How to Catch Bonefish in Florida
The short answer
Bonefish in Florida hold on grass flats. They peak Mar–Jun and Sep–Nov. Start with live shrimp: Led 6+ feet ahead of a cruising fish; let it sit, twitch once as they close. Best on first of the incoming floods the flat — they follow it up to feed. Whenever the light lets you see them — it's a sight game.
When Bonefish bite in Florida
Spring & fall are friendliest; year-round in the Keys
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
around | around | peak | peak | peak | peak | around | around | peak | peak | peak | around |
What to throw for Bonefish
Best first. The retrieve matters more than the lure, so each one says how to work it.
- Live shrimp — Led 6+ feet ahead of a cruising fish; let it sit, twitch once as they close.
- Small jig — 1/8–1/4 oz skimmer jig hopped gently across the bottom ahead of the fish.
- Fly — Shrimp pattern (Gotcha-style), long lead, tiny strips — strip-set, never trout-set.
Where to find them
Look for grass flats.
Look for nervous water, tails and flashes on a flooding flat. Move slow, cast long leads, and when one eats, let it run — the first sprint is 100 yards and there's nothing you can do but enjoy it.
Tide and timing
First of the incoming floods the flat — they follow it up to feed
Whenever the light lets you see them — it's a sight game
Tackle
7'–7'6" fast 8–10 lb spinning · 3000 reel · 15 lb fluoro leader — long casts, light touch
Check the regulations
Size and bag limits change by state and by season, and they change more often than any article gets updated. Check your state agency before you keep anything.
Sounder links the right state agency for wherever you drop a pin, and flags a fish that’s out of slot as you log it.