Inshore fishing in Biscayne Bay is a different type of trip than running offshore. The boat is smaller, the water is calmer, and the tackle is light. You spend most of the day with a rod in your hand rather than watching a spread. For most groups that means more action and more fish hooked over the course of a trip, with a mix of sizes that still includes some genuine heavyweights. Inshore fishing is relaxing, beginner friendly, and there is rarely a dull stretch.
The Bay Boat
We run our inshore trips aboard a 20’ bay boat. This is a versatile hull that allows us to get into shallow water while staying seaworthy when needed for running through the bay and inlets. The hull design allows us to chase bonefish and permit in just 12 inches of water, then hunt tarpon and snook in more exposed channels and inlets. It is fast and handles a chop well thanks to a sharp entry and a 200 horsepower outboard. We have a cooler on board that keeps drinks ice cold throughout the day, and the boat is rigged with a trolling motor, a poling platform, a livewell, and a good deal of storage. At 20 feet, it comfortably fishes up to three anglers and is very stable for its size. We can sometimes accommodate a fourth angler but it gets a little tight.
How We Fish
Inshore fishing is light-tackle, casting-focused fishing. You will spend most of the day with a rod in your hands pitching baits and lures with John’s help. Some of the inshore fish are smaller and there is a lot of variety, but ultra light tackle makes even the modest ones fun to catch. A 10-pound permit on light tackle is an absolute blast. We keep a few heavier spinning rods on the boat for big tarpon and sharks so you can never rule out larger fish.
We intentionally do not focus on sight fishing only, where you pole the flats and cast at individual fish. Hunting individual fish on the flats depends heavily on weather and angler skill, and it leaves too many days where nothing comes together. Years ago we moved off the poling skiff in favor of a program that puts more anglers on more fish across a wider range of conditions. The result is a day that welcomes a first-timer and still keeps an experienced angler busy. We still have our sight fishing moments for tarpon, bonefish, and permit along the flats and finger channels, but we do not rely on this technique alone.
Where and When We Fish
Biscayne Bay is a diverse coastal estuary with a patchwork of shallow flats, grass beds, mangrove shorelines, inlets, finger channels, and urban structure. All of our inshore fishing is done within sight of the Miami skyline. Captain John spends most of his time working the finger channels, flats, and inlets, which have a lot of variety and quality fish. Inshore, the runs are short and the water is protected, which also makes these trips a good option for anyone prone to seasickness.
The bay produces good fishing 12 months of the year, with the target species varying slightly with the calendar. The inshore migrations are less seasonal than the offshore pelagics, so we can catch most of the same species year round. Variety is the name of the game inshore, so expect a mixed bag rather than a single-species hunt.
Fall, from September through November, is one of our favorite windows. The finger channels can fish exceptionally well for mutton snapper and yellow jacks during these months, with bonefish and permit working the nearby flats and drop-offs. Winter holds up strong for bonefish and permit, and the yellow jacks and a few mutton snapper stick around through the cooler months. Late winter and spring also bring the biggest tarpon of the year, which can be targeted early morning if you prefer not to do a night trip. Spring has exceptional variety and is a great time to target the big three: bonefish, permit, and tarpon. Summer can get hot, making half days a great option, and we can still catch most of the same species before the bite slows down midday with the heat. Even during the dead of summer you can catch bonefish, permit, sharks, barracuda, jacks, snapper, and more. For a fuller month-by-month breakdown, see our Miami Fishing Calendar.
Trips and Pricing
Half days are the most popular trip inshore because we have short runs and get straight to fishing. Full days are a great option as well and can be broken up with a lunch break for more casual anglers. Our trips include all the rods, reels, tackle, bait, licensing, and drinking water. You just bring food or snacks, preferred drinks, sunscreen, and meet your captain at the ramp.
Half Day Inshore Charter
4 hours- Great if you have a tight schedule
- Well suited to first-time and younger anglers
- A good option if motion sickness is a concern
- Plenty of rod-in-hand action
Half days are great for both casual and experienced anglers who want an action packed 4 hours of fishing. With a fast boat and short runs from spot to spot, we are able to cover a lot of water in a short period of time. These trips are shorter than a full day, but there is still ample opportunity to get hooked up to tarpon, snook, bonefish, permit, jacks, snapper, and more depending on the season and the bite.
Full Day Inshore Charter
8 hours- More range and flexibility to try different areas
- Good for experienced anglers who want to fish hard all day
- Allows time for an optional lunch at a restaurant on the bay, which can make this a good option for casual anglers as well
A full day on the water is a great way to sample more of what Miami’s shallow water has to offer. The extra hours give us more time and flexibility to work different habitats and target a wider range of species. At any point you might hook tarpon, snook, jacks, seatrout, bonefish, permit, sharks, and more. These trips give us time for an optional lunch break at a bay front restaurant of your choice.
Looking for something different, or a group too big for one boat? Contact us about custom inshore trips.
What You Might Catch
The draw of inshore fishing on Biscayne Bay is variety. A single trip can put you on a dozen different species, and the light tackle makes every one of them feel like a fight.
Bonefish are the classic flats prize, elusive and well camouflaged, hunting in water as skinny as six inches. They look like a glorified baitfish until you hook your first one and feel the run. These fish are often targeted by sight fishing, but they can be caught just as effectively working the finger channels and drop-offs. Permit work the channel drop-offs near the flats, and we target them with light spinning tackle, shrimp-tipped jigs, and crabs drifted in the current. Both permit and bonefish are demanding fish that reward a careful presentation. Mutton snapper and yellow jacks fill out the finger-channel action, especially in fall, and the jacks in particular are some of the hardest-fighting fish in the bay pound for pound. Barracuda are underrated on light gear and range from five-pound backcountry fish to thirty-pound monsters that rip drag and go airborne in the shallows. Snook hold tight to mangroves and structure, ambushing bait as it drifts past. Seatrout crash the party on the grass flats, often in good numbers. And sharks are an ever-present part of the bay, always willing to test your tackle.
Most inshore fish run smaller than what comes over the rail offshore, but the bay still produces real heavyweights. Big tarpon, permit, barracuda, and sharks are all a possibility, so don’t count out larger fish in the bay.
Tarpon deserve an honest note, since they are highly migratory and finicky eaters. When the tarpon are around in numbers we often fish for them early in the trip before transitioning to other species rather than target them all day. The tarpon fishing really slows down by midday, which is why we suggest our night tarpon and snook trip if tarpon specifically are your goal.
Explore the full target species list → for everything that swims through Miami’s inshore and offshore waters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included on an inshore charter?
All rods, reels, tackle, bait, drinking water, and fishing licenses are provided. You bring food, preferred drinks, sun protection, and anything else you want for the day.
Where do inshore trips depart from?
Trips launch from the Coconut Grove area. The exact meeting location and details are provided in your booking confirmation.
How many people can come?
The inshore boat comfortably fishes up to three anglers, but we can sometimes squeeze a fourth if needed.
Do I need fishing experience?
No. Inshore trips are beginner friendly, and Captain John works with anglers of every skill level, from first-timers to seasoned fishermen.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Conditions on the bay are usually fishable thanks to its protected water, but if the captain determines it is unsafe, we will work with you to reschedule.
Can we keep what we catch?
Many inshore species are catch-and-release or protected, and your captain will let you know what is legal to keep. We are happy to keep legal, good-eating fish and clean them for you.