Keys Gamefish Galore: Snapper, Grouper, and Mahi Mahi Bite Hot in Late-Summer Florida

Artificial Lure here with your September 10th, 2025 Florida Keys fishing report.

We kicked off the day with **sunrise at 7:13 AM and sunset coming at 7:40 PM. Tides are running high—today’s tidal coefficient is 77, peaking up to 90 by tonight, meaning strong tidal swings and big water movement across flats, channels, and reefs. At Longboat Key, high tide was at 2:28 AM (3.02 ft), low at 9:12 AM (0.56 ft), and the next high’s rolling in at 3:37 PM (2.53 ft). These tide swings are perfect for stirring up bait and putting gamefish on the move.

Weather’s typical late-summer Keys: warm, muggy, and mostly clear, light east winds picking up as the sun gains strength. Nothing like a little breeze to help work the backcountry and outer reefs. Seasoned locals know, with these healthy currents, there’s great action expected around the **Channel Two bridges, Islamorada flats, and the reefs off Marathon**.

The **bite’s been hot on the reefs**, especially for **yellowtail snapper**—reports from South Florida Saltwater Fishing indicate big tails are chewing hard on the patch reefs and near the main reef line. Chumming is king right now, with fresh-cut ballyhoo and silversides bringing snapper up to the slick. Mutton snapper are mixing in, showing strong in the deeper edges. Sunrise and early outgoing tide produced several muttons over 20 inches already this week.

**Mangrove snapper** are stacked up under bridges, mangroves, and in the channels. Shrimp-tipped jigheads or live pilchards freelined on light tackle have been top producers. Bonefish guides like Pat Bracher noted an uptick in permit action and cruising bones in shallow water, especially on incoming tides, but you’ll want to be stealthy—light line and soft presentations are essential.

Offshore, **gag grouper** are still in the mix during their short harvest window. Tampa Bay guides noted that large grouper moved inshore to structure—try deep diving plugs or the classic live pinfish dropped near bottom rock piles. For those pushing deeper, mahi mahi are being found under weeds and floating debris with trolling feathers and cut bait rigs. Some quality **kingfish** have come into play on outgoing tide edges off Marathon and Alligator Reef, with blue runners and hard bucktails turning heads.

Artificial lures are crushing lately—natural colors like “shrimp brown” soft plastics tested by LureWorks match the hatch for snapper and shallow water tarpon. Bait making tutorials show that mocha flake and holographic silver versions are outperforming for finicky mangroves and snook, especially when paired with scented gel.

For best results today:
- **Chum for yellowtail and mutton**—pair with fresh cut sardine or ballyhoo.
- **Freeline live shrimp or pilchards** for mangrove snapper, bones, and permit on the flats.
- **Use shrimp brown soft plastics** with red or silver flake for snook and juvenile tarpon.
- **Drop live pinfish** or deep diving plugs for offshore grouper.
- **Troll small feathers or cut baits** on dolphin and kingfish lines.

Two hot spots to hit:
- **Channel Two Bridge:** Morning and sunset yields mangrove snapper, tarpon, and occasional permit. Target bridge pilings on moving tide.
- **Alligator Reef:** Chumming over the reef brings giant yellowtail and mutton snapper up; troll nearby for king mackerel and mahi.

Fishing techniques vary, but light spinning tackle, bottom rigs, and live bait setups are working best right now. If you’re pouring your own baits, “shrimp brown” with gold or silver flake is looking real good in these clear late-summer waters.

Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe to get your daily Keys fishing fix.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Artificial lure. Here with your September tenth, twenty twenty five
Florida Keys Fishing report. We kicked off the day with
sunrise at seven thirteen am and sunset coming at seven
forty pm. Tides are running high. Today's tidle coal fishing
is seventy seven peaking up to ninety by tonight, meaning
strong tidal swings and big water movement across flats, channels

(00:22):
and weaves. At Longbow Key, high tide was at two
twenty eight am three point zero two feet, low at
nine to twelve am zero point five six feet, and
the next high is rolling in at three thirty seven
pm two point five three feet. These tide swings are
perfect for stirring up bait and putting game fish on
the move. Weather's typical late summer keys warm, muggy, and

(00:44):
mostly clear, light east winds picking up as the sun
gained strength. Nothing like a little breeze to help work
the back country in outer reefs. Season locals know with
these healthy currents there's great action expected around the tash
To Bridges, Islamarada Flats and the rest Marathon. The bite's
been hot on the reefs, especially for yellowtail snapper. Reports

(01:05):
from South Florida saltwater fishing indicate big tails are chewing
hard on the patch reefs and near the main reef line.
Chumming is king right now with fresh cut balley hue
and silver sides bringing snapper up to the slick Mutton
snapper are mixing in, showing strong in the deeper edges.
Sunrise and early upgoing tide produce several muttons over twenty
inches already this week. Mangrove snapper are stacked up under bridges,

(01:29):
mangroves and in the channels. Trimp tip jigheads or live
pilchards freelined on light tackle have been top producers. Bonefish
guides like Pat Braicher noted an uptick in permit action
and cruising bones in shallow water, but you'll want to
be stealthy. Light line and soft presentations are essential. Offshore,

(01:58):
gag grouper are still in the mixed during their short
harvest window. Tampa Bay guides noted that large grouper moved
in short of structure. Try deep diving plugs or the
classic live pinfish drop near bottom rock piles for those
pushing deeper. Mahi mai are being found under weeds and
floating debris with trolling feathers and cut bait rigs. Some

(02:20):
quality kingfish have come into play on outgoing tide edges
off Marathon and Alligator reef, with blue runners and hard
buck tails turning heads. Artificial lures are crushing lately. Natural
colors like shrimp brown soft plastics tested by lure Works
match the hatch for snapper and shallow water Tarpin. Bait
making tutorials show that maka flake and holographic silver versions

(02:43):
are outperforming for finicky mangroves and snook, especially when paired
with scented gel for best results today then chum for
yellowtail and mutton. Pair with fresh cut sardine or ballyhoo
freeline live shrimp, five pushes punchers for men and push
use shrimp brown soft plastics with red or silver flake

(03:06):
for snirk and juvenile tarpin, drop live pinfish or deep
diving plugs for offshore grouper. Troll small feathers or cut
baits on dolphin and kingfish lines. Two hot spots to
hit negative channel two bridge morning and sunset yields mangrove, snapper,
tarpin and occasional permit, target bridge pilings, a moving tide,

(03:31):
alligator reef chumming over the reef brings giant yellowtail and
mutton snapper up troll nearby for king mackerel and mahi.
Fishing techniques vary, but light spinning tackle, bottom rigs and
live bait setups are working best right now. If you're
pouring your own baits. Shrimp brown with gold or silver

(03:52):
flake is looking real good in these clear late summer waters.
Thanks for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe to get
your day Keys Fishing fix. This has been a quiet
please production. For more check out Quiet please dot ai