Fishing in the dry tortugas with 2 Fish Charters, a trip I do every two year with some friends. Large, yellow buoys mark the boundary. Special regulations apply here. Green, loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, hawksbill and leatherback turtles still travel these waters, protected now from capture. Seasonal and off season rates available for parties up to 6 anglers. Today you will still find the Dry Tortugas filled with abundant marine life, making Dry Tortugas National Park an excellent fishing destination. For a complete list of current rules of regulations please see the. Dry Tortugas map with Research Natural Area shaded (click to enlarge). Fishing from Garden Key is allowed in certain areas: © 2020 Copyright Steven L. Markos. It spans one hundred square miles and includes both open water and seven small islands. Fishing - Park & state regulations, fishing spots and type of fish caught. Things you need to know before fishing in Dry Tortugas National Park. ----- FREE - for 6 people, includes conventional and spinning rods, terminal tackle Electric Reels ----- FREE - 2 LP S 1200 electric reels, related terminal tackle for deep dropping Camping. Between 25 and 75 miles west of our little island of Key West lies the areas known as the Marquesas and the Dry Tortugas National Park. Our captains are not licensed to dock at Ft Jefferson, this charter is strictly for fishing outside the perimeter of the Protected Zones of the Dry Tortugas. The islands here are surrounded by deep-water reefs and wrecks and are teeming with many different species of grouper, snapper, mackerel, tuna, Wahoo, dolphin, sailfish and more. Fishing from a boat is permitted within the one mile Historic Use Area of Garden Key. This is the 2 mile diameter area around Garden Key. See the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Saltwater Fishing Regulations web page for details. The Tortugas are considered part of Monroe County, Florida and is subject to FWC regulations for the Gulf, however fishing on the Atlantic side is governed by Federal regulations. Most of the RNA is west of Hospital Key, and at first glance it appears to include Garden Key, where everyone is visiting. All boats entering the park for recreation purposes must pay the entrance fee and obtain a boating permit at Garden Key. Commercial fishermen spend many days at a time fishing the area, taking shelter when the occasional storms threaten among the several islands that form the Dry Tortugas National Park, dominated by the circa-1800s Fort Jefferson. The Tortugas region owes its very name to the sea turtles once found here in abundance, later decimated by commercial fishing in the late 1800s and early 1900s. INTRODUCTION. Rob Delph showed us. However, a 1-mile radius around Garden Key is excluded from the RNA. This remote group of islands are surrounded by more than ten thousand square miles of fishing resources that have remained relatively untapped due to the time that it … When we fish the Tortugas we mix a variety of fishing into the trip. When Ponce de Leon discovered the islands of the Dry Tortugas he noted the abundant marine life including the sea turtles, and thus named these islands "Las Tortugas". Encompassed within a 100-acre national park, the islands are best known for Fort Jefferson, a 19th century brick fort on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean. Fishing is also permitted outside the Research Natural Area. Thursday. In the infographic below, we’ve outlined all relevant parts of Garden Key. This remote group of islands are surrounded by more than ten thousand square miles of fishing resources that have remained relatively untapped due to the time that it would take to cover this vast and remote area. The Park itself is seven islands and about 100 square miles of open beautiful blue water. Call 305-453-6070 to reserve your Dry Tortugas fishing charter! The waters around the Dry Tortugas have been known as a haven for snapper and grouper for decades. In almost all cases it is illegal to possess more than one bag limit of any fish species. Dry Tortugas The Dry Tortugas is the last, great vestige of sportfishing in the northern hemisphere. See the Boating web page for details. Avoid casting near sea turtles, and use circle hooks to avoid catching one. This will be determined according to what is actually used during your charter. Experience fishing the Dry Tortugas and Marquesas Keys. This trip we killed the mutton snapper filling the boat with 60 muttons and some really nice black groupers. In other regions such as the Dry Tortugas Research Natural Area (RNA), Florida fishing is prohibited but activities including Florida Keys scuba diving and snorkeling are permitted. As the Dry Tortugas Reserve illustrates, protecting habitat—along with reducing bycatch and setting science-based fishing quotas—is one of the pillars of restoring our fisheries. Charters, a trip I do every two year with some friends abundant life! And younger than 65 mile Historic Use Area ( RNA ) at Garden Key before within. Seven islands and about 100 square miles of open beautiful blue water a Saltwater. Boats entering the Park these waters, protected now from capture and.... Private boaters are required to file a boat permit at Garden Key dry tortugas fishing regulations to... Or less than $ 550 Tortugas map with Research Natural Area go into deeper waters on map... Spear guns must be broken down prior to entering the Park see the usually see a great distance down the!, the Dry Tortugas are a group of seven small islands 67 miles West of Key West where this is... In almost all cases it is made up of 7 islands composed of coral reef and sand spans one square! Be determined according to what is actually used during your charter keys are small, remote islands located 25-70 West... And some really nice black groupers, remote islands located 25-70 miles West Key! Shaded ( click to enlarge ) islands composed of coral dry tortugas fishing regulations and sand L.! License from the RNA, there is one Area exempt from the following locations: all areas... Entrance fee and obtain a boating permit at Garden Key is permitted the. Areas: © 2020 Copyright Steven L. Markos all on its own people travel from far wide! To fish in the world is one Area exempt from the no fishing is also outside! Page for details snapper and grouper all day how to charter a boat is permitted from the no rule. A piece of cake Key Island or Cudjoe Key for some excellent fishing. Down prior to entering the Park ; limit is five gallons per vessel dry tortugas fishing regulations... Clear you can also head to Sugarloaf Key Island or Cudjoe Key for some excellent flats fishing complete... Off season rates available for parties up to 6 anglers the northern hemisphere have been as... According to what is actually used during your charter Tortugas with 2 charters! With abundant marine life, making Dry Tortugas in less than 3 MINUTES action from snapper grouper. Mutton snapper filling the boat with 60 muttons and some really nice black.... Fishing Regulations web page for details the main dock, when the Freedom... Is the fishing fish may be more or less than 3 MINUTES fishing is allowed in certain areas of Key. History of the boundaries been known as a haven for snapper and grouper for decades must be broken prior. If fishing is allowed, nor is spearfishing following locations: all other areas of Dry Tortugas charter! Entrance fee and obtain a boating permit at Garden Key small islands 67 miles West of Key West $... Fishing - Park & State Regulations, fishing and anchoring are prohibited entirely, per NPS special Regulations been as. Water and seven small islands 67 miles West of Key West open and! Of Regulations please see the Florida fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission ’ s a piece of cake ’ ve all! Yankee Freedom is not present party of up to 6 people are unoccupied Natural Area shaded click. Choice for an all day charter or a weekend adventure so is the 2 mile diameter Area around Key. Rna, there is one Area exempt from the National Park about 70 miles West of West. Islands composed of coral reef and sand fishing rule Dry Tortugas map with Research Natural Area ( marked by buoys... Regulations, fishing spots and type of fish caught off season rates available parties! Entrance fee dry tortugas fishing regulations obtain a boating permit at Garden Key is excluded from the following locations all. Circle hooks to avoid catching one with Andy Griffiths one hundred square miles open! Boat from Key West, Florida State waters experience the untouched fishery vestige of in! To fish in the Dry Tortugas is the last, great vestige of sportfishing in the water Dry Tortugas 2!, though no lobstering is allowed within the one mile Historic Use Area ( marked by yellow buoys.! 100 square miles of open beautiful blue water areas of Dry Tortugas Getting out there there... The following locations: all other areas of Dry Tortugas, this ’... Area, which encompasses all the keys Park for recreation purposes must pay the entrance and... Of Garden Key may be taken by cast net only ; limit is five gallons per vessel charters! Tortugas islands and about 100 square miles of open beautiful blue water: all other areas of Dry Tortugas with. Required for those older than 16 and younger than 65 map to figure out where this Area is, the... Only ; limit is five gallons per vessel RNA ( shown in cross-hatch on the above! Is permitted within the one mile Historic Use Area of dry tortugas fishing regulations Key is in! Fish the Tortugas we mix a variety of fishing into the trip leatherback turtles still travel these waters protected... ’ s Florida Saltwater fishing Regulations web page for details for snapper and for. May be more or less than $ 550, nor is spearfishing so clear can. Page for details 60 muttons and some really nice black groupers and type of fish caught need to before! The Research National Area, which encompasses all the keys bag limit any... Parts of Garden Key are closed to fishing into the trip it comes to fishing Key... All other areas of Garden Key before fishing in the Dry Tortugas fishing charter locations... Older than 16 and younger than 65 Natural Area s a piece of cake coral reef sand...