Early Summer Keys Bite: Dolphin, Tarpon, and Flats Action from Largo to Key West

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Florida Keys fishing report. We’ve got a classic early‑summer pattern setting up. Down the island chain, from Key Largo to Key West, we’re sitting under warm, humid air with light southeast breeze in the morning, building to 10–15 knots by afternoon. Expect scattered clouds, a quick shower or two, and that bright Keys sun punching through most of the day. Air temps are running mid‑80s, feeling hotter on the water. Sunrise is right around a quarter past six, with sunset just after eight, so there’s a nice long low‑light window on both ends of the day. Tides today are running a typical Keys mixed semi‑diurnal pattern. Around Islamorada and Marathon, you’re looking at a morning incoming that tops out mid‑morning, then easing to an afternoon fall. Around Key West, the flood starts a little later and lags the Upper Keys by roughly an hour. The best feeds will be at the **start of the incoming** and the **first of the outgoing**, when that cooler, moving water has the bait nervous. Offshore, boats working the edge of the Gulf Stream have been finding solid dolphin mahi in the 200–600 foot zone, with a few slammers mixed in with gaffers and schoolies. Anglers running weedlines and scattered birds have also picked blackfin tuna on the deeper side of the color change, plus the odd wahoo on the early troll. Standard spread of small skirted ballyhoo, chuggers, and naked ‘hoo is doing the work, with a few fish coming on bright‑colored trolling feathers and lipped plugs. On the reef and wrecks in 60–150 feet, the mutton snapper bite is still very much alive, with plenty of keeper mangroves and yellowtail in the mix, plus some bruiser amberjack on the deeper metal. Fresh cut ballyhoo, whole squid, and live pinfish or pilchards are the go‑to baits. Yellowtail are chewing best on light leaders, small hooks, and a steady chum slick; glass minnows and cut baits are pulling consistent flags. Inshore on the flats and backcountry, early morning high water is setting up nice shots at bonefish and permit. Fly anglers are doing well with tan and olive shrimp patterns, while spin guys are getting it done with small pink or natural‑colored skimmer jigs tipped with shrimp. Around the mangroves and creek mouths, snook and redfish are feeding on the falling tide, especially where there’s shade and moving water. A live shrimp, pilchard, or pinfish under a cork is hard to beat, and soft‑plastic paddle tails in new penny or pearl are catching plenty of fish. Bridge channels and edges are still giving up tarpon at first light and after dark. Big live mullet or crabs are your best bet on the drift, while those fishing artificials at dawn are jumping fish on heavy swimbaits and big soft‑plastic jerkbaits in darker colors. Best all‑around baits right now: live pilchards, shrimp, small mullet, pinfish, and fresh cut ballyhoo. For artificials, pack **3–4 inch paddle tails**, bucktail jigs in white or chartreuse, small topwaters for dawn, and natural‑tone shrimp jigs for the flats. Couple hot spots to circle on your chart: – **Seven Mile Bridge and surrounding channels** near Marathon for tarpon, snapper, and mixed action on the tides. – **Islamorada flats and nearby oceanside edges** for bonefish, permit, and a shot at inshore tarpon when that incoming tide lines up with low light. That’s the rundown from Artificial Lure here in the Florida Keys. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn