Duck Key Deep Sea Fishing Charters & Guides & Trips

155 captains within 25 miles of Duck Key, 7 of them in Duck Key itself, 94 running offshore. A half day is typically $775 for the whole boat. Call the captain directly — we take no bookings and charge no fee.

  • 155Captains within 25 miles
  • 94Deep sea boats
  • $550–$900Half day, typically

Contact details checked on each captain's own website

Charters & Guides in Duck Key

Call or visit a captain's website to ask about trips, dates and prices. If they're out on the water, leave a message.

155 charters and guides in Duck Key

Deep sea fishing in Duck Key

94 of the 155 charters in Duck Key list offshore trips on their own websites.

State or federal water

The Keys sit between both: state waters run 9 miles out on the Gulf side and 3 miles out on the Atlantic side; beyond that is federal water. Which side of that line you fish on can change the season and the limits.

Federally permitted boats

Aboard a charter with a federal Gulf reef fish permit, the federal season applies to red snapper, gag grouper and amberjack, even inside state waters. Ask whether the boat is federally permitted.

Where to find current Duck Key fishing reports

We don’t publish a daily report and we won’t reprint one. What’s biting this week comes from the boats — here is where the Duck Key fleet posts it.

On Instagram 5 Duck Key boats

Most captains put the day’s catch here, not on their website.

1 more Duck Key captains post there.

Handles and report pages come from each charter’s own website; every link goes to the captain and nothing of theirs is reproduced here. Boats are ordered by how established they are locally.

What a deep sea trip costs in Duck Key

The rates Duck Key charters and guides publish on their own websites, by trip length. These are the price of the whole boat, and a range across many boats rather than any one boat's rate. Read on 2026-10-01. Confirm with the captain when you call.

  • Half day (3-5 hours)$550 – $900 6 charters and guides publish a rate · middle of the range $775

What a trip costs moves with fuel prices, the size of the boat and how far out it runs, and a quiet Tuesday is not a holiday weekend. Nothing here is a booking; we take no fee and hold no rates.

Fishing trips in Duck Key by type

Counted from what each captain lists on their own website.

Inshore and bay fishing in Duck Key

60 charters list inshore trips, in the bays, back-waters and shallows closer to shore. Among them: SaltWalker Sportfishing Charters, Snapshot Charters, Always Enough SportFishing, Shallow Seakers, Epic Daze Sport Fishing Charters and 55 more.

Half-day and full-day fishing trips

34 charters list half-day trips and 45 list full-day trips. Trip lengths vary by boat, so ask the captain exactly how many hours are on the water.

Family fishing charters in Duck Key

54 charters mention kids or families on their websites. Ask the captain about life jackets in children's sizes and how long the trip runs.

When are you going?

Typical conditions for the month, from NOAA records.

Planning a trip to Duck Key

Check tides for your dates, see what each month is usually like and see the closest airports.

Tides on your fishing day

Choose a date to see high and low tide

NOAA tide predictions for Toms Harbor Channel, Hwy. 1 bridge.

Typical conditions by month

  • Warmest water: May to October
  • Fewest rainy days: April and March
  • Coolest water: January, around 72°F
  • Warmest air: July, highs near 89°F

Closest airports

With airline service

  • EYWKey West International 55 miles away
  • MIAMiami International 81 miles away

Local public airports

  • MTHThe Florida Keys Marathon International 9 miles away

Straight-line miles from the centre of Duck Key.

See the month-by-month averages
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Sunset5:56 PM6:18 PM7:33 PM7:46 PM8:01 PM8:14 PM8:15 PM7:58 PM7:28 PM6:57 PM5:36 PM5:37 PM
Water72°75°78°80°85°87°89°89°88°83°77°74°
Air (high)74°77°79°82°85°88°89°89°88°84°79°77°
Rainy days333247779733

Water temperature: NOAA Vaca Key, Florida Bay station (13 miles away), 2021-2025 averages. Air temperature and rainy days: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, DUCK KEY. A rainy day has 0.1 inch of rain or more. Tides: NOAA predictions for Toms Harbor Channel, Hwy. 1 bridge. Sunrise and sunset: Calculated for Duck Key, 15th of each month. Airports: FAA airport registry for public-use airports and their locations, FAA CY2024 passenger boardings for which have airline service, town centre from the Census 2024 gazetteer, Duck Key CDP.

Questions about fishing charters and guides in Duck Key

How much does it cost to go deep sea fishing in Duck Key?

6 Duck Key charters publish a half day rate on their own site, and they run $550 to $900 for the whole boat, with the middle of the range at $775. That is the boat for the day, not a price per person — split between six anglers a $775 trip is about $130 each. Shorter trips cost less; ask the captain, because fewer of them publish those rates.

What happens if it is too windy to go offshore?

Often the trip just moves inshore rather than being called off — 43 of the 155 boats here run both, so a blown-out morning can become a back-country or bay trip. Ask what the captain does with weather, and what the cancellation terms are.

Back-country or offshore — which trip should I book in Duck Key?

They are different days on different water. 51 charters here list offshore only, 17 list inshore only, and 43 list both. Offshore means a longer run and bigger fish; inshore means calmer water, shorter runs and sight-fishing. The month-by-month table above shows which fish the fleet says are around when you are coming.

What should I bring on a Duck Key charter?

Sun protection and your own food and drink. Drinks, food, snacks and cooler come up most often on Duck Key charter sites. As Right on Charters puts it: “Please bring any drinks and food you might like.”

How many people can come along in Duck Key?

Six is the usual limit on a private boat here, though plenty take three and two — it is set by the captain's licence and the boat, not by how many will fit. As Gotcha Sportfishing puts it: “The spacious salon and cockpit of the Gotcha can easily accommodate 6 anglers safely and comfortably for a truly fun and memorable fishing experience.”

Are there family-friendly fishing charters in Duck Key?

54 charters in Duck Key mention kids or families on their websites. Ask the captain about children's life jackets, trip length and whether there's a restroom on board.

How do I book a charter or guide in Duck Key?

Call the captain or use their website. CharterFishingBoat doesn't take bookings or payments, and there's no fee to use the directory.

What should I ask the captain?

Ask what the trip includes, how long it lasts, how many people can come, what you're likely to catch that time of year, and the cancellation policy if the weather turns.

Where do state waters end off Duck Key?

The Keys sit between both: state waters run 9 miles out on the Gulf side and 3 miles out on the Atlantic side; beyond that is federal water. Federal seasons and limits apply beyond it, and for some fish they also apply to federally permitted charter boats inside state waters.

When is the water warmest near Duck Key?

May through October, when the nearest NOAA station averages 83–89°F. It's coolest in January, around 72°F.

What airports are closest to Duck Key?

The closest airports with airline service are Key West International (EYW), 55 miles away and Miami International (MIA), 81 miles away. Local public airports nearby: The Florida Keys Marathon International (MTH), 9 miles away. Distances are straight-line miles from the centre of town.

How many fishing charters and guides are in Duck Key?

This page lists 155 fishing charters and guides in Duck Key, Florida, each with a phone number and website checked on the captain's own site.

Fish you can catch out of Duck Key

Counted from what each captain lists on their own website — the number is how many Duck Key captains name that fish.

Tarpon86Sailfish85Mahi-Mahi78Wahoo70King Mackerel66Shark58Barracuda57Mangrove Snapper54Snook54Mutton Snapper53Yellowtail Snapper53Grouper52Amberjack52Redfish52Cobia50Bonefish46Permit43Swordfish42Speckled Trout41Blackfin Tuna40Tuna36Pompano35Snapper31Spanish Mackerel26Black Grouper24Goliath Grouper23Jack Crevalle20Tripletail20Marlin19Blacktip Shark19Tilefish17Bull Shark16Cero Mackerel16Blue Marlin16Porgy15Skipjack Tuna15Lemon Shark15Snowy Grouper15Red Grouper15Nurse Shark14Hogfish14Hammerhead Shark13Gag Grouper13Black Drum13Ladyfish11White Marlin10Lane Snapper10Sheepshead8Tiger Shark7Red Snapper7Yellowedge Grouper7Bonnethead Shark6Bonito5Bluefish5Yellowfin Tuna5Catfish5Yellowtail4Cubera Snapper4Blue Runner4Largemouth Bass4Silk Snapper4Yellow Jack4Vermilion Snapper4Crappie4Bluegill3Grunt3Spinner Shark3Rainbow Runner3Schoolmaster Snapper3Flounder3Lionfish2Atlantic Sharpnose Shark2Warsaw Grouper2Gray Triggerfish2Carp2Bluefin Tuna2Mako Shark1Nassau Grouper1Dog Snapper1Scamp1Blacknose Shark1Shad1Flier1Peacock Bass1Great Barracuda1Reef Shark1Speckled Hind1Striped Bass1

Charters & Guides near Duck Key

Conch Key160Key Colony Beach94Layton177Marathon92Islamorada155Tavernier146

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