The depths of winter still see the gauge up in the mid-70s, with very little rainfall. The Marathon Reefs are incredibly active, with King, Cero, and Spanish Mackerel fighting the Snapper and Grouper for the bait.

The Original Marathon Seafood Festival is one of the biggest events in the keys, drawing over 20,000 attendees each year. Feast on lobster tails, stone crab, shrimp and more, and check out the market for local souvenirs.

Inshore fishing is dominated by Tarpon, and for the select few this poses the ultimate challenge in the form of the Marathon Invitational Tarpon Tournament. Offshore the Marlin arrive in force, as do the first few Swordfish.

The Marathon Offshore Bull and Cow Dolphin Tournament promises great fun this time of year, and the Marlin are hitting their best. Inshore, the Tarpon are joined by super-sized Snook, and the Bonefish are still biting hard. 

Mahi Mahi, Marlin, Sharks, and Wahoo all descend upon the keys to produce some of the best pelagic action yet. Down in the depths, the Swordfish are still waiting in numbers, so this is your chance for the trip of a lifetime!

The all-star offshore action is still in full swing in the hottest month of the year, making for some of the most exhausting fishing anywhere around. Inshore, the Tarpon tail off but the Snook stay strong, and the reefs are bustling too!

The temperature in August may hit the low 90s, but you can drop ten degrees if you go night fishing. The Swordfish hit their prime this time of year, so this can be a great time to target those deep-sea monsters.

The Bonefish are back, and doesn't the world know it! The Marathon International Bonefish Tournament kicks off in September, bringing anglers from around the country and beyond to test their skills against the Silver Ghost.

The rain finally eases off in October, and the temperature drops back to a sane 85. The Tuna are at their height this time of year, with Yellowfin and Blackfin biting well offshore, and the Tarpon and Snook are still filling up the shallows.

Permit, Pompano, and Speckled Trout all arrive just as the Snook and Tarpon leave (the world's nice like that sometimes). Jacks join the regular crowd of Snapper and Grouper on the reefs, and there are still Tuna offshore.

We can't think of a better place for the holiday season, with Kingfish and Mahi making for great trolling fun, and plenty of Trout in the shallows. The weather stays up in the mid-70s, so no danger of a white Christmas here!