Islamorada | the Ultimate Paradise for Anglers

The Perfect Day in Islamorada

Fishing enthusiasts and all those who want to become one must visit Islamorada, and they can’t help but experience a perfect day here. Whether you take one of the offered guided deep-sea or backcountry fishing tours, you will catch a fish. After all, Islamorada is considered the “Sport Fishing Capital of the World”. Alternatively, you can rent a boat and go on a big hunt with your own equipment, which you can also buy on site.

If you’re in Islamorada in the summer and have bad luck with the weather, several alternative programs will comfort you over the torrential rains, which are less common here in the Keys than on the mainland. The History of Diving Museum is highly praised by critics. Whether returning from the museum or the fishing trip, and especially if you have little ones with you, you should then go to Robbie’s Marina for tarpon feeding.

Then it’s slowly time for a delicious dinner full of seafood, which, as everywhere in the Keys, is of course “as fresh as it gets”. The restaurants are also happy to prepare your own catch at reduced prices.

Afterwards or before – depending on the season and your own habits – visit the west coast and check out the alternative to Mallory Square in Key West: the romantic sunset. A nice spot is the small beach between Morada Bay and Pierre’s Restaurant at Mile Marker 81.6

Beaches

Attractions

Events

In Islamorada, the World Revolves around Fishing

Islamorada doesn’t call itself the “Sport Fishing Capital of the World” for nothing. Here, the world seems to revolve almost exclusively around the highly coveted catch of the day. But fishing is not as easy as it seems, even here.

If you go out just a bit on the Atlantic side with a boat equipped with a fishing rod, you are guaranteed to get a big fish on the hook – provided you know about the fishing hot spots. The question is, will you manage to actually see the fellow?

Islamorada is a dream destination for fishing and perhaps the only place in the world where you can catch a big fish from the Atlantic and a small fish from the Gulf’s hinterland in one day. The fishing grounds read like a Who’s Who:

In offshore fishing, you’ll find an amazing variety of species such as amberjack, barracuda, cobia, dolphin, grouper, king and Spanish mackerel, or snapper. In big game fishing, you’ll encounter marlin, sailfish, tuna, swordfish, and more. These larger fish are found in deeper waters.

Islamorada is also very well-suited for fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, the so-called backcountry between the mainland and the island chain, due to the surrounding mangroves. Here you’ll find permit, redfish, snook, various shark species, as well as tarpon and bonefish. Mahi Mahi are more likely to be found in schools, while the coveted grouper or snapper tend to be more solitary.

A whole fleet of highly qualified captains is ready for fishing trips. There are plenty of boats available to rent for your own fishing excursion. We also once tried to catch a big fish. Unfortunately, our equipment didn’t match the dimensions of the animals. In 50-foot deep water, we had several seemingly magnificent specimens on the hook, each of which managed to break free after a more or less long struggle.

The atmosphere of this small town is very maritime. The fisherman feeling influences the shops, restaurants, accommodations, and nightlife. For example, you can bring your catch of the day to a restaurant in the evening, where the kitchen will be happy to prepare it for you.

History of Islamorada

According to Wikipedia, artifacts found in shell mounds on Plantation Key indicate settlement by natives since at least the 6th century. Historian Irving R. Eyster suggests a two to three thousand year period of Indian settlement. In 1733, during a hurricane, a Spanish silver fleet ran aground on the reefs of the island group. However, it wasn’t until the mid-19th century that families from the Bahamas and New England settled on the islands. They cultivated coconut palms and grapefruit, shipping the harvest to Baltimore and New York City.

In 1907, the settlement of Townsite of Isla Morada was established on Upper Matecumbe Key. In 1908, the first post office named Islamorada opened. The name then gradually spread to the entire island.

The municipality of Islamorada extends 28 km in length and includes the islands of Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key, and Plantation Key. Between 1906 and 1907, during the construction of the Overseas Railroad, two formerly separate islands named Umbrella were combined through land reclamation and renamed Windley Key.

From 1912, the island group was connected to Key West and Florida by the Overseas Railroad. During the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, there was a train accident. The highway was eventually built on the destroyed railway bed, directly reconnecting the islands to the mainland and Key West from 1938 onwards.

The municipality of Islamorada was founded on November 4, 1997.