Islamorada Early Summer: Tarpon at Dawn, Mahi Offshore, Snapper on the Reef

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Islamorada fishing report, coming to you like a local on the radio. We’ve got classic early-summer conditions in the Upper Keys. Light to moderate southeast breeze, generally 8–15 knots, warm and humid with daytime highs pushing the upper 80s and plenty of sun between scattered clouds. Expect the usual midday heat and a chance of a passing shower, so plan your serious fishing for early and late. Sunrise is right around 6:30 in the morning, sunset just after 8:00 in the evening, giving you a long, bright window to work the edges. Tides today run with a decent push. Around Islamorada, look for an early incoming tide at dawn on the ocean side, then a falling tide mid-morning into early afternoon, with another weaker push later in the day. That first light incoming is prime time on the flats, channels, and around the bridges; the start of the outgoing gets the bait flushing and turns on the snapper and tarpon. Fish activity has been strong all week. Offshore, boats running 8–20 miles out have been finding good numbers of schoolie and gaffer **dolphin (mahi)**, with a few bigger slammers mixed in. Weedlines and scattered birds have been the key; trolling small skirted ballyhoo, chuggers, and bright dolphin-colored lures has been producing steady action. Blackfin tuna are hanging on the humps; live pilchards and small jigs worked deep are getting bites. On the reef edge, the **yellowtail snapper** bite has been consistent, with some nicer fish in the 16–18 inch range. Chumming over 50–80 feet and drifting small pieces of cut bait back on light leaders is the ticket. Mixed in have been **mangrove snapper**, the odd **mutton**, plus a few **cero mackerel** when the current is moving. Inshore and backcountry, the early morning bite has been the play. The bridges and nearby channels are still holding **tarpon**, especially around dawn and the first hour of incoming tide. Anglers have been jumping multiple fish a tide using live mullet, crabs, and big swimbaits. Around the mangroves and shorelines, **snook** and **redfish** are chewing on high water, with **sea trout** and **jacks** on the open flats and potholes. Bonefish sightings have picked up on the ocean side flats on that clean incoming water. Best lures and baits right now: - For tarpon: live mullet, crabs, and big soft-plastic paddle tails in dark or pearl; also big suspending plugs fished around bridge shadow lines at night. - For snook and reds: 3–4 inch soft plastics on light jigheads, gold spoons, and live shrimp or pilchards. - For reef snapper: cut ballyhoo, squid strips, and small live baits like pilchards or cigar minnows. - For mahi: rigged ballyhoo, small lures in pink, green, and blue, plus chunk baits once you’ve got them behind the boat. A couple of hot spots to put on your list: - **Channel 2 and Channel 5 bridges**: excellent for tarpon at dawn and dusk, and for snapper and grouper down deep on the right tide. - **The Islamorada Hump** offshore: still a solid bet for blackfin tuna and the occasional larger pelagic; work vertical jigs and live bait when you mark fish. Overall, it’s a fishy pattern: early and late for comfort and best action, work the moving water, and match your bait to what’s naturally in the area. Islamorada is doing what it does best. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn