The tarpon migration has officially started, so if you're looking to get out and catch a silver king, now is the time to book your trip. Life is short, don't miss out again this year! I have some great dates open for a 4hr trip or can even accommodate a few days if you act quick. Fishing for tarpon will be great until mid-July. Please email [email protected] me or call me at 305-393-3327, and we can look into a charter.

Tarpon season is here, and the migration is in full swing across the Florida Keys and into Everglades National Park. The Silver Kings have settled into their usual haunts, and right now is as good as it gets. Long strings of fish are moving down the oceanside flats through the bridges, channels, and basins, and when conditions line up, the action can be absolutely incredible.
This is hands-down my favorite time of year. If I’m not on the water, I’m thinking about being on the water and you should be as well!
If you can't tell Tarpon still get me fired up. Watching a big fish roll in the current or tracking a laid-up pod on a calm morning never gets old. And when one finally eats—everything changes. The explosion, the jumps, the chaos—it’s why we do it.
This season is extra exciting for me with the addition of my new GTB edition 29’ Contender Bay Boat. It’s been a game changer—quiet, shallow, and versatile enough to move between the bridges, backcountry, and ocean side with ease. It’s opened up even more opportunities to stay on fish and make the most of each trip.
If catching a tarpon has been on your list, May and June are prime time. The fish are here in numbers, they’re active, and every tide gives you a real shot at something special. Just be warned—once you hook one, you’re probably going to want to do it again.
I still have a handful of good dates available, and so do a lot of the local guides. If you’re thinking about getting in on it, now’s the time to lock something in.
For those heading out on their own, here are a few quick tips:
Keep It Simple:
A solid 20lb spinning setup or light conventional gear will handle most situations just fine. I like a mixture of both and always have a back up.
Dial in Your Leader:
I like 40-60lb fluorocarbon, depending on water clarity & the leader is about rod length, paired with a 5/0 or 6/0 circle hook.
Live Bait is King:
A fresh mullet under a float is hard to beat this time of year—about as close to a guarantee as it gets, my backup bait is a large piltchard. The guys fishing at night prefer a crab!
Positioning Matters:
Set up up-current of rolling fish and let them come to you. Pay attention, stay patient, but stop looking at your phone, you will miss the bite!
Respect the Fishery:
Give other boats space, don’t cut someone off, and if a fish is hooked up—let them work. There’s plenty of water and plenty of fish for everyone, & if a guy is hooked up reel your lines in so he can catch that fish. One other important note… If a shark is tracking your fish just cut it off. There is NO NEED to feed the sharks a tarpon!
Tarpon fishing is as much about the experience as it is the catch—the early mornings, the tide changes, the anticipation. When it all comes together, there’s nothing like it.
Hope to see you out there this season. Let’s keep it fun, keep it respectful, and keep those fish out of the bridges.
Tight lines,
Capt. Greg

I got the new Contender, and I'm sure you'll love it. I have a Starlink to keep you in communication, or a Stereo if you want to shut the phone off and relax to your favorite music! If you can imagine it, this boat has it from an on-board bathroom to a sundeck or a giant sun shade if you need to get out of the sun! Come check it out and let's go catch a fish!

I just got off the phone with Virgil from GTB Boat Sales in Key Largo, and we were going over the layout of the console on my brand-new 29ft Contender Bay Boat. Working along with a dealership like GTB takes all the stress out of ordering a new boat. These guys know what you need and will make sure everything is mounted in the right location. I cant wait to get her on the h20 and think we are about a month away.

🎣 Sailfish Action Right Now

• February is peak sailfish season in the Florida Keys — sailfish are moving through in good numbers and many local captains are reporting daily sailfish hookups and releases right now. 
• Calm winter conditions have allowed sight-fishing opportunities, with sailfish being spotted and cast to in shallow water (sometimes as little as 20–40 feet) along the reef edge. 
• The classic method remains slow trolling live ballyhoo near the edge of the reef where bait is abundant, but sight fishing and kite fishing are both productive when conditions are right. 
• Anglers are also seeing sailfish chase bait in shallow water, which makes for some spectacular visual fishing and excellent light-tackle action. 

📍 Where Sailfish Are Biting

• Reef edge and nearshore channels a few miles offshore have been consistent hotspots. 
• Boats often head out 3–6 miles to the reef drop-off and around nearby wrecks and current lines where ballyhoo schools are present. 
• Sight fishing closer to the reef in shallow water has been especially exciting recently due to calm seas. 

🧠 Techniques That Are Working

• Live Ballyhoo & Trolling: Highly effective along the reef line — either slow trolled or presented to cruising fish. 
• Sight Fishing: With calm seas, crews are sighting and casting to sailfish in relatively shallow water — a thrilling approach if you like light-tackle. 
• Kite Fishing: Still productive when winds allow, especially for multiple hookups. 

📅 Tournaments & Local Event This is Sailfish Tournament Time in The Florida Keys it seems like there is one every week so check my social media under gregpoland to see some updates both on Instagram & Facebook

 it’s officially winter in the Florida Keys, matter of fact i cant remember it being this cold for so long! As I write this report the iguanas are falling out of the palm trees and i cant seem to get warm. Cold fronts begin pushing through, the weather turns crisp and comfortable, and the fishing lights up from the Atlantic side of the islands all the way into the backcountry and Everglades National Park.
On the Atlantic side, winter means sailfish season — and sailfishing has been one of my favorite pursuits since childhood. I run a 26’ Contender bay boat, which gives me the best of both worlds. On calm days, I can fish the edge right alongside the big tower boats, and when the wind kicks up, I can slide into the Gulf or run deep into the Everglades to work the mangroves.
My go-to sailfish setup is simple and effective: a 7-foot spinning rod spooled with 20-pound mono, a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader, and a circle hook. Live bait is key, with my favorites being live ballyhoo, cigar minnows, or large pilchards. Catching bait has always been part of the game, usually involving a cast net, but over the last few seasons I’ve been using a great tool called the Ballyhoop — a foldable hoop net that’s becoming increasingly popular around the Keys and makes bait-catching quick and easy. You can find them at most local tackle shops or online.
If sailfishing isn’t your thing, those same baits work perfectly on the many patch reefs scattered throughout the Keys in 15 to 50 feet of water. It’s a great way to bend the rod and put some fresh fish in the cooler for dinner.
When the cold fronts arrive, the backcountry of the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park really comes alive. Redfish and snook have been chewing, and honestly, it doesn’t need to be complicated. A 7-foot medium-action spinning rod with 15-pound braided line and a fluorocarbon leader about the length of the rod is all you need. Depending on where I’m fishing, I’ll tie on a jighead or a circle hook and hook a live shrimp through the head just in front of the black spot. Mangrove shorelines, island points, and bridges are all prime areas this time of year.
If you’re looking for nonstop action, head out into the Gulf of Mexico with a well full of live shrimp or pilchards and a few blocks of chum. The Spanish mackerel fishing can get absolutely wild during the winter months. Once they’re chummed up behind the boat, you can catch them on just about anything — live bait, artificials, or even a fly rod. Watching mackerel skyrocket out of the water on a popper never gets old, and winter is the perfect time to introduce someone to artificial or fly fishing.
If you’re traveling through Islamorada and want to explore fly fishing, I always recommend stopping by Islamorada Fishing Outfitters. They’re a great resource for flies and local knowledge. I recently picked up a 10-weight from them, and Randy was showing me some flies he’s been having great success with.
One final tip: whenever you’re fishing mackerel grounds, always keep a heavier spinning rod rigged and ready. It’s not uncommon for a cobia or kingfish to show up in your chum slick when you least expect it.
Winter fishing in the Florida Keys offers endless opportunities — whether you want to chase sailfish offshore, work the backcountry for snook and redfish, or enjoy fast-paced mackerel action in the Gulf. I have open dates on the calendar and would love to get you out on the water and share it with you.
Let’s go catch a fish together.
Capt. Greg Poland
305-393-3327
gregpoland.com

Happy New Year, everyone I hope you and your family had a great holiday season—and maybe even found some new tackle under the tree. As the first real cold fronts of the year start rolling through, January brings some of the best fishing opportunities we get in the Everglades National Park and the Gulf of Mexico. Mild winter temps, clean water, and hungry fish make this one of my favorite months to be on the water. The cooler weather has the inshore bite fired up. The mangrove-lined creeks, deep cuts, and open grass flats are loaded with life this time of year. Snook, redfish, and seatrout are the main players, and they’re feeding aggressively ahead of each front.
Snook have been tight to the trees on higher tides. I like to work the mangrove edges with a soft plastic or a live pilchard. For redfish, a jighead tipped with a live shrimp on the bottom is still tough to beat, especially around sandy potholes and oyster bars. Seatrout are schooled up on the open flats—drifting and throwing popping corks can keep rods bent all morning. 
January is prime time for running into the Gulf, and the winter migration is officially underway. Spanish mackerel, kingfish, cobia, and plenty of sharks are moving through, and they provide non-stop action when the weather cooperates.
One of my favorite things to do this month is send a live Spanish mackerel out on the kite. The surface explosions from big sharks—tigers, lemons, and blacktips—are something every angler should see at least once. And while you’re waiting on the bite, don’t be surprised if a smoker kingfish rockets in and steals the show. 
 January weather can change fast. I keep SXM weather running on my chart plotter —not just for the music, but to stay ahead of fast-moving fronts and wind shifts. Always keep an eye on the forecast, have a backup plan, and respect the conditions. Some of the best fishing happens right before a front, but only if it’s safe to be out there. I also carry a Starr Batt with me on every trip where cell service is sketchy, its a great investment that will keep you in communication while you are deep in the glades or out away from shore. Stay safe out there . 
January delivers a little bit of everything—hot inshore action in the Everglades and fast-paced pelagic fishing offshore. Whether you’re poling the backcountry or chasing mackerel and cobia out in the Gulf, this month offers some unforgettable days on the water.
If you’re looking to get out and enjoy it, give me a buzz and let’s set up a half-day or full-day trip—on your boat or aboard my new Contender.
Visit www.gregpoland.com, and I hope to see you on the dock or out on the H2O.  Capt. Greg

2025 November ,
As we transition into winter here in Islamorada, the fishing scene is heating up, both in the backcountry and offshore. The cooling temperatures are bringing a bounty of opportunities, and I'm excited to share what anglers can look forward to this month, both in the Backcountry and on the oceanside. November is a remarkable time to be in the backcountry. The snook and redfish are very active, particularly on those calm days when we can find them tailing up in the shallows. It's always a thrill to see those big reds busting bait and sticking their tails out of the water. On windier days, the protected shorelines will be where I will be hiding, especially if it's out of the north. I do a lot of snook fishing, and this time of year can be outstanding, especially for the guys willing to fish artificial and work the jig or plastic on the shorelines, or better yet, under them! Big shout out to Rylan Solis, 12 years old, fishing with Capt. Louie Cortez, who won the 25th Take Stock for Children backcountry tournament, check out the photos below. These guys crushed it! There are still a few Tarpon lingering around the channels and bridges, but their time is coming to an end, so get out there when the conditions are right while they are still biting. While the large migratory schools are no longer here, the resident tarpon are still aggressive and offer some thrilling opportunities, particularly for fly fishermen. I recommend using patterns like the Black Death or EP Tarpon Bunny for the best success. The local flats and channel edges have been active with Bonefish & Permit & over the years, I have done pretty good in November. I find the cooler water helps reduce their wariness, and you can find them around the flats feeding on crabs and shrimp. I spoke with Capt. Tim Klein yesterday, and he has been having good success with the bonefish lately, both on flyrod as well as live shrimp. We were talking about the good old days when we used to both fish the tournaments. I need to get out with my buddy and have him pole me around. It's been too long.
Moving offshore, November marks the peak of our pelagic season. Sailfish, kingfish, and blackfin tuna are migrating through our waters, and the excitement is palpable. Expect action-packed days as we target these species, with mahi-mahi and wahoo also making their appearance. The Spanish mackerel are schooling around bait balls while I am catching piltchards, and they are always fun to fish for. I just picked up a custom bent butt deep drop rod from Capr. Randy Towe over at Islamorada Fishing Outfitters, so I am looking forward to giving that a try. It will be something new for me, so I will let you know how that goes. November in Islamorada is a transition period that brings vibrant fishing opportunities in both the backcountry and offshore. The fish are active, the weather is typically favorable, and the boat traffic is lighter, making for a fantastic experience on the water. I’m looking forward to another great month of fishing, so grab your gear and let’s make some memories out there!   Capt. Greg Poland