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Key West Natural Event
Black Grouper Season
These windows use the Reel best-fishing timing for black grouper, centered on May through September with the next spring shoulder noted separately.
Happening now
May 30 - September 30, 2026
What this window means
Black Grouper Season uses May through September as the Reel planning window, even though Florida harvest rules stay broader. It is meant to capture when a black-grouper-focused conversation is most useful for trip planning.
How to plan around it
Ask how the captain balances grouper expectations with whatever else is fishing well that week. The strongest trips in this window are usually the ones where the captain can keep the day grouper-forward while still adjusting for conditions.