Florida Keys & Miami Fishing Report - September 17, 2025

This is Artificial Lure coming to you live with your Florida Keys and Miami fishing report for Wednesday, September 17, 2025. First up, the **tides**. Out in the Keys, the morning high tide peaked at 7:06 AM, rolling up to 2.19 feet, with a low tide coming in at 1:58 PM around 0.44 feet, and another high at 8:52 PM. Miami Beach saw a similar story, with an early high at 5:19 AM, low at 11:40 AM, and the evening’s push arriving by 6:06 PM. That means mellow tidal movement today, with September’s coefficients hanging soft around 39 to 46 out in the islands and about 59 for Miami Beach—not much current, so you’ll want to work those lures a little more to catch the eye of any lookers, especially on flats and around patch reefs. **Weather** remains typical September subtropics—**sunrise at 7:14, sunset at 7:28** in Key West with a little more daylight up in Miami. Expect things to be warm and humid; air temps started around 80 and should rise to the upper 80s, with water temps right at that ideal 85 degrees. Winds are light out of the southeast, keeping the surface slick inshore, hardly enough to rustle the mangroves or kick up the reef. Let’s talk **fishing activity**. The recent bite’s been varied but solid, especially near the deep edge offshore and inside the patch reefs. Down in the Lower Keys, charter captains have been coming back with good hauls of **yellowtail snapper, mangrove snapper, and a few big muttons** from around the reef line, especially early and just before sunset. **Dolphin (mahi-mahi)** are showing on weedlines in 200–400 feet, most in the five to ten-pound class, but a few slammers. Backcountry waters are holding **tarpon** near the channels and bridges—best action at first and last light, a classic fall push, with some snook and reds mixed in close to the mainland banks. **Baits and lures:** If you’re bottom fishing, it’s hard to beat fresh-cut ballyhoo or squid for the snappers and grouper. Drift a pilchard or pinfish and you may luck into a big mutton or even a lazy grouper. Those chasing pelagics offshore, rig up a trolling ballyhoo with a little sparkle, or toss out a chartreuse or pink feather when the sun’s high. Around the bridges, big live mullet or blue crabs will tempt tarpon and snook, but artificials shine too—try a paddle-tail like the Monster 3X shrimp, or a DOA baitbuster bounced slow and low at sunrise. **Hot spots:** - **Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges:** Consistent tarpon action, plus snappers piling up at the pilings. - **Long Key Light to Conch Reef:** Yellowtail and mixed snapper are steady, especially on the outgoing tide. - **Haulover Inlet north to Government Cut in Miami:** Early morning snook and some active jacks smashing topwater plugs. - **Islamorada Humps:** Dolphin, blackfin tuna, and an occasional sailfish—nothing like a sunrise troll when the surface is popping. Inshore and flats anglers—the Key Largo and Biscayne flats are holding healthy numbers of bonefish and permit; best bets are This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.