Keys Fishing Report: Wahoo, Snook, and Spanish Mackerel Bite On

Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure reporting live from the heart of the Florida Keys on Friday, September 5th, 2025.

Right now, the weather is classic late-summer Keys: expect muggy early hours with a light southeasterly breeze, variable cloud cover, and the usual chance of a brief shower midmorning. Temps are pushing into the mid-80s by late morning, with sunrise at 7:03 AM and sunset at 7:35 PM. Take hydration and sun protection seriously out there.

Tides are running average today. In Key Largo, first low tide is at 3:55 AM and the first decent high rolls in at 9:28 AM, peaking at just under a foot. The afternoon low settles in at 4:12 PM before the second high arrives at 10:06 PM—a good tidal swing if you’re working both early and late bites. With that, expect active currents during those swings, which usually means better fish movement, especially near structure and patch reefs. Tidal coefficients are climbing through the day, so keep an eye on those current lines for lurking predators.

Fish activity is steady across the board. Offshore, the wahoo bite is ON according to local guides—fast-trolling deep-divers in bluewater off Islamorada and Marathon is producing some excellent strikes. Mahi are still scattered but present; try running weedlines just outside the reef after the high tide for good numbers. Blackfin tuna and king mackerel are cruising edges of the humps early and late.

Inshore, keeper snook are showing up around deep points in the creeks and at the mouths of the passes. Anglers working the outside flats with live pinfish, big shrimp, or chunk ladyfish are doing best. Artificial lures like the MirrOlure MirrOdine and D.O.A. glow soft plastics are pulling slot redfish and snook around mangrove edges according to Captain Toney out Homosassa way. Trout are in 3-4 feet over rough bottom, with live or cut pinfish the go-to bait. The north and south running bars during outgoing tide are holding decent trout and the occasional slot red. If you’re in Marathon, Spanish mackerel are blitzing bait balls near the Seven Mile Bridge—silver spoons or fast-retrieved paddletails are crushing it.

Recent catches in the past couple days tell the story: offshore boats returned with double-digit wahoos, half a box of dolphin, steady blackfin, and late-season yellowtail snapper. Reef guys picked up big mangrove and yellowtail snapper, plenty of grunts, and a handful of keeper groupers. On the flats, snook and redfish are moving good, and the tarpon bite is spotty but worth a shot on outgoing tide if you’re armed with live mullet or big soft plastics.

As for best baits and lures, here’s my hot list:
- Live pinfish, whitebait, and shrimp for most inshore action.
- Chunk ladyfish for snook; glass minnows for trout and snapper.
- MirrOlure MirrOdine, D.O.A Glow Shrimp, and paddletails for artificials.
- Offshore, target wahoo with high-speed trolling lures—Yo-Zuri Bonitas, rigged Ballyhoo, and skirted jet heads.
- For reef fishing, small jigs tipped with squid or shrimp are steady winners on snapper and grunts.

Hot spots today include:
- East side of Long Key Bridge for snapper and trout right on the morning incoming tide.
- The flats off Islamorada’s Alligator Reef for bonefish and permit at first light.
- Marathon’s Seven Mile Bridge—look for Spanish mackerel blitzes and mutton snapper around bridge pilings.
- Patch reefs off Duck Key for good mixed-bag action: snapper, hogfish, and grouper.

That’s your morning wrap for the Florida Keys—lure up, fish smart, and respect the tides. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure, and don’t forget to subscribe for more tips and fresh reports.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning Anglers. Artificial Lure reporting live from the heart
of the Florida Keys on Friday, September fifth, twenty twenty five.
Right now, the weather is classic late summer Keys. Expect
muggy early hours with a light southeasterly breeze, variable cloud cover,
and the usual chance of a brief shower mid morning.
Tamps are pushing into the mid eighties by late morning,

(00:22):
with sunrise at seven oh three am and sunset at
seven thirty five pm. Take hydration and sun protection seriously
out there. Tides are running average today in Key Largo.
First low tide is at three fifty five am and
the first decent high rolls in at nine twenty eight am,
peaking at just under a foot. The aftermin low settles

(00:44):
in at four to twelve pm before the second high
arrives at ten zero six pm. Dash a good tidle
swing if you're working both early and late bites. With that,
expect active currents during those swings, which usually means better
fish movement, especially near structure and patch reefs. Tidal coficients
are climbing through the day, so keep an eye on

(01:05):
those current lines for lurking predators. Fish activity is steady
across the board. Offshore, the wahoo bite is on. According
to local guides, fast trolling, deep divers and blue water
off Islamarata and Marathon is producing some excellent strikes. Mahir
is still scattered but present. Try running weed lines just
outside the reef after the high tide for good numbers.

(01:27):
Blackfin tuna and king mackerel are cruising edges of the
humps early and late inshore keeper snok are showing up
around deep points in the creeks and at the mouths
of the passes. Anglers working the upside flats with live pinfish,
big shrimp or chunk ladyfish are doing best. Artificial lures
like the mirrorlere nero dine at our do glow soft

(01:48):
plastics are pulling slot redfish and snoke around mangrove edges.
According to Captain Tony out homosassaway trouder in three to
four feet over rough bottom with live or cut pinfish
the go to bait. The north and south running bars
during outgoing tide or holding decent trout and the occasional
slot red. If you're in Marathon, Spanish mackerel are blitzing

(02:09):
bait balls near the seven mile Bridge. Silver spoons or
fast retrieved paddle tails are crushing it. Race and catches
in the past couple days tell the story. Offshore boats
returned with double digit wahoos, half a box of dolphin,
steady blackfin, and late season yellowtail snapper. Reef guys picked
up big mangrove and yellowtail snapper, plenty of grunts and

(02:30):
a handful of keeper groupers. On the flats, Snook and
redfish are moving good, and the tarpinbite is spotty but
worth a shot on outgoing tide if you're armed with
live mullet or big soft plastics. As for best baits
and lures, here's my hot list live penfish, white bait
and shrimp for most in shore action, chunk ladyfish for snook,

(02:53):
blast minnows for trout and snapper, mural lore neurodean doa glow,
shrimp and paddle tails for artificials. Offshore target wahoo with
high speed trolling lures, yozeri, bonitas, rigged ballyhoo, and skirted
jettheads for reef fishing. Small jigs tipped with squid or
shrimp are study winners. On snapper and grunts. Hot spots

(03:17):
today include east side of long Key Bridge for snapper
and trout right on the morning incoming tide, the flats
off Islamaradas Alligator reef for bonefish and permit at first
light Marathon seven mile Bridge. Look for Spanish mackerel, blitzes
and mutton snapper around bridge pilings, patch reefs off duck

(03:38):
Key for good mixed bad action snapper, hogfish, and grouper.
That's your morning wrap for the Florida Keys. War up, fish, smart,
and respect the tides. Thanks for tuning in to artificial lore,
and don't forget to subscribe for more tips and fresh reports.
This has been a quiet please production. For more check

(03:59):
out Quiet Place. Please dot a I