When is kingfish season in the Florida Keys?
October to March: the Keys tourism council grades kingfish Peak from October through March and Lower from May to August. Key West captains free-line or troll near the reef and fish the Gulf wrecks. Monroe County’s limit is three per person at 24 inches to the fork.
What kingfish are
Kingfish, or king mackerel, are fast-growing schooling fish. NOAA says they reach 5.5 feet and 100 pounds and live more than 20 years, feeding on fish, squid and shrimp in water 115 to almost 600 feet deep. FWC says they migrate from south Florida in winter northward in spring, and the Florida state record, 90 pounds, was caught near Key West.
NOAA reports the South Atlantic stock is not overfished, after regulation since 1983 restored it. It calls the flavour rich and pronounced; the FDA lists king mackerel among the highest-mercury fish, a “choice to avoid”, particularly for pregnant women and children.
When kingfish run in the Keys
The Keys tourism council grades kingfish Peak in January, February, March, October, November and December, Good in April and September, and Lower in May, June, July and August.
NOAA says king mackerel gather in a winter mixing zone south of the Keys from November. Laid Back Key West sees them on the reef edges and Gulf wrecks roughly November through March, biggest in January and February; Key West Fishing Deals’ captains talk of kingfish stacking on a wreck around the November full moon.
How Key West captains fish for kingfish
Named by Blind Squirrel, Charter Boat Linda D, Eva Marie, Florida Straits, Gulfstream, Key West Fishing Deals, Laid Back and Wrecked on their own websites or booking pages.
- Florida Straits Sportfishing free-lines or trolls near the reef when they move through, and kite-fishes them too.
- Blind Squirrel fishes spinning tackle for kingfish and cobia on its Gulf wreck trips.
- Wrecked Charters lists kingfish among its reef species.
Can you keep kingfish?
Monroe County gets the Gulf-group limit of three; elsewhere on Florida’s Atlantic coast it is two.
Every limit for every common Keys fish is on what fish you can keep.
| Rule | FWC, Keys state waters |
|---|---|
| Minimum size | 24 in FL |
| Bag limit | 3 per person in Monroe County |
| Season | Open all year |
| Source | FWC: Kingfish (king mackerel) |
Which trip to book for kingfish
A winter reef or wreck trip, or an offshore trip; even a half day can reach the reef edge. Private half days ran $650–$1,199 per boat in the October 2026 scan. See reef fishing and deep-sea fishing.
Read for this page on 6 October 2026: FWC: king mackerel profile ; NOAA Fisheries: king mackerel ; FDA: advice about eating fish .
Check it at the source
- FWC — Recreational saltwater fishing regulations Current state size limits, bag limits and seasons, species by species. Link checked 6 September 2026
- South Atlantic Fishery Management Council Federal management for snapper, grouper and reef species on the Atlantic side. Link checked 6 September 2026
Kingfish: questions
How many kingfish can you keep in the Keys?
Three per person per day in Monroe County, at least 24 inches to the fork, per FWC. The Atlantic coast north of the Keys allows two.
When do kingfish run in Key West?
In the cooler months. The Keys tourism council grades kingfish Peak from October to March, and Laid Back Key West says the biggest show up in January and February on the reef edges and Gulf wrecks.
Is kingfish safe to eat?
NOAA calls it rich and pronounced in flavour, but the FDA lists king mackerel among the highest-mercury fish and advises avoiding it, especially for pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children.
Next step
Looking for fishing trips in the Florida Keys?
Fishing Trips Florida Keys is an independent guide — no boats, no bookings, nothing to sell. It exists so you can ask better questions before you hand an operator a deposit.
Fishing Trips Florida Keys takes no bookings and earns nothing from a click. You book with the operator directly.