Key West
Instant Confirmation
Trips from
US $349
Captain
John Hoover
Key West, United States
100+ reviews
Lifelong Floridian raised in central Florida started fishing full-time in the Lower Keys and Key West in 2007.
John H.
Captain
Charter
Rating
4.9
215 reviews
4.9
Boat & Equipment
5.0
Captain & Crew
4.9
Fishing Experience
Anglers' gallery (145)
What anglers say
99%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
99%
Recommend this charter
79%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
92%
Caught fish
All reviews (215)
Showing 1 – 5 of 215 reviews
Jonathan Yowell5.0VerifiedOn the Fish. best Grand Slam Oppertunity
3/4 Day Trip • 1 adultWhen asked if a Grand Slam was an oppertunity on a 3/4 day, I expected 100 questions about me, what I got was a yes and what we did is hook up a good tarpon, land a huge bonefish and ended the day following 3 permit wakes, all in near 90 deg water, all in near record heat. The flat, near windless oppertunity that I was given opened up a rare magical target window leaving this surf fisherman to understand I need to be far more practiced at my short game. Next year, I only will be considering ONE flats guide John Hoover!
Reported catch:
Garth YachRepeat angler5.0VerifiedAmazing
Full Day Marquesas Keys Trip • 1 adultJohn made the experience truly one to remember, was extremely knowledgeable, experienced and patient with a very novice salt water fisherman. He was able to get us on the fish and knew exactly where to find them. He tried so hard for me to achieve the slam but I clearly need to work on my skills as he gave me so many opportunities but I just couldn't land them in the boat for true success. An amazing adventure with a very well rounded experienced captain.
Reported catch:
Regan Phillips5.0VerifiedJohn was great! He's so knowledgeable and very patient, kept us moving and never bored. We caught a lot!
Afternoon Half Day Trip • 2 adults • 1 childJohn was great! He's so knowledgeable and very patient, kept us moving around and we never got bored. We caught a lot of different species in a short amount of time & he explained each one in detail, he obviously knows the flats are very well. We even had a shark on the line at one time. It was beautiful, calm & very peaceful, the perfect place for someone who gets seasick but still wants to fish in the ocean.
Reported catch:
Response from CaptainRegan thank you so much for the positive review and for fishing with me. That was a super fun morning and im grateful yall chose to spend it with me. Thank you again and hope to fish again when you come back to Key West.
Keith Mccray5.0VerifiedGreat Key West Trip
Half Day Fishing Trip • 2 adultsmy wife and i ended catching multiple species and our target fish over the course of the trip and were even able to bring fish back to have cooked st a local restaurant. Captain John was extremely knowledgeable of his home waters and put us on fish quickly. All we had to do was “romance” them. It was my wife’s first time on a solo charter like this and she had a great time. I highly recommend Captain John.
Reported catch:
Eric LenardRepeat angler5.0VerifiedGreat guide and a terrific experience
Full Day Marquesas Keys Trip • 1 adultJohn got me into fish immediately and took me to a series of beautiful spots off the beaten track. Hooked up all day on tarpon, snapper, jacks a couole of sharks and even a couple of untargeted bonefish. barely saw a soul all day on a Saturday in peak season. great boat, equipment and a terrific guide with encyclpedic knowledge of the waters around Key West. Do a multi- day if you can!!!
Reported catch:
Response from CaptainEric thank you again so much for fishing with me. Had a wonderful time with you and hope to do so again in the future. Thank you.
Real catches shared by our community
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What's biting with Purple Heron Charters in Key West
Reef fishing is still good but can be windy. Bonefish thins out on the flats but Permit is as good as ever. Sailfish and Tuna are caught over the reefs and backcountry fishing is excellent.
Top catches for November
Fishing reports
Fall Tarpon on Fly or Spin Gear
Oct 7, 2026 • Key West
Fall Tarpon fishing has been great so far this year. Flyfishing or throwing artificial on spin gear, both’ll work well. Grateful for all the anglers that have chosen to spend their precious vacation time with me.
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Great Shark Fishing After Dark
Jun 30, 2026 • Key West
We left the dock around 8pm and were able to hit the baitfish traps and get out to the fishing grounds in time to enjoy the last bit of sunset on the water. The sharks were around the boat shortly but it took a little bit of time for the sharks to start actually taking the baits. Once they did everyone got a chance to fight and reel one in. A super fun option for pulling on some big fish while avoiding the crowds and heat.
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Wintertime Barracuda Fishing Is Heating
Dec 3, 2025 • Key West
With the annual coldfronts starting to show back up that means the larger sized Barracuda are starting to appear on the flats again. It’s a fun and active fishery for either sight fishing or fan casting, whichever you prefer. Light tackle spinning gear or fly fishing both work well and it’s a blast. This fishery will remain strong through the springtime and is one of my favorite fisheries of the year.
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Key West Tarpon Fishing in August
Aug 18, 2025 • Key West
Tarpon fishing in Key West in August can be great. While the peak tarpon migration generally occurs from March to July, many resident tarpon remain in the area throughout the Summer and Fall. These fish range from 5 to 50 pounds. They can be found in backcountry channels, near mangroves and nearshore flats both Atlantic and gulf side. The calm, warm waters of August provide ideal conditions for both fly fishing and artificial lures, especially during early morning or late evening when the heat is less intense and the fish are more active. But they can be caught all day long. This time of year generally sees less pressured fishing, as the spring and summer visitor crowds begin to thin out. Night fishing is also always a great option . August offers a unique opportunity to target resident tarpon in Key West and the Lower Keys.
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Double Slams By 11am
Jun 1, 2025 • Key West
Had the absolute pleasure of fishing with longterm angler John from out west. We started the day off early around 5:30 AM catching a smaller Tarpon on artificial and then a larger one on live bait. We then moved on to Permit fishing and caught two in quick succession on jigs. After catching those two Permit to go along with the two Tarpon we decided to look for Bonefish. We found an active flat and caught one out of two different schools and had a double slam by 11 AM. The weather lined up perfectly, the angler made great casts, and the fish decided to cooperate. All in all a perfect morning in Key West. I always recommend a full day trip for targeting sport fish like Bonefish, Permit, or Tarpon.
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Flats Fishing For Cobia Remains Strong
Apr 5, 2025 • Key West
We’ve been having a great year sightfishing for Cobia on the flats. This fish was seen and cast to in less than 4 ft of water with a bucktail jig. This angler did a great job picking his fish, making the cast,and getting him in on 10lb test. Fish was released healthily.
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