Biscayne Bay
Virginia Key · Key Biscayne
SE Florida, USA
Open live forecast →Target species: Bonefish and Permit.
Weekly AI Outlook as of 06/05/26
Prime early-season bonefishing window with stable conditions and manageable winds through mid-week. Morning incoming tides are producing excellent tailing activity on the sandy flats north of Rickenbacker. With water temps holding in the low 80s and winds backing off from 17mph to 13mph by weekend, focus on first light through 10am before afternoon heat shuts down the flats. Gotcha and Crazy Charlie patterns in tan/pink remain go-to choices for cruising bones.
- Tide: Morning incoming tides from first light to 10am — prime tailing window on clear sand flats before afternoon heat
- Targets: Bonefish active on northern flats, snook excellent in Card Sound mangroves — solid backup when winds pick up
- Water Temp: Low 80s — perfect for active feeding but afternoon heat will shut down flats fishing after 10am
- Best Window: First light through 10am only — daily afternoon thunderstorms and heat make evening fishing tough
Generated weekly from live USGS gauge readings, weather forecasts, and recent fly shop reports. Updates Friday mornings.
About this Water
- Coastal Flats
- Best months: Oct–May (cool season best); tarpon June–Aug
Biscayne Bay's shallow grass flats just south of Miami offer surprisingly world-class saltwater fly fishing — bonefish, permit, and snook in a setting that feels impossibly remote given the urban skyline visible to the north. The bay's southern reaches near Biscayne National Park are gin-clear and largely undeveloped, providing extensive flats that rival the Keys for bonefish density and permit opportunity in certain seasons.
Biscayne Bay offers one of the only urban permit fisheries in North America — anglers regularly sight-fish to permit on shallow grass flats within view of the Miami skyline.
January Outlook
January is excellent for bonefish and permit on Biscayne Bay's protected flats. Cool water concentrates fish in predictable spots. Some of the most accessible winter bonefishing in the US — 30 minutes from downtown Miami.
Productive Patterns
- Crazy Charlie
- Bonefish Scampi
- EP Spawning Shrimp
- Del Brown Permit Fly
Tips
Fish the shallow north bay flats near the Rickenbacker Causeway for wade-accessible bonefish. The interior mud flats are excellent for permit. Hire a guide for first-time visitors to learn the bay's geography.
Water Notes
Water 68-73°F. Cold fronts push fish briefly. Between fronts the bay shines.
February Outlook
February is one of the finest months at Biscayne Bay. Cold fronts arrive periodically but the fishing between systems is excellent. Bonefish are concentrated and highly visible on the clear flats. Permit are regularly seen on the hard-bottom and sand areas near the shipping channel edges. The post-front blue sky days produce extraordinary clarity.
Productive Patterns
- Gotcha (small)
- Crazy Charlie (#6)
- Merkin Crab (permit)
- EP Spawning Shrimp
Tips
Plan your trip around the weather windows. The period 24-48 hours after a cold front passes — when the sky is brilliant blue and the wind is moderate northwest — is often the best bonefish sighting day of the year on the north bay flats. Bonefish are easy to see in cold, clear February water.
Water Notes
Water 66-72°F. Cold fronts every 7-10 days. Excellent clarity between fronts. One of the finest months for sight fishing.
March Outlook
March marks the beginning of peak season at Biscayne Bay. Bonefish are moving increasingly shallow as water temps climb. Permit appear in greater numbers on the sandy flats east of the bay. The first tarpon of spring sometimes appear in the channel edges in late March. One of the finest months to visit for all-around flats fishing.
Productive Patterns
- Spawning Shrimp (#4)
- Merkin Crab (#4, permit)
- Gotcha (tan)
- Crazy Charlie (pink/white)
Tips
March morning tides on the north Biscayne flats are outstanding. Fish the incoming tide on the shallow grass edges north of the card sound bridge. The Atlantic side (Biscayne National Park) offers remote, less-pressured fishing with larger fish.
Water Notes
Water 70-76°F. Spring trade winds establishing. Excellent water clarity. Bonefish increasingly active. Permit on sandy Atlantic-side flats.
April Outlook
April is prime season with tarpon appearing in the channels and bonefish everywhere. Permit school on the outer sand flats. The Biscayne grand slam is achievable in April.
Productive Patterns
- Tarpon Toad
- Merkin Crab
- Gotcha
- Black Death (tarpon)
Tips
Daytime tarpon are rolling in Hawk Channel. Permit are on the exposed Atlantic flats. Hire a guide who knows the current movement of fish in the bay.
Water Notes
Water 76-82°F. Southeast breezes ideal. Morning windows are best.
May Outlook
May is excellent with tarpon at peak numbers and bonefish feeding aggressively before the summer heat. Permit are on the Atlantic flats. The fishing is spring-quality with slightly less pressure than April. Summer heat is arriving but the bay fishes well all day through mid-May.
Productive Patterns
- Tarpon Toad (large)
- Merkin Crab
- Gotcha (tan/pink)
- Del Brown Permit Fly
Tips
May tarpon can form large schools in Hawk Channel and the deep basin near the flats. Permit on the Biscayne National Park flats are less pressured than the Key Largo side. Evening bonefish feeding on the tidal flats can be exceptional in May.
Water Notes
Water 78-82°F. Late spring warmth. Tarpon in peak migration. Morning fishing excellent; all-day possible in early May.
June Outlook
June brings summer conditions to Biscayne Bay — heat, afternoon thunderstorms, and the shift to early-morning-only fishing. Bonefish are resident year-round and remain active on the bay flats. Tarpon have mostly moved north but a few resident fish stay in the deep basins. Snook are excellent in the mangrove edges of the upper bay and card sound. Morning low tides exposing the sandy flats produce tailing bonefish.
Productive Patterns
- Gotcha (#4-6)
- Crazy Charlie (tan/pink)
- Spawning Shrimp (small)
- Snook Clouser (mangroves)
Tips
Fish the incoming morning tide from first light to 10am. Bonefish are active on the clear sand flats north of the Rickenbacker in the early morning. Snook in the mangrove edges of card sound and south Biscayne are excellent in June — a fun alternative when winds or heat limit flat fishing. Evening fishing for snook on lights is productive.
Water Notes
Water 82-85°F. Daily afternoon thunderstorms. Morning-only fishing for bonefish. Snook excellent in mangroves. Some days remain calm all day.
July Outlook
July is the quietest flats month on Biscayne Bay — hot, rainy, and slow midday. But it's not without quality fishing. The resident bonefish population is year-round and the morning sessions can be excellent. The deeper grass flats of the southern bay hold large permit in summer. Snook are exceptionally active in the upper bay mangroves and around bridges at night. Wade-fishing the north bay at dawn for bonefish is a Miami summer ritual for locals.
Productive Patterns
- Gotcha (small)
- Crazy Charlie (#6-8)
- Merkin Crab (permit, deeper flats)
- Snook Deceiver (bridges/mangroves)
Tips
July dawn wading on the North Bay sand flats can be exceptional — bonefish are tailing on the dropping tide as the water cools slightly overnight. The drive from South Beach to the north Biscayne flats at 5am is the summer ritual of serious Miami anglers. Stay out of the sun after 9am.
Water Notes
Water 84-87°F. Summer peak. Morning only for bonefish. Snook excellent at night around dock lights. Afternoon storms daily.
August Outlook
August is the dog days on Biscayne Bay but the bonefish remain. The north bay wade-fishing at sunrise continues to produce. Larger fish concentrate in slightly deeper water midday. Some of Miami's most dedicated fly anglers prize the solitude of August mornings on the flats — no boat pressure, no guides, just wading in the first light for tailing bonefish on the sand. Snook and tarpon are active at night.
Productive Patterns
- Gotcha (tan, #6)
- Crazy Charlie (small)
- EP Spawning Shrimp
- Tarpon Toad (night tarpon)
Tips
The wade-accessible flats of the North Biscayne Bay near the Rickenbacker Causeway are the key August destination. Arrive before sunrise. Bonefish tail actively on the dropping morning tide. The heat by 9am ends the quality fishing. Night fishing with tarpon patterns around the Julia Tuttle Causeway lights is an August tradition.
Water Notes
Water 85-88°F. Peak summer. Pre-dawn to 9am fishing window. Hurricane season — monitor forecasts. Best light fishing of the year for snook.
September Outlook
September is a transitional month on Biscayne Bay — still hot and stormy early in the month, but noticeably improving toward month end. The bonefish fishing picks up in pace as water temps begin their fall decline. The first seasonal permit return to the Atlantic flats. Hurricane risk is at its peak in September — plan flexibly. By late September the all-day fishing window begins to open again.
Productive Patterns
- Gotcha (tan/pink)
- Merkin Crab (returning permit)
- Crazy Charlie
- Spawning Shrimp (#4-6)
Tips
A September Biscayne trip is best in the last ten days of the month. The transition from summer is tangible — bonefish schools are larger and more active, and the first permit of fall begin reappearing on the outer sand flats. Fish the October-style morning incoming tide but enjoy it extending through midday as temps ease.
Water Notes
Water 82-85°F and cooling. Hurricane season peaks mid-September. Conditions improving noticeably by month end. Good fishing windows increasing.
October Outlook
October brings fall bonefishing to Biscayne Bay. Cooler water improves fish activity and clarity. This is one of the best months for large bonefish on the bay's skinny flats.
Productive Patterns
- Gotcha
- Bonefish Scampi
- Crazy Charlie
- EP Bonefish Fly
Tips
October bonefish on the skinny white sand flats are in prime condition. Less wind than winter months. The flats around Elliott Key produce excellent fish.
Water Notes
Water 78-84°F. Excellent clarity. Fall bonefishing peak. Permit still present.
November Outlook
November continues excellent bonefish and permit fishing as temperatures drop. More permit activity on the bay's deeper grass edges. Tarpon are in channels and deep basins.
Productive Patterns
- Crazy Charlie
- Merkin Crab
- Bonefish Scampi
- EP Crab
Tips
November is arguably the best all-around month for Biscayne Bay. Comfortable temperatures, active fish, and no summer crowds. Both permit and bonefish are excellent.
Water Notes
Water 74-80°F. Northeast fronts begin but are short-lived. Excellent between fronts.
December Outlook
December fishing on Biscayne Bay rewards persistence between cold fronts. The days immediately after a front clears can produce extraordinary fishing as fish emerge to feed aggressively.
Productive Patterns
- Merkin Crab
- Crazy Charlie
- EP Shrimp
- Gotcha
Tips
Post-front blue bird days are magical on the bay. Be ready to move quickly when conditions improve. The north flats warm fastest after a cold front.
Water Notes
Water 68-74°F. Cold fronts every 1-2 weeks. Plan around the weather for best results.
Access & Approach
Homestead, FL and Black Point Marina are primary access points. Biscayne National Park boat tours provide access. Kayak fishing the flats is popular and productive. Florida saltwater license required.
Nearby Fly Shops
- Bonefish on the Brain
Regulations & License
Fishing in Florida requires a current license. Always verify season dates, bag limits, and any special-regulation waters before you fish.
Florida fishing regulations & license →
Nearby Waters
Closest Waters
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About Current
Biscayne Bay conditions on Current combine real-time flow data (USGS, WSC, CDEC, CEHQ), weather, tide predictions, hatch probabilities calibrated to this specific water, and recent fly shop reports from the area.
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