshore bait rig |
No bank fishing here: the choice is fly or light spin, fished from a poled skiff with a guide. Bright and calm beats grey and windy, because you fish with your eyes.
The rigs
Tarpon on fly: a big tarpon fly on a heavy fluorocarbon fly leader, 11 to 12 weight outfit, cast ahead of a moving fish
Non-slip loop / improved clinch at the fly · leader knots on the rig pageBonefish #1–#4 / permit #1–#2 weighted shrimp or crab fly, led to a tailing fish; permit on a long 9–12 ft fluoro leader
Surgeon's / blood knot for tippet · perfection loop · leader knots on the rig pageLive crab (permit), live shrimp (bonefish), live mullet or pinfish (tarpon) on a light spin outfit with a fluoro leader
FG knot (braid to leader)What you need
A guide supplies tackle, so this is the list for the angler who brings their own. Match the fly outfit to the fish, or take a light spin outfit. Polarised glasses above all.
The knots
| Knot | Ties | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| FG knot | The slim braid-to-leader join that runs through the rings. | Light spin |
| Surgeon's knot | Joins tippet to leader on the fly. | Fly leader system |
| Non-slip loop | A fixed loop at the fly for movement. | The fly |
On light spin learn the FG knot for the braid-to-leader join. On fly, join tippet to leader with a surgeon's or blood knot and tie the fly on a non-slip loop or improved clinch. Wet every knot before you pull it tight.
This one page is the printable I take to the water.
Give me an email and I will show it to you, ready to print. A one-page reference: what's on by month, the licence and rules, a rig for every fish, the shared tackle box and the knots.
I'll send you the cheat sheet, and email you when I add a new place to fish. Nothing else.