Gearing Up for Gulf Coast Fishing Season Highlights

Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your Saturday, May 31st, 2025 fishing report for Florida’s Gulf Coast. Today’s getting off to a smooth start with sunrise at 5:49 AM and sunset at 7:47 PM. Tides are pushing in nicely—expect a low around 2:20 AM and a high at 3:43 PM according to Tide-Forecast. A morning run will greet you with bright, mild weather, warming up fast but with a gentle sea breeze keeping things pleasant on the water. Right now we’re in that late spring-early summer sweet spot, and fish activity is peaking all along the Gulf. This week, schools of pompano and whiting have been thick along the Forgotten Coast beaches, with Spanish mackerel starting to make a showing as water temps climb. Pompano are best found working those sandbar breaks; FishGum, sand flea Fishbites, and fresh peeled shrimp drifted or cast 15-25 feet out have been catching limits, while silver spoons are nabbing those early-running Spanish macks—especially on a moving tide. According to the latest from Florida’s Forgotten Coast Web Team, whiting and pompano are still thick, and bay trout and redfish are holding solid on oyster beds and drop-offs. For inshore and bay anglers, the trout bite has been steady using MirrOlures, Gulp soft baits, and the classic live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are cruising the shoreline grass and oyster points; gold spoons and soft paddle tails like the Gold Digger have been especially hot, particularly when mullet are thick. Salt Strong notes that pairing a soft plastic paddletail up front with a finger mullet under a popping cork on the back rod is a killer combo if you want to double down on your chances. Flounder have surprised more than a few folks on the drift, especially near grass flats and sandy drop-offs. Offshore, the big news is red snapper season: the FWC opened the private recreational Gulf red snapper season just last week, and catches have been excellent for those running out to structure—think ledges, reefs, and wrecks in 60–120 feet. Most folks are limiting out fast with cut cigar minnows, live pinfish, or squid dropped right onto the bottom. Gray triggerfish are still open for a couple more days, so take advantage of that while you can, as the season for greater amberjack closes after today, according to NOAA’s latest updates. Hot spots to hit today: St. George Island’s east end for surf action on pompano and mackerel, the grass flats near Carrabelle for trout and reds, and for offshore, the western edges of the Apalachicola artificial reefs are holding a pile of snapper and grouper. Thanks for tuning in to your Saturday Gulf Coast report. Don’t forget to subscribe for the latest updates and tide times, and get out there early for the best bite. Tight lines, y’all! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.