Fishing the Florida Keys: Hot Bites, Tides, and Angling Tips for November

Artificial Lure here with your boots-on-the-dock fishing report for the Florida Keys, Tuesday, November 11th, 2025. It’s a classic fall morning — air warm and water just cool enough to turn fish active and hungry. Skies are mostly fair with a slight easterly breeze, perfect for both inshore and offshore runs. Sunrise was 6:40 AM, sunset’s lined up for 5:41 PM. Key tides today: a high tide around 1:34 AM, low at 8:41 AM, next high at 3:39 PM, and a last low at 7:55 PM, according to Tide-Forecast.com. That early outgoing tide and the afternoon incoming should both fire up the bite, especially around the bridges and flats. Water temps are hovering in the mid- to upper 70s, according to local guides, and with an average tidal coefficient of around 51, there’s a healthy amount of current—good movement for snapper, grouper, and the flats species. Winds should stay east to southeast at 10-15 mph, not enough to dirty the water but just right for oxygenating those shallows. Now let’s talk fish. The backcountry from Key Largo down to Big Pine is loaded with life. According to a Monday Islamorada fishing report, the mangrove snapper bite has been steady on the patch reefs, with most boats getting their limits after only a couple drops. Pilchards and chunks of fresh shrimp have been the ticket. Bonefish are tailing on the oceanside flats right after sunrise—try shrimp or a pink skimmer jig. Tarpon are rolling around the channels near Marathon and Key West in the evenings; toss a live mullet or greenback for your best shot. Redfish and snook are still working the islands and mangroves, especially around Flamingo and up into the creeks at low incoming tides. Coastal Angler Magazine reports a surge of double-spotted reds in the Lower Keys. Gold spoons, white bucktail jigs, and soft plastic jerkbaits in natural baitfish patterns have been getting whacked. For you lure slingers, don’t overlook a simple Yo-Zuri Pencil in bone color at first light, or a green pumpkin creature bait with a touch of chartreuse in the deeper potholes—those bass-style tactics cross over nicely to Keys snook and snapper in the fall, as the folks at Major League Fishing suggest. Topwater bites have been hot the first hour after sunrise, especially if we get patchy clouds holding over. Worth noting, Florida Fish and Wildlife has closed hogfish harvest in the Atlantic and Keys as of November 1st, so let those spiny critters be. Flounder season is also closed as of mid-October. The stone crab season is open, and some traps have been pulling keepers since last week. If you’re looking for a couple hot spots: - The edges of Channel Two and Channel Five bridges at Islamorada are loaded with mangrove and yellowtail snapper, with grouper holding in the deeper holes. Use live shrimp or pilchards for best action. - Oceanside flats near Sugarloaf Key and Big Pine Key are prime for bonefish and permit on a mid-morning rising tide. Wade quietly, cast ahead, and keep your presentations light. - T This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.