Backcountry Fishing: Key West's Hidden Gems

Join Captain Ryan for a personalized 4-hour fishing adventure in Key West’s rich backcountry waters. Discover diverse species and local insights.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary - During a 4-hour backcountry charter, participants will fish in the local waters up to 13 miles from Key West, discovering grassy flats, mangrove islands, and shallow wrecks teeming with a diverse range of species. Depending on the season, anglers can aim to catch tarpon, jacks, permit, barracuda, sharks,…
What's Included
  • Fishing License
  • Fishing Gear
  • Bait & Tackle
  • Iced Coolers
  • Bottled water
Additional Information

During this 4-hour backcountry charter, participants will fish the local waters within 13 miles of Key West, exploring grassy flats, mangrove islands, and shallow wrecks that host a remarkable variety of species. Depending on the season, anglers can expect to target tarpon, jacks, permit, barracuda, sharks, snappers, and cobia. This trip offers the…

Location
5710 Overseas Hwy
Overseas Highway
We’ll meet at Beach Weekend Marina, located at 5710 Overseas Highway, Key West, Florida. The marina is actually on Stock Island, just a short drive from downtown Key West. There’s plenty of free parking, clean bathrooms, and a ship store where you can grab any last-minute necessities.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(8 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Jerold_l
Jul 17, 2025
Our trip was awesome, our... - Our trip was awesome, our guide was very friendly and professional!!! His gear was top of the line and we caught fish!!
Review provided by Viator
W9502nvbenp
Jul 12, 2025
Excellent Key West Fishing Guide, Highly Recommended! - Ryan is an outstanding fishing guide and I highly recommend him for your Key West fishing needs. My wife and I booked Ryan for a six-hour backcountry fishing/sandbar tour and our experience was fantastic, all thanks to Ryan (and the tarpon biting!). He is a first-rate fishing guide. His 24-foot Pathfinder was clean, comfortable, and perfect for backcountry/flats fishing. Ryan won't mention it unless you ask, but he served as a special forces operator with the U.S. Army Rangers in Iraq and Afghanistan. His experience with the special forces has equipped him to handle a wide range of situations, and it translates well to being a fishing guide (safety, high level of awareness, ability to navigate poor weather conditions, etc.). Ryan is also very engaging, polite, and an all-around pro. He took us to three amazing fishing spots where the mangrove snapper (we caught enough for dinner) and tarpon were biting (we caught 8 tarpon, an all-time high for me and I've fished for years). Again, I would highly recommend Ryan if you're considering a fishing charter in Key West.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M9626xhcourtneyh
Jul 5, 2025
Family three day adventure - Ryan was the best guide ever! He worked hard to find the best spots for our family to snorkel and catch fish and swim despite weather obstacles! His boat and gear was top notch and he was very knowledgeable about the area and waters and marine life! I would highly recommend him for any type of trip you choose! Thank you Ryan for making our trip so memorable!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J1924qskellib
Jun 27, 2025
THE BEST THERE IS - Captain Ryan is hands down THE BEST!! We fished with him 4 years ago, and booked with him again this trip. He is phenomenal with kids and truly makes the experience one to remember. Thanks Capt. Ryan for making this kids day with an amazing tarpon and memories that last a lifetime. ❤️
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jkubala81
Jun 25, 2025
Great key west fishing experience! - Ryan is a great guy and very knowledgeable when it comes to fishing the keys. My wife and I enjoyed our time and caught plenty of nice fish. I would definitely recommend Ryan and Recon sportfishing. We will be using him again in the future.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
X2248fiscottr
Jun 19, 2025
Great time on some beautiful waters. - Ryan was excellent, asked us what we wanted to target, took us to a few spots. Did not stay long if the bite was slack. Wore us out on some big Jacks then we fished for some Mangroves and brought home a tasty dinner. Engaged in some great conversation also. Highly recommend this Captain!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paradise40299163021
May 30, 2025
PERFECT day of fishing in Key West! - We had an amazing time out with Captain Ryan on Recon Sportfishing! We've been out with Ryan a few times over the last few years, and we're so happy that he started his own operation! We caught plenty of snapper to fill the cooler, and had so much fun seeing the beautiful waters around Key West. This was a highlight of the vacation!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Apacheairh
May 30, 2025
Great half day - We had a blast on our trip with Captain Aper. He’s a true professional, and very easy to get along with. We had some incredible hook ups, and of course so much beautiful scenery. We would definitely recommend going with this charter Captain.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $800 (Per Boat)
up to 4 guests
1 - Traveler
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).