Florida Keys Fishing Report: Light Winds, Long Days, and Hot Afternoon Bites

Early Summer Keys: Tarpon, Permit, and Perfect Tides

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Keys fishing report. We’re sitting on a classic early-summer pattern. Light southeast breeze around 5–10 knots, humid but stable, with only a small chance of passing showers. According to the National Weather Service marine outlook, seas are running 1–2 feet nearshore, maybe 2–3 out past the reef, so just about anybody can get out comfortably. Winds should freshen a bit this afternoon with the sea breeze, then lay back down overnight. Sunrise is right around 6:35 a.m., with sunset close to 8:15 p.m., giving you a long, bright day to work the edges. First light and the last hour before dark are still your money windows, especially up on the flats and around the mangrove shorelines. Tides today are on a moderate cycle. Near Islamorada and Marathon, we’ve got a higher high before mid-morning, easing into a midafternoon low. Around Key West, high is a touch later, but the same general pattern: a healthy incoming around dawn, draining through early afternoon. That falling water is going to stack bait and predators in the channels and at the mouths of creeks. Inshore, the bite’s been lively. Local guides out of Islamorada have been putting clients on good numbers of **tarpon** at the bridges on the early incoming and the first of the outgoing. Live mullet, crabs, and big shrimp drifted back in the shadow lines have all produced, with a few fish still pushing triple digits. If you’re throwing artificials, work 5–7" soft-plastic paddletails in natural mullet or pearl on a stout jig head, or slow-roll big swimbaits right along the current seams. The **flats** are waking up early. Guides poling the oceanside flats from Key Largo to Big Pine report laid-up **tarpon**, schools of **bonefish**, and tailing **permit** on the higher stages. For bones, small tan or olive shrimp patterns and light jigs are doing the trick; for permit, bring a well-presented live crab or a realistic crab fly. Keep your casts low and your footsteps softer. Backcountry up in Florida Bay and around the mangrove islands is holding plenty of **snook**, **redfish**, and **mangrove snapper**. Look for moving water on the falling tide, especially where small creeks dump into larger bays. Live pilchards, finger mullet, and shrimp under a popping cork are steady producers. On artificials, throw gold spoons, 3–4" paddletails in new penny or root beer, and topwaters at first light for explosive strikes. Offshore, boats running out of Marathon and Key West have been finding solid **dolphin (mahi)** in that 400–800 foot range. Weedlines and floating debris are key; once you find the life, you’ll often find birds and schoolies with a few gaffers mixed in. Ballyhoo, squid strips, and small trolling lures in blue/white, pink, or green/yellow have all been getting bit. Keep a spinning rod rigged with a chunk bait or bucktail to pick off followers when the spread hooks up. On the reef edge, **yellowtail snapper** fishing has stayed strong. Anchor in 60–90 feet, get a consistent chum slick going, and free-line small pieces of cut bait or shrimp on light tackle. Add a little split shot if the current is ripping. Mixed in, expect mutton snapper and the occasional grouper along the bottom if you’re soaking live pinfish or ballyhoo on heavier gear. For a couple of hot spots: - **Seven Mile Bridge area**: Great mix of tarpon early and late, with mangrove snapper and the occasional grouper tight to structure on the slower parts of the tide. - **Marquesas Keys west of Key West**: When weather allows, that ring of islands is holding everything from permit on the flats to snappers and grouper in the surrounding channels and patch reefs. Best all-around baits right now: live pilchards, mullet, shrimp, and small crabs. Best artificials: bone-colored and mullet-pattern topwaters at dawn, gold spoons over grass, and natural-hued soft plastics on light jig heads when the sun gets up. That’s your Florida Keys rundown from Artificial Lure. 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

Florida Keys Early Summer: Bones, Permit, and Tarpon On the Rise

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Florida Keys fishing report. We’ve got a classic early‑summer pattern setting up down here. Light southeast breeze around 5–10 knots overnight, building to 10–15 by mid‑day, with scattered clouds, steamy temps in the high 80s, and that usual Keys humidity. Nearshore seas are running 1–3 feet on the reef, a little lumpier beyond the edge. Sunrise came just after 6, with sunset roughly a little after 8, giving you a long low‑light window at both ends of the day. Morning incoming has been the money tide: water pushing in, clean and a touch cooler on the oceanside flats, with a decent fall this afternoon on the bayside. On the **flats**, bonefish and permit have been active from Key Largo down through Islamorada. Guides around Islamorada and Marathon have been putting clients on solid bones in the 3–6 pound class with a few bigger fish mixed in, plus scattered permit cruising the edges of deeper flats. Best producers have been small pale shrimp patterns on fly, or live shrimp and quarter‑crab on spinning gear. For artificials, think 1/8‑oz skimmer jigs, tan or pink, and super subtle paddle tails. Tarpon fishing is still hanging on. Bridges like Seven Mile, Long Key, and Bahia Honda are giving up a few silver kings at dawn and into the night. Most fish are in the 60–100 pound range with some bigger girls rolling through. Live mullet, crabs, and big pinfish are prime. If you’re throwing hardware, slow‑rolled swimbaits in natural mullet colors and soft‑plastic eel imitations are working when the current is right. Out on the **reef**, the snapper bite has been steady. Boats working the 40–80 foot edge off Marathon and Key West are boxing up good numbers of yellowtail, plus some mangroves and muttons. Light chum slick, small pieces of cut ballyhoo or squid on 12–20 lb fluoro leaders are getting the job done. For artificials, go with small bucktails tipped with a sliver of bait, or scented soft plastics drifted back in the slick. Early morning and the first part of the incoming tide have been best. Just past the reef, **dolphin (mahi)** are still around but scattered. Crews running 10–20 miles out of Islamorada and Key West are picking off schoolies with an occasional gaffer. Troll small skirted ballyhoo, feather jigs in blue‑and‑white or pink, and have spinning rods ready with chunk baits and pilchards for when a pack shows up behind the boat. Around the **backcountry and bayside**, redfish and snook are nosing around the mangrove edges north of the Lower Keys and toward Flamingo. Topwater plugs at first light, then switching to soft jerkbaits and live pilchards as the sun climbs, have been producing. On deeper channels and edges, expect some trout, jacks, and the odd cobia or small shark. A couple of hot spots to put on your list: - The **Seven Mile Bridge area**: great shot at tarpon at dawn, plus snapper and some grouper on the nearby patches. - The **oceanside flats off Islamorada**: tailing bonefish and cruising permit on the morning incoming tide when the wind stays down. Overall, fish activity is solid if you play the tides and beat the heat. Focus on low‑light, moving water, downsize your leaders, and be ready to switch between natural baits and subtle artificials. 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

Summer Peak in the Keys: Dolphin Offshore, Snapper on the Reef, Tarpon at Dusk

This is Artificial Lure checking in from the Florida Keys with your morning fishing report. We’ve got classic summer conditions lining up. Around Key West and Islamorada, sunrise is right about 6:35 a.m. with sunset near 8:15 p.m. Local tide charts show an early morning incoming tide rolling through the reef and channels, then a mid‑day slack before an afternoon fall. That dawn incoming and the first couple hours of the evening outgoing are your prime bite windows. Weather’s looking typical Keys muggy: mid‑ to upper‑80s by mid‑day, light east to southeast breeze 8–12 knots, seas 1–3 feet on the reef, a bit calmer in the backcountry. Expect scattered clouds and the usual chance of a pop‑up shower, so keep an eye on the sky but it’s a go‑day. Offshore, the dolphin bite has been steady the last few days. Boats running 15–25 miles out off Marathon and Key Largo have been finding schoolie and gaffer mahi on weedlines and frigate birds, with a few bigger bulls mixed in. Anglers have been putting decent numbers in the box on small skirted ballyhoo, naked ballyhoo, and trolling feathers in blue‑and‑white or pink‑and‑chartreuse around 6–8 knots. Keep a spinning rod rigged with a chunk of ballyhoo or a pilchard ready for fish that swim up to the boat. On the reef edge, from about 60–90 feet, yellowtail and mangrove snapper have been chewing good on that morning tide. Recently folks out off Alligator Reef and Western Sambo have reported limits or near‑limits of tails in the 14–18 inch range, plus a mix of mangroves and the odd mutton. Best bet is 12–20 pound fluorocarbon, small circle hooks, and a light chum slick. Use cut ballyhoo, small chunks of shrimp, or silversides. Let those baits drift back naturally; any resistance and the bite shuts down. In the channels and around the bridges, tarpon are still around but starting to thin with the heat. There have been nice fish jumped at Bahia Honda and the 7 Mile Bridge on the evening outgoing. Drift live crabs or big mullet on heavy fluorocarbon leaders. If you’re throwing artificials, big soft‑plastic paddletails in dark colors or heavy swimbaits worked slow in the current will get crushed when they’re in the mood. Backcountry action in Florida Bay and the Everglades side has been strong early and late. Snook and redfish have been coming off the mangrove edges and oyster bars on topwater plugs at first light—think bone or mullet‑pattern walk‑the‑dog baits—then switch to 1/4‑ounce jigheads with shrimp‑style soft plastics once the sun gets up. A few trout and mangrove snapper are mixed in over the grass flats for those drifting under popping corks with live shrimp. For you lobstering‑minded folks, remember we’re outside the mini‑season window, so double‑check current regs before you drop in; wardens have been active. Couple hotspot suggestions for today: – Around **Alligator Reef Light** off Islamorada: work that early incoming tide for yellowtail and mutton snapper, then slide a bit deeper to 120–180 feet and drop jigs for muttons and the occasional grouper. – The **7 Mile Bridge and Bahia Honda area**: fish the shadow lines and channel edges at dawn and dusk for tarpon, plus mangrove snapper and jacks on live shrimp or pilchards. In general, best lures right now are small bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp for reef species, 3–5 inch soft plastics on 1/8–1/4 ounce heads for inshore, and bright trolling skirts and feathers offshore. For bait, you can’t beat live pilchards, pinfish, mullet, and crabs, plus fresh ballyhoo. That’s your Keys fishing rundown from Artificial Lure. 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

Florida Keys Fishing: Tarpon at Dawn, Snapper on the Evening Tide

This is Artificial Lure with your Florida Keys fishing report. We’re sitting on a light southeast breeze this morning, around 5–10 knots, with air temps climbing through the low 80s and humidity thick but manageable. Nearshore waters are running in the low 80s as well, with clear to slightly green water on the oceanside and a little more stain in the backcountry. Scattered clouds, low rain chances until later this afternoon when a few pop‑up storms may build over the Gulf side. Sunrise comes early over the Atlantic and sunset will give you a nice evening bite window; plan around first light, late afternoon, and the dusk changeover for your best shots. Tides around the Middle Keys are on a moderate cycle today: a predawn high starting to fall through the morning, bottoming out late morning, then a solid incoming push early to mid‑afternoon. That moving water is what you want to key on. Offshore, boats running beyond the reef line have been into schoolie and peanut dolphin with a few gaffers mixed in under birds and weedlines. Most of the action has been 10–20 miles out, with trolled ballyhoo, small chuggers, and feather jigs doing work. Keep a spinning rod rigged with a pilchard or chunked ballyhoo for fish that slide up to the transom. On the reef edge, yellowtail snapper are chewing well on the evening tide. Drop anchor in 60–80 feet, start a steady chum slick, and freeline small cut baits or shrimp on light fluorocarbon. Mixed in have been mutton snapper on the bottom and a few black grouper for those soaking live pinfish or ballyhoo down deep. Inshore and backcountry, the flats and mangrove edges are seeing good tarpon, snook, and redfish activity around that early falling and afternoon incoming tide. Early mornings, throw soft‑plastic paddletails in natural hues or bone‑colored topwaters along shorelines. Live shrimp, pinfish, and pilchards are hard to beat if you’re bait‑soaking. Tarpon have been rolling on oceanside channels at dawn and dusk; crabs and big mullet or ladyfish chunks are the tickets there. On the patch reefs and near‑bridge rubble, mangrove snapper and lane snapper are stacked up. Small jigs tipped with shrimp or cut bait, and simple knocker rigs with 1/0–2/0 hooks, are putting good numbers in the box, with the occasional keeper grouper hanging right on the structure. A few hot spots to circle on your chart: – Around the 7 Mile Bridge, especially the channel edges and pilings on the ocean side, has been consistent for tarpon, mangrove snapper, and some hefty muttons. – The flats and channels off Islamorada’s oceanside have been productive for bonefish and permit on the clear, incoming water, with live shrimp, small crabs, and light‑colored bucktail jigs doing damage. Best artificial choices right now: – White or natural‑colored paddletail swimbaits on 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig heads for snook, reds, and trout in the back. – Bone or silver walk‑the‑dog topwaters at dawn for tarpon and snook along shorelines and bridge shadows. – Small bucktail jigs in pink, white, or chartreuse for snapper and assorted reef fish on lighter tackle. Live bait still rules the Keys: pilchards, pinfish, shrimp, and crabs if you can get them. Match your leader to the water clarity; when it’s gin‑clear, go lighter and longer. That’s your Keys report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a trip. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Florida Keys Early Summer: Ride the Tide Windows for Dolphin, Snapper, and Tarpon

This is Artificial Lure with your Florida Keys fishing report. We’ve got a classic early-summer pattern setting up across the island chain. Light to moderate east–southeast breeze around 10–15 knots, seas 1–3 feet on the reef, a light chop in the backcountry, and muggy air with scattered clouds and a good chance of a mid/late-afternoon thunderstorm. Sunrise is right around 6:30 a.m. with sunset close to 8:15 p.m., so you’ve got a long fishing day to play with the tides. Around the Middle and Lower Keys, we’re working through 2 high and 2 low tides today, with the stronger water movement lining up mid-morning and again late afternoon. That moving water window has been the ticket all week. The weak slack tide periods in the heat of the day have been slower, so plan your serious fishing around those pushes. Off the reef edge, boats running out 8–18 miles have been finding solid dolphin (mahi) in scattered weedlines and under birds. Schoolies have been common with a few gaffers mixed in. Trolling small skirted ballyhoo, naked ballyhoo, and dolphin-colored feather jigs has been productive, and many fish are eating chunked bonito once you get a school behind the boat. Keep a spinning rod rigged with a small bucktail or flashy jig to pitch to followers. On the reef from about 60–120 feet, yellowtail snapper action remains steady in the chum slick, especially on the evening tide. Pilchards, cut ballyhoo, and squid chunks on light leaders are doing the damage, with plenty of keeper tails and some muttons nosing in down-current. Keep a heavier rod out with a live pinfish or grunt on the bottom for grouper; black and red grouper have been picked at a modest but consistent pace. In the backcountry, the flats and edges of the channels have been alive at first light and again late in the day. Bonefish are tailing on the ocean-side flats on the incoming, taking live shrimp, small crabs, and light-colored shrimp-pattern flies. Tarpon are still around the bridges and deeper channels; early morning and dusk have produced bites on live mullet, crabs, and big soft plastics. The bite slows when the sun gets high and the water slicks off. Mangrove snapper and a mix of jacks, ladyfish, and the occasional redfish are filling coolers in the bayside channels. Small pilchards, shrimp, and cut bait on light jigheads or simple knocker rigs have been steady producers. For artificials, a 3-inch paddletail in natural green-back or root-beer colors has been money around mangrove edges. Best lures right now: - Small to medium skirted trolling lures and feathers in green/yellow and blue/white for dolphin. - 1/4–3/8 oz bucktail jigs tipped with shrimp or cut bait for snapper and channel fish. - Paddletail and jerk shad soft plastics in natural baitfish hues for tarpon, jacks, and inshore mixed bag. Best natural bait: - Live pilchards, pinfish, mullet, and crabs for tarpon and grouper. - Fresh ballyhoo and squid for reef fish. - Shrimp and small crabs for bonefish and mangrove snapper. A couple of local hot spots to consider: - The reef line off **Alligator Reef and Tennessee Reef** has been giving up consistent yellowtail, muttons, and a shot at dolphin just a little farther out. - The **Seven Mile Bridge area** and adjacent channels have held tarpon at dawn and dusk, with snappers and grouper stacked around the structure on the right tide. Fish the early and late windows, match your offerings to the water clarity, and don’t be afraid to move if the spot feels dead after a tide change. 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