Islamorada Fishing Report: Tarpon at Dawn, Mahi Offshore, Snapper on the Bite

Early Summer Upper Keys: Tarpon, Reef Fish, and Offshore Mahi Running Hot

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Islamorada fishing report. We’ve got a classic early-summer pattern rolling in the Upper and Middle Keys. Light southeast breeze this morning, picking up to 10–15 knots by midday with scattered clouds and that sticky Gulf humidity. Air temps are running mid‑70s at daybreak, topping out high 80s to low 90s this afternoon. Seas are generally 1–2 feet inside the reef, 2–3 on the outside edge, building a bit with the breeze. Sunrise came just after 6:30, and you’ll lose the light a little after 8:15 this evening, giving you a long dawn and dusk window to work. Tides around Islamorada are on the softer side today, with an incoming push through the morning and a decent outgoing mid‑afternoon. That incoming around the bridges and oceanside cuts is the prime time for tarpon and snook; the falling water later will stack snapper and grouper on the edges and in the channels. Offshore, the mahi bite has stayed steady but a little deeper. Boats running beyond 600–800 feet have been picking off schoolies with a few gaffers mixed in. Best action has been on small skirted ballyhoo, drifting chunks, and bright trolling feathers in pink, blue‑white, and chartreuse. A few blackfin tuna are still hanging on the humps early; live pilchards and small jigs have been the ticket. Keep a pitch rod rigged with a chunk or live bait for any cobia or bigger dolphin that slide up on a weedline. On the reef, yellowtail snapper have been chewing well on the edge in 60–90 feet. A light chum slick, 12–20‑pound fluorocarbon, and small pieces of cut ballyhoo or shrimp will load a cooler if you’re patient. Mutton snapper reports have been decent on the deeper spots and channels using live pinfish and big silversides. Grouper are still around the structure; work live baits or big jigs tight to the bottom. Inshore and backcountry, the early‑morning flats game has been strong. Bonefish are cruising the oceanside flats on the higher water; small shrimp or crab patterns, or lightly weighted shrimp on spinning gear, are getting eats. Tarpon are still moving across the oceanside and staging at the bridges. Live crabs, mullet, and big soft plastics in dark colors are solid bets, especially around first light and again at sunset. Snook and redfish in Florida Bay and around the mangroves are fired up on the moving tide. Topwater plugs at dawn—things like small walk‑the‑dog baits in bone or mullet patterns—have been drawing explosive strikes. Once the sun gets up, switch to soft plastics on jigheads or live shrimp under a popping cork. For artificials, think natural but with a little flash: - On the reef: yellow or chartreuse jigs tipped with shrimp or cut bait. - Inshore: paddle‑tail swimbaits in new penny, gold, or pearl; small suspending twitchbaits in silver/green for that pilchard look. - Tarpon: dark back, light belly soft swimbaits, and big black‑purple or chartreuse flies if you’re on the long rod. Live bait is still king: pilchards, pinfish, mullet, and crabs. If you can black out the well with pilchards, you can do just about anything from the hump tuna to snook under the mangroves. A couple of hot spots to keep on your list: - The Islamorada Humps for tuna and the occasional nicer mahi at first light. - Alligator Reef and the nearby reef edge for yellowtail, muttons, and a shot at grouper. - The Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges for tarpon, snook, and mangrove snapper on the tide swings. - Oceanside flats off Lower Matecumbe for bonefish and the odd permit on the right tide and light. That’s the rundown from Islamorada today—plenty of options whether you’re running offshore, working the reef, or poling the skinny stuff. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Islamorada Early Summer: Mahi, Tuna, and Backcountry Snook in the Upper Keys

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Islamorada fishing report from the heart of the Upper Keys. We’ve got a classic early-summer pattern rolling. Overnight temps sat in the upper 70s, climbing into the mid to upper 80s by afternoon, with that steady southeast breeze about 8–15 knots. Humidity is up, skies partly cloudy with a good mix of sun and passing showers offshore. Sunrise came in just after 6:30 this morning, with sunset set for just after 8:15 this evening, so you’ve got a big window of light to work with. Tide-wise, we’re looking at a typical Keys cycle: higher water pushing in through the early morning, easing toward a midday slack, then a decent outgoing this afternoon into evening. That first push of incoming on the ocean side and the start of the afternoon fall on the bay side have been the ticket all week. Focus your best efforts around those tide changes. Offshore, the bluewater bite has been solid. Folks running 15–25 miles out to the edge of the Gulf Stream have been finding schoolie to decent gaffer dolphin, with a few nicer fish mixed in and the occasional wahoo riding the color changes. Best producers have been small to midsize skirted ballyhoo, pink-and-white or blue-and-white, plus naked ballyhoo trolled at a modest clip. When the mahi school up behind the boat, switching to chunked bait and small bucktails or flashy soft plastics seals the deal. Keep a pitch rod ready with a live pilchard or cigar minnow; that’s been money on the better fish. On the humps and deeper wrecks, blackfin tuna are still around, especially early and late. Vertical jigs in blue and silver, or live pilchards on fluorocarbon leaders, have been putting footballs in the box. You might bump into an amberjack or two if you drop heavier jigs or live baits. Reef and patch reef action off Islamorada has been steady. Yellowtail snapper have been chewing over the 60–90 foot stuff when the current and water clarity line up. A light chum slick, 12–20 lb fluoro, small circle hooks, and slivers of ballyhoo or squid will fill a bucket in short order. Mixed in, you’ll see mangrove snapper and the odd mutton on the deeper edges. Grouper are still lurking on the rockpiles and ledges; big live pinfish, grunts, or mullet on the bottom are your best bet, but work them quick before the sharks find out. Backcountry and bay have that classic summer feel. Out toward the Cape and up around the banks, seatrout, mangroves, and the occasional redfish are hanging in potholes and along channel edges. Small jigheads tipped with shrimp, Gulp-style scented soft plastics, and live shrimp under popping corks have been the go-to. Around the mangrove shorelines and creek mouths on higher water, snook and juvenile tarpon are taking live pilchards and soft-plastic paddletails in natural colors. On the flats, early and late are key. Bonefish are tailing on the oceanside flats on the higher stages of the tide. Light shrimp or crab patterns on fly, or small live shrimp on a light leader, will get you in the game. Baby tarpon have been rolling in the backcountry basins at first light; black or purple soft plastics and small suspending plugs are working well. A couple of local hot spots to keep in mind: – The **Islamorada Hump** offshore has been a strong bet for blackfin tuna and the occasional mahi cruising the edges. – The **patch reefs just off Alligator Reef Light** have been productive for yellowtail and mixed snapper on that cleaner incoming water. Lure-wise, if you’re trying to keep it simple: small bucktail jigs in white or chartreuse, 3–5 inch paddle-tail soft plastics in natural baitfish colors, and a couple of mid-depth diving plugs in green-back or blue-back patterns will cover most of what you’ll run into. For bait, you can’t beat fresh ballyhoo offshore, and a livewell full of pilchards, pinfish, and shrimp will carry you from the reef to the backcountry. That’s the word from Islamorada today. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Islamorada Fishing Report: Early Mornings and Moving Water in June

Good morning, this is **Artificial Lure** with your Islamorada fishing report. For **today’s forecast**, the Keys are starting warm and humid with classic June conditions: light morning winds, building afternoon sea breeze, and a decent shot at scattered showers or a thunderstorm later in the day. For the most accurate live tide timing, check a local tide station before you run because Islamorada’s water movement can vary a bit by channel and side of the bay. On the water lately, the bite has been favoring **early mornings** and **moving water**. Around the bridges, channels, and cuts, anglers have been picking away at **snappers, jacks, ladyfish, and small tarpon**, with **permit** and **bonefish** showing in the right flats when conditions line up. Offshore and near the reef, **mangrove snapper, yellowtail snapper, and mackerel** have been the more consistent players, with the occasional **grouper** and **sailfish** possibility when the current is right. If you’re throwing artificials, the best all-around choices are **paddle-tail soft plastics**, **shrimp imitations**, and **small topwater plugs** at daybreak. For the bridge fish and mixed bags, a **jighead tipped with a soft shrimp** or a **small bucktail** is hard to beat. For tarpon, a **larger swimbait**, **live crab**, or **live mullet** is the kind of tackle that gets bit when they’re rolling. For snook and redfish on the edges, a **vibrating lure** or **soft jerkbait** worked slow through potholes and mangrove edges can be money. Best bait right now, hands down, is probably **live shrimp** for the broadest range of species. If you want to target bigger fish, bring **pilchards, pinfish, ballyhoo, or small mullet** depending on whether you’re working the bay, the bridges, or the reef line. Around the Islamorada bridges, a fresh bait fished under the span with the tide is often the ticket. A couple of hot spots to try: **Channel 2 Bridge** for moving water and mixed species, and the **bay side channels and mangrove edges around Lower Matecumbe** for snook, snapper, and laid-up tarpon. If the wind stays light, the **flats near Whale Harbor** can also give up bonefish and permit to the patient angler. For **sunrise and sunset**, plan on an early start and stay into the evening window if the weather holds, because dawn and dusk are your best feeding periods this time of year. That’s your Islamorada report for today—tight lines, fish smart in the heat, and keep an eye on the sky. Thanks for tuning in, and please **subscribe**. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Islamorada Dawn Bite: Snook, Mahi, and Yellowtail Under the June Heat

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in from Islamorada with your dawn fishing rundown. We’re sitting under a typical June Keys pattern: light southeast breeze around 5–10 knots early, bumping 10–15 by midday, scattered clouds, muggy and warm with highs in the upper 80s and heat index pushing mid‑90s. The nearshore water’s bathtub‑warm, flirting with the low to mid‑80s. Sunrise is right around 6:30 a.m., sunset close to 8:15 p.m., so you’ve got a long window to work the low‑light bites. Tides around Islamorada today are on the weaker side but still worth timing. Inside on the bay and around the bridges you’re seeing an early morning incoming, swinging to outgoing late morning into midday, then a softer push again this evening. On the oceanside patch reefs and wrecks, that first good moving water this morning and the start of the afternoon fall have been sparking the best activity. Inshore, the backcountry and the edges of Florida Bay have been lively. Anglers working early incoming water along mangrove shorelines and creek mouths have been picking off decent **snook** and **redfish**, plus a mix of **sea trout** and **mangrove snapper**. Most boats are reporting a half‑dozen to a dozen reds and snook combined on a solid morning, with plenty of smaller trout and snappers to keep rods bent. Best bets: live shrimp, pilchards, or small pinfish under a popping cork, and artificial shrimp or paddle‑tails in natural hues. Gold spoons and bone‑colored topwaters have been drawing explosive snook strikes at first light. On the oceanside flats, bonefish and permit have been sliding up on the rising water. Sight fishermen poling skinny have been getting a handful of legitimate shots per tide window, with a couple of bones to hand a morning on the better days. Small pink or tan shrimp patterns on fly, and 1/8‑ounce flats jigs tipped with shrimp, are doing work. Permit are snubbing most artificials but still falling for small blue crab and well‑placed live shrimp. Out on the reefs, the humps, and the edge of the blue water, the summer pattern is in full swing. Charter reports from this week have been strong on **mahi‑mahi**, with many boats boxing 10–20 schoolies and a few gaffers when they commit to running and gunning weedlines and birds. Trolling small skirted ballyhoo, naked ballyhoo, and dolphin‑colored chuggers has been the ticket, with the occasional **blackfin tuna** and **skipjack** mixed in around the humps. Have a pitch rod ready with a chunk of ballyhoo or a white bucktail when the mahi swim up on the teasers. Closer to the reef edge, yellowtail and mangrove snapper have been steady. Chumming hard in 40–80 feet is producing limits of keeper yellowtail for patient crews, with **mutton snapper** showing for those dropping live baits on the bottom on the edges of the current. Frozen ballyhoo chunks, squid, and live pilchards are the staples here; if you prefer artificials, small jigs tipped with cut bait drifted back in the chum line will get crushed. A couple of hot spots to circle on your mental chart: – **Islamorada Hump** for mahi and blackfin when the current is pushing and the birds are working. – **Alligator Reef and its surrounding patch reefs** for a mixed bag of yellowtail, mangroves, muttons, plus the odd kingfish or cobia cruising the edge. Best overall lures right now: white or pearl paddle‑tails on 1/4‑ounce jig heads for the backcountry, gold spoons for snook and reds, bone or chartreuse topwater plugs at first light, and small dolphin‑pattern skirted lures offshore. For bait, you can’t beat live pilchards, shrimp, and pinfish inshore, and ballyhoo—live or rigged—offshore. That’s the word on the water from Artificial Lure here in Islamorada. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Early Summer Bite: Dawn and Dusk Dominate in Islamorada

This is Artificial Lure with your Islamorada fishing report. We’re sitting on a classic early-summer pattern in the Upper Keys: light southeast breeze, warm and sticky mornings, and scattered clouds building to a chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Winds are generally 5–10 knots southeast, seas inside the reef are a light chop, and offshore conditions are very manageable for center consoles and charters. Air temps are pushing into the upper 80s by afternoon, with the heat index into the 90s, so the best bite is early and late. Tides around Islamorada today bring a pre-dawn incoming on the ocean side with good moving water around the bridges, then a mid-morning slack before it starts easing out. Inside Florida Bay, the push lags a bit, so that late-morning to early-afternoon window can still fish well on the banks and channels. Sunrise is right around a quarter after six, with sunset close to eight-thirty, giving you a long light period but the prime activity is still those first couple of hours of daylight and the last couple before dark. Offshore, the mahi bite has been solid in 400–700 feet. Schoolies with a few gaffers are hanging on weedlines and bird plays. Trollers are doing well with small skirted ballyhoo, naked ballyhoo, and bright dolphin-colored chuggers. For artificials, think chartreuse-and-white or pink-and-white trolling lures, plus small pilchard-profile swim baits pitched to fish that show behind the boat. Keep a spinning rod rigged with a fluorocarbon leader and a 3/0–4/0 circle hook for pitching live pilchards or chunks when a better fish slides in. On the humps, blackfin tuna are still chewing, especially early. Vertical jigs in the 80–120 gram range, silver or blue, dropped deep and ripped back fast are getting hammered. Live pilchards slow-trolled or drifted are still the top bait. A few bigger sharks are around, so put the heat on those tunas. On the reef edge in 60–120 feet, yellowtail snapper fishing has been very good when the current is right. Anchor up, get a steady chum slick going, and fish 12–20 lb fluoro with small j-hooks and tiny pieces of cut ballyhoo or shrimp. Add a split shot only if you have to. You’ll also pick at mangrove snapper and the occasional mutton on the bottom with knocker rigs and live pinfish or ballyhoo chunks. A few keeper grouper are still being picked off the deeper ledges and patches. Inshore, the backcountry has been producing steady seatrout, mangrove snapper, and a mix of sharks and jacks on the banks and channels. Soft plastic paddletails in new penny or white on a 1/8–1/4 oz jighead are the go-to artificials. Live shrimp under a popping cork will bend rods all day for less experienced anglers. Early-morning slicked-out conditions are giving a few shots at laid-up tarpon and rolling fish in the channels; live mullet or crabs are hard to beat, but big swimbaits and black-and-purple plugs will get eaten in low light. On the flats, expect snook and redfish tucked along the mangrove edges on the higher part of the tide, then sliding off into potholes as the water drops. Topwaters like a bone-colored Spook Jr. at first light, then switch to soft plastics on weedless hooks once the sun gets up. Fly anglers are seeing some tarpon and a few permit when the wind stays down; small black or tan crab patterns are the ticket for permit, with classic tarpon toads for the poons. A couple of hot spots to consider: – The Islamorada Hump for early-morning blackfin and the chance at bigger pelagics. – The reef line off Alligator Reef and north toward Crocker for yellowtail, mangroves, and mixed bag bottom fishing. – In the backcountry, the banks and channels northwest of town toward Sandy Key for trout, snapper, and sharks. Overall, focus your effort at dawn and dusk, fish moving water, and keep your tackle light and leaders long for the spooky stuff. Live pilchards, live shrimp, and fresh ballyhoo remain the best natural baits, while small paddletails, bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp, and bright trolling skirts are the top artificials right now. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn