Florida Keys Fishing Report: Ideal Conditions, Mullet Run, and Offshore Action

Good morning, folks—this is Artificial Lure with your Florida Keys fishing report for Friday, September 19th, 2025. We’re waking up to a smooth start across the islands, with sunrise at 7:14 AM and sunset coming in at 7:26 PM, giving us over 12 hours of daylight to fish. Tides are on the moderate side: first low tide hit at 2:09 AM, first high tide at 9:06 AM, followed by a second low at 3:13 PM, and the final high tide at 9:52 PM, right in time for some late-evening snook or snapper action around the lights. The tidal coefficient sits low to moderate, so you’re not going to see huge current swings today. Fish will be a touch less active during slack but should perk up right at the tide changes, especially around that mid-morning high and after lunch as it drops out, as shown in the NOAA and Tide-Forecast charts. Weather’s just about perfect for late September in the Keys. Mostly sunny skies, light southeast winds between 5 and 10 knots—expect temps to top out near 87, and water clarity should hold steady. With only light chop, the backcountry and patch reefs will be very accessible. The fall mullet run is starting to push down the coast, and that means predators are on the prowl. According to Coastal Angler’s recent report, there’s been solid inshore action on tarpon up to 70 pounds smashing bait pods in the bridges, along with slot reds and some bruiser snook congregating around structure. The Hawk’s Channel bridges lit up last night with a mixed bag of mangrove snapper, some hefty yellowtails, and a surprise 38-inch red drum landed on live mullet. Offshore, mahi-mahi have been showing up in good numbers outside the 400-foot line—most are schoolies in the 8–12 lb range, but there’s been some gaffer-size fish mixed in. Blackfin tuna are active early at first light near the humps, so don’t sleep in if you’re looking for sushi. Wreck fishing sees persistent action with mutton snapper, amberjack, and some keeper grouper. That night bite is still hot for swordfish; captains are it reporting that squid strips and glow skirts are doing the bulk of the work. This week, the top-producing baits and lures have been live pilchards, pinfish, and mullet for inshore targets. If you’re throwing artificial, paddle tail swimbaits and topwater plugs have crushed snook and tarpon, especially around dock lights and bridge shadow lines. Offshore, trolling small feathers and bonita strips has put mahi-mahi in the box, while vertical jigging over reefs and wrecks with chartreuse or pink bucktail has been deadly for snapper and ‘cudas. If you’re looking for a reliable all-arounder, never leave home without a gold spoon and a white bucktail jig. Hotspots today are Bahia Honda Bridge for tarpon and snook at dawn and dusk, and Marker 88 flats on the bayside for tailing reds and trout on the high dropping tide. For offshore, set a course for The Marathon Hump at daybreak—the blackfin bite has been best there. If you’re stuck on land, the channel edges around Channel This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.