Marathon fishing charters: bridges, reef and how to choose

How Marathon fishing is laid out

Marathon runs from about MM 47 at the Seven Mile Bridge to about MM 60, with Key Colony Beach and Duck Key at its east end. There is no single charter row. Captains work from Boot Key Harbor and the ocean-side marinas, from Gulf-side docks along the Overseas Highway, from the Key Colony Beach causeway and from the Duck Key resort marina, so the dock shapes your morning as much as the boat does.

The water splits three ways. Bridge and channel trips fish the moving water around the Seven Mile Bridge and the other Middle Keys bridges. Reef, wreck and offshore trips run out on the Atlantic side. Backcountry and flats trips work the shallower Gulf and Florida Bay side. Many Marathon captains list more than one of these, and the plan on the day follows wind, tide and season.

Nothing here is ranked. Operators appear because they have a live directory listing that points to their own source, and they are grouped by the kind of trip they describe, not by preference. We do not sell placement. A Verified source label means the listing's source was checked, not a paid rank.

Private boat, party-boat seat or a shared trip

A private charter gives your group the whole boat and the captain's plan for the day, and it is the usual Marathon format. A party boat, also called a head boat, sells individual places on a larger boat, so you fish at the rail alongside other anglers while the crew helps. A shared or split charter puts a few unrelated anglers on one smaller boat. Ask whether a captain ever combines small parties; don't assume a shared seat exists.

Marathon Lady is a walk-on party boat for reef fishing at 11711 Overseas Highway. Its trips follow a seasonal schedule posted on its own site, so check which trips are running the week you travel. A seat sold by the person is the usual choice for a solo angler or a couple. For how party boats and split charters work farther south, see Key West fishing charters: how to choose.

Private fleets cover the rest. Two Conchs Sportfishing — Marathon lists several boats and captains, with offshore, reef, wreck, bridge and backcountry trips plus multi-day packages with lodging. Main Attraction is a multi-boat sportfishing fleet at Marathon Sailfish Marina, 100 Avenue I, listing reef, wreck, offshore and tarpon trips. Sea Dog Charters at 1248 Overseas Highway lists reef and wreck, backcountry, shark and tarpon fishing. Florida Keys Reel Adventures runs private fishing, snorkel and lobster trips from Captain Hook's Marina & Dive Center. It is a separate business from the Hook's dive shop, which lists its own fishing charters, boat rentals and fuel dock.

Other private boats work from their own docks. Sweet E'Nuf Charters at 110 Coco Plum Drive lists reef, wreck, offshore and hump fishing, plus half-day tarpon trips and swordfish trips, with gear and bait provided. Outbound Charters, run by Captain Charles Turner for up to six guests, lists 13205 Overseas Highway and offshore, reef and wreck trips, tarpon and night lobster trips in season, and sandbar days. Big Game Sportfishing runs deep-sea charters for mahi, sailfish, swordfish, tarpon and grouper with Captain Ariel Medero from the Hammocks at Marathon resort, 1688 Overseas Highway.

Bridge tarpon: Seven Mile and Long Key

Tarpon are the fish most people mean when they talk about Marathon's bridges. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says in its Florida Keys boating and angling guide that tarpon are found mostly inshore near bridges, pilings, rock walls, harbors and other structure, and on flats. FWC's Monroe County fishing calendar lists tarpon as a spring to early summer fish. A Florida Keys tracking study by researchers from UMass Amherst, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and FWC found that most adult tarpon arrived in April, were most likely to be present in May and left in June, and were least likely to be present between August and October. Treat that as a pattern, not a promise for your dates, and ask the captain what the fish are doing that week.

Tarpon is a catch-and-release fishery in Florida. FWC says a tarpon over 40 inches must stay in the water unless the angler holds a tarpon tag for a state or world record, gear is hook and line only, and it recommends single-hook rigs and non-offset circle hooks with bait. FWC also recommends against fishing for tarpon from bridges or piers: a large fish has to stay in the water, so an angler on a bridge would have to cut the line and leave it trailing behind the fish. If bridge tarpon is the goal, book a boat trip and ask the captain how they fish the bridges.

Several Marathon boats list tarpon trips, including Sea Dog Charters, Main Attraction, Sweet E'Nuf, Outbound and Big Game, and Two Conchs lists bridge fishing. On Key Colony Beach, Ben O'Fishal Sportfishing lists seasonal tarpon trips. Ask how the captain handles a big fish and what happens if sharks show up. FWC's advice is to bring the fish in quickly and cut the line close to the hook if a shark appears.

On land, the old bridges are trails. Old Seven Mile Bridge (Knights Key Trailhead) at about MM 47 opens onto the restored 2.2-mile span to Pigeon Key, and island admission and tours run through Pigeon Key & Old Seven Mile Bridge Tours. Historic Long Key Bridge, between MM 63 and MM 65.5, is a Heritage Trail bridge that Florida State Parks lists with cantilevered fishing platforms, shared with walkers and bikers; Florida State Parks says shared-use rules are posted at the ends of each trail bridge. Given FWC's advice, treat it as a place for general bridge fishing, not for landing a big tarpon.

Reef, wreck, offshore and the backcountry

On the Atlantic side, reef and wreck trips bottom-fish the reef line and sunken structure, and offshore trips run past the reef to troll deep water. On the Gulf and Florida Bay side, backcountry and flats trips work shallower water. FWC's Monroe County calendar lists, for example, mutton and yellowtail snapper in spring to early summer, groupers and sailfish in fall to spring, and dolphinfish in spring and summer. Seasons and bag limits change, so check FWC's saltwater rules at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you plan to keep fish.

Sombrero Reef is not a fishing stop. NOAA lists Sombrero Key as a Sanctuary Preservation Area, where fishing by any means and collecting marine life are prohibited, though diving, snorkeling and boating are allowed. Yellow buoys mark the boundary, and reef fishing trips work outside it. Sanctuary rules are on https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/.

Toward Duck Key, Hawks Cay Fishing Charters is a fleet based at Hawks Cay Marina, listing offshore, reef, inshore, bay and flats trips. Infinite Blue Charters lists two locations, with its Marathon meet at 3502 Gulfview Avenue, so confirm which one your trip uses. Ana Banana Fishing Company is a Marathon fishing company at 570 Sombrero Beach Road.

For flats, light tackle and fly, three Marathon guides describe that kind of day. Right On Charters, with Captain Mike O'Dell at Captain Hook's Marina, runs fly, light-tackle spin and family trips on a skiff or bay boat for permit, tarpon, bonefish, redfish and snook, plus Everglades backcountry days. Marathon Fishing Guide, with Captain Buddy LaPointe, leaves from Grassy Key Marina for light-tackle and fly fishing, including tarpon, permit and bonefish. Angling Adventures, with Captain Rich Smith, leaves from a slip at Island Fish Company and lists flats, backcountry and Everglades trips as well as reef, wreck and offshore.

NOAA's Blue Star program recognizes fishing guides and dive operators who commit to teaching guests about the sanctuary. Check the live list at https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/onthewater/bluestar.html rather than an old badge.

Boot Key Harbor and where Marathon boats leave from

Boot Key Harbor, on the ocean side at the west end of Marathon, is the island's protected harbor. The City of Marathon says its marina, Boot Key Harbor Marathon City Marina at 800 35th Street, runs a 226-ball mooring field across most of the harbor, assigned first-come, first-served with no reservations, plus an anchorage south of the main channel. It is a cruisers' harbor more than a fishing spot: the City's marina rules do not allow fishing in the marina canal or from its docks.

Around the harbor, Sombrero Marina at 35 Sombrero Boulevard lists wet slips for vessels up to 85 feet and pump-out, and Dockside Boot Key Harbor, a separate restaurant, shares the address. Pancho’s Fuel Dock is a fuel dock and marine store on Ocean View Avenue, and Burdines Waterfront Marina at 1200 Oceanview Avenue is a full-service marina below a waterfront bar and grill, with a fuel dock, slips and a bait shop. 15th Street Marina Marathon (at Boot Key Harbor) is a 25-slip marina for boats 20 to 49 feet, just south of the mooring field, and Keys Maritime Bait Shop & Seafood Market at 890 15th Street Ocean is a dockside bait shop reached from Sister Creek Channel, with live and frozen bait and tackle. Call ahead for live bait.

East of the harbor, the charter docks spread along the highway. Key Colony Beach Marina on the Sadowski Causeway lists charter departures and boat rentals, run by separate operators, and Ben O'Fishal leaves from there. Marina Marathon at Tarpon Creek at 13205 Overseas Highway hosts several on-site operators, fishing among them. Grassy Key Marina at MM 59 lists slips, storage, a ramp and boat rentals. On the Gulf side, Faro Blanco Resort Marina at 1996 Overseas Highway is the resort's full-service marina, and the resort says boaters can head out on fishing charters from there. For every Marathon listing, see Marathon Tours, Rentals & Outfitters and Marathon Marinas & Boating.

Towing your own boat? The City of Marathon runs three public ramps: 33rd St Gulf Boat Ramp (City of Marathon) at MM 49, The Quay Boat Ramp (City of Marathon) at MM 54 near Island Tiki, and Harbor Drive Boat Ramp (City of Marathon) behind the airport at Aviation Boulevard. The City lists all three as open around the clock. None allows overnight parking. The City lists launch and trailer-parking charges for visitors and free use for Marathon and Key Colony Beach residents, with some exemptions; check current fees on https://www.ci.marathon.fl.us/marinaandports/page/public-boat-ramps. Marina ramps are private and set their own rules, and Skipjack Resort and Marina says its ramp and trailer parking are for registered hotel guests only. Florida Keys boat ramps: fees, parking and launches by Key covers the rest of the Keys.

Licenses: when the charter covers you

FWC says anyone who casts a line in salt water needs a Florida saltwater fishing license unless an exemption applies, and that includes catch and release. One exemption matters most on a charter: FWC exempts anglers fishing from a for-hire vessel (a guide, charter or party boat) that has a valid charter license, and the exemption also covers the snook and spiny lobster permits. Youth under 16 are exempt as well. The full list is at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/do-i-need-one/.

That exemption belongs to the boat, not the booking. Ask the captain whether the vessel's charter license covers everyone aboard. If you fish from your own boat, a rental or a bridge, you need your own license unless another exemption applies, and FWC's pier guide lists Long Key Bridge with no fishing license provided. Licenses are sold through FWC at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/how-to-order/ and on Go Outdoors Florida at https://gooutdoorsflorida.com/. This guide does not list fees.

Questions to ask before you pay

Ask every boat the same list. Which dock, and which side of the highway: Boot Key Harbor, a Gulf-side marina, Key Colony Beach or Duck Key? Who is the captain, and which boat? Does the vessel's charter license cover everyone's fishing license? What are we targeting this week, and is it in season? Are bait, tackle and ice included, and will the crew clean the catch? How many anglers fit, and is there a restroom aboard?

Then ask about the weather and the money. Who calls a weather cancellation, and can a windy reef day switch to the backcountry or the bridges? What is the deposit and refund policy, and are a fuel surcharge or a crew tip extra? For tarpon, ask how the captain handles and releases a big fish. Get the full quote and the meeting time in writing.

Plan the land side as one sequence. Save the dock, a bait stop, boat fuel if you run your own boat, and your lodging in Trip planner. The Marathon fishing day kit on Day kits puts a charter dock or a City ramp, a bait shop, a bridge walk for a weather backup and a waterfront meal in one list. For the rest of a Marathon stay, see Marathon as a Mid-Keys base: day plan.

Frequently asked questions