April Keys Fishing Report: Tarpon, Bonefish, and Offshore Action

Florida Keys Fishing Report for April 18, 2025 Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your fresh report for the Keys. The weather’s giving us classic mid-April conditions with sunrise just after 7 AM and sunset right around 7:48 PM, so you’ve got plenty of daylight to wet a line. Temperatures are steady in the mid-80s today, with a solid easterly breeze around 10 to 15 mph. Offshore could get choppy, but inshore and on the bridges should be manageable if you plan ahead[7]. Tides today show a high around 4:20 AM and another high around 3:30 PM. Expect low tides mid-morning and late evening, which lines up perfectly for targeting predators as they push in and out with the moving water[6][7]. If you’re night fishing for tarpon, these late incoming tides can be gold. Speaking of tarpon, April is prime time in the Keys, and the big silver kings are stacking up around the bridges and in the deep channels from Key Largo all the way down to Marathon and the Seven Mile Bridge[1][4][7]. Morning and evening bites have been steady, though you’ll need to work a bit between fish. Live mullet and big shrimp are pulling the best bites, but don’t overlook a 10-inch Hogy Eel or even a chunky paddle-tail jig if you’re a lure slinger[4][7][8]. Some nights, that artificial action turns on hard. On the flats, bonefish are cruising especially around Islamorada and Lower Matecumbe. Early mornings on an incoming tide, you’ll see tails waving along the edges. DOA Shrimp, small paddle-tails, and live shrimp or pea crabs are top producers. Permit reports have ticked up too, mainly on the flats near the backcountry edges and the ocean side reefs, with small crabs being the ticket[3][8]. Offshore, the bite’s picking up fast with blackfin tuna and the first solid runs of mahi showing up past the 100-foot line[2][5][7]. Deep-diving plugs and skirted ballyhoo are pulling in mahi, and the blackfin are smashing vertical jigs over the wrecks. Sailfish are still popping up, and if you’re out there, keep a fresh threadfin or goggle-eye handy. If snapper’s on your list, head to the reefs for yellowtail and muttons—fresh sardines and pilchards always do the trick. Grouper and some nice jacks have also been landed, especially around Wreck Alley and the pilings on Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges[9]. Hot spots today? You can’t go wrong starting at Channel 5 Bridge for tarpon, snapper, and the occasional grouper. Lignumvitae Key flats are a local favorite for bonefish and permit, and for offshore, the Marathon Humps are holding tuna and mahi right now[9]. If you’re up for a cruise, Long Key Bight has been steady for snapper on a moving tide. That’s your report—tide’s moving, fish are biting, and the Keys are delivering. Tight lines, stay safe, and I’ll see you out there. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.