Blackfin Tuna in Islamorada

Islamorada’s tuna live around the humps, seamounts that rise from deep water offshore. They come in spring, and come back bigger in the fall.

By Updated

When are blackfin tuna in Islamorada?

Spring and fall. A Fishing Guru peaks blackfin from April to June and calls April “Blackfin Tuna Madness” on the humps, and George Poveromo says they appear on the Islamorada Hump in spring and again in September and October, the larger fish in fall. The limit is 2 per person or 10 per boat, whichever is greater.

A tuna in open water

The fish and the Hump

FWC puts blackfin tuna common to 28 inches, feeding on small fish, invertebrates and plankton in coastal to offshore water; the Florida Museum gives a maximum of 39 inches and 46 pounds and notes they are one of the commonest foods of blue marlin.

Off Islamorada they gather on the Islamorada Hump, a seamount about 15 miles offshore that rises to nearly 200 feet from 500 to 700-plus feet, George Poveromo writes. Keys Weekly reported big blackfins biting on the humps out of Robbie’s in September 2025.

When

A Fishing Guru: April to June peak, strong again in fall. George Poveromo: spring and again September to October, with larger fish in fall. The Keys tourism council grades blackfin Peak in January, February, March, April, September, October, November and December. The fall run is a real Islamorada difference from the Key West calendar.

Can you keep blackfin tuna?

Every limit is on what fish you can keep.

Florida state-water rules as they apply in the Keys, Islamorada included, read on FWC’s page on 6 October 2026. FWC changes these; its page is the final word.
RuleFWC, Keys state waters
Minimum sizeNone
Bag limit2 per person or 10 per boat, whichever is greater
SeasonOpen all year
SourceFWC: Blackfin tuna

Which trip to book

Offshore, long enough to reach the Hump and fish it: six or eight hours, $1,200–$1,700 to $950–$2,000 per boat in October 2026.

Read for this page on 6 October 2026: FWC: blackfin tuna profile ; Florida Museum: blackfin tuna ; George Poveromo: blackfin tuna on the Islamorada Hump ; A Fishing Guru: month by month .

Check it at the source

Blackfin tuna: questions

How far is the Islamorada Hump?

About 15 miles offshore, George Poveromo writes, a seamount rising to nearly 200 feet from 500 to 700-plus feet and often in the path of the Gulf Stream.

How many blackfin tuna can you keep?

Two per person or 10 per boat, whichever is greater, with no minimum size, under FWC’s rules.

Next step

Looking for fishing trips in Islamorada?

Islamorada Charters Fishing 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.

Compare Islamorada charter operators → What an Islamorada charter day involves

Islamorada Charters Fishing takes no bookings and earns nothing from a click. You book with the operator directly.