# Where to Fish from shore in Key West



## JRyno10 (Feb 3, 2014)

I will be in key west for the next few days with the in laws. I am hoping to add a new species to the list. Looking to fish at Fort Zachary Taylor. Does anyone have any tips for fishing this area? I’d love to catch a new to me species.. snook, small tarpon, etc.


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## OliverBrewton (Jul 8, 2021)

Hey man I was In the same boat as you last year when I spent a couple weeks down there. I highly recommend night fishing the key west bight. Personally I was staying on the boat at A&B marina but don't fish in the day because the tarpon and sand sharks draw a crowd which is not what they really want and they won't be hesitant to cut your line while fighting a fish. I recommend going to the dock behind the galleon hotel and walking to the far end of the dock. Fish with cigar minnows or finger mullet for best results(you can get those at Key West bait and tackle) with the cut bait throw it out with probably 2 rods and set them up use around 50-80 lb test(it was readily available to me because I was there on a sporty to fish the marlin tournament, and your gonna need a lot) With that setup you'll catch some monster tarpon in the 80-175 pound range jumped one that looked around 200 or some sand sharks, I even caught a lobster😂.another way to catch some smaller tarpon would be to use a fly rod with a glass minnow baitfish replica a light spinning might also work. And fish the docklights for the juvenile tarpon. you'll see them swimming around.


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## csnaspuck (Apr 2, 2013)

Second the recommendation at the end of the dock near Gallon. I was there last month and plenty of juvi tarpon at night under the dock light. If you can get your hands on some crabs I witnessed a guy catch a permit at night there 4 years ago.


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## BassFlats (Nov 26, 2018)

Check out key west kayak fishing on YouTube. He did fish from land on several episodes.


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## OliverBrewton (Jul 8, 2021)

csnaspuck said:


> Second the recommendation at the end of the dock near Gallon. I was there last month and plenty of juvi tarpon at night under the dock light. If you can get your hands on some crabs I witnessed a guy catch a permit at night there 4 years ago.


Wow might have to try that I’ve been wanting to catch a permit for a long time now


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## Mark H (Nov 22, 2016)

Amazing the amount of fish you can catch from shore in the Keys. Out the window of a restaurant we watched my godson's LITTLE brother catch a small cuda with a rod and reel he dug out of the trash, a hook he found on the ground and some bait he scrabbled up somewhere. My very young son had something big blow up on a surface lure he was throwing in the marina while bored waiting on dad and and his buddy talking to the boat shop. Lure was gone and he had some big eyes.


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## James Anderson 11 (Nov 25, 2021)

If you don't have a boat for fishing, Key West has several productive locations for fishing from the shore including Mallory Square, The White Street Fishing Pier, and Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. Fishing is permitted on the west side of the park along the Key West Shipping Channel.


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