Islamorada Webcam – Tarpon Feeding Dock at Robbie’s Marina

The Islamorada Webcam looks out over the tarpon feeding dock at Robbie’s Marina, on Lower Matecumbe Key in the Florida Keys. Center-console fishing boats sit moored between weathered wooden pilings, with a thatched tiki roof, a white canopy and a stand of palm trees behind them. On a sunny afternoon the water around the slips shows a clear teal color, and a white pole covered in stickers stands right in the middle of the shot. This is the dock where visitors buy a bucket of bait fish and toss it to tarpon, the big silver fish that crowd in to take it while the resident pelicans try to steal a share. Boats come and go during the day, and a second tab drops below the surface to the water under the docks.

About Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada

Robbie’s sits at 77522 Overseas Highway, at Mile Marker 77.5 on the bayside of U.S. Route 1. Lower Matecumbe Key is one of five keys that make up the Village of Islamorada, along with Tea Table Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plantation Key. The village was incorporated on December 31, 1997, covers 17.35 square kilometers (6.70 square miles) and counted 7,107 residents at the 2020 census. It is known as the Sportfishing Capital of the World, because big game fish pass through these waters on their routes between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The tarpon feeding goes back to 1976. According to Robbie’s own history, Robbie and Mona found a tarpon with the right side of its jaw torn open, kept it in an oxygen-rich shrimp tank and had it stitched up by Doc Roach with mattress needles and twine. They called the fish Scarface and released it six months later. Scarface kept returning to the end of the dock, other tarpon joined him, and feeding them became the marina’s trademark.

Atlantic tarpon, the silver king of Florida anglers, have been recorded at up to 2.5 meters (8 feet 2 inches) and 161 kilograms (355 pounds). They can gulp air at the surface into their swim bladder, an edge when oxygen in the water runs low. In Florida a special permit is needed to kill and keep one, so most tarpon fishing in the state is catch and release.

The Islamorada Webcam is really two cameras. The main one watches the docks from among the pilings. The second sits underwater beneath the docks, where visibility can be a murky green haze and fish may show only as pale or gray shapes close to the lens.

Weather and Climate in Islamorada

Islamorada is warm all year, and the swing between seasons is small. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals put January highs around 75 F (24 C) with lows near 65 F (18 C). April climbs to about 81 F (27 C) by day and 72 F (22 C) at night. July brings highs around 89 F (32 C) and lows near 80 F (27 C), and October still runs about 85 F (29 C) by day and 76 F (24 C) after dark.

Rain averages 982 millimeters (38.68 inches) a year, and September is the wettest month at 205 millimeters (8.09 inches). The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, and a passing storm can empty the slips, stir up the water under the dock or take the stream offline for a while. With the palms green and the boats working in every month, the dock looks much the same in January as in July, so the changes on screen come mostly from the sky and the light.

Things to Do Near Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada

Feeding the tarpon is the reason most people pull in. Robbie’s website lists dock admission at $2.50 per person and a bucket of bait fish at $5.00, with the dock open from 7 am to 9 pm every day. On the same property, the Hungry Tarpon restaurant opens at 6:30 am, the Thirsty Tarpon bar is known for its loaded Trailer Trash Bloody Mary, and the open-air market sells fresh coconuts alongside a bead shack, a glass shack and local art.

Robbie’s is also a launch point for getting out on the water. The Kayak Shack rents kayaks and paddleboards for trips to Indian Key Historic State Park and Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, two small islands just offshore. Snorkel trips leave at 10:00 am and 1:30 pm, and the marina also runs Florida Bay eco tours, sandbar trips, jet ski tours of 22 to 35 kilometers (14 to 22 miles), and morning, afternoon and night party boat fishing. About 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) up the Overseas Highway, the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane memorial at Mile Marker 82 holds the ashes of more than 300 victims of that storm.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada located?

At 77522 Overseas Highway, Mile Marker 77.5 on the bayside, on Lower Matecumbe Key in the Village of Islamorada, Florida. Islamorada lies about 119 kilometers (74 miles) from Miami and 129 kilometers (80 miles) from Key West along U.S. Route 1.

What can you see on the Islamorada Webcam?

The main view shows the tarpon feeding dock at Robbie’s: moored boats, wooden pilings, a thatched tiki roof, a white canopy, palm trees and the teal water of the marina, with a sticker-covered white pole in the middle of the frame. The second tab is an underwater camera beneath the docks.

What is the weather like in Islamorada?

Warm in every season. January averages highs of 75 F (24 C) and lows of 65 F (18 C), while July averages 89 F (32 C) and 80 F (27 C). September is the wettest month, and hurricane season runs from June through November.

How much does it cost to feed the tarpon at Robbie’s?

Robbie’s website lists dock admission at $2.50 per person and a bucket of bait fish at $5.00, with the dock open from 7 am to 9 pm daily.

When did the tarpon feeding at Robbie’s start?

In 1976, when Robbie and Mona nursed an injured tarpon they named Scarface back to health and released it six months later. It kept coming back to the dock, and other tarpon followed.

Is there an underwater camera at Robbie’s in Islamorada?

Yes. Robbie’s streams a second camera beneath the docks, in the second tab of the player, where the water can look murky green.

Can you kayak from Robbie’s to Indian Key?

Yes. The Kayak Shack at Robbie’s rents kayaks and paddleboards for trips to Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key. Florida State Parks gives a 2.67 kilometer (1.66 mile) round trip from the nearby Indian Key Fill launch to the Indian Key landing, and 4.57 kilometers (2.84 miles) to Lignumvitae Key.

Source: Robbie’s of Islamorada