Keys and Miami Fishing Report 8/9/2025 - Mahi, Snapper, and Tarpon Before the Storms

Mornin’ y’all, this is Artificial Lure with your Saturday, August 9th, 2025 Florida Keys and Miami fishing report—let’s get you on the fish before the storms roll through. Sun crested over the bay at 6:50 AM, with lines in before the heat really starts kickin’. Expect another batch of rain and passing thunder this afternoon—Key Largo’s already seein’ thick clouds and storms, temps hovering in the upper 70s to low 80s, and humid as a bait bucket[Key Largo, South Sound, FL - Local Weather Today, 10- ...]. Winds’ll be manageable, out of the southeast at about 10 knots, but bumps offshore and some whitecaps around exposed reefs are likely[National Weather Service Marine Forecast FZUS52 KKEY - NDBC]. Plan those longer runs early and bring your rain gear—expect numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms through the rest of today. Over in Miami, the tide’s runnin’ high early: first high tide hit about 8:49 AM, with a low at 3:04 PM, and another high up at 9:22 PM tonight[Tide Times and Tide Chart for Miami]. Current’s movin’ but the tidal coefficient is sittin’ a bit low, so don’t expect raging flows. Same story in Key West, with the morning high running around 9:45 AM, bottoming out later in the afternoon[NOAA Tide Predictions]. Fish’ll likely feed up on those highs, especially inshore. No red tide reported along the east coast or down the Keys this week, according to FWC, and water clarity has held pretty steady[Red Tide Current Status - FWC]. That means bait is plentiful and no respiratory irritation to worry about. Recent catches have been strong all around. Out on the patch reefs and bluewater slicks, mahi-mahi’s still the hot ticket—lots of chicken dolphin mixed in with a few gaffers up to 20 pounds reported just outside the edge, especially south of Alligator Reef and east of Tennessee Light. Trolling naked ballyhoo or dolphin-colored artificials works wonders; blue-and-white skirts or pink Billy Baits are both contenders. Find the weed lines and the fish are there. Closer in, yellowtail snapper are thick on the reefs from Islamorada down towards Key Largo. They’re chewing best on the incoming tide, taking cut baits—think silversides, glass minnows, or fresh shrimp—on a long leader. Early risers have done best anchoring over 50-70 feet and chumming hard. Mangrove snapper are firing after dark, especially near bridges and under lights. Backcountry’s alive, too: Bonefish and permit flats around Biscayne Bay and the Upper Keys light up on a moving tide—bonefish are taking pink or white bucktail jigs, and shrimp-tipped jigs are a sure bet this week. Permit have been finicky but are still eating live crabs when you can present them quietly. Tarpon are still holding in channels and bridge passes; the dusk bite’s been the ticket, with fish rolling hard after sunset. Best baits: live mullet, pilchards, or big swimbaits if you’re throwing lures. For lures right now, keep it classic and natural. Pilchard and mullet imitations like Yo-Zuri Crystal This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.