Late September Fishing in the Florida Keys

Artificial Lure here with your Florida Keys fishing report for Saturday, September 27, 2025. Sunrise hit at 7:13 AM, and you’ve got until 7:13 PM to make the most of these beautiful late-September hours. Weather’s holding classic for the Keys: light breezes and clear skies early, with a few patchy clouds possible as we roll into the afternoon. Temperatures hover in the upper 70s at dawn and climb toward the mid-80s by midday. Perfect for both the early risers and those chasing the evening bite.

Tide-wise, you’re looking at a high tide just after midnight around 1:03 AM, dropping to a morning low at 7:55 AM. The next run-up peaks at 2:17 PM, with the afternoon low settling near 6:35 PM. These moderate swings mean currents will be moving but won’t really rip, so expect good water movement early and late. If you’re targeting reef or bridge spots, plan your session one hour before and after those highs for prime fish activity—especially as the solunar table is showing average activity today, fish should be on the hunt[2].

Recent catches around the Middle and Lower Keys—think Islamorada to Key West—have been solid. Anglers have been snagging plenty of **mangrove snapper** and **yellowtail snapper** off the patch reefs, and near the bridges, the **muttons** are starting to show in the mix. Out deeper, look for **grouper** and **amberjack** still lingering around the wrecks. Flats fisherman are picking up good numbers of **bonefish** and **permit**, especially on the rising tide early. Reports from local guides confirm decent action for **tarpon** still at dawn and dusk on live mullet or pilchards.

Best lures for this time of year? With fall baitfish running larger, throw big topwater plugs at first light for snook and tarpon in backcountry creeks and bridges. Oversize paddle tails and subsurface jerkbaits in silvers and whites closely imitate those mullet and pilchard schools cruising the shallows[6]. For the offshore crowd, nothing beats a live pilchard or chunked ballyhoo on snapper and grouper. If you’re trolling, skirted baits and deep-diving plugs in natural colors are working their magic for king mackerel and the occasional mahi.

Hot spots you won’t want to miss:
- **Channel Two Bridge:** Snapper, muttons, and tarpon have all been active around the structure, especially around the tide change.
- **Long Key Viaduct:** Early risers have been connecting with snook and occasional trout and ladyfish in the shadow lines before the sun climbs high.
- **Seven Mile Bridge patches:** Consistent action on yellowtail and mangrove snapper, with some surprise grouper mixed in—drift a live shrimp or shiny jig for best results.
- **Backcountry flats off Marathon:** Permit and bonefish are tailing hard in the early hours. Small crab patterns or Gulp! soft plastics are getting it done.

For bait, top picks right now are **live pilchards**, shrimp, and pinfish. If you can’t get live, go artificial—MirrOdines, soft plastics in white or chartreuse, and gold spoons catch just about everything. Don’t overlook fresh-cut bait for bottom fishing; it’s prime for grouper and snapper.

Overall, if you’re heading out, pack your oversize baitfish imitators, bring plenty of live and cut bait, and set up near bridges or patch reefs at the turn of the tides. Fish have been moving in decent numbers—mangroves and yellowtail coming in by the dozen, with mutton and grouper in smaller but steady counts on deep structure. Bonefish and permit are booked steady for flats guides, and a few tarpon are still prowling the channels when the tides swing.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Florida Keys fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a hot tip or a weather shift. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Artificial lore. Here with your FORDA Keys fishing report for Saturday,
September twenty seventh, twenty twenty five. Sunrise hit at seven
thirteen am, and you've got until seven thirteen pm to
make the most of these beautiful late September hours. Weathers
holding classic for the Keys. Light breezes and clear skies

(00:20):
early with a few patchy clouds possible as we roll
into the afternoon. Temperatures hover in the upper seventies at
dawn and climb toward the mid eighties by midday, perfect
for both the early risers and those chasing the evening bite.
Tide wise, you're looking at a high tide just after
midnight around one zero three am, dropping to a morning

(00:42):
low at seven fifty five am. The next run up
peaks at two seventeen pm, with the afternoon low settling
near six thirty five pm. These moderate swings mean currents
will be moving but won't really rip, so expect good
water movement early and late. If you're targeting refoor bridge spots,

(01:04):
plan your session one hour before and after those highs
for prime fish activity, especially as the soul Enter table
is showing average activity today, fish should be on the
hunt recent catches around the middle and lower Keys think
Islamarda to Key West have been solid. Anglers have been

(01:24):
snagging plenty of mangrove snapper and yellowtail snapper off the
patch reefs and near the bridges. The muttons are starting
to show in the mix out deeper look for grouper
and amberjacks still lingering around the Rex flats. Fishermen are
picking up good numbers of bonefish and permit, especially on
the rising tide. Early reports from local guides confirm decent

(01:47):
action for tarpon still at dawn and dusk on live
mullet or pilchards. Best lures for this time of year,
with fall baitfish running larger. Throw big top water plugs
at first light for snook and tarpon in back country
creeks and bridges, Oversize paddle tails and subsurface jerk baits
and silvers and whites closely imitate those mullet and pilchered

(02:08):
schools cruising the shallows. For the offshore crowd. Nothing beats
a live pilchered or chunked bally hue on snapper and grouper.
If you're trolling skirted baits and deep diving plugs and
natural colors are working their magic for king mackerel and
the occasional mahi hot spots you won't want to miss.
Tannel two Bridge, snapper, muttons, and tarpin have all been

(02:30):
active around the structure, especially around the time change. Long
Key Viaduct. Early risers have been connecting with snook and
occasional trout and ladyfish in the shadow lines before the
sun climbs high seven mile Bridge patches. Consistent action on
yellow tail and mangrove snapper with some surprise group are
mixed in drift a live shrimp or shiny jig for

(02:52):
best results. Backcountry flats off marathon, permit and bonefish are
tailing hard in the early hours. Small crab padd or
gulp soft plastics are getting it done. For bait. Top
picks right now are live pilchards, shrimp and pinfish. If
you can't get live, go artificial marrow, Dean's soft plastics,
and white or chartreuse and gold spoons catch just about everything.

(03:16):
Don't overlook fresh cut bait for bottom fishing. It's prime
for grouper and snapper overall. If you're heading out, pack
your oversized bait. Fish imitators bring plenty of live and
cut bait and set up near bridges or patch reefs.
At the turn of the tides, fish have been moving
in decent numbers, mangroves and yellowtail coming in by the dozen,

(03:36):
with mutton and grouper in smaller but steady counts on
deep structure. Bonefish and permit are books steady for flats.
Guides and a few tarpin are still prowling the channels
when the tides swing. Thanks for tuning in to today's
Florida Keys Fishing Report. Don't forget to subscribe so you
never miss a hot tip or a weather shift. This
has been a quiet please production. For more check out

(03:59):
Quiet please dot ag a I