When Ponce de Leon discovered the islands of the Dry Tortugas he noted the abundant marine life including the sea turtles, and thus named these islands "Las Tortugas". HOW TO CHARTER A BOAT FROM KEY WEST, FLORIDA, TO THE DRY TORTUGAS IN LESS THAN 3 MINUTES. The Dry Tortugas is the last, great vestige of sportfishing in the northern hemisphere. Today you will still find the Dry Tortugas filled with abundant marine life, making Dry Tortugas National Park an excellent fishing destination. In almost all cases it is illegal to possess more than one bag limit of any fish species. Additionally, in an effort to protect the coral reef and spawning aggregations located in the Dry Tortugas region, two Tortugas Ecological Reserves were created in 2001 through the FKNMS process. Fishing the Dry Tortugas is an adventure all on its own. Dry Tortugas National Park is in Monroe County, Florida State waters. Encompassed within a 100-acre national park, the islands are best known for Fort Jefferson, a 19th century brick fort on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean. In the RNA, there is one area exempt from the no fishing rule. NPS Response: Commercial fishing within Dry Tortugas National Park has been prohibited since the original Fort Jefferson National Monument was created in 1935. See the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Florida Saltwater Fishing Regulations web page for details. When it comes to fishing in dry Tortugas, this one’s a piece of cake! Fishing - Park & state regulations, fishing spots and type of fish caught. In the infographic below, we’ve outlined all relevant parts of Garden Key. Some of the finest bottom fishing in the world. People travel from far and wide to experience the untouched fishery. Your options are endless! How To Fish in the Dry Tortugas Getting out there. Call 305-453-6070 to reserve your Dry Tortugas fishing charter! Dry Tortugas The Dry Tortugas is the last, great vestige of sportfishing in the northern hemisphere. Bottom Fishing In The Dry Tortugas. Dry Tortugas and Marquesas Keys are small, remote islands located 25-70 miles West of Key West, Florida. It spans one hundred square miles and includes both open water and seven small islands. Fishing from Garden Key is allowed in certain areas: © 2020 Copyright Steven L. Markos. Fishing is also permitted outside the Research Natural Area. Florida Saltwater fishing license is required, unless you are under the age of 16 or a Florida resident senior over the age of 65. Choose from a 3-day/2-night trip or a 2-day/1-night trip. Large, yellow buoys mark the boundary. The seaplane beach east of the main dock, when the seaplane is not present. Main dock, when the Yankee Freedom is not present. The Dry Tortugas Research Natural Area (RNA), a 158-km 2 no-fishing, no-anchor marine reserve, was implemented in 2007 in Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO), Florida to minimize the effects of human activities on marine resources and to enhance the productivity and sustainability of fish populations. Rob Delph showed us. Our charters accommodate your party of up to 6 people. ----- FREE - for 6 people, includes conventional and spinning rods, terminal tackle Electric Reels ----- FREE - 2 LP S 1200 electric reels, related terminal tackle for deep dropping Large yellow buoys mark the Historic Use Area. Our fishing fleet travels to spots around the Marquesas Keys and Dry Tortugas fishing grounds for grouper, snapper, wahoo, mahi mahi and more. The Tortugas are considered part of Monroe County, Florida and is subject to FWC regulations for the Gulf, however fishing on the Atlantic side is governed by Federal regulations. If fishing is your thing, the Dry Tortugas is an excellent choice for an all day charter or a weekend adventure. This remote group of islands are surrounded by more than ten thousand square miles of fishing resources that have remained relatively untapped due to the time that it … This is the 2 mile diameter area around Garden Key. Bait fish may be taken by cast net only; limit is five gallons per vessel. A Florida Saltwater fishing license is required for those older than 16 and younger than 65. All boats entering the park for recreation purposes must pay the entrance fee and obtain a boating permit at Garden Key. No special fishing license from the National Park Service is needed. This will be determined according to what is actually used during your charter. A Florida Saltwater fishing license is required for those older than 16 and younger than 65. Sneaking up on a tailing 15-pound permit in 12 inches of water, presenting a live crab to it, and having the fish scream off a hundred yards of 20-pound braid on the first run will make your heart pump like just about nothing else! The Park itself is seven islands and about 100 square miles of open beautiful blue water. “During the day, the shallow coral reefs in 6 to 25 feet of water are covered with yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, red grouper, scamp, graysby and various wrasses. This trip we killed the mutton snapper filling the boat with 60 muttons and some really nice black groupers. Fishing from a boat is permitted within the one mile Historic Use Area of Garden Key. As the Dry Tortugas Reserve illustrates, protecting habitat—along with reducing bycatch and setting science-based fishing quotas—is one of the pillars of restoring our fisheries. All Rights reserved.Designed by www.orange-themes.com, The airplane beach east of the main dock when the airplane is not present, Main dock when the Yankee Freedom is not present, Two westernmost finger piers when they are unoccupied, Either dinghy beach provided that fishing does not occur within 50 feet of the concrete wall of the historic docks and ruins previously used for loading coal. Fishing. Camping. Since fuel prices are always changing, your fuel cost may be more or less than $550. The waters around the Dry Tortugas have been known as a haven for snapper and grouper for decades. For a complete list of current rules of regulations please see the. The Tortugas region owes its very name to the sea turtles once found here in abundance, later decimated by commercial fishing in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Merchants and business owners in Key West, where tourists set off from to spend the day in the Dry Tortugas can impress customers by knowing a lot about the area. A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to spend four days and three nights on Garden Key in Dry Tortugas National Park; the experience was one that I will never forget. Restrictions. In other regions such as the Dry Tortugas Research Natural Area (RNA), Florida fishing is prohibited but activities including Florida Keys scuba diving and snorkeling are permitted. The water in this area is so clear you can usually see a great distance down in the water. What makes this place so magical is that it can only be reached by boat or seaplane. Commercial fishermen spend many days at a time fishing the area, taking shelter when the occasional storms threaten among the several islands that form the Dry Tortugas National Park, dominated by the circa-1800s Fort Jefferson. See the Boating web page for details. Tackle Pkg. Trip Options: Extra day ----- $1800 - 24 extra hours of fishing, additional day will be Thursday Extra 1/2 day ----- $900 - 16 extra hours of fishing, trip departs 9 pm. Rates for multi-day and overnight fishing charters with Andy Griffiths. The islands here are surrounded by deep-water reefs and wrecks and are teeming with many different species of grouper, snapper, mackerel, tuna, Wahoo, dolphin, sailfish and more. Experience fishing the Dry Tortugas and Marquesas Keys. Fishing is allowed in certain areas of Dry Tortugas National Park, though no lobstering is allowed, nor is spearfishing. Seasonal and off season rates available for parties up to 6 anglers. Dry Tortugas National Park is almost exclusively in. It is made up of 7 islands composed of coral reef and sand. You will need a map to figure out where this area is, plus the longitude and latitude of the boundaries. The Dry Tortugas is a National Park about 70 miles west of Key West. About the Dry Tortugas. Green, loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, hawksbill and leatherback turtles still travel these waters, protected now from capture. When we fish the Tortugas we mix a variety of fishing into the trip. 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