Fall Fishing Frenzy: Miami and the Keys Fishing Report

Artificial Lure here, bringing you your Friday, October 24th, fishing report for Miami and the Florida Keys. Today’s weather is shaping up classic for fall angling in South Florida: temps starting in the mid-70s just after sunrise, climbing into the low to mid-80s by mid-day. Expect light east-southeasterly breezes and only a slight chop—good holding water and clean edges for sight-casting. No fronts on the immediate horizon according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, but minor tidal flooding advisories remain in place for the lower Keys, so mind those ramps and flats access. For the tides: Miami Beach is looking at a low of 0.48 ft at 4:15 am, rolling up to a high around 10:40 am at 3.16 ft, another low at 4:44 pm (0.99 ft), and one last high at 10:34 pm at 2.89 ft. Good windows for moving-water action just after sunrise and again after lunch. Over in Key West, low tide lands at 6:03 am, high at 12:39 pm (1.54 ft), low at 5:15 pm, and a late bump before midnight. Sunrise is officially 7:24 am for Miami, 7:29 am in Key West, and sunset clocks in around 6:44–6:52 pm. Let’s talk bites: The fall mullet run is tapering, but finger mullet and pilchards are still thick on the beaches—prime bait for snook and tarpon on inlets and adjacent channels. Around the bridges—especially Seven Mile and Channel 5—the late outgoing tide has had snapper biting well, with solid mangroves up to 18 inches, mixed with some fat yellowtail on the deeper patches off Islamorada. Several boats this week have reported pushing limits of mangroves and yellowtail using live pilchards and small chunks of cut ballyhoo. Offshore, dolphin (mahi-mahi) are thinning but still around, mostly in the 10–15 lb range, caught trolling small feathers and rigged ballyhoo under the scattered weedlines, particularly 8-15 miles out from Marathon southbound. Blackfin tuna are thicker at the humps—aided by moderate currents—slammed by folks vertical jigging and tossing pilchards. Inshore, bonefish have been happy on the late rising tide, especially in the Lower Keys where clear water and moderate winds make for great sight-fishing. Fly and spinning anglers are sticking fish up to 7 pounds, especially on darker flats edges north of Sugarloaf and Duck Key. Spanish mackerel are banging chrome Gotchas and small spoons off Long Key and near Ponce De Leon Point, according to morning updates from local guides. Best baits right now: live pilchards, shrimp, and finger mullet. For lures, natural-colored soft plastics, bucktail jigs, and topwater walkers are getting most bites for snook and trout on the grass flats. Offshore chasers should keep a spread of skirted ballyhoo and deep-diving plugs ready. Flats anglers: don’t overlook tan or olive shrimp imitations, either on fly or with a lightweight jig. Hot spots to try: - Card Sound Bridge and adjacent creeks—good action for snook, tarpon, and mixed mangrove snapper early and late. - Islamorada’s Bridges (Channel 2 and 5) for mixed bag s This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.