Keys Catch Up: Tuna, Snapper, and Tarpon Bite Heats Up Across South Florida

This is Artificial Lure reporting in from the Florida Keys and Miami waters for September 24th, 2025. Here’s your on-the-water scoop, delivered local—just the way you like it. Starting at first light, sunrise hit at 7:10 a.m. and the sun will duck out at 7:14 p.m. today. Tides lined up with a low at 4:15 a.m., high at 10:33 a.m., a second low at 4:37 p.m., and another high rolling in at 10:35 p.m. According to tide-forecast.com, expect that morning push of water to fire up the bite, especially as we hit the latter half of September—prime time for Keys action. Weather hasn’t raised a ruckus yet this hurricane season, and according to Keys Weekly, it’s been unusually settled—knock on wood—though caution’s always the name of the game late-season with storms possible any day. This morning felt balmy and seasonably humid, holding mid-80s through the day, with just a breeze and partly cloudy skies—classic Keys fall conditions. Now, for the bite: Offshore, those iconic humps south of Marathon and Islamorada are seeing steady action with blackfin tuna, with a few pushing hefty sizes. Charter captains report boats returning loaded with schools of football-sized blackfins, sometimes mixing in skipjack. Out deeper, dolphin (mahi-mahi) have been scattered but still showing up around weedlines, especially mid-morning as the tide turns. On the reefs, yellowtail snapper are schooling up in good numbers. Anglers have been dropping blocks of chum around Carysfort and Tennessee Reef and limiting out within a couple hours. Mangrove and mutton snapper are available if you shift inshore, and there’s been an uptick in grouper, especially off ledges between Tavernier and Key Largo. Staying closer to the mainland, Biscayne Bay flats and inlets are alive right now. Tarpon are cruising the bridges at dawn and dusk, rolling big in the twilight. Snook and sea trout are hitting live pilchards and DOA shrimp along the grass beds near Stiltsville and Haulover Inlet. Early morning topwater action is heating up for jack crevalle and the occasional surprise bonefish inside the bay. Best lures and baits today: Offshore, nothing beats trolling small feather jigs in pink or blue for tuna, with natural Ballyhoo working wonders for dolphin. Inshore, live shrimp and pilchards are the ticket for snapper and snook, while classic bucktail jigs tipped with GULP! shrimp work when the bait is tough to find. For tarpon, a big live mullet or pinfish freelined on the outbound tide has been hard to beat. Hot spots to circle on your chart: - The Islamorada Hump for tuna and dolphin. - Carysfort Reef for snappers, with a chance at grouper on the bottom. - The west end of Long Key Bridge for dusk tarpon. - Biscayne Channel edges for morning bonefish and sea trout. Word on the docks is that most crews are boxing 10–20 yellowtail per trip, with barracuda and sharks still pestering lines—but that’s the Keys for you, always full of surprises. Don’t forget, lobster divers are still snatc This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.