Florida Keys Fishing Report: Tarpon, Permit, and More in the Warm Backcountry

Hey there, folks! Artificial Lure here with your Florida Keys fishing report for this beautiful Sunday morning, May 4th, 2025. Let me tell y'all, it's been a strange season so far, but things are finally starting to heat up here in the Keys. Water temps have been climbing from the mid-70s we saw in late April, and that's got the fish moving. Weather-wise, we're looking at partly cloudy skies today with light southwest winds around 5-10 knots. There's a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, so keep an eye on the sky if you're heading out. Seas are running about 2-3 feet but should calm down later. Sunrise was at 6:45 AM and sunset will be around 7:55 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to wet a line. For the tides, we're seeing a moderate incoming tide through mid-morning, with the high around noon, followed by an outgoing tide in the afternoon. That morning push should be prime time for feeding activity. Now for what you really wanna know - the fishing! Tarpon season is underway, though it's been a bit unusual. The big silver kings haven't shown up in their usual numbers around the channels and bridges where we typically see them by late March. Some good pods have been spotted deep in the backcountry, which ain't typical this time of year. Anglers who found them last week were landing 2-3 fish per trip when conditions were right. Permit fishing has been steady, and we're just waiting on those big strings of migrating tarpon to show up out front - should be any day now. Snook and redfish action remains consistent, with juvenile tarpon mixed in. If you're targeting permit, crab patterns have been working well on the flats during the incoming tide. For lures, I'm hearing good reports on silver spoons and small bucktail jigs in white or chartreuse for the inshore species. If you're live baiting, pilchards and pinfish are your best bet right now. Fly anglers should stick with baitfish patterns in the 3-4 inch range. Hot spots this week include the deeper channels around Islamorada for tarpon, especially early morning. The flats around Lower Matecumbe have been producing nice permit. For mixed bag action, try the edges of Florida Bay where it meets the Gulf - the redfish and snook have been holding tight to the mangrove edges. Remember, it's still a bit of a grind some days, but you'll find windows of great action if you put in the time. The fish are here, they're just making us work a little harder for 'em this year. That's it from the Keys this morning. This is Artificial Lure saying tight lines, and I'll see y'all on the water! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.