May 25, 2026
Islamorada Deep Sea Fishing — May 2026 Mahi & Tournament
It’s late May in Islamorada. The water’s sitting around 83°F, the Gulf Stream is pushing in from the southeast, and the mahi are starting to show in numbers we haven’t seen since 2015. The Skippers Dolphin Tournament fires off this weekend, DirtyBoat 2.0 is getting new motors, and a federal judge just dropped a bomb on red snapper season that has everyone in the fleet paying attention.
Quick answer on conditions: Deep sea fishing in Islamorada means running 5 to 30 miles offshore from Robbie’s Marina, targeting reef edges, the Islamorada Hump, and weed lines along the Gulf Stream. Right now the program is: hit the reef for yellowtail snapper first, then push offshore to find the mahi. A full-day charter runs around $2,200 private (plus a $200 fuel surcharge) or $475 per person on a split ($50/seat fuel). And yes — June is prime time.
What’s Biting in Islamorada Right Now
Mahi-Mahi — Hit or Miss, But the Bulls Are Here
Mahi season has been building slowly. LOTS of sargassum this spring — more than I’ve seen in a few years — and where you find grass, you find dolphin. The schoolie bite hasn’t blown up yet (that’s coming late May into June), but the early fish are bigger. Always are. The bulls push ahead of the packs.
CaribSea put a big bull in the box last week. Coral Sea matched it with another. Jon Reynolds on DropBack told me he found the best school of mahi he’d seen since 2015 — every boat in the area limiting out, big fish stacked under every weed mat they could find.
Where we’re finding them: Weed lines and floating debris in 600 to 1,200 feet of water, running out of Robbie’s toward the Hump and beyond. Look for birds working, look for grass, look for current edges.
Tackle: 20-30lb class spinning or conventional. Ballyhoo and islander lures. The fish aren’t picky when they’re eating.
Yellowtail Snapper — The Consistent Bite
If you want to leave the dock knowing you’ll come back with dinner, this is the play.
The reef bite has been excellent. Yellowtail snapper are stacked in 90+ feet of water — surprising depth for this time of year, but the water’s been crystal clear and pushing them deeper. Chum blocks and light tackle. Half-day trips are perfect for this.
Some trips, we’re catching the reef fish first, icing down a box of yellowtail for dinner, then heading offshore to chase the mahi. Best of both worlds.
Blackfin Tuna & Wahoo — In the Mix
The humps are producing blackfin tuna on the early morning troll. Wahoo are in the mix too, especially along the deeper edges. Nothing wide-open yet, but the pieces are there for a banner summer if the current sets up right.
Where We’re Fishing
We leave from Robbie’s Marina at MM 77.5 on the Overseas Highway. Head out the channel, hang a left past the reef, and it opens up fast.
The Reef (90-200 ft): Yellowtail, mutton snapper, grouper. 20 minutes from the dock. Perfect for half-day trips.
The Hump (600-900 ft): Drop-off southeast of Islamorada. Current breaks hold blackfin tuna, mahi, and wahoo. The backbone of offshore fishing here.
The Edge (1,000-1,800 ft): Gulf Stream edge. Swordfish territory — daytime deep-drops with electric reels in 1,500+ feet, available on request. Also where the big mahi ride the weed lines on the surface.
The Red Snapper Ruling
This one’s big and it’s happening right now.
On May 21, a federal judge in D.C. granted a preliminary injunction that shut down the Exempted Fishing Permits authorizing the 2026 South Atlantic recreational red snapper season — hours before Florida’s season was set to open for Memorial Day weekend.
NOAA Fisheries confirmed no recreational red snapper harvest in federal waters off Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, or North Carolina until further order from the court.
Florida was supposed to have a 39-day season — the longest in recent memory. Governor DeSantis pushed for it. The FWC called the judge “rogue” and posted a picture of a red snapper that said “Come and take it.” The Southeastern Fisheries Association filed the suit to stop the EFPs, arguing the science didn’t support the expanded harvest.
What matters to Islamorada anglers: We don’t catch a lot of red snapper down here — our reef structure favors yellowtail and mutton. But how this plays out sets a precedent for every fishery management decision in the South Atlantic moving forward. At S.A.F.E., we’re paying close attention. This red snapper situation is a symptom of a broken system. It might be time for serious reform in how the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council sets seasons and allocates quota between recreational and commercial sectors.
Skippers 12th Annual Dolphin Tournament — This Weekend
The Skippers Dolphin Tournament runs Friday May 29 through Sunday May 31 — Memorial Day weekend. $300 entry per angler ($375 late registration), headquartered at Skippers Dockside. This is the 12th year and the payout draws serious boats from up and down the Keys.
We’ll be on the water. DirtyBoat 2.0 is getting her new motors installed as we speak — she’s due back in the next few days, and we expect to be fishing by the end of the month. If the timing works, we’ll be running lines in the tournament. If not, we’ll be on Miss Penny putting blood on the deck either way.
The weather finally looks like it’s going to cooperate. We’ve been hammered with wind for weeks, but the models are showing it laying down just in time. That’s the difference between a good tournament and a great one.
What’s Coming Next
The IFC Captain’s Cup Dolphin Tournament follows on June 24-25. That gives us a full month of prime mahi fishing between Skippers and the Cup. If the weed lines keep building and the current holds, this could shape up to be the best summer mahi run in a decade.
Book your trip now if you want a shot at tournament week fishing. Split seats from $475 (+ $50/seat fuel surcharge). Full-day private charters from $2,200 (+ $200 fuel surcharge). Call or text 305-209-5594, book online, or meet Captain Kit.
Tight lines. See you on the water.
Quick Questions
How much is a deep sea fishing charter in Islamorada? A full-day private charter on DirtyBoat 2.0 runs $2,200 plus a $200 fuel surcharge, or $475 per person (plus $50/seat fuel) on a split-boat trip. See full rates and schedule.
What’s biting in Islamorada right now? Mahi-mahi on the offshore weed lines, yellowtail snapper stacked on the reef in 90+ feet of water, and blackfin tuna and wahoo on the deeper humps and edges.
When is mahi season in Islamorada? The mahi run builds through late May and peaks from June into the summer. The early-season fish are fewer but bigger — the bull dolphin show ahead of the schools.
Where do your charters leave from? Robbie’s Marina at MM 77.5 on the Overseas Highway in Islamorada, Florida.
When is the 2026 Skippers Dolphin Tournament? Friday, May 29 through Sunday, May 31, 2026 (Memorial Day weekend), headquartered at Skippers Dockside. Entry is $300 per angler, or $375 for late registration.