Ideal Tides and Bountiful Bites: A Gulf of Mexico Fishing Report for Florida's Anglers

This is Artificial Lure with your Friday, September 26, 2025 Gulf of Mexico fishing report for Florida.

Sunrise this morning broke at 7:21, with sunset expected at 7:22. We’ve got a decent push of water—high tide rolled in at 3:43 AM and another is coming at 5:09 PM, with lows late morning and just before midnight. There’s a strong tidal coefficient around 87, which means bigger swings and lively currents—ideal for moving bait and active fishing all around the flats and passes, especially at change of tide according to Tides4Fishing.

Weather’s starting out muggy with scattered clouds but lows in the upper 70s and highs topping out near 87 by afternoon. Winds have been mostly from the east, running 8 to 12 knots—comfortable for both bay and nearshore runs. No serious rain in the forecast, though if you’re south of Tampa Bay, keep an eye out for spotty afternoon thundershowers.

Water temps are still sitting comfortably in the 80s. That means bait is thick along the grass flats and edges—find pilchards and mullet schools and you’ll find the fish. According to regional captains reporting in to Florida Insider Fishing Report, this week’s been hot for **redfish**, **snook**, and **trout** on the inside, with a solid flurry of catches coming around incoming tide. Snook are feeding best around mangrove shorelines and oyster bars, especially at first light and dusk.

Anglers have landed upper-slot snook near Boca Grande and lots of slot reds throughout the lower Tampa Bay creeks. Big trout have been working the potholes and deeper cuts near St. Joseph Sound. Most boats running out of Clearwater and Sarasota are picking up solid Spanish mackerel and good numbers of jack crevalle chasing bait balls just outside the inlets.

Offshore action has been picking up as well—amberjack, kingfish, and some scattered blackfin tuna reports off the wrecks and deep ledges in 70–110 feet. Out of Venice and Destin, charter captains are reporting decent snapper bites with lingering grouper and a few healthy cobia showing around the markers and buoys.

Best baits this week:
- For snook and redfish: **Live pilchards, pinfish, or finger mullet** are king. If you’re fishing the grass or mangrove edges, toss them free-lined or with a split shot.
- For trout: **Soft plastics** like a paddle tail or shrimp imitation on a jig head in new penny or white chartreuse.
- For mackerel and jacks: **Silver spoons** or fast-ripped Gotcha plugs get crushed on the outside flats.
- Offshore: **Live blue runners and cigar minnows** for amberjack and kings, while chicken rigs tipped with squid or cut sardine turn up snapper and grouper.

Artificial options have been strong—topwater walk-the-dog style plugs early and late score snook and reds, while subsurface swimbaits in natural colors put trout and flounder in the boat.

Hot Spots for today:
- **Mullet Key Channel (Skyway Area):** Strong tides and bait balls draw in big reds and snook—work the outgoing tide near bridge pilings and rock edges.
- **Charlotte Harbor:** The east wall has been loaded with reds; low light and topwater will get blow-ups.
- **Tarpon Springs Flats:** Great for trout, reds, and surprise flounder right on the transition between sand and grass.

With the moon waxing and higher tidal amplitudes, late afternoon bite should fire off near the deeper channels and passes. Remember, best action is tied to tidal change and following the bait.

Thanks for tuning in, be sure to subscribe for your daily dose of on-the-water intel. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is artificial war with your Friday, September twenty sixth,
twenty twenty five Gulf of Mexico fishing report for Florida.
Sunrise this morning broke at seven twenty one, with sunset
expected at seven twenty two. We got a decent push
of water. High tide rolled in at three forty three am,
and another is coming at five zero nine pm with

(00:21):
lows late morning and just before midnight. There is a
strong tidal coal fision around eighty seven, which means bigger
swings and lively currents. Ideal for moving bait and active
fishing all around the flats and passes, especially at change
of tide. According to Tide's for fishing, weather starting out

(00:43):
muggy with scattered clouds, but lows in the upper seventies
and highs topping out near eighty seven by afternoon. Winds
have been mostly from the east, earning eight to twelve knots,
comfortable for both bay and near shore runs. No serious
rain in the forecast, so if you're south of Tampa Bay,
keep an eye out for spotty afternoon thunder showers. Water

(01:05):
temps are still sitting comfortably in the eighties. That means
bait is thick along the grass flats and edges, fine
pilchards and mullet schools, and you'll find the fish. According
to regional captains reporting into Florida Insideer fishing report, this
week's been hot for redfish, snook, and trout on the inside,
with a solid floory of catches coming around incoming tide.

(01:27):
Snook are feeding best around Mangrove shorelines and oyster bars,
especially at first light and dusk. Anglers have landed upper
slot snook near Boca Grande and lots of slot reds
throughout the lower Tampa Bay Creeks. Big trout have been
working the potholes in deeper cuts near Saint Joseph's Sound.
Most boats running out of Clearwater and Sarasota are picking

(01:50):
up solid Spanish mackerel and good numbers of jack cravall
chasing bait balls just outside the inlets. Offshore action has
been picking up as well amberjack, kingfish and some scattered
black fin tuna reports off the wrecks and deep ledges
in seventy one hundred ten feet out of Venice and Destin.
Charter captains are reporting decent snapper bites with lingering grouper

(02:11):
and a few healthy kobia showing around the markers and buwies.
Best baits this week for snook and redfish, live pilchered's,
pinfish or finger mulletor king. If you're fishing the grass
or mangrove DGEs, toss them free lined or with a
split shot for trout. Soft plastics like a paddle tail
or shrinked imitation on a jig head in new penny

(02:32):
or white chartrews for mackerel and jack's. Silver spoons or
fast ripped doctr plugs get crushed on the outside flats. Offshore,
live blue runners and cigar mennos for amberjack and kings,
while chicken rigs tipped with squid or cut sardine turn
up snapper and grouper. Artificial options have been strong top
water walk the dog style plugs early and late score

(02:55):
snook and reds, while subsurface swim baits and natural colors
put trout and flounder in the boat. Cat spots for
today Mullet Key Channel, Skyway area, strong tides and bait
balls drawing big reds and snook work the outgoing tide
near bridge pilings and rock edges Charlotte Harbor. The east
wall has been loaded with reds. Low light and top

(03:18):
water will get blow ups. Tarp and springs flats great
for trout reds and surprise flounder. Right on the transition
between sand and grass. With the moon waxing in higher
tidal amplitudes late afternoon, bites should fire off near the
deeper channels and passes. Remember, best action is tied to

(03:38):
title change and following the bait. Thanks for tuning in.
Be sure to subscribe for your daily dose of on
the Water Intel. This has been a quiet please production.
For more check out Quiet please dot ai