No fish tales here! Record fish frequently caught in Islamorada--Jewel of the Florida Keys

 

The Florida Keys are home to an astounding variety of record-setting game fish as recorded by the International Game Fish Association. In fact, more world record fish have been caught from their waters than any other location on earth.

What makes Islamorada such a hot spot for fishing? It's all about the location. The Gulf Stream of the Atlantic Ocean, the Florida Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico surround the Florida Keys, a chain of islands off the southern tip of Florida. Every warm water gamefish that swims in our hemisphere can be found in these waters at one time of the year or another.

[above] Photo "Tarpon" by Dave Irving, Flickr

[above: Photo "Mahi Mahi", Pinterest, Random Pictures of the Day]

Here's a look at the Florida Saltwater Fishing Records, conventional tackle, July 1, 2015 (Wildlife Conservation Commission):

SPECIE WEIGHT LOCATION DATE ANGLER Amberjack, Greater  Seriola dumerili 142 lb Islamorada 02-03-79 W. A. Colbert Jnr Barjack 4 lb 2oz Key West 10-13-84 E. W. Herbert Barracuda, Great Sphyraena barracuda 67 lb Islamorada 01-29-49 H. K. Good Black Sea Bass Centropristis striata 5 lb 1 oz Panama City 07-21-58 R. H. Mar  Mrs Striped Bass Morone saxatilis 43 lb 9 oz Indian River 01-03-04  C. R. Jackson Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix 22 lb 2 oz Jensen Beach 03-19-73 L. Yates Blue Runner 7 lb Ft. Lauderdale 11-22-90 J. Krebs Bonefish Albula spp. 16 lb 3 oz Islamorada 03-99-07 R. Schroeder Bonito, Atlantic Sarda sarda 6 lb 8 oz Boca Raton 02-15-09 D. S. Jaradi Catfish, Gafftopsail Bagre marinus 8 lb 14 oz Titusville 09-21-96 L. C. Jones Catfish, Hardhead Arius felis 3 lb 5 oz Sebastian 04-18-98 A. A. Steel Cobia Rachycentron canadum 130 lb 1 oz Destin 04-21-97  P. McCallester Croaker, Atlantic Micropogonias undulatus 4 lb 15 oz St. Lucie 12-15-02 A. de Foster Dolphin Coryphaena hippurus 81 lb 0 oz Lantana 06-09-07 R. Vail Drum, Black Pogonias cromis 96 lb Fernandina Beach 04-12-01 J. E. Cartwright Drum, Red Sciaenops ocellatus 52 lb 5 oz Cocoa Beach 02-24-96 G. E. Hogan Flounder Bothidae or Pleuronectidae 20 lb 9 oz Nassau County 12-23-83 L. W. Mungin Grouper, Black Mycteroperca bonaci 113 lb 6 oz Dery Tortugas 01-27-90 D. W. Bone Grouper, Gag Mycteroperca microlepis 80 lb 6 oz Destin 10-14-93 B. Smith Grouper, Goliath Epinephelus itajara 680 lb Fernandina Beach 05-20-61 L. Joyner Grouper, Nassau Epinephelus striatus 9 lb 0 oz Marathon Key 11-16-84 B. Edward Grouper, Red Epinephelus morio 42 lb 4 oz St. Augustine Inlet 01-28-07 D. Wiseman Jnr Grouper, Warsaw Epinephelus nigritus 436 lb 12 oz Destin 12-22-85 S. Haeusler Grouper, Yellowfin Mycteroperca venenosa 34 lb 6 oz Key Largo 12-07-88 R. Hogrebe Hind, Speckled Epinephelus drummondhayi 52 lb 8 oz Destin 10-21-94 R. G. Perry Hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus 19 lb 8 oz Daytona 04-28-62 R. E. Bata Jack, Almaco Seriola rivoliana Vacant       Jack, Bar Caranx hippos 7 lb 12 oz Miami 12-18-99 M. Arostequi Jack, Crevalle Caranx hippos 57 lb Jupiter 05-18-93 G. J. Wa Jack, Horse-eye Caranx latus 25 lb 12 oz Palm Beach 10-31-97 D. Leavitt Jack, Yellow Caranx bartholomaei Vacant       Ladyfish Elops saurus 6 lb 4 oz Cocoa Beach 08-02-05 L. Elliott Mackerel, Cero Scomberomorus regalis 17 lb 2oz Islamorada 04-05-86 G. M. Mills Mackerel, King Scomberomorus cavalla 90 lb Key West 02-16-76 N. I. Thor Mackerel, Spanish Scomberomorus maculatus 12 lb Ft. Pierce 11-17-84 J. F. Collig Margate, Black   12 lb 12 oz Ft. Pierce 05-28-94 C. Napieral Margate, White Haemulon album 19 lb 8 oz Dry Tortugas 02-06-11 H. Vassallo Marlin, Blue Kajikia albida 1046 lb Panama City 06-14-85 C. E. Hawkins Marlin, White Kajikia albida 161 lb Miami Bch 03-20-38 L. F. Hooper Permit Trachinotus falcatus 56 lb 2 oz Ft. Lauderdale 07-14-01 T. Sebestyan Pompano, African Alectis ciliaris 50 lb 8 oz Daytona Beach 04-21-90 T. Sargent Pompano, Florida Trachinotus carolinus 8 lb 4 oz Port St. Joe 10-16-99 B. Huston Runner, Rainbow Elagatis bipinnulata 23 lb Boynton Beach 09-28-03 A. Richbell Sailfish, Atlantic Istiophorus platypterus 126 lb Big Pine Key 06-13-09 L. Maier Sawfish 545 lb Naples 04-02-58 G. R. Maxwell Scamp Mycteroperca phenax 28 lb 6 oz Mayport 04-03-02 B. D. Pursell Seatrout, Spotted Cynoscion nebulosus 17 lb 7 oz Ft. Pierce 05-11-95 C. F. Carso Shark, Blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus 152 lb Sebastian 10-29-87 D. Rees Shark, Bull Carcharhinus leucas 517 lb Panama City Beach 10-81 G. K. Bur Shark, Duskey Carcharhinus obscurus 764 lb Longboat Key 05-28-82 B. Dennis Shark, Hammerhead Sphyrna spp. 1060 lb Boca Grande 05-05-09 A. Ogle Shark, Lemon Negaprion brevirostris 397 lb Dunedin 04-29-77 R. M. Guc Shark, Mako Isurus spp. 911 lb 12 oz Palm Beach 04-09-62 A. Cohen Shark, Spinner Carcharhinus brevipinna 190 lb Flagler Beach 04-03-86 G. Pr Shark, Thresher Alopias spp. 544 lb 8 oz Destin 09-15-84 J. Weil Shark, Tiger Galeocerdo cuvier 1065 lb Pensacola 06-20-81 R. Baggs Shark, White Carcharodon carcharias 686 lb Key West 04-30-88 R. P. Dea Sheepshead Archosargus probatocephalus 15 lb 2 oz Homosassa 01-29-81 E. Lechler Snapper, Cubera Lutjanus cyanopterus 116 lb Clearwater 07-26-79 B. Graham Snapper, Gray Lutjanus griseus 17 lb Pt. Canaveral 06-14-92 S. Maddox Snapper, Lane  Lutjanus synagris 6 lb 6 oz Pensacola 04-18-91 K. Jones Snapper, Mutton Lutjanus analis 30 lb 4 oz Dry Tortugas 09-29-98 R. Casey Snapper, Red Rhomboplites aurorubens 46 lb 8 oz Destin 10-01-85 L. Nichols Snapper, Vermillion Rhomboplites aurorubens Vacant       Snapper, Yellowtail Ocyurus chrysurus 8 lb 9 oz Ft. Myers 07-24-92 W. M. Howard Snook Centropomus undecimalis 44 lb 3 oz Ft. Myers 09-13-96 R. D. Cosr Spearfish, Longbill Tetrapturus pfluegeri 61 lb 8 oz Islamorada 04-29-81 T. Damiano Swordfish Xiphias gladius 612 lb 12 oz  Key Largo 05-7-78 S. Stanfo Tarpon Megalops atlanticus 243 lb Key West 02-17-75 G. Bell Triggerfish, Gray Balistes capriscus 12lb 7oz Pensacola 07-15-01 K. Morris Tripletail Lobotes surinamensis 40 lb 13oz F. Pierce 03-04-98 T. D. Lewis Tuna, Bigeye Thunnus obesus 167 lb Miami Beach 01-18-57 J. Mills Tuna, Blackfin Thunnus atlanticus 45 lb 8oz Key West 05-04-96 S. J. Burnett Tuna, Bluefin Thunnus thynnus Vacant       Tuna, Skipjack Euthynnus pelamis 33 lb 8 oz Islamorada 07-21-88 R. Lindquist Tuna, Yellowfin Thunnus albacares 240 lb Key West 12-05-02 M. Delph Tunny, Little Euthynnus alletteratus 27 lb Key Largo 04-20-76 W. E. Allison Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri 139 lb Marathon 05-18-60 G. Von Hof Weakfish Cynoscion regalis 10 lb Port Canaveral 12-30-87 G. R. Mize Jnr

Going for the Record 

Experienced fishermen know that there is no substitute for local knowledge, and this is why chartering a local captain and guide is a smart thing to do. Of course, no one can force the fish to bite, but simply being in the right place at the right time with the right tide and the right bait can make all the difference when it comes to catching the fish you've been dreaming about.

You'll find some of the best guides and charters in the world listed in our directory. Why not book your dream sporting trip today?

 

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Resources:

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Islamorada -- The Sportfishing Capital of the World

Easiest Way to Fish in The Sport Fishing Capital of The World, Islamorada? With a Guide! 

25 Reasons to Hire A Fishing Guide