"Islamorada Fishing Report: Tarpon, Variety, and Tidal Patterns Heating Up the Keys Bite"

Good morning, anglers. This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Islamorada fishing report for Friday, April 18, 2025. We’ve got a classic Florida Keys spring setup: warming water, steady action, and a strong tidal swing to fire up the bite.

The sun rose at 6:57 a.m. and will set at 7:46 p.m. Tides are lively today, with a high at 3:06 a.m., a low at 8:24 a.m., another high at 2:08 p.m., and low again at 10:43 p.m. That tidal coefficient is up at 85, so expect some strong currents, which usually gets the fish feeding, especially around bridges and channel edges[6][10].

Weather-wise, we’re looking at breezy conditions—winds popping 15 to 20 knots and gusting at times, which can make things sporty out there. Skies are mostly clear, with air temps pushing the low to mid 80s by afternoon[1][2]. That wind’s been a theme the past week, so plan accordingly and look for leeward shorelines or the backcountry to get some relief.

Now for the fish. Tarpon are the headliners as always this time of year, and while the bite hasn’t gone crazy just yet, guides are finding steady action in local channels and bridges, especially early and late in the day. Most boats are picking off a couple of tarpon each trip, with a mix of live mullet and dead bait doing the trick. Some days you’ll have to put in work and bounce around, but persistence is paying off[1][5]. Make sure your tackle is in order—these fish are averaging 40 to 100 pounds.

The backcountry has been giving up a nice variety—snook, speckled trout, sheepshead, and the occasional redfish are all in play, especially if you tuck in behind the islands and mangroves out of the wind. Small jigs tipped with shrimp, live pilchards, or artificial paddle tails have been hot for snook and trout[3][4][7]. Those channels and bridge pilings are also holding big jacks, mangrove snapper, and nurse sharks if you want to bend a rod on something hefty.

Best baits right now? For tarpon, live mullet or a chunk of fresh mullet can’t be beat, especially at first and last light. For snook and trout, go with soft plastics, bucktail jigs, or live shrimp. If you’re bridge fishing, don’t hesitate to throw a pinfish or large pilchard on the bottom.

Hot spots today: Channel 2 Bridge and Long Key Bridge are both holding tarpon, snapper, and jacks[7][8]. For classic backcountry action, hit the shorelines and flats in Florida Bay or run up into Everglades National Park—look for leeward points and creek mouths[8].

Summing up: You’ll have to work for some bites but the action is there if you stay mobile and time those tides. Tarpon are the stars right now, but don’t overlook the variety in the bay if the wind kicks up. Tight lines and see you on the water.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is your daily fishing Report podcast for Islamorada, Florida,
and here is what is bending our rods today. Good morning, anglers,
this is Artificial Lure checking in with your Islamorada Fishing
Report for Friday, April eighteenth, twenty twenty five. We've got
a classic Florida key spring set up, warming water, steady action,
and a strong tidal swing to fire up the bite.

(00:22):
The sun rose at six fifty seven am and will
set at seven forty six pm. Tides are lively today,
with a high at three oh six am, a low
at eight twenty four am, another high at two oh
eight pm, and low again at ten forty three pm.
That tidle coefficient is up at eighty five, so expect
some strong currents, which usually gets the fish feeding, especially

(00:46):
around bridges and channel edges. Is ten. Weatherwise, we're looking
at breezy conditions winds popping fifteen to twenty knots and
gusting at times, which can make things sporty out there.
Skies are mostly clear, with air temps pushing from the
low to mid eighties by afternoon. That wind's been a
theme the past week, so plan accordingly and look for

(01:07):
leeward shorelines or the back country to get some relief
now for the fish. Tarpin are the headliners as always
this time of year, and while the bite hasn't gone
crazy just yet, guides are finding steady action in local
channels and bridges, especially early and late in the day.
Most boats are picking off a couple of tarpin each trip,

(01:28):
with a mix of live mullet and dead bait doing
the trick. Some days you'll have to put in work
and bounce around, but persistence is paying off. Make sure
your tackle is in order. These fish are averaging forty
to one hundred pounds. The back country has been giving
up a nice variety. Snook, speckled trout, sheep, shed and

(01:49):
the occasional redfish are all in play, especially if you
tuck in behind the islands and mangroves out of the wind.
Small jigs tipped with shrimp, live pilchards or artificial paddle
tails have been hot for snook and trout for them.
Those channels and bridge pilings are also holding big jacks,
mangrove snapper, and nurse sharks. If you want to bend

(02:10):
a rod on something hefty, best baits right now for tarpin,
live mullet or a chunk of fresh mullet can't be beat,
especially at first and last light. For snook and trout,
go with soft plastics, bucktail jigs, or live shrimp. If
you're bridge fishing, don't hesitate to throw a pinfish or
large pilchart on the bottom hotspots. Today Channel two Bridge

(02:33):
and Long Key Bridge are both holding tarpin, snapper, and jacks.
For classic backcountry action, hit the shorelines and flats in
Florida Bay or run up into Everglades National Park. Look
for leeward points and creek mouths summing up. You'll have
to work for some bites, but the action is there
if you stay mobile and time those tides. Tarpin are

(02:56):
the stars right now, but don't overlook the variety in
the bay. If the wind kicks up, tight lines and
see you on the water. And that is it for today.
Hit the subscribe button and never miss out. Keep those
tips up and lines wet. This has been a quite
pleased production with the help of AI. Thanks for listening.