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August/September 2025

Florida Keys Fishing Report

Lower Keys Fishing Report

During late summer here in the Lower Keys I live by the mantra “the early bird gets the worm”. This is particularly the case on flat calm days. Wind and certain tides can extend the day but typically we try to be off the dock before sunrise and off the water around mid day. Beautiful sunrises provide an added bonus to the morning run and some often very good fishing.

    We will usually start the day looking for rolling tarpon.  Morning hatches are common this morning.  These are not hatches in the sense of western rivers but is driven by oxygen levels.  In early morning there has been no photosynthesis taking place and seagrasses have been consuming oxygen.  Combine this with hot calm water and small baitfish and shrimp come up in the water column providing easy meals for tarpon.  Topwater bites are usually explosive.

    Late summer ranks as one of the best times to target our plus sized bonefish. Tailing fish are common at sunrise and again at sunset if the tides are right.  Late afternoon tailers are a blast but keep an eye out for thunderstorms.

    Permit numbers have been improving over the past few months.  Wind is super helpful when targeting them on the flats. There isn”t a fish out there more skittish and wind helps us get the boat closer.  In the deeper water we look for them flashing and finning. Live crabs are the go to offering in the deeper water.

    Moving out a little deeper the late summer snapper bite should remain consistent. Most species will be spawned out but still in lingering groups.  Be mindful of different mangrove snapper size limits in state and federal water. A small live pinfish will bag some large mangroves. Good luck and good fishing.

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